Late July 2024 reporting of layoffs at publisher Humble Games has created immediate uncertainty for Coral Island, the farming-sim project from indie developer Stairway Games that originated on Kickstarter.
The title is already available on PC via Steam and has released on PlayStation 5 and Xbox, and a Nintendo Switch port funded through the game's Kickstarter stretch goals was expected to follow.
Humble Games served as the publisher responsible for console ports and platform publishing tasks.
In a public statement posted to Twitter, Stairway Games acknowledged the frustration of players awaiting a Switch release and said contractual limitations had constrained what the studio could discuss.
The developer explained that a non-disclosure agreement and their publishing arrangement with Humble Games prevented them from sharing full details while the publisher was undergoing restructuring.
Stairway Games made clear that Humble Games' restructuring has left all console-related work — including porting and the deployment of console hotfixes — in a state of uncertainty because the publisher controls access to the required platform backends.
The studio noted it plans to release a hotfix for the Steam version imminently but cannot currently push the same update to PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo platforms without access managed by Humble Games.
For Kickstarter backers who selected Nintendo Switch as their platform of choice, Stairway Games has offered an alternative: a change to a Steam key.
The developer framed this option as a practical measure while console availability is unresolved.
Rewritten quote for clarity: Stairway Games told its community that it understands how disappointing the situation is, that contractual obligations have limited what it could say so far, and that it will continue to update players as concrete developments occur.
The Coral Island situation underscores the role publishers play for many indie teams: beyond marketing and funding, publishers frequently handle technical work such as porting and maintaining console storefronts like the Nintendo eShop.
When a publisher undergoes rapid changes — including staff redundancies reported in late July 2024 — those responsibilities can lead to delays or pauses in platform support.
Stairway Games closed its message by committing to keep the community informed as new information becomes available and by offering immediate options for backers impacted by the delay.
The studio's next public updates will be the primary source for verified progress on the Switch port and console hotfixes.
The title is already available on PC via Steam and has released on PlayStation 5 and Xbox, and a Nintendo Switch port funded through the game's Kickstarter stretch goals was expected to follow.
Humble Games served as the publisher responsible for console ports and platform publishing tasks.
In a public statement posted to Twitter, Stairway Games acknowledged the frustration of players awaiting a Switch release and said contractual limitations had constrained what the studio could discuss.
The developer explained that a non-disclosure agreement and their publishing arrangement with Humble Games prevented them from sharing full details while the publisher was undergoing restructuring.
Stairway Games made clear that Humble Games' restructuring has left all console-related work — including porting and the deployment of console hotfixes — in a state of uncertainty because the publisher controls access to the required platform backends.
The studio noted it plans to release a hotfix for the Steam version imminently but cannot currently push the same update to PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo platforms without access managed by Humble Games.
For Kickstarter backers who selected Nintendo Switch as their platform of choice, Stairway Games has offered an alternative: a change to a Steam key.
The developer framed this option as a practical measure while console availability is unresolved.
Rewritten quote for clarity: Stairway Games told its community that it understands how disappointing the situation is, that contractual obligations have limited what it could say so far, and that it will continue to update players as concrete developments occur.
The Coral Island situation underscores the role publishers play for many indie teams: beyond marketing and funding, publishers frequently handle technical work such as porting and maintaining console storefronts like the Nintendo eShop.
When a publisher undergoes rapid changes — including staff redundancies reported in late July 2024 — those responsibilities can lead to delays or pauses in platform support.
Stairway Games closed its message by committing to keep the community informed as new information becomes available and by offering immediate options for backers impacted by the delay.
The studio's next public updates will be the primary source for verified progress on the Switch port and console hotfixes.
