Fair point, they are likely linked in development but if they are not included the development sprint they may be on hold until they finish the golden path.
Regardless I think you are right, it will likely be a Q1 2026 release, maybe we may get an updated build for Patreon supporters at Xmas though.
We will have to see, either way I am okay with waiting, still have many playthrough variations I can explore and thankfully, save files seem to be transferrable.
Agree to disagree then, I think for them to commit for end of year release in 2025 would be difficult and require some crunch. I hope the dev team do not do this since they are planning to release the game for free.
My hope is also that they take their experience from this project and consider doing a future game and sell it on Itch or Steam. The talent is here clearly and I want to see more NSFW Furry Themed games on the market!