Designing a Cozy Game With No Combat

When we set out to make While the Iron’s Hot a cozy game, one of the biggest decisions we made was to leave combat out entirely. Not toned down. Not optional. Not cleverly disguised. Just none.

That choice shaped everything else. It pushed us to think differently about how to create challenge, how to design progression, and how to keep players engaged from start to finish without ever swinging a sword (despite how many you end up forging throughout the game).

We’ve all played games where combat is central and many of them are fantastic. But we wanted to explore what it means to make a game that’s truly peaceful, where progress is earned through cleverness, craft, and curiosity rather than through fighting.

Building a Loop That’s Addictive

At the heart of While the Iron’s Hot is a loop built around exploration, resource gathering and crafting. Chop wood, mine ore, explore ancient ruins; then bring it all back to your forge to shape into tools, gear, and other strange contraptions.

We put a lot of effort into making that loop feel rewarding on its own. Gathering should feel like exploration, not a chore. Crafting should feel like progress, not just checking a box. Every time you head out, there’s a sense of purpose. And every time you return, there’s something new you can build, unlock, or bring back to life.

Progression That Feels Satisfying

Without combat to anchor player progression, , we knew we had to find another way and that’s where the player home village comes in: rebuilding your home base became our version of a skill tree.

As you repair buildings, reopen old workshops, and welcome characters back to town, you're not just watching the world transform but you’re also getting new skills that help you become a better artisan. Each improvement unlocks new abilities, tools, and possibilities. The broken-down village becomes a reflection of everything you’ve accomplished since arriving on the island.

It’s a kind of progression that feels personal. You’re not just getting stronger. You’re seeing how you helping people along the way.

But What About The Challenges?

No enemies doesn’t mean no stakes. You’ll still face environmental hazards, clever puzzles, and the occasional character who isn’t being entirely honest with you.

The challenge in While the Iron’s Hot comes from planning, problem-solving, and navigating a world full of secrets and interconnected systems. Sometimes you’ll feel like a genius. Other times you’ll wonder how you ended up knee-deep in bogwater with a broken toolbelt or stuck in a haunted mansion with no obvious way out.

So no, there’s no combat in While the Iron’s Hot. But that doesn’t mean there’s no adventure.

You’ll still have plenty of challenges to face, tools to master, and mysteries to untangle. You just have to outsmart them, rather than fight them.