The core of “Toymaker: Threads of Joy” is to run a shop that can make customized dolls. You have to take orders, put together the dolls one by one according to the customer’s needs, and upgrade the sewing machine and various equipment in the process to make the works more exquisite and cuter, but in essence it is more like a simulation game of handmade workshops and management.
Taking orders is just the beginning, the real difficulty is when customers bargain!
Judging from the Kickstarter introduction, as your store becomes known to more people, customers will commission you to make new toys and bargain with you. How you treat your customers will directly affect your store’s reputation: if your reputation increases, it will be easier to do business, but if you don’t handle it well, it may decline all the way. This kind of design wraps up cuteness on the outside, but at the core is actually the very real pressure of the service industry.
Inherit mom’s baby shop and pick up memories and craftsmanship together
The background of the game is Los Soñadores, a doll shop. You are the protagonist who inherits your mother’s shop and embarks on a journey to reconnect with the craft and the memory of your mother. This makes it look like it’s not just about doing more to win, but trying to incorporate narrative and choices into the business rhythm.
Urban legends, myths and reality are mixed together and rewritten by your choices
The game scenes will gradually reveal different aspects of the protagonist’s hometown of Salamanca, including myths and legends. It is said to be inspired by the drama setting related to “The Cave of Salamanca”: a magic school hidden in a tunnel. The overall narrative focuses on the interweaving of reality and myth, and emphasizes that the world will be deformed by your choices.
The fundraising results were very good, with the amount exceeding the target by more than twice!
There are still about 10 days left to raise funds, but the Kickstarter funding is currently about £18,659 (approximately TWD 746,360 / HKD 186,590 / MYR 110,088), and the target is £8,721 (approximately TWD 348,840 / HKD 87,210 / MYR 51,454), which is easily more than double!
The development team is Uprising Studios, whose past works include 2021’s colorful platformer Scarf. Dolls’ Workshop: Threads of Joy is currently expected to be released in the first quarter of 2027.