Why Doinksoft Voluntarily Moved Dark Scrolls Out of Mina the Hollower's Way
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Doinksoft delayed Dark Scrolls to June to avoid competing directly with Mina the Hollower, showing mutual respect between indie studios over blockbuster noise.
Release date collisions continue to reshape the indie calendar as studios navigate crowded launch windows. Developer Doinksoft recently decided to push the release of its upcoming auto-scrolling platformer Dark Scrolls from May 28 to June 22. The reason for the shift was simple. Yacht Club Games locked in a May 29 launch for Mina the Hollower, and Doinksoft preferred to give the highly anticipated retro action-adventure clear airspace rather than split attention in the same dedicated player community.
Speaking to Polygon, Doinksoft developer Cullen Dwyer explained that competing directly against a major indie peer poses a much greater risk to sales than going up against massive blockbusters. While a mainstream giant like Grand Theft Auto draws a completely different crowd, fans of specialized retro indie titles often have limited budgets and limited time. Dwyer noted that the team would rather step aside than force players to choose between two passion projects launching on the exact same day, especially since the development team itself is eager to play Yacht Club's new game.
Dark Scrolls blends classic auto-scrolling platforming with elements borrowed from shoot-em-ups and roguelikes, evolving from an old prototype originally codenamed Vladius. Despite the naming coincidence, the team clarified that the title has no actual connection to Dark Souls. It was simply the result of an accidental joke that stuck. As indie developers increasingly have to navigate surprise release announcements from heavy hitters, mutual respect between studios remains one of the best ways to ensure creative work finds its audience without getting crushed in the noise.
Tags: Dark Scrolls, Mina the Hollower, Doinksoft, Yacht Club Games, Indie Games
Original article: Polygon