2023 has been a seesaw of highs and lows both in my work and personal life.

On the personal front, I’ve been taking better care of myself, both mentally and physically. My healthcare bills are a testament to that – gotta love the American healthcare system.

I actually went on a real vacation in 2023. This wouldn't have been possible without the amazing Game Jolt team. For the first time, I could actually relax and not work while away. I attended a family wedding in Hungary and snuck off to Greece, all thanks to them.

Our family grew too – we welcomed a puppy, @Koa . He's a heart-melting furball. We had some early health scares but he is growing into a very happy good boi.

At Game Jolt, we started the year smaller in size compared to the previous year but with a stronger sense of determination and unity. It's been heartwarming to see our staff flourish, make independent decisions, and genuinely care for each other. Their dedication not only to their work but also to the well-being and satisfaction of our community is truly commendable. They celebrate your joy and work tirelessly behind the scenes to address your concerns. They are the real, often unseen, champions of Game Jolt, and I couldn't be more grateful and proud to have them on our team.

Witnessing our development team take bold risks and innovate has been incredibly inspiring. They've shown remarkable courage in experimenting with new ideas and equally admirable wisdom in scaling back when necessary. Their ability to adapt and learn from experiences has been a source of motivation and pride for me as their CEO. It's a constant reminder of how fortunate I am to work alongside such talented and smart individuals.

Special recognition goes to @CROS , our fearless co-founder and my life partner. His journey, from starting Game Jolt at the age of 14 to steering it through various challenges, is nothing short of remarkable. His resilience, especially in times of uncertainty, has been a beacon of hope for all of us. His ability to keep spirits high even in the face of adversity is a testament to his character. If I weren't already married to him, I'd be proposing right now!

CROS and I met back in 2010 at work. We bonded over our love of games and quickly became inseparable. In a burst of youthful optimism, we decided to quit our jobs and dive into Game Jolt full-time. David juggled contracting to make ends meet, while I became the first official full-time Game Jolt employee, steering us towards being a legitimate business.

Game Jolt's early growth was sustainable from revenue the site earned from ads. But shortly after ads stopped paying well and their quality took a big nose dive. We used our savings to sustain the platform, and when that wasn't enough, I sold my condo to cover salaries and server costs. But I'm not alone, every single person on our team has made personal sacrifices to grow Game Jolt to where it is today.

Then we hit another growth spurt where it was clear we needed additional source of funding. Thankfully, we lucked out with some incredible humans as our investors; ranging from the founders of Twitch, Rec Room, and IndieDB to investors from my hometown of Seattle. They have since become our circle of support and have been rooting for not only us but also for our entire community.

As 2023 winds down, we're experiencing another surge in growth. Luckily, this growth is happening just as we have launched a way for creators to sell their own stickers, backgrounds and avatar frames in their shops.

We've designed shops so that our success is directly tied to creators: if they thrive in selling items, so do we. If they're not then neither are we.

My resolution for 2024 is simple: Our creator shops to be a sustainable source of income for our creators. With their success, we can continue supporting artists, musicians, game developers, and all of you in realizing your dreams.

If you read all of this, wow, you humble me--a genuine thank you for caring. If you didn't, that's okay.

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tl;dr: Please go buy JoltBux and I love you. Happy NY!