What Is 'Piñata Puppy World' And Is It A Scam? Criticism About The Upcoming 'Mascot Horror' Game Explained

Mascot horror has become one of the most popular horror video game subgenres over the past decade thanks to Five Nights at Freddy's, but the latest addition to the genre is garnering some criticism following its successful Kickstarter campaign.

The game, titled Piñata Puppy World, is being called a scam by some for the amount of money the developers asked for in contrast to the alleged length of the game and the gameplay itself.

So what exactly is Piñata Puppy World and is it a scam? Here's what you need to know.

What Is Piñata Puppy World?

Piñata Puppy World is a survival, mascot horror game from developers Real Time Studio, who frequently worked on the FNAF fan game Five Nights at Freddy's: In Real Time. The game is being touted as an exploration of serious topics like depression and mental health struggles, specifically tied to liminality and nostalgia.

Essentially, the game uses nostalgic imagery, references and spaces to create a horrific atmosphere. The gameplay teaser suggests that the game is covered in a VHS-aesthetic filter and has first-person gameplay focused on exploration. The antagonists of the game, much like in FNAF, are animatronic, anthropomorphic animals, including the titular Piñata Puppy.

Is Piñata Puppy World A Scam?

The team behind Piñata Puppy World recently launched a Kickstarter campaign looking for $35,000 US to produce the first chapter of the game. The campaign surpassed its goal, although some people are a bit concerned. Namely, they're worried over allegations that the first chapter of the game only runs about 45 minutes, that aspects of the gameplay trailer were animated and misleading and that the game will be nothing more than a walking simulator.

The developers recently addressed these claims on X, insisting that the game should take "a couple hours" to complete and promising that there's more to it than walking. They also denied claims that the trailer was misleadingly animated. Still, some people have been echoing claims that the game is a scam and that raising $35,000 was unnecessary for what they belive will be a short, unintuitive game.

So, is the game a scam? At the moment, it does not seem like it. There is still a lot of hype for its release, and it does appear to be in active development, at least making it legitimate in that sense. Whether or not the game will be well-received remains to be seen.

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For the full history of Piñata Puppy World, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.