• News

Bugsnax might not be a horror game but development bugs tell a different story

It's a wonder the developers at Young Horses didn't take Bugsnax in a different direction when they saw these bugs.

Sam Chandler

November 16, 2020 5:50 PM

1

Bugsnax is an adorable little game where players catch bugs that are made of different foodstuffs. It has heart and soul and offers a relaxing time. But it wasn’t always the serene and chill game it is today, as is evident by the bugs encountered during the game’s development cycle.

A few of the Bugsnax developers shared on Twitter today some scenes and bugs they experienced during the game’s development. Suffice to say, there’s a fine line between the quirky and cute game we have today and what could have been a truly horrifying indie title.

pic.twitter.com/iRduQRDrNx

— Kevin Geisler 🍔 (@luthyr) November 16, 2020

Young Horses’ Programmer and Producer, Kevin Geisler, shared a handful of videos that were captured during the bug reporting phase of development. There are some real pearlers here, including the player randomly catching on fire and spreading it to Filbo and the entire town of Snaxburg being launched onto Cromdo’s shop. But my favorite would have to be the giant Bunger. Had that one hit Filbo at the start, he’d probably be dead.

The hilarious and creepy bugs don’t end there, though. Kevin Zuhn, the Creative Director of Bugsnax, also shared some images of scenes they were able to capture during development.

We talkin' bout bugged snax? Here are some unfortunate scenes I captured during development! #Bugsnax pic.twitter.com/fos3iumO6n

— ZUHN (@KevinZuhn) November 16, 2020

While it’s needed for modelling and texturing, the iconic T-pose is terrifying when it slips into the actual game, as Zuhn shows in the tweet. There’s also a tender moment with Chandlo and Snorpy, so that cute relationship has reached another milestone. Of course, Filbo lurking in the water will likely be with you forever now.

I’m glad we aren’t feeding these bugs to the Grumpuses in Bugsnax. I don’t think the player could handle the psychological trauma of these scenes playing out in real time.

Sam Chandler

Head of Guides

Hailing from the land down under, Sam Chandler brings a bit of the southern hemisphere flair to his work. After bouncing round a few universities, securing a bachelor degree, and entering the video game industry, he's found his new family here at Shacknews as Head of Guides. There's nothing he loves more than crafting a guide that will help someone. If you need help with a guide, or notice something not quite right, you can message him on X: @SamuelChandler