Studio Mane6 Ends Development on Them's Fightin' Herds, Leaving Unfulfilled Goals and Upset Players

The fighting game community received news this week that would leave a dent in its lineup. Mane6, the creative minds behind the niche fighting title Them's Fightin' Herds, announced on Steam that their active development efforts for the game would come to a halt after completing the current Season 1 Pass content. Following the release of Baihe, a downloadable character expected next year, the developers will switch gears towards a maintenance mode, only releasing patches to fix any game-breaking bugs while ceasing production of new content, including the highly anticipated Story Mode.

This development signifies a bitter end to the ambitions laid out during the game's crowdfunding phase on Indiegogo. Several backer rewards and goals had been promised, and now, without the fulfillment of these obligations, supporters feel left in the lurch. Mane6 has indicated that there will be adjustments to the initial backers' perks, though details on these changes remain a few weeks away. The team still holds hope to find a way to offer the fans content already in the works, like another character and a new stage; however, the community's reception has been less than enthusiastic.

Them's Fightin' Herds, which has maintained a "Very Positive" review status since its release in 2020, now faces the ire of its once-supportive players. An influx of negative reviews has recently poured in, rendering the game's recent Steam reviews to a "Mostly Negative" consensus. Players openly express their frustration, claiming the game is a shadow of what it could have been while airing their disappointment with the developers' withdrawal of support. Some players, even those with dozens of hours invested, have offered scathing critiques, essentially telling prospective buyers to steer clear of the game due to the lack of continued development and unmet potential.

While hope for Mane6's future endeavors remains, the premature conclusion of Them's Fightin' Herds serves as a moment of reflection on what might have been for the game's community and backers.