About Us

achingly.xyz was founded in 2020 by a team of cozy game enthusiasts and nature lovers who wanted to create a peaceful, immersive farming experience that celebrates slow living and community. Based in Ames, Iowa—a heartland city known for its agricultural heritage—our team of 9 developers, designers, and artists is passionate about crafting games that offer a respite from fast-paced life, inviting players to tend to their farms, connect with neighbors, and watch their hard work bloom. Our story began when our co-founders, Emma Carter and Liam Foster, met while playing a classic farming simulation game. They dreamed of a modern take on the genre that retained the charm of tending crops and raising animals but added deeper community connections and more meaningful progression. They left their jobs in tech, recruited a team of like-minded creators, and set out to build achingly.xyz as a platform where players could escape the chaos of daily life and embrace the calm of rural living. At achingly.xyz, our flagship game, Whispering Pines Farm, lets players start with a small plot of land and transform it into a thriving farm—growing seasonal crops, raising friendly animals (from chickens and cows to goats and bees), building barns and greenhouses, and decorating their homestead with cozy decor. What sets us apart is our focus on community and realism: players can join co-ops with friends to share resources and complete group projects (e.g., building a community market), trade produce with neighbors, and participate in seasonal events (e.g., harvest festivals, holiday markets) that reflect real-world farming cycles. We also prioritize accessibility, with adjustable gameplay speeds, simplified controls for younger players, and colorblind-friendly visuals. Our team brings diverse expertise to the table. Our lead game designer, Maya Chen, specializes in creating relaxing, rewarding progression loops that feel satisfying without being grindy. Our art director, Carlos Mendez, crafts warm, vibrant visuals—from sun-dappled fields to cozy farmhouses—that evoke a sense of comfort and nostalgia. Our sound designer, Jake Wilson, composes gentle soundtracks featuring acoustic guitars, bird songs, and rustling leaves that enhance the calming atmosphere. Our community manager, Zoe Patel, fosters a welcoming environment by hosting weekly co-op challenges, featuring player farms in our "Farm of the Week" series, and soliciting feedback that shapes our updates. Since launching Whispering Pines Farm in 2021, we’ve grown to over 400,000 users worldwide, with players of all ages finding joy in tending to their virtual farms. We’ve released seasonal updates (e.g., spring planting events, winter snowfall mechanics) and expanded the game with new crops, animals, and buildings based on player requests. We’re proud that our game has become a space for connection—many players use co-ops to stay in touch with friends and family, and some even organize real-life farming workshops inspired by the game. We value our community deeply. Every update is shaped by player input: for example, we added beekeeping after users requested more animal variety, and we introduced a "community garden" feature where players can collaborate to grow rare crops. Our forums and Discord server are spaces for players to share farm photos, trade tips, and request new features. We also partner with local farms and gardening organizations to share educational content about sustainable farming practices, aligning with our mission to celebrate nature and community. Looking to the future, we plan to expand Whispering Pines Farm with a mobile app optimized for on-the-go farming, a "farm-to-table" cooking feature where players can turn their produce into recipes, and a pet adoption system that lets players care for stray animals on their farm. We also aim to launch a user-generated content tool that allows players to design custom farm decor and share it with the community. Our goal is to become the leading name in cozy farming simulations, known for our relaxing gameplay, strong community, and celebration of rural life. Whether you’re a longtime farming game fan, someone looking for a calming escape, or just want to experience the joy of watching seeds grow into crops, achingly.xyz invites you to settle into Whispering Pines. Grab your hoe, plant your first seed, and build the farm of your dreams—one harvest at a time. Contact us to share feedback or learn more:achingly.xyz234 Harvest Road, Ames, IA 50010, USAEmail: [email protected]