When an adorable duck drove us to get creative, the result was Dodo Duckie, a debut puzzle platformer now available on Xbox Series X|S and PC. Developed by indie studio BornMonkie—run by creative director Samhith and producer Samveda—the game follows a duckling raised among chickens who feels entirely out of place.

Quick Facts

  • Platforms: Xbox Series X|S and PC (with Xbox Play Anywhere support)
  • Developer: BornMonkie
  • Price: $11.99
  • Release Window: July 2026

From Ambitious Pitch to a Solo Duck Project

Years ago, the team pitched a massive, overly ambitious game to publishers. Facing rejections in India’s indie scene, they faced a practical question: what could they build and finish entirely on their own? The answer was a duck.

The project began as a prototype back in 2019. While managing client service work, the developers chipped away at it on and off, officially taking until 2025 to fully realize their vision before launching in July 2026. Along the way, they made a radical design choice for a 3D space: they removed the jump mechanic entirely.

Flipping Perspectives in 2D and 3D

The core gameplay centers on flipping between 2D and 3D perspectives to discover hidden paths and solve puzzles, aided by a special cap that grants this switching power. Originally, the developers assumed this switching mechanic would be their primary hook. However, player testing revealed that audiences fell in love with Dodo's personality before even understanding the puzzles, proving that the character was the real front door to the experience.

Art director Vincent Boichut helped solve a major hurdle during development: working with a tight budget meant the team could only build a single set of assets that had to function across both perspectives. Everything had to remain readable whether seen head-on in 3D or flattened into 2D. That strict resource constraint shaped the world's clean shapes, rounded edges, and vibrant colors.

A Personal Story Without Dialogue

Dodo's search for belonging stems from a personal place for the developers. Growing up in India’s competitive culture, pursuing a creative career meant fighting against strict expectations and risking isolation. Rather than relying on heavy dialogue, the team chose to tell this story through animation, physical comedy, and character expression inspired by Pixar shorts.

Priced at $11.99 and supporting Xbox Play Anywhere (XPA), Dodo Duckie delivers a bright, cozy world where players can guide the little bird on his journey to save his chicken friends and discover that his differences are what make him special.