Toymaker: Threads of Joy Blends Shop Management and Visual Novel Mystery

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Years after the success of Scarf and collaborations like Tiny Garden, Uprising Studios is working again with composer Céler Gutiérrez on a new project – Toymaker: Threads of Joy. This upcoming game is described as a tribute to local folklore and personal storytelling. Therefore, it explores the bittersweet feelings of nostalgia and distance from home.

“When you grow, you end up living far from home and missing many things that link you with your childhood and your home,” explained the studio’s cofounder and composer Céler Gutiérrez. “With Toymaker: Threads of Joy, we wanted to pay tribute to all of that, sewing machines that were part of our identity, as well as legends and music from the streets.”

The game blends genres, mixing shop manager mechanics with strong visual novel elements. In the story, players inherit their mother’s plush toy workshop after she mysteriously vanishes. That’s why the core gameplay involves collecting sewing patterns, designing and stitching unique plush toys, and selling them. Also, interactions with different customers slowly reveal the truth behind the disappearance.

Uprising Studios is aiming for a 2026 launch for the game on Steam. To help reach this goal, the studio plans to launch a Kickstarter campaign soon. This funding will be used to refine the experience, especially by improving the sewing gameplay, polishing the narrative, and perfecting the art details. In addition to this, the team is also working to release a playable demo in the near future.