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A Decree Of Gratitude To The Order Of -From A Community Ever Grateful- Dear Yacht Club Games, For five, wonderful years, you’ve given us the gift of Shovel Knight, a game I feel needs no introduction (Especially since you’re probably a bit familiar with it), and for five years, you have gone above and beyond, to deliver promises others would abandon so easily, to always strive beyond just “good enough,” to inspire and delight, and to provide something more than “just another indie game.” It’s hard to put into words the gratitude I and many others feel for the treasure you’ve given us, but in this document, you’ll find we tried our best to express our thanks. Without further ado, I’d like to let the community take the reigns and deliver a decree of gratitude and appreciation. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thank you so much, Yacht Club, for creating the awesome franchise that is Shovel Knight; it is—no joke—one of the best games out there! I just can’t contain my excitement for King of Cards, Showdown, etc.! I remember when I played Shovel Knight on the Wii U and never got around to finishing it, but then I played it on the Nintendo Switch and beat all 3 campaigns! I figuratively can’t wait for the fourth! ~ Baz Thank you for a game that inspires good faith in the business and rewards loyalty rather than take advantage of it like many bigger names in the gaming business. Whether or not this is anyone's favorite game, I argue it is objectively the perfect game. ~ Josh C. Thank you Yacht Club your game has impacted my life greatly. The community of Shovel Knight is one of the few communities I feel a part of and the people I have met have improved my life a lot. The game itself is incredible, I even own it twice (Even though one was free from the 5th anniversary giveaways, Thank you btw) it shows that anyone can make a splash in the game world if enough time and effort is put into making a great game. Also during one of the Alecfa stage building streams he asked what to do with a ladder and I said put it in a hidden wall. He placed it down and I kinda hope it’s in the final game. Anyway, Thank all of you for making a modern classic. Hope you continue making masterpieces. ~ Fresh_Knight Yacht Club Games- Thank you so much for creating this beautiful 8-bit masterpiece. I remember stumbling on this game first in the summer of 2017, and quickly became intrigued by the eye-catching-ness of it. I remember I was immediately blown away by the incredible soundtrack, quirky character design, stories, and surprises. Even though I was constantly dying on the first level, I still kept going as your magic kept me so hooked onto the game. The same could also be said for the DLCs, they are also incredible masterpieces that further deepened my love for this game. I can surely say this game also kickstarted my art journey and the soundtrack deepened my passion as a musician. I met amazing friends, tried many new things, and opened up a new view of things around me. Now nearly two and a half years after discovery, it's safe to say I'm still deeply obsessed with this game and it will always forever hold a special place in my heart (and room; my numbers of shovel knight stuff have grown too!) Without this amazing game and the community, I wouldn't be where I am now! Thank you! ~ hoekekai Hello. Thank you for the memories that I've created thanks to your game. Shovel Knight a whole inspired me to take up writing. Heck, thanks to your game I was able to both find the love of my life and also practice a skill that I never thought that I'd ever do. Thank you for inspiring both myself and others, I can not wait to see what you all achieve in the future!! ~ Caramelkitt3ns/crimsonshields Thanks, YCG, for not only creating a masterful game that absolutely nails both the nostalgic days of 8-bit gaming (both gameplay and visually), but balancing it with modern sensibilities. It's also utterly charming; able to pull your heartstrings and make you laugh. It's so rare to combine the two together, but the games have always been excellent at balancing its components. Keep up the good work, this and future games. Also thanks for Propeller Knight. ;D ~ Neo Yi Thank you for giving us something absolutely amazing! Found out about shovel Knight in 2016 but didn't get the chance to play it till early this year. (Still trying to 100% SK) I love that you put so much care into this and finally gave treasure trove a send off with King of cards and showdown. (I'll definitely be having loads of fun with kocs & showdown) Thank you for everything and I look forward to seeing what you do with Shovel 💛 Knight in the future. Thanks Yacht ~ @RadicalKnight69 I got into Shovel Knight only this past May, but the game and its expansions honestly changed my life. I've been eating sleeping and thinking Shovel Knight constantly since then and it's honestly a shame I didn't play this game sooner. The community has been wonderful and welcoming and so have the developers! They've sparked a creative goldmine for me and I've produced more content for this game than I think I have for anything else. I own Treasure Trove on 3 different platforms and while I haven't beaten it nearly as many times I'm still super looking forward to King of Cards and Showdown, and whatever else Yacht Club has in store for the future! Thank you guys so much for making the perfect game! ~ Juno/@shoveledknight I first played Shovel Knight when I was a struggling teen. Before playing Shovel Knight, I never challenged myself. I convinced myself that even a little challenge wasn't worth it. I was on a very dark path for a man soon going into early adulthood, but Shovel of Hope left such a good impression on me that it literally inspired me to tackle my depression head-on, just like I had taken on the tower of fate. Climbing out of such a dark despair felt like climbing such a tower in real life, but if I could do it in shovel knight, I could do it here. I know that might sound a bit odd, but that's the mind of an unwell teenager for you. Thank you, for creating something that had such a beautiful impact on my life. ~ @TheVitalVitriol Honestly Shovel Knight isn’t just another indie, it’s one of the best games ever made! You could go back in time and place it in the NES era and people wouldn’t think twice. Yacht club did an amazing job with this game! ~ Ethnol Each and every one of your shovel knight projects, whether it be the characters, mechanics, music, they were all very clearly made with loads of care and we all appreciate it every ounce of effort you put in. Looking forward to more amazing content for years to come. ~ BroskiMoski So, I’m sure a lot of other people are writing in everything I’d ever have to say. I’ve been playing the game since 2014, and have loved almost every second of every campaign (Still have trouble with that fish in SOT though.) So I just want to say thank you, thank you for everything. I’m looking forward to anything you have planned in the future. Keep it up -Miles ~ Huffleclaw Miles You game is absolutely amazing. I’ve spent over 90 hours in the game. (mostly dying lol) The gameplay is great, the story is great, the pixel art is great, and im constantly listening to my favorite songs from the ost. I can’t wait for the next chapter of Shovel Knight and other games to come. Thanks for your hard work! ~ Rojo7500 Thank you so much yacht club games! Thank you for making one of my favorite games ever! ~ @King0fCard (I'm a parody account) Thank you Yacht Club for bringing us all these amazing games and the universe they take place in. The gaming landscape will forever be influenced by your works. Once again, Thank you ~ @SquiddyMan46 / SquidManWithAPlan Thank you, Yacht Club, for making such an incredible franchise. Shovel Knight is one of my favorite videogame universe, filled to the brim with unique and charismatic characters. I cannot express how much I like your chara-designers' work: they've made some of the best character designs I've ever witnessed, such as with Specter Knight, who is easily among my favorite videogame characters. This little world you've built is so rich, so vast, and I love diving into it with each new campaign. I'm excited for King of Cards and especially for what you have in store for us in the future, whether it be Shovel Knight-related or not. ~ Vincent "VCosmoz" C. Thank you Yacht Club Games for making my absolute favorite game of all time. I don't remember why I originally downloaded Shovel Knight, but I can tell you one thing, I didn't regret it. I have it on both 3DS and Switch and the stunning visuals and music you get away with in 8-bit is always astounding. I love replaying all 3 campaigns (Specter of Torment is my favorite) and experiencing a legend all over again. I look forward to seeing what surprises await me in King of Cards and Showdown! Again, Thank you all at Yacht Club Games for all of the wonderful memories this game has given me. <3 ~ DoopFizzle Thank you, Yacht Club Games, for creating what was easily one of my most favorite gaming experiences. You managed to create a world with such amazing gameplay and vibrant characters that many other studios have tried and failed to achieve. Most importantly, for me, you managed to produce one of the most amazing soundtracks that managed to be the deciding factor in pursuing music production as my major. In addition to the music, the game itself is just an overall amazing experience that has stuck with me even years after playing for the first time. I salute you, Yacht Club. For Shovelry! ~ @TheBoiNamedXela Yacht Club Games, Thank you for creating Shovel Knight. Seeing the evolution and creation of this game has been extremely inspiring to me personally. I love this game a lot and it has inspired me to make games one day too. The adventures of Shovel Knight, Plague Knight, Specter Knight & King Knight are unforgettable experiences that deserve all the praise in the world, and I can't wait to see what's next from you guys. Once Again, Thank you VERY much. ~ Echo Orcool Thank you very much for everything you've given us, Yacht Club! You're truly an inspiration in the indie community, and I wish you the best of luck on all your future endeavors! ~ TheKrazyStew Thank you for inspiring me! Seeing an indie company get as far as you have motivates me to pursue my own goals! Thank you for all of your hard work, and I hope the success you’ve seen with Shovel Knight will continue into your future projects! ~ @PKFiRE__ Thank you for making my favorite game of all time and the memories that came with it! Love you guys lots! ~ Goldoyellow When I first played Shovel Knight on the Wii U back in 2015, I knew it was an experience I'd cherish for years to come. Almost everything about it is flawless and I'm happy to support and any and all future entries in the Shovel Knight series. Thank you for the incredible game. Steel thy shovel! ~ MegaSuperab Thank you SO SO much, all of you! Your little blue knight and the rest of the Shovel Knight cast bring me great joy and bring joy to so many others, too. I know that you always say that Shovel Knight isn’t supposed to be that deep, but I’ve found times when it connected with me and made me emotional. This brave shoveler and the gang has gotten me through some rough days and time and time again reminds us all that nothing is hopeless. Stay strong and hold your head high. Everything will be alright in the end. Thank you digging up this gem. Onto the next adventure! ~ AJ / @CoolioCrocodude I’m sorry this is rather short but I’m not sure how to word this but hopefully it’s fine. I’d like to thank Yacht Club Games for the wonderful games they’ve blessed us with. They’ve been a blast to play and I’m looking forward to Shovel Knight Showdown, as that’s going to be a fun experience with my brother. ~ @BobTheMini0n / @TyleurrTheWorst Thank you for creating such a great and incredible game, YCG ! ~ Karbbase I cannot thank you enough for this wonderful game! Shovel Knight easily one of my favorite games, if not my favorite of all time. I can’t help but talk about it any time I get the chance, and I even listen to the soundtrack on my way to class, the store, anywhere. It has become a huge part of my life, and I am so incredibly grateful for that. Thank you again for such an amazing and impactful game, and good luck moving forward! ~ Anthony Zeltwanger To the devs at Yacht Club Games, thank you. I first encountered the blue burrower on the Wii U after PoS dropped. I was still pretty new to indie games but Shovel Knight stole my heart and my respect. I hope to personally thank you all at some point when I'm ready to unveil my own indie project. I'll be waiting on Cyber Shadow and remember, keep on sailing, Yacht Club! ;) ~ Glitch-EGamer Thanks for making Shovel Knight. It's a great series, and one of the only ones where all the characters are fun to play as. ~ Colonel Noodle Thank you so much for your wonderful quality games, Yacht Club! I’ve only been into Shovel Knight for almost three years as of writing, but I’ve played all the campaigns and I’m eagerly awaiting Showdown, King of Cards, and Dig! Thank you again for every bit of joy and polish you spark into your games! ~ Twi (Future Treasure Knight Main (probably)) Shovel Knight may have been one of the very first games I ever played that I considered truly great. Even in my little 11 year old mind that could barely get past the first level I could still tell this game was a masterpiece. It may have taken me over two years later to beat it (I was not the most nimble of videogames players), but this game has made me laugh, cry, and has been close to my heart for over 5 years now. Thank you for one of my favorite games of all time, and here's to the next adventure. ~ Madz I remember getting Shovel Knight on my 3DS when a friend got me a $10 Gift Card for Sonic 2. Obviously, I didn't get it then, but I did later on. But that doesn't matter. The point is that, thank you for actually sticking to your word and making such a great game. It means a lot to me, and I'm sure everybody else in this whole shebang. Keep up the good work, guys! ~ Mark/@LarkusTheFriend Thank you so much for the wonderful game you created and the hours of time you filled in my life. ~ Zachary Nickel Dear Yacht Club, I would like to most sincerely say thank you. Shovel Knight and all of its content and updates have given me so many hours of joy and helped me meet a great group of friends that enjoy the games too. Not only have your games done a great job at being FUN (the most important part of a game I think) But they look absolutely gorgeous, sound just as good, and have simple but still wonderful stories so my most sincere thanks to the teams responsible for those aspects. These games have also re-inspired me down the path of game development, acting as a spark needed to light my fire. And finally, I cannot wait to follow this wonderful studio and team into the future of Shovel Knight and their other projects! Best wishes and much love, Rusty ~ Rusty Thank you so much with this amazing masterpiece of a platformer game, When I first play SK it was around SoT launch date and I was really excited playing through every campaign (because I really love platformer games), that you actually saved my life with the delayed date of KoC and Showdown because 2017 and 2018 was a rough time for me that I almost wanted to commited suicide but I dont want to miss playing your last installment of the game. So as time goes on with your game getting delayed, my problem finally dies down and I finally get to control myself... I lived to see the day I want to be in... THANK YOU for making this game that surpassed my expectations… ~ Azmer Hello YCG, i wanted to say that i really loved playing Shovel Knight and the other campaigns, after i have been playing it it has become one of my favourite games! i cant wait to play Shovel Knight King of Cards and Showdown. I wonder what awesome games you guys will be making in the future! ~ Discord Tag: Void#6223 I picked this game up during a rough period of my life. Coming home from school everyday and playing a new level of shovel knight was a very therapeutic and wholesome experience for me. Thank you for not only making an epic game, but going above and beyond and making the best possible bundle you could ever get for 40$. You guys are epic. ~ U-Knighted When I picked up the game in a store because I was searching a Wii U game to play, I had no idea of what I was going to play. And I didn't regret it a bit. This game holds a very special place in my heart. Thank you for this splendid adventure. ~ by28 Shovel Knight is a game that means a lot to me. It was the game that really inspired me to pursue game creation, it inspired me to start composing my own music, and most of all, replaying the game over and over again got me through some of the hardest times in my life. Thank you Yacht Club, for creating one of my favorite games ever! ~ Rapwned I got into Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove pretty late, wanna say 2017 with the Nintendo Switch version. But I gotta say, the trilogy (soon quartet) of games are some of the finest platformers out there, and I'd say the perfect example of pseudo-retro games. Thank you for your fine work, and I wish you well on future projects! ~ Celerity910 Thank you so much Yacht Games for inspiring many people to be creative. Your game inspired devs to make their own indie games because of how big of game you guys made. Shovel Knight is considered one of the best platformer of all time and it is well deserved. ~ NyctoAcro I got into shovel knight after seeing my favorite YouTuber alpharad playing it. It looked amazing and I talked about it nonstop. That Christmas the only thing I asked for was a ps3 and a copy of shovel knight. I 100% it and the plague knight play though. The next Christmas I got a Wii U along with shovel knight again. I played again 100% it again. I eventually gave that Wii U and all my games to my cousins who still replay it almost daily today. I recently bought it once again on the PC, along with SK for Rivals of Aether, whom he is my main. You have brought me so much joy and I can’t wait to see what you do in the future. Lets hope he gets in the next smash as a playable fighter! Love you all! ~ Kai / WhoCallsMeKai You guys made games that gave me fantastic memories, and all i can give is a short thanks. some of my best twitter friends are there bc we all played shovel knight, so thanks. thanks for the memories! (please put sk in smash) ~ @ExplchainChomp Plague of shadows helped me find my passion for the bubonic plague, it made me realize that I have a deep fascination w/ the history of it. So thank you guys! You're the real mf. Wholesome and epic! ~ Rats I'm the admin of the Discord and have been involved heavily in the community since the release of Specter of Torment, which was honestly a watershed moment in my life. Directly and indirectly through my interactions with members of the community on Discord, I met countless lifelong friends and learned quite a bit about game design and development. I still talk to these friends on a daily basis both in and out of the DiscOrder and have even met some of them in person. Shovel Knight also has majorly influenced my work as a student game designer. In my game design portfolio for applying to colleges, all three of my completed games are directly influenced by Shovel Knight in one way or another (one of them is even just straight up a fangame) and I also submitted multiple videos analyzing the design/story/controls of the game. My life would be wildly different if not for the Blue Burrower, and the game and its community have definitely changed my life for the better. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the wonderful work you do and for putting so much visible passion into your work. I hope one day the developers at Yacht Club can play a game that I made and feel the same amount of passion and pure quality in my future projects. Thank you, Pete ~ Pikapete Playing this game for so many years and seeing it grow with every update has been an honor. I first played Shovel of Hope when I started 7th grade back when it was the only campaign you could play, and now I'm a senior in high school awaiting King of Cards. It led me to meet countless great people, and develop interests in other things as well. Thank you for everything!!! ~ mrnoodleknight After 7 years in development, it was definitely worth the wait. Thanks, and have fun. ~ PrinceGrotle Dear yacht club games, as a fan of shovel knight I thank you for being so dedicated to the game and characters, from gyroscopic jesters time edgy specters everyone feels special in their own way, I’ve met a lot of friends through the game and I am grateful for it, thanks for everything! ~ @knightpropeller Yacht Club, thank you for making Shovel Knight. It is easily among my favorite indie games, it's such an excellent blend of retro style and modern gaming. I love the sense of humor you implemented into the game, as well. You seem to have had as much fun making the game as we have playing it. Stay awesome, and I'm looking forward to your new projects! King of Cards, Shovel Knight Dig, and Cyber Shadow all look great. ~ Bob (@2BeAFool) Thank you so much for making these games. Specter Knight was the first indie game I ever played, and since then I’ve fallen in love with the care and effort that small creators have put into their amazing games, and then somehow not charging money for substantial content additions. I’m really looking forward to King of Cards and Showdown. ~ fpdotmonkey Video games have had a marginally large impact on my life and my experiences with people I've known throughout my whole life. I can guarantee none of which could even come close to the impact Shovel Knight has had on me. When I created the DiscOrder two (almost three!) years ago, I wanted to have a group of people to talk to about this neat indie game. What it grew to/has grown to now is a friendly and proactive community of which many of the members I can call good personal friends. None of what they or I have done to build that community would have been possible without Yacht Club Games. Shovel Knight's heart and soul is 100% in YCG and it's lovely employees who work so hard each and every day to deliver an amazing product for their fans. Your product has given me fun, friends, and unforgettable memories through the community. Thank you so much for all you do, Yacht Club. Cheers! -fivestar ~ FiveStarWreck You guys are a huge inspiration for me as an independent game developer, and I love the characters that you've brought to life through such vibrant art and music. Keep doing awesome things y'all! ~ @Bionicobot1 I’ve been in love with this game since the beta Thank you for the consistent content ~ Jackson Thanks Yacht Club for the these 5 Years of our Shovel Wielding Crusader and his adventures. I Can't Wait for some other follow ups and Shovel Knight 2 perhaps. ~ Naphier Delrio Thanks to Yacht Club games, I was able to finally say I have a favorite game. Shovel Knight has opened me up to more indie games than before, and got me playing certain types of games I wouldn't in the past. Not only that, but they're also really great people too. So thanks Yacht Club ~ Groies Thank you for such a great game, i love the music and the characters, can’t wait for the next update ~ Martin ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As you can see, your work has created a positive impact on the lives of many, and we’re sure there are many more beyond what this letter covers who are thankful for your work as well. Shovel Knight has given us so many wonderful memories, and has even helped forge wonderful bonds with others. I’d like to close out with a personal thank you from myself. My friends call me Chief, so I guess that works here. Yacht Club Games, for five years you’ve created an absolute masterpiece. You raised the bar on what I and so many others call indie games. Your game was there when I was a 14 year old boy, still trying to figure out his place in the world, and inspired me to never give up, even when things seem hopeless, and is still there for me even as a 19 year old young adult. Your game has driven me forward in dark times, given me the passion to run this campaign, and to actively buckle down and take game design more seriously, and to never settle for “good enough,” because I know your studio never would either, or just there to entertain me when I was bored. Together, over the course of five years, we survived a plague of shadows​, endured a s​ pecter of torment​, and ultimately became the ​king of cards​. As I write this, your final update comes out in only a few more hours, and I anticipate your largest adventure and Shovel Knight’s own fighter with both a sense of welling excitement, and a touch of sadness, knowing the first era of Shovel Knight that you started all those years ago, that I first experienced on a tiny, blue, clamshell handheld in my sister’s house on a hot afternoon, is beginning to draw to a close. But I know that this is not the beginning of the end, but rather the end of the beginning. I know that beyond this we have so much to look forward to, even beyond Cyber Shadow, and even beyond Shovel Knight Dig. And I can’t find the words to properly thank you. I don’t know if I ever can, and I think that should say something. I suppose my piece has gone on long enough, but I hope this document, this letter, this decree of gratitude can show just how wonderful your game has been, how you’ve managed to recapture video game magic many thought long dead, myself included. We’re thankful you never charged us for DLC, no, entirely new games on top of an already wonderful experience. We’re thankful you created a game inspired by the likes of Mario, Mega Man, Castlevania and Zelda, that, in many ways, managed to join their ranks as all time video game classics. And we’re thankful you created a magical game that’s just as fun to play on our 20th run, as it was the first. Thank you for everything, ~The Shovel Knight Community