Four-legged beat ’em up Them’s Fightin’ Herds has traversed a tumultuous path, initially starting as an unofficial My Little Pony fangame before evolving into a distinct and well-received fighter through the support of crowdfunding and Early Access. However, this journey appears to be reaching its final destination. While news of a patch and upcoming DLC characters recently brought excitement, it was overshadowed by the revelation that these updates would also mark the game’s last. This unfortunate turn of events means the game’s in-progress story mode will remain forever unfinished, and numerous crowdfunded rewards will be left undelivered.
In an announcement, the development team stated, “After the Season 1 Pass is complete, we will be ceasing active development on TFH. We will still be able to release small patches to address game-breaking bugs, but no new content will be produced. Unfortunately, that includes Story Mode.” The disappointment is palpable as the team acknowledges the ambitious nature of the story mode, professing their deep desire to implement it. They express their understanding of how eagerly the fans anticipated the release of Story Mode chapters, while also conveying their own eagerness to work on and share them.
Despite the conclusion of active development, the team does offer a glimmer of hope. They mention the possibility of releasing content already produced for Chapter 2, starting with a new stage called “Restricted Section” as part of the version 6.0 update. This inclusion of DLC characters, Nidra and Baihe, aims to provide some solace to disappointed players. However, the bitter reality remains that the larger vision of a complete Story Mode will never come to fruition.
With the shift in development focus, the team recognizes the need to make adjustments to the originally planned perks for those who supported the game’s Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign. They promise to provide more information regarding these adjustments via email and their Indiegogo channel in the coming weeks. While this attempt to rectify the situation is admirable, it cannot erase the disappointment felt by the loyal fans who were promised a fully realized gaming experience.
Although Chapter one of Them’s Fightin’ Herds story mode is currently available in the game, the future chapters that were once promised as free updates are now indefinitely on hold. This sudden change in plans understandably led to a decline in recent Steam reviews, with a noticeable shift from a “Very Positive” to a “Mostly Negative” rating within the past 30 days. Dissatisfied players have voiced their frustrations, particularly with how Mane6, the development studio, chose to announce the conclusion of development. Buried within a post about DLC characters, the barely mentioned ending left players feeling overlooked and unappreciated.
Them’s Fightin’ Herds launched on Indiegogo in 2015 and garnered significant attention thanks to the involvement of Lauren Faust, the creator of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, as the game’s character designer. Despite the initial hype and successful crowdfunding campaign, the game faced its fair share of challenges. It entered Steam Early Access in 2018, undergoing further refinement before finally achieving a full release in 2020. Unfortunately, the dwindling sales and a declining player base likely contributed to the difficult decision to cease active development.
While it is important to scrutinize the decision-making process behind Them’s Fightin’ Herds’ untimely ending, it is equally crucial to empathize with the developers. Taking on more than they could chew, especially when faced with dwindling sales and a limited player base, presented a formidable challenge. However, the manner in which the news was delivered, burying it within a short section of a post primarily focused on DLC characters, left loyal paying players feeling neglected. The developers missed an opportunity to show gratitude and exhibit transparency towards their community.
The curtain falls on the promising but ultimately ill-fated journey of Them’s Fightin’ Herds. Despite its inception as a fan-made project and subsequent transformation into a distinctive fighter, the game’s incomplete story mode and undelivered crowdfunded rewards cast a shadow of disappointment over its legacy. Though efforts are being made to salvage some aspects of the original vision, the bitter taste of unfulfilled promises lingers. It is a cautionary tale of the challenges faced by developers in an industry governed by tough decisions and evolving market conditions.
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