The gaming community is buzzing with controversy following the release of Dreadmoor’s official reveal trailer.
The upcoming title has drawn significant attention, not for innovation—but for its striking resemblance to the successful indie game Dredge. Viewers quickly pointed out numerous similarities between the two games.
Dreadmoor features an art style, user interface, and gameplay mechanics that lift heavily from those found in Dredge, a popular title known for its unique blend of fishing mechanics and eerie atmosphere.
Even more suspiciously, the logo of Dream Dock, the studio behind Dreadmoor, bears an uncanny resemblance to that of Black Salt Games, the developers of Dredge.
“This copies so much of Dredge—so accurately and so soon after Dredge’s release—that I don’t buy it that this game is real,” commented one observer, reflecting a sentiment shared by many in the community.
Technical aspects of the trailer have also raised red flags. Several viewers believe the footage consists primarily of pre-rendered animations rather than actual gameplay.
“Honestly, everything in the trailer looks prerendered, as in animated and not actual in-game footage. Nothing in the trailer made me feel like it was actual in-game footage,” noted another commenter.
Adding to the skepticism is the limited information available about the development team behind Dreadmoor. Only the CEO and CFO have been mentioned in promotional materials, with an emphasis on outsourced development rather than in-house talent.
Dredge, released early 2023, quickly gained popularity for its atmospheric fishing adventure that combines relaxing gameplay with supernatural elements. Its success has apparently made it a target for imitation, though some argue this is simply how gaming genres evolve.
“Not sure why people are being so negative… Imagine if Dark Souls never saw any clones, we’d never get the Soulslike genre,” argued one defender of Dreadmoor.
Something smells fishy
This situation highlights ongoing tensions in game development between inspiration and imitation. While successful games often inspire others, the line between homage and copy can be thin.
For developers like Black Salt Games, seeing their work so closely imitated so soon after release must be frustrating, especially as they reportedly have their own new projects in development.
Whether Dreadmoor will prove to be a legitimate game with its own merits or simply an attempt to capitalize on Dredge’s success remains to be seen. We’ll be keeping a close eye on this one as the story develops—so stay tuned for updates as more details emerge.
