"Them's Fightin' Herds" Journey: From MLP-Inspired Fangame to Original Title with Incomplete Story Mode

Back in 2013, the team at Mane6 received a cease-and-desist notice from Hasbro concerning their "My Little Pony"-inspired fangame, Fighting is Magic. The game initially took root from a fan-created concept dubbed "Marevel vs. Clopcom." Accepting Hasbro's decision, Mane6 preserved the core gameplay mechanics and reimagined their work into an entirely original title, Them's Fightin' Herds. They gained an unexpected ally in Lauren Faust, the mind behind the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic TV series, who offered her creative talents to devise a new lineup of hoofed contenders, along with a foundational setting and narrative. Bolstered by the financial success of their Indiegogo campaign, which amassed $586,346, Them's Fightin' Herds debuted on Steam as an early access title. Despite leaving early access in 2020, the game's story mode has remained notably unfinished, with players gaining access to just its inaugural chapter. Mane6 conveyed through a recent blog update that once the Season 1 Pass wraps up, the studio will halt any active development on Them's Fightin' Herds. While they are committed to addressing any critical bugs via minor patches, the team confirmed the unfortunate news that no further content would be crafted, leaving the continuation of Story Mode on the cutting room floor. Mane6 acknowledges the community's anticipation for the unfinished chapters of Story Mode and expresses their own shared disappointment. They relayed that existing work intended for Chapter 2 of Story Mode will be incorporated into a forthcoming update, coinciding with the release of DLC characters next year. This update is also poised to introduce a brand-new stage to the game. For those who initially supported the game's crowdfunding campaign, this development pivot could entail changes to some of the promised rewards. Mane6 plans to provide more detailed information to the original backers about these adjustments in the upcoming weeks, intending to communicate via email and their Indiegogo channel. These recent revelations have sparked a wave of discontent among players. This shift in sentiment has been reflected on Steam, where Them's Fightin' Herds has seen a noticeable dip in its recent reviews. While the overall feedback remains strongly positive at 89%, only a third of the reviews submitted over the last month have laughed favorably upon the game.