$2.6 Million Cozy Game “PuffPals: Island Skies” wipes Its Websites, Ghosts Its Backers
The highly anticipated cozy game PuffPals: Island Skies, initially funded through a successful Kickstarter campaign, has effectively disappeared, leaving backers and customers facing significant losses. What began as a promising project, raising $2.6 million in 2021, has devolved into a complex web of missed deadlines, contradictory statements, legal battles, and ultimately, a defunct company.
Fluffnest, the studio behind PuffPals, repeatedly delayed the game’s release, each setback accompanied by shifting explanations. these were followed by apologies and assurances of improved interaction, often coupled with claims the build was imminent, only to be followed by further silence. This cycle of broken promises became a pattern familiar to those following the project.
Concerns escalated beyond the game’s development. Reddit users discovered that PuffPals trademarks had expired a year prior to the company’s collapse. Concurrently, issues arose with Fluffnest’s plushie business, with customers reporting non-delivery of shipments, overcharging, and drastically increased shipping costs. The company was also facing legal action for failing to repay business loans.
In a final statement, Fluffnest attributed its downfall to rising shipping costs and announced the company was going out of business. Though, the statement paradoxically claimed that production of Island Skies was “secured and will not be affected,” despite years of minimal progress and the revelation that the game’s development was largely outsourced.
The last official update on the Kickstarter page appeared on may 21, 2024, and consisted of a lengthy justification and blame directed towards Room 8, the development company Fluffnest had contracted (and subsequently failed to pay). This update contradicted previous assurances made to backers.
As of today,the game’s pre-order page redirects to an “Expired Domains” landing page,the Kickstarter campaign remains abandoned for four months,and reports have surfaced of unpaid developers. Refunds are not being issued, a situation underscored by Kickstarter’s inherent risk – backing a project does not guarantee its completion.
legal judgments have been made against Fluffnest, ordering the company to repay hundreds of thousands of dollars in owed funds. Room 8 is currently pursuing a lawsuit against Fluffnest and David Pentland for $1.9 million.
The circumstances surrounding the project’s failure remain unclear. whether the initial intent was genuine, followed by a cascade of unfortunate events, or if the project was a deliberate scheme, is currently unknown. Court dates are scheduled as late as summer 2027, meaning answers are likely years away. The likelihood of recovering funds for backers, developers, or lenders appears exceedingly slim, leaving many to seek similar experiences in the crowded market of cozy village life games.