Dressmaker gets September release date

I know I said I was very excited about Planet Zoo 2 the other day, and I am. However, as I said there, I am more excited about that than GTA VI, and the same is true of Cozy Lives’ upcoming dress-making job simulator, Dressmaker. No, I am being very serious; hookers and blow in fictional Florida can wait. Get me my sewing machine and floral patterns because this September I am going to be making pretty dresses. Yes, the release date for Dressmaker has finally been revealed, and I cannot wait. Here is what the press release had to say on Tuesday when it was announced:

“Developer Cozy Lives (the cozy offshoot of Free Lives, known for Anger Foot and Terra Nil) announced that their highly anticipated crafting game Dressmaker (+200,000 Wishlists) will be launching on 21st September on PC via Steam!

Dressmaker is a tactile tailoring game inspired by real dressmaking! The game is a simulation where every part of making a dress is under your control. Choose fabric, arrange and cut out patterns, sew garments, then feed your fabric through the sewing machine to stitch it together. Decorate with buttons, bows[,] and add accessories by hand to satisfy (or sabotage!) townsfolk with your creations.”

What I find fabulously hilarious about this whole thing is the story of the development, which is slightly sad and heartwarming at first; then I’ll tell you why it is funny. Basically, Dressmaker comes from partners Jonathan Hau-Yoon and Sabrina Becker, the former a developer for the developer/publisher of Dressmaker, with Sabrina being an artist and dressmaker herself. Sabrina was pursuing that as her dream, but Ehlers-Danlos syndrome “put a stop to that dream.”

That was the sad part, but Jonathan saw that desire for that dream and, with Sabrina, laid the groundwork for Dressmaker, which weirdos like me (hi) got really excited about online. That potential led Jonathan to go to his employer, Free Lives, and pitch it. So as an offshoot of Free Lives, Cozy Lives is from the people who made Broforce, Genital Jousting, Gorn, Terra Nil, Anger Foot, and are now making a dress-making game. I love that; it makes me happy.

Speaking of the gameplay and ideas of Dressmaker, the press release notes: “Dressmaker is a cozy simulation game where every part of making a dress is under your control. Choose fabric, arrange and cut out patterns, sew garments, then feed your fabric through the sewing machine to stitch it together. Decorate with buttons, bows[,] and add accessories by hand.

There’s a whole town’s worth of customers and a full calendar of special events. Impress them with made-to-order creations, or display your own designs in the window and sell pre-made dresses off the rack. Create the dress of your dreams, by hand, one step at a time, with complete creative freedom!“

I could not be happier about this game if I tried. I’ve been excited about Dressmaker for so long (it feels like it anyway), and we finally have a release date. Dressmaker is releasing on PC and Mac via Steam on September 21st, 2026. Sadly, we don’t know the price upon release, but we “only” have seven weeks to wait. This is going to be a long seven weeks, and I don’t care if I sound like Julie Dawn Cole, I want it now!