Despite delivering exactly what was promised in the Kickstarter, Bear Simulator Developer, Farjay Studios, managed to get a scathing review from Youtube icon PewDiePie. Perhaps expecting the title to be more satirical and outlandish like Goat Simulator, Mr. Pie was extremely unimpressed with the ability to explore and swat at ducks as a bear.
This kicked off a bit of an emotional response from Fayjay back in March where, the sole developer, said he would complete the promises he’d made to backers before stepping away from the game for good. Despite having raised $100,571 Farjay didn’t feel he had the skills needed to improve the game beyond delivering the bare minimum.
Will make another game update with Kickstarter Island included and some other fixes, leave a comment below of what you really want fixed. Will work on fixes and features until you’re all happy and content then stop.
Upon finding out that his video had seemingly broken the dev’s spirit, PewDiePie apologized somewhat for all the negativity and said he hoped the developer would have a change of heart about abandoning the game. Well, it seems like Farjay may have finally licked his wounds and gone back to work.
There have been 3 updates this month, each promising new content and hinting at future plans for the game. Foremost, Farjay added the Kickstarter Island area for additional bear exploration. This is just a fun little bit of fan-service for all the backers, but it’s actually a neat idea that more indie devs should look into. Who wouldn’t want to name their own game tree?
There have also been some updates about the next explorable area, the campgrounds. Once again Bear Simulator toes the line between pretending to be a serious game concerned with documenting an average bear’s experiences and something more bizarre. The campgrounds trailer probably does the best job of demonstrating this point.
For a game that bills itself as a FPB (First Person Bear) title, this update looks to tread some darker waters. The actual complaints people had after the Steam release typically lamented the lack of substantial things to do in Bear Simulator, so hopefully the new additions will continue to flesh out the environment.
The most recent update hinted at a possible swamp area and frog storyline. No details were given about what that could entail, but it definitely sounds like the developer has more plans for the game.
While Bear Simulator’s social media presence is still spotty at best, at least the Kickstarter updates have started up again. They make for an interesting look at the less glamorous side of game development. Farjay isn’t shy about letting backers know that he has no idea where some of the bugs and glitches are coming from, or even if he can fix them.
While most backers have been supportive, the Steam page maintains mostly positive reviews, there have been some criticisms lobbed at the dev regarding his earlier overreaction.
Game development, or really any creative endeavor is not for the faint of heart. Anytime a creator makes something they need to expect someone to hate it. Probably rather vocally. It’s best to develop a thick skin, or in this case, I guess, pelt. Hopefully, Farjay won’t go back onto hibernation before Bear Simulator is completed this time.
