Solo dev who worked "80 hours a week for 8 years straight" to finish roguelike puzzle hit Blue Prince says he "physically" cannot make another game this "ambitious"

The key art for the Blue Prince showing a doorway on a blue wall, which is open to reveal several more rooms within its frame, a person deep within opening another door several layers deep to a bright white light — (Image credit: Raw Fury)

After releasing in April last year, Blue Prince made rounds as one of the best games of 2025, winning various awards and catching the attention of fellow indie gems' developers, including that of Balatro – but its creator's next game likely won't be as ambitious.

Tonda Ros, the mastermind behind developer name Dogubomb and, of course, Blue Prince, reveals as much in a recent interview with Aftermath. First explaining that he's still working to iron out some things in the smash-hit puzzle game – "mostly just polish details" and "a couple more cinematics," as he puts it – Ros says he really wants "to put everything I wanted into the game."

He wasn't able to before launch, because, well, he was overwhelmed.

"I was working, I think, 80 hours a week for eight years straight," Ros admits. That's a lot of hours, and I'm in disbelief he's still got a bit more up his sleeve – but whatever comes after Blue Prince probably won't be as massive an undertaking… understandably, if you ask me.

"Blue Prince will likely be the most ambitious game I ever make, because I don't think I physically can do this again," the mind-bogglingly committed dev states.

He continues: "It was an incredibly long journey, so it might take as much time [to make my next game], but I certainly won't be working as hard… That's just not sustainable now. It's a young man's game." Although his last comment is amusing, I doubt anyone would be able to stomach 80-hour weeks for another near-decade.

Thankfully, however, Ros isn't totally burnt out from developing video games at all.

"The recognition [Blue Prince has received] certainly helps the decision, but I think I did fall in love with game development," as he concludes. "I come from a filmmaking background, but game development just suits me really well. It's fun to take your time and to be able to fulfill your vision without the stress of running a set. I just kind of love it right now, so I'll continue doing it as long as I find it enjoyable."

Here's hoping he finds it enjoyable for a long time – as long as that time is marked by both work and decent breaks to ensure he's not overdoing it again. I'm certain that anything else he creates in the future will prove well-received, regardless.

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After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.

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