A recently announced indie game, Haunted Paws, has an unauthorized clone, Ghostly Whiskers, appearing in its Nintendo eShop search results. Ghostly Whiskers is described as using "AI-generated assets" and has been accused by Haunted Paws' developer of stealing its concept, visuals, and story.
Haunted Paws was featured in Nintendo's latest Indie World showcase and had a demo released shortly after. However, when searching for the game on the eShop, players might find Ghostly Whiskers instead. While Haunted Paws is a co-op game starring two dogs searching a haunted house, Ghostly Whiskers features two cats on a similar mission. Haunted Paws is slated for release in May of next year, while Ghostly Whiskers launched in September.
Developer Lazy Flock, behind Haunted Paws, stated in January that Ghostly Whiskers was an "unauthorized copy." The game is published by Nostra Games, a company known for releasing several similar copycat titles based on games like Fallout Shelter and Crossy Road, according to GamesRadar. Although Haunted Paws and its demo have since appeared on the eShop, Ghostly Whiskers remains visible and is available for purchase at full price.
This situation highlights the surprising appearance of a nearly identical, already-released game in the search results for a newly showcased title. Players looking for Haunted Paws on the eShop are advised to be aware that the game they saw in the showcase is not yet available.