Gothic horror JRPG developer Matsuzo Machida, the mind behind the Shadow Hearts series, recently shared new details about Penny Blood. This announcement follows the recent cancellation of Armed Fantasia, another project from the same 2022 “Double Kickstarter” initiative that was axed by its publisher.
Penny Blood, a spiritual successor to Shadow Hearts being co-developed by Machida’s Studio Wildrose and Shade, remains without a publisher. Machida attributes this to the challenging conditions in the gaming industry. Despite this setback, the team remains committed to finishing the game and establishing the new intellectual property. As part of their efforts, they are currently crafting a novel adaptation titled Penny Blood REVIOLENCE (unofficial translation) to support production and boost the IP’s visibility.
Machida stated that this is all the information he could provide at this time, noting that his team cannot offer further updates on the crowdfunding campaign as there are no new developments to report officially.
Despite Penny Blood’s crowdfunding success—where it met its initial goal and numerous stretch goals within days—the project stalled due to conflicts between Studio Wildrose and the campaign’s producers, Ben Judd and Dangen Entertainment. In a lawsuit filed in May 2024, Machida claimed that the publisher withheld development funds raised via Kickstarter.
Since then, the developers have been seeking a new publisher while funding the project themselves, though their efforts have yet to yield results. Nevertheless, backers and Shadow Hearts enthusiasts can take comfort in knowing that Studio Wildrose remains dedicated to the project.
In related news, a roguelike spin-off prequel to Penny Blood, titled Penny Blood: Hellbound, is currently available on PC (Steam).