As you may have guessed from the thousands of drawings I’ve shared over the years, developing Stars in the Trash was anything but easy. Today, I want to take you on a journey through some of the most meaningful moments that shaped its creation.
Before you start reading this post, promise me one thing: you won’t get sad.
Deal? Good — that’s the pact.
Tokyo Game Show
In a project as long and complex as Stars in the Trash, staying motivated the whole way through is nearly impossible. Our selection for the Tokyo Game Show — in a country where cat culture runs deep — came at a moment when morale was low. It gave our team a much-needed burst of energy to keep going with our vision.
These are the kinds of memories I hold onto when I need to remind myself why I started. Later came other events I remember just as fondly, like Weird Market and IndieDevDay, where we could feel the audience’s love face-to-face.
Hacked
At one point during development, all our accounts were hacked — Discord, Twitter, everything. It was one of the most distressing moments of my life. In a matter of hours, the community we had spent years building was in the hands of a stranger.
Thankfully, my friend Pepe and my fiancée Tania stepped in when I was nothing but a trembling mess, unable to do much more than cry. We managed to recover the accounts within weeks, but the experience left its mark. It also taught us an important lesson about security.
Tip: get yourself a USB security key — it’s worth it.
Back to School
One day, I had the chance to visit my nephew’s school and speak to a class of children aged 4 to 7 about my work: making video games. Together, we built a tiny platformer using the art they had created in class the week before.
The look in their eyes — pure excitement and wonder — is something I’ll never forget. It made me think about what my 5-year-old self would say if I told him he’d spend his life doing what he loved most. I think he’d be proud.
It was one of those rare moments when everything makes sense. The doubts fade, the noise quiets, and you know you’re exactly where you’re meant to be.
The Day I Almost Drowned
The summer before launch, after months of relentless work, I went to the beach to clear my mind. I was mentally exhausted. My cousins suggested swimming out to a buoy far offshore, and I said, “Why not?”
Halfway there, panic set in. My pulse raced, my strength faded, I started swallowing water, and I called for help. My mind gave up first — I thought I wouldn’t make it. Strangely, I didn’t think about my life flashing before my eyes. I thought about Stars in the Trash being left unfinished. After so many years, it had become such a weight that in that moment, death felt like relief.
But the body holds on longer than the mind, and I stayed afloat long enough for someone to rescue me.
Jackson Galaxy
This was such a joyful collaboration! I’ve been a huge fan of Jackson since My Cat From Hell, I own all his books, and I admire his dedication to helping cats. When he agreed to make a cameo alongside his cat, I was over the moon.
I still have the video he sent me, personally thanking me for the opportunity. This was one of those moments to treasure — the ones you pull out in hard times to remember why you keep going.
Arcade Vintage
Arcade Vintage has become one of my personal sanctuaries. Whenever I’m facing doubts about my path, I go there and leave feeling whole again.
I found it by accident on my way home from a conference. It’s a museum that feels like a living arcade from the 80s and 90s — the closest I’ve come to stepping into a time machine. The moment I walked in, I saw the Bad Dudes cabinet I used to play with my dad at a bar near home.
I couldn’t resist calling him. It was a beautiful moment. Hours later, sitting in my car, I cried for more than an hour. Another reminder that video games aren’t just my work — they’re my life.
Steam Launch
The launch was bittersweet. I prepared for it with so much excitement — hundreds of commemorative cookie boxes, press releases, giveaways, contests. Reviews poured in, 98% positive, and people seemed to love it.
But sales stalled, and no matter what I tried, they never recovered. I love the phrase: “the reason for your suffering is because you are gripping too tightly to things that were always meant to flow”, but I’ve realized it works the other way too: some things simply can’t be moved, and trying to push them only causes more pain.
Not even the free Kimchi mini-game could turn things around. The remaining chapters planned for other characters’ stories are now cancelled.
After the Launch
After release, I had to let go of part of the animation team and look for a new job. This was a self-funded project, so there was no other choice.
Still, there were small victories. Save the Cat published a beat sheet for the game — a dream come true for me as a long-time fan of Blake Snyder’s method (Thaks BJ!). Someone also wrote one of the most in-depth TVTropes articles I’ve ever read, and I received countless heartfelt messages about the memorial wall for departed pets.
It would be impossible to list everyone who has helped me, but I’d like to at least mention Felipe and Elwin, who were always willing to lend a hand.
And I can’t end this section without mentioning one of the kindest people in the industry: Robby from PR Pirate. His generosity has no limits, and in a moment of need, he reached out when no one else did. Thank you, Robby.
Best Game For Kids – Gamescom Latam
After the roller coaster of post-launch emotions, this moment was pure joy. Even more so knowing the jury were children from a pediatric cancer hospital. I’m so glad Stars in the Trash resonated with them so deeply.
What’s Next?
This isn’t quite the end of Stars in the Trash. Our friends at IndieArk are working on the Nintendo Switch port, and I hope many more people will get to know Moka’s story.
As for the future, a new spark is growing in me. Yes, there will be a new game — something very different from what people expect from us, but with soul, and with a shorter, more sustainable development cycle.
For now, I’ll step away for a while. Maybe in a few months, you’ll find a message from your friend José in your inbox. Until then — thank you for walking this road with me.
P.S. If you love a project and want more of it, support it today. Tomorrow might be too late.
José
