APICO, the Laidback Beekeeping Sim from Whitethorn Games and TNgineers, is Available Now, and Everyone is Abuzz for World Bee Day
The worker bees at Whitethorn Games — publisher of indie hits such as Wytchwood, Lake, and Princess Farmer — and bee-veloper TNgineers, are proud to announce that APICO, the semi-educational laidback beekeeping sim, is available now on PC! The game uses real-life apiculture (the technical term for beekeeping) and floriculture (the cultivation of flowers) methods in its gameplay in order to teach players about the importance of beekeeping to the ecosystem.
Today is World Bee Day, and to promote the importance of bee conservation, a portion of APICO‘s sales will bee donated towards national and international bee, beekeeping, and wild bee conservation charities. Ell and Jamie at TNgineers are encouraging players to help save the bees in whatever ways they can, big or small. This includes donating to worthwhile bee-related causes, purchasing products made with sustainable agricultural practices, letting patches of garden grow wild to allow wildflowers to grow, and simply raising awareness among those around them.
“There was no better time to release APICO than on World Bee Day,” said Dr. Matthew White, CEO of Whitethorn Games. “We hope that everyone who plays the game will take its message about bee conservation to heart, and help bring more awareness to this important issue.”
“Our thanks goes out to Whitethorn Games and all the players who tried the demo and wishlisted the game for supporting our efforts,” said Ell, co-founder of TNgineers. “APICO is finally out, and we hope that its message spreads far and wide.”
To learn more about how APICO and TNgineers are supporting bee conservation efforts, and if you’d like to help as well, visit http://apico.buzz/savethebees/.
Watch the launch trailer below:
Combining resource gathering, biology, and minigames with ideas from both real-life and fantasy beekeeping and gardening, APICO will teach players about the ins-and-outs of maintaining a healthy hive and the importance of our irreplaceable pollinating pals. The islands of APICO were once abuzz with different species of bees, and it’s up to players to rediscover lost species, cross-breed new ones, and repopulate each unique bee-ome. Progressing further into the game may also uncover some forgotten secrets. But that’s none of our beeswax.
Key Features of APICO include:
- Breaking into Hives: It’s not as bad as it sounds! Collect materials, craft tools, and play fun beekeeping minigames to help rehome bees before releasing them back into the wild.
- It Takes a Colony: Breed, collect, and conserve over 30 species of bees, like the Common Bee, the Forest Bee, and the Verge Bee. They’re all Queens in our book.
- Bee2C Marketing: Fund the family business by making and selling honey, Apicola, and other beekeeping products. You’ll be a bee-llionaire in no time!
- Cross-Pollination: Cross play with up to four players, regardless of where you purchase the game. Bees who work together, stay together!
APICO is now available on PC via Steam, itch.io, GameJolt, the Epic Games Store, Utomik, and Humble Store, for $19.99 USD, with a simultaneous console release following soon after.
To keep up with all things APICO, bee sure to follow the game on Twitter, Twitch, and Guilded, join the colony on Discord, and visit the official website.
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