Home News Cozy Game PuffPals: Island Skies Raises $2.6M, Then Ghosts Backers and Vanishes

Cozy Game PuffPals: Island Skies Raises $2.6M, Then Ghosts Backers and Vanishes

What started as an adorable, Animal Crossing–style project quickly unraveled. PuffPals: Island Skies—a cozy game from Fluffnest—launched on Kickstarter in April 2022 with a modest goal. But it raised over $2.6 million, largely thanks to stretch goals and add-on sales.

Over time, communication grew sparse, broken promises piled up, and many backers saw the project go silent. The game’s website disappeared, refund requests went unanswered, and lawsuits have been filed. Some even argue the huge fundraising numbers were inflated by combining game pledges with pricey plushie add-ons that didn’t get delivered.

Fluffnest founders David Pentland and artist usLily started with strong community support around plush designs. But the transition to a full game proved rocky. The company outsourced much of the game’s development, while the plush side of the business also ran into trouble with unfulfilled orders and cost hikes.

Now, Fluffnest is effectively silent. Its trademarks have lapsed. The Kickstarter is abandoned. Developers and contractors claim they weren’t paid. Lawsuits seek millions in damages. It’s a sobering lesson in what happens when hype, crowdfunding, and loose accountability collide.

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Fluffnest Kickstarter scandal Fluffnest lawsuits PuffPals crowdfunding failure PuffPals ghosted backers PuffPals Island Skies PuffPals refunds issue

Sai T.

Sai is a social media manager and senior web content creator who spends his days juggling game research, deadlines, and the usual existential crisis. When he isn’t crafting content that hopefully goes viral, he’s a dedicated single parent doing his best to navigate work life balance. And in the rare moments when free time actually appears, he’s usually found with his two dogs, who are fully convinced they’re the ones in charge.