Japanese indie developer Connected Shadow Games spent over 300 hours manually adding 60,000 names to their horror game’s credits after a viral social media post, as reported by Video Games Chronicle. The developer had asked followers on X (formerly Twitter) to submit their names to lengthen the short credits of Twilight Moonflower, expecting around 100 responses. Instead, the post received approximately 60,000 likes, and the developer kept their promise to include everyone.
A simple request that went viral
The saga began in November when Connected Shadow Games posted an urgent recruitment message on X. “Currently, I’m working on the ending for a game, but since it’s being made by just a few people, the content is overwhelmingly short,” the developer wrote. “So, if you’re okay with having your name listed, please give this a like. Seriously, I’ll list everyone. Length-wise, I need about 100 more people.”
What started as a modest request for community help quickly spiraled beyond expectations. The post resonated with Japanese gaming communities and spread far wider than anticipated, accumulating around 60,000 likes instead of the hoped-for 100.
300 hours of manual labour
Rather than capping the credits at a manageable number, the developer chose to honour their original promise. “To get even a little bit of recognition for my self-made game, I made a promise to include everyone who liked it in the ending credits,” they explained. The process required over 300 hours of manual work to input each name individually.
The final result is a credits sequence that runs for a full 30 minutes without skipping. The developer shared a preview video on X this week, showing rows upon rows of names scrolling past in what has become one of gaming’s most unique community tributes.
The story highlights the lengths some indie developers will go to engage with their communities, even when those communities grow far beyond expectations.
What this means for indie development
The Twilight Moonflower credits story demonstrates both the power and unpredictability of social media marketing for small studios. What began as a simple attempt to extend sparse credits became a massive undertaking that likely cost more in development time than most indie studios can afford.
For Connected Shadow Games, the viral attention could prove valuable marketing for their horror game, even if the execution required an enormous time investment. The story has already spread across gaming communities worldwide, generating awareness that traditional marketing budgets couldn’t buy.
Other indie developers have taken note of creative community engagement strategies, though few would likely commit to such an open-ended promise again.
