Moving Forward into 2026

Date: December 29, 2025

Article: Final 2025

TLDR

• 2026 is focused on turning Shattered Bounds: Battlegrounds into a fully playable v1 experience: core systems (M1) complete, M3 gameplay underway, M2 (spatial mapping) planned once hardware arrives, plus enemy AI data collection, a prototype weapon controller, at least two missions, core World Bible sections, and a player portal MVP.
• The year is paced by quarters: Q1 cleans up M1 and pushes into M3 gameplay and HUD/UX polish; Q2 brings in spatial mapping (M2) once a headset and cameras are secured and deepens telemetry and tools; Q3 focuses on content, operations, and first closed playtests; Q4 runs structured alpha tests to be ready for a small public pilot in Summer 2027.
• Key focus areas are tech (low-latency performance, controller MVP, robust telemetry, AI-ready data), experience/content (first game mode + variant, GM scripts, onboarding, basic narrative), business/logistics (company structure, venue conversations, realistic pricing models), and audience-building (steady blog cadence, interested local players, and regular concept/world art).
• A solid year-end outcome for 2026 is: at least 50 successful alpha playtest sessions, stable technical performance (crash and latency targets met), and substantial progress through Milestone 5—even if some polishing stretches into early 2027.
• As a bonus goal, 2026 is also about starting to find a small core team—ideally adding at least one long-term partner (artist, musician, writer, or programmer)—with the clear note that there’s no cash budget yet and discussions are about future collaboration once funding is secured.

2026 is the planned completion of SB: Battlegrounds, allowing for alpha testing in the winter. 

By the end of 2026 we should have the following:

Product/Tech:

• A fully playable SB: Battlegrounds v1 experience ready for beta testing (beyond closed internal tests).
• Enemy AI collecting data and beginning to train, even if early behavior is still simple.
• A completed prototype weapon controller for sword-based play, integrated into the game loop.

Business:

• Legal structure and basic company setup sorted (registration, bank accounts, accounting basics).
• Initial partnerships and funding goals identified, with at least some early conversations underway (venues, sponsors, grants, etc.).

Content:

• At least two missions ready and tested (King of the Hill and Party Raid).
• Core sections of the World Bible drafted (history, factions, core locations, monster logic).
• A player portal MVP that can surface basic stats and session history.

Our Goals for each Quarter:

These are directional, not rigid. They’ll flex as hardware, budget, and time allow—but this is the shape of the year.

Q1 2026 – Consolidate M1 and Push into M3

• Clean up and harden the Host / Client / GM scene split.
• Continue polishing the Player HUD and core UI.
• Begin practical gameplay development under M3:
  • Strengthening the basic King of the Hill loop,
  • Hooking more systems into telemetry,
  • Ensuring networking behaves under more edge cases.
• Work toward securing the MR headset and spatial cameras needed for M2.

Q2 2026 – Spatial Mapping & Deeper Telemetry

• Start M2 (Spatial Mapping) once hardware is available:
  • Map a test arena,
  • Validate tracking and boundaries in real space.
• Expand telemetry and tools so every test session produces useful data.
• Continue refining core gameplay and performance as spatial mapping comes online.

Q3 2026 – Content, Ops, and Closed Playtests

• Build and polish at least two missions / variants for SB: Battlegrounds.
• Develop GM scripts, safety briefings, and onboarding flows.
• Run first closed playtests with a small circle of players:
  • Use feedback and data to refine encounters, pacing, and HUD.
• Flesh out the player portal MVP for stats and basic progression.

Q4 2026 – Alpha Testing and Pilot Prep

• Enter a sustained Alpha testing phase:
  • Aim for multiple structured sessions with repeat players,
  • Track technical stability and gameplay feel.
• Prepare for a small pilot run in Summer 2027:
  • Tighten operations, booking flow, and on-site procedures,
  • Validate costs and potential pricing ranges in spreadsheets and small experiments.

Milestone 5 (M5) is the stretch target here; the focus is to have most of it in place, even if some polishing flows into early 2027.

Key focus areas

Technology

• Stabilizing performance with minimal lag, so hits and enemy movement feel smooth.
• Finalizing a minimum viable spec for the first weapon controller and testing it in real sessions.
• Making telemetry and tools robust enough that every session teaches us something.
• Planning AI data sets so battles provide clean inputs for training enemy behavior and future AI “directors.”

Experience & content

• Locking in the first core game mode (King of the Hill) and at least one variant.
• Writing and iterating GM scripts, safety briefings, and player onboarding flows.
• Establishing basic narrative context so players know why they’re fighting here, not just how.

Business + logistics

• Completing company structure, bank accounts, and accounting basics.
• Starting early conversations with venues or partner spaces for SB: Battlegrounds.
• Building realistic cost and pricing models (even if it’s mostly spreadsheets at this stage).

Audience-building

• Maintaining a consistent blog cadence (deep dives + dev logs).
• Growing a small but real list of interested local players.
• Sharing concept art and short video snippets regularly to give people a sense of The World as it evolves.

Measuring Success for 2026

By the end of 2026, a strong outcome would be:

• At least 50 successful alpha playtest sessions run (internal + small external group), with notes and telemetry for each.
• Clear technical stability metrics:
  • Crash rates within acceptable bounds,
  • Latency and performance targets consistently met on the chosen hardware.
• Major progress through Milestone 5, with SB: Battlegrounds v1 ready to support a small public-facing pilot in 2027.

Even if a few details slide into early 2027, the direction is clear: SB: Battlegrounds should feel like a real, playable experience, not just a prototype on a laptop.

Bonus

Long term, I want Shattered Bounds to be built by a small, focused team. 2026 is about proving the concept, but it’s also the year I start looking for that team.

I’ll consider 2026 an extra win if I’m able to bring on at least one long-term creative or technical partner:

• An artist,
• Musician,
• Writer,
• Or programmer,

to help build Shattered Bounds alongside me.

At this stage, there is no cash budget for paid work. Any conversations in 2026 are about:

• Exploring fit,
• Aligning on vision,
• And sketching out what future collaboration could look like once the project is funded.

If that still sounds exciting, you can reach out at: contact@shatteredbounds.com