Funny, scary, and with an iconic main monster, Poppy Playtime is one of the most beloved horror games of recent years. Taking cues from Five Nights at Freddy’s and Slender, if you’ve ever been scared of children’s toys, or found something unnerving about theme parks, novelty restaurants, and dolls, Poppy Playtime is bound to be a good time – if by ‘good’ you mean ‘intensely frightening.’ Unfortunately, however, Poppy Playtime Chapter 3 is now delayed, as various employees of indie studio Mob Entertainment depart the company citing creative and managerial differences.
The Poppy Playtime Chapter 3 release date was originally slated for December 2023. An indie horror game with a huge viral following, episodes of Poppy Playtime have been released periodically since its original 2021 launch, with the third installment expected to pick up at the ominous-sounding ‘Playcare’ center we crashed into at the end of Chapter 2. However, Mob Entertainment now confirms the next chapter of Poppy Playtime is delayed, as various developers announce they have left the studio.
“Today, we’ve made the unfortunate decision to delay Poppy Playtime Chapter 3 several additional weeks into 2024,” Mob Entertainment confirms. “We made this decision to give us enough time to release Chapter 3 at the quality we’re striving for. Simply put, the game is not ready yet. Our developers have been putting in extraordinary effort to give you the best possible experience we can deliver.
“We understand the emotional investment you’ve made in our game, and we do not take your support for granted. Your enthusiasm and passion are what drive us to continue the creation of this project we’ve poured so much into.”
There is no precise date for the arrival of Poppy Playtime Chapter 3. However, former Mob Entertainment developers say they have left the company due to “differing opinions.”
“I decided to leave because of differing opinions on management style as well as creative differences,” Micah Preciado, a former Mob Entertainment developer says. “For those who don’t know, me and my brother Zachary have been working with the founders of Mob for over five years, and we were the first full-time employees to join Mob Entertainment in the summer of 2020 over three years ago.
“It’s been a wild five years. The ups, downs, and everything in between. I am beyond grateful that I got to work with such talented and passionate people. I wish Mob the best with completing Chapter 3. Although I won’t be around for its future, Poppy Playtime will always hold a special place in my heart.”
“I left…due to ongoing creative and managerial differences,” another former Mob developer, Andy Gill, explains. “It is surreal and a very odd thing for me to say that I don’t work at Mob any more. The last few years have been some of the most stressful yet exciting years of my life. I met the most talented people, and have had the opportunity to grow a lot as a person, and as a leader.”
A third developer, Zachary Preciado, says they have left Mob Entertainment over “differing opinions on how the company should be managed.” Hopefully, though, we will see the next chapter of Poppy Playtime in the new year.
In the meantime, you might want to try some of the best indie games, or maybe the other best survival games available on PC.
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