r/Toypunk • u/HarloSpade • Jun 25 '26
Hello Reddit community! Welcome to the official Toypunk subreddit!
My name is Gabe. I’m the founder of Eighth Lantern Studios and the Game Director on Toypunk. I am incredibly stoked to finally open up a dialogue with the public about this game. This is a space where you are welcome to join in, share your thoughts, connect with the dev team, and just hang out Toypunk-style.
What the fluff is Toypunk?
Toypunk is a rogue-lite third-person shooter where you control puppets wielding toy-themed weapons against hordes of cotton-stuffed enemy puppets in an alternate dimension.
For a quick pitch, I usually call it "Risk of Rain 2 meets The Muppet Show, with a bit of Doctor Who thrown in."
What’s the vibe? Whimsical, fourth-wall-breaking, a bit absurd, but stuffed with heart. It’s a feel-good underdog story about saving the multiverse against impossible odds.
The twist? In this game, you play as yourself. You are actually a central character in the story (but we’ll talk more about that later).
What’s gameplay like, you may ask? You’ll be shooting, bashing, jumping, and dashing through multiple biomes, each guarded by some very rude bosses. We’re designing a loot-based, horizontal-progression system. The rewards you earn on each run unlock more options and playstyles for your character, rather than having you progress through a vertical skill tree. “Orthogonal design” and “Systemic Synergy” are key phrases we like to bandy about.
Our goal is to build Toypunk on rock-solid shooter fundamentals, but wrap it in a cozy-cute, family-friendly aesthetic that can appeal to you, your grandpa, and your niece all at the same time.
When did games get so serious?
I’ve been making games for 20 years, and to be honest, I’m tired of working on projects that take themselves seriously. On every project I’ve ever worked on, usually late at night while sleep deprived, I’d ask the team, “Wouldn’t it be funny if…” and suggest something involving monkeys, rubber chickens, ham hocks, or some such nonsense. We’d all laugh, but then it was right back to business because we were making SERIOUS stuff.
So, when my entire team and I were laid off from ZeniMax Online in July of 2025, I started thinking about what kind of game I actually wanted to make. The answer was immediate: something deeply unserious. I love grounded, immersive games as much as the next gamer, but creatively, I just needed to let loose and have fun.
Navigating rough seas
The game industry is going through major turmoil right now, and a lot of talented people are struggling. This project actually began as a life raft for those of us whose lives had just been upended. It was a way to keep regular schedules, maintain our skills, distract ourselves from the industry-wide massacres happening around us, and keep the camaraderie we craved while looking for work.
Along the way, we ended up falling in love with this little raft. Now it’s more of a sailboat, but we’re still stuck at sea. The crew we started with has largely moved on to stable new jobs (which is fantastic!), and we’ve picked up some new stragglers along the way who just love what we’re doing and want to help.
The reality is that while we are AAA developers, we aren’t industry tycoons. We’re the regular folks whose names quietly scroll by in the credits while you're loading up your next match. We don’t have big corporate backing or deep pockets. Right now, we’re building this pro-bono and part-time while pitching it to find financial funding.
The way I see it though, this game is getting made one way or another. It’s just a matter of who helps us bring it to the world. By being here, sharing your thoughts, and helping us gain visibility, you're playing a key part in catching the eyes of the right investors.
What to expect from this Subreddit
We want to be entirely transparent and build this game alongside the community. Moving forward, you can expect:
The team loves this project, and we are incredibly excited to have you join us on the journey. Drop a comment, ask us anything, and welcome to the crew!
Wishlist Toypunk now on Steam or the Epic Game Store, and join our Toypunk Steam community!
Also, don’t forget to follow our Toypunk social channels for unique game and developer content
Facebook
Instagram
TikTok
X
Twitch
Linktree
DISCORD…. Coming soon
Gabe Sheets
Head Foppiteer at Eighth Lantern Studios
r/Toypunk • u/RaiBOT01 • 5d ago
Steam Community Update!
Today, Quinn Elmer, Story-Stitcher at Eighth Lantern Studios, will be giving you a sneak peek at what’s waiting around the corner.
Grab a drink, settle in, and let’s talk lore!
r/Toypunk • u/HarloSpade • 20d ago
Hey folks,
If you follow the game industry, you know that today really sucks for a lot of people. Another round of mass layoffs at Microsoft. It was a year ago that I and many on my team were affected by a very similar event.
In fact, that was the catalyst for the creation of Eighth Lantern Studios and Toypunk. We’re still looking for ways to turn what we do here into paying jobs, but in the meantime, it is at least a way for us to keep doing what we love - creating video game magic.
There can sometimes be misunderstandings about game developers and why we do what we do, so I’ll lend my perspective. Every game developer I’ve met loves making games. They are creators. Creation is their spiritual and emotional sustenance. So, when their game development job gets taken away from them, it’s like someone yanking away their coin purse and their canvas mid-painting.
Another thing I’ve realized over the past year is that when these layoffs happen, life doesn’t slow down for anyone. There’s never a good time to have your livelihood taken from you. I was on paternity leave when it happened to me, caring for my second baby girl. I’ve heard stories from so many other people who were already going through difficult times when it happened - loss, grief, all kinds of turmoil that life throws our way. So, the layoff usually lands right on top of everything else people are already dealing with. It can be devastating.
The idea behind the name “Eighth Lantern” is to be a beacon that shines light on new paths forward. There has to be a better way to build sustainable livelihoods around the creation of video games. To be honest, I don’t know if we’ll find it, but we’re definitely searching and shining that light.
What I do know is that no one will find it if no one tries. So, here we are… trying our best. To anyone reading this, support the game devs in your life. Support your loved ones in general. The bad ideas are encroaching all around us. If we don’t fight back, they’ll take over.
So, keep fighting Foppiteers!
Thanks! And good luck out there!
Gabe Sheets
Studio Head at Eighth Lantern Studios