Cliffhorse is a new game from Minecraft creator Markus Persson that seems one part silly and one part satire. The game took only two hours to code and it basically consists of a horse on a cliff that pushes around a big ball. The Windows-only game was made to poke fun at developers who charge money for early access to early game releases that barely took any effort to build, when most of the real gaming content comes at a later date.
Persson's gaming parody is free to download, but he accepts payment in the form of virtual Dogecoins. Like the game, the Cliffhorse website is extremely basic in terms of its presentation. Persson humorously notes that upon downloading Cliffhorse, there is "No guarantee of future updates."
Slapdash Gaming Parodies
Cliffhorse by Markus Persson Makes Fun of Early Access Programs
Trend Themes
1. Silly Gaming Parodies - Creating fun and satirical games that poke fun at existing gaming practices and trends.
2. Early Access Programs - Exploring alternative approaches to early access game releases, such as different pricing models or offering more substantial content upfront.
3. Minimalistic Game Design - Developing games with basic and uncomplicated designs that focus on gameplay rather than graphics or extensive development time.
Industry Implications
1. Gaming - Examining the impact of gaming parodies on the industry and exploring ways to innovate in game development and distribution.
2. Digital Payments - Exploring the use of virtual currencies like Dogecoin as a payment method for games, and the potential for wider adoption in the industry.
3. Software Development - Rethinking the standard practices of software development, particularly with regards to early access programs and updating release models.