Penny Blood Spiritual Successor Still Seeking Publisher After Kickstarter Funding Dispute

Shadow Hearts series creator Matsuzo Machida has provided an update on Penny Blood, the spiritual successor funded through Kickstarter in 2022. The project remains without a publisher, but Machida states the development team has not abandoned the game.

According to the update, the studio encountered significant issues after the crowdfunding campaign concluded. The developers allege that the Kickstarter campaign organizers withheld funds that were raised for the project. This financial disruption has complicated efforts to secure a publishing partner.

Penny Blood was announced as a spiritual successor to the Shadow Hearts series, which originally released on PlayStation 2 in the early 2000s. The cult classic RPG franchise is known for its gothic horror setting and judgment ring combat system. Machida directed the original series before forming his own studio.

The lack of a publisher means the game's release timeline and target platforms remain uncertain. The team continues to explore options while maintaining that development has not stopped. Backers of the original Kickstarter campaign have been waiting for progress updates since the campaign closed successfully in 2022.