The cozy simulation game surpassed 100,000 Steam wishlists over the weekend, marking a significant milestone for the South African outfit

South African developer and publisher Free Lives, together with its cozy-focused sister label Cozy Lives, made a striking impression at this weekend’s Wholesome Direct showcase with the reveal of Dressmaker a simulation game that puts every step of garment-making into the player’s hands. By the close of the weekend, the title had crossed 100,000 Steam wishlists, a milestone that signals serious international appetite for the game.

Dressmaker is a cozy simulation game built around the full craft of dressmaking. Players choose their fabric, arrange and cut out patterns, feed material through a sewing machine and finish garments with decorations ranging from buttons and bows to appliqué and lace trims. The level of control is granular in a way that sets it apart from most games in the genre whether a pattern is cut on the grain or on the bias directly affects how the finished dress looks, making each creative decision feel meaningful rather than cosmetic.

The game’s fabric selection spans cotton, linen, wool, silk and velvet, and players can sketch and colour designs in an in-game sketchbook before committing to cutting. Finished pieces can be previewed on a mannequin before the final stitching begins.

Beyond the making, Dressmaker places players in a community of characters a whole town of people hoping to fill their wardrobes with dresses tailored to specific occasions and personal tastes. Players can take on commissions and build a reputation by meeting those requests, or stock their own shop window with pre-made designs and sell off the rack. The blend of creative freedom with client-driven goals gives the game both structure and room to express a personal aesthetic. And yes there is a cat one can pet.

Free Lives is best known for the irreverent action of Broforce and the physics-fuelled Gorn, which makes Dressmaker something of a tonal departure. The studio has channelled that shift through Cozy Lives, a dedicated publishing and development label for gentler, more contemplative titles. Dressmaker is a flagship expression of that vision.

The Wholesome Direct an annual showcase for feel-good, inclusive games that runs alongside the broader summer games calendar proved an ideal stage. The 100,000-wishlist response over a single weekend suggests the game resonated well beyond an existing fanbase, tapping into the wider appetite for relaxing, craft-centred gameplay that has grown significantly in recent years.

Dressmaker can be wishlisted on Steam now.