Remember when the pandemic hit?

Everything sucked, nobody could do anything, and things got weird. Everyone dealt with it in their own way.

For example, we decided that instead of devoting all of our resources to covering the ins and outs of the games industry, it would serve our readers better to address their mental health. By way of showing them pictures of cute pets.

And not just any cute pets, their cute pets.

We figured it would be fun to just ask some developers to show us their pets and then we could run a story that had like 20 or 30 fuzzy friends in it. But then we wound up with 457 pet pics that we doled out over six different columns throughout the year.

And you know what? It was nice.

While the business of the games industry thrived during lockdown, nobody was particularly enjoying 2020, and we needed a break from the misery of the headlines, both as writers and as readers.

We’ve gotten that same feeling over the course of 2023, so I thought it would be nice to bring back the Creature Comforts column as a year-end treat. (More specifically, I thought it would be nice for me, the person getting paid to spend the day looking at pictures and putting the column together. But now that it’s done, you’re welcome to enjoy them, too.)

So we asked some of our developer and PR contacts to send in their pet pics. Having learned nothing from the last time we did this, we again underestimated the response. So now we’ve got at least two columns’ worth of pictures for you, and who knows how many more.

For developers who have already submitted pics but don’t see their furball below, rest assured that every dog will have its day in a future column. Cats and other critters, too.

And for those in the industry who were never asked, consider this your invitation.

Anyone got a sheep? I’m a dog person myself, but it’d be great to get a sheep in the next column. Who doesn’t love sheep?

If you’d like your sheep (or other pet) featured, please send a picture – along with the pets’ names and your name and title – to news@gamesindustry.biz. Make sure to put Creature Comforts in the subject line.