Developer Lazy Flock, a small two-person studio, has been promoting its upcoming horror game, Haunted Paws, for several years, allowing players to take on the role of two puppies striving to rescue their human friend from a haunted mansion. While there is still no definite release date for Haunted Paws, the developers recently expressed their dismay upon discovering a remarkably similar title—Ghostly Whiskers—set to launch on the PlayStation Store later this month.
In a pointed statement on Twitter, Lazy Flock declared, “THIS IS NOT A HAUNTED PAWS GAME. IT IS A DIRECT COPY,” while sharing an image of the Ghostly Whiskers store page. The developers accused the title of being an unauthorized copy that appropriates their concept, visuals, and storyline, claiming it uses AI-generated assets in its design.
The description on the PlayStation Store for Ghostly Whiskers presents it as a cute horror game, where players explore a haunted mansion as a pair of kittens searching for their human companion. The absence of screenshots or gameplay footage only amplifies concerns about the similarities to Haunted Paws. Observers have noted that the header art on the store page resembles AI-generated imagery, characterized by overly sharp animal characters and distorted paw prints.
Nostra Games is credited as the developer of Ghostly Whiskers. An examination of the studio’s YouTube channel reveals a portfolio filled with titles that bear striking resemblances to other popular or viral games. Notable examples include Shelter 78, which echoes elements from both Fallout Shelter and Fallout 76; Two Hands Hospital Assistant Simulator, reminiscent of Two Point Hospital; and Weed And Greed, which seems to borrow heavily from Schedule 1. Other titles like Risky Roads and Only Up Rush also draw parallel comparisons with established franchises.
While not all of these games are direct imitations of their inspirations, some examples are particularly egregious. For instance, Hole Digging Master is easily mistaken for A Game About Digging A Hole, a micro-sized excavation game that briefly captured the attention of the gaming community last year. Similarly, Ultra Bonk Survivors has been criticized for its striking resemblance to Megabonk, a popular title from 2025.
Most of the Nostra Games catalog is available on the PlayStation Store, with a select number of titles also making their way to Steam. Upcoming releases include a port of Trading Card Shop Simulator, which bears a conspicuous resemblance to the viral 2024 early access hit, TCG Card Shop Simulator. Notably, the Steam listing for this title does indicate that “in-game art can contain AI-generated textures,” a disclosure that is not mandated on the PlayStation Store.
Over the years, the PlayStation Store has been criticized for hosting numerous cheap knock-offs of established games. Instances of clones inspired by Peak, replicas of Schedule 1, and even specific parodies of missions from GTA Vice City have raised eyebrows among the gaming community.
The allegations made by Lazy Flock highlight an ongoing issue within the gaming industry, where creative ideas are sometimes appropriated without permission, leading to disputes that can compromise the integrity of original works. As the landscape evolves with the increasing use of AI technology in game development, the lines between inspiration and imitation become blurred, raising questions about ownership and originality in the creative process.
