It’s been a while since I’ve written a proper update, but this feels like the right time.
Hi Stakes Market Game is finally coming together and I’m aiming to have a beta available this November for both iPhone and Android.
At its core, it’s a game about markets but not just the charts-and-numbers kind. It’s about how economies move, how risk turns into opportunity, and how every boom has a bust hiding in it. The world inside Hi Stakes is alive: it grows, crashes, rebuilds, and surprises me even while I’m developing it.
The motto sums it up pretty well:
“GAINS ARE MADE BY TAKING LOSSES.”
That line, borrowed from Mr. Pendleton in Ys IX, became the spirit of the game. It’s about playing the long game, accepting setbacks, and finding meaning (and maybe profit) in the chaos.
The World That Runs Itself
I wanted to create a world that doesn’t wait for the player, one that ticks on its own clock.
Behind the scenes, the game runs a simulation where economies shift between bull markets, recessions, and moments of stagnation. Regions have their own moods and sectors rise or fall depending on what’s happening in the world.
Every few moments, something new might unfold, a company expands, a disaster hits, or a rumor starts to spread. It all connects back into the market, changing asset prices and creating ripples players can react to or try to anticipate.
It’s strange to watch it in action sometimes. Even without players, the world just… goes. It’s like watching a miniature universe develop habits and moods.
Playing the Market (Without the Stress)
Players get to trade inside this world, buying and selling assets, completing contracts and building a reputation. As you gain experience and reputation, new features open up. Eventually, you’ll be dealing with more advanced instruments like futures and options, or even investing in startups trying to make it to IPO.
But the goal isn’t to mimic Wall Street. It’s to make market mechanics fun, strategic and a little unpredictable. You’ll win some, lose some and learn when to take a hit for a bigger gain later. A lot of financial math, statistics and probability theory went into this.
Real-World Rewards, No Strings Attached
I wanted there to be something tangible beyond in-game numbers. So there’s a giveaway system, the kind where your in-game activity earns entries for real prizes. Think of it like Bing Rewards, but built into a market game.
You can win by simply playing, no selling your data, no personal info required. Everything about it is designed to stay private, simple, and fair.
Where Things Stand
Right now, I’m deep in testing and balancing the simulation, tweaking how economies drift, how disasters spread, how fast rumors travel. There’s still a ton to do: UX polish, tuning the giveaway flow, and feeling out what makes the world “click” for players.
But it’s getting close. Close enough that it feels real.
If all goes to plan, the beta will open in November. I’ll share more soon, including how to sign up once it’s stable enough to test publicly.
Until then, I’m just excited to keep refining this world. Watching it evolve every tick still gives me that same spark that got me into building it in the first place.
Thanks for following along and remember:
in Hi Stakes, gains are made by taking losses.