LOS ANGELES, CA — June 9, 2025 — Felt That: Boxing, developed by Sans Strings Studio – the indie brainchild of creators Ryan Corniel and Sébastien Deguy – in collaboration with animation legends Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, delivered a knockout debut at Summer Game Fest 2025. The heartfelt and hilarious puppet boxing game's world premiere trailer has generated massive enthusiasm from the gaming community, amassing close to 100,000 Steam wishlist saves, nearly 4 million video views, and 85 published articles worldwide in just three days following its showcase.
The game made its official debut during Summer Game Fest's live global broadcast on June 6th, receiving a special introduction from host Geoff Keighley, who praised the project: "This is one I've been tracking for a few years with the team at Sans Strings Studio who is using Unreal Engine 5 to create an insane digital puppeteering pipeline... What you're seeing is running completely in real-time in Unreal. And I cannot wait to play it."
COMMUNITY EMBRACES PUPPET POWER
The response from gaming communities has been overwhelmingly positive, with reactions ranging from "WE WANT PUPPETS" and "INSTANT WISHLIST" to "HOW IS THIS REAL-TIME?" and “GOTY!” echoing across YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Reddit, X, Facebook, and Bluesky. The trailer's success includes 80+ videos featuring trailer shares and reaction content, showcasing the game's viral appeal across all platforms.
"The reaction has been absolutely incredible," said Sébastien Deguy, CEO and Co-Founder at Sans Strings Studio. "Our real-time puppeteering technology was built to blur the line between digital and physical performance, and seeing millions of people immediately connect with that vision – it validates everything we've been working toward."
A one-of-a-kind blend of arcade combat and handcrafted artistry, Felt That: Boxing introduces players to Ezra “Fuzz-E” Wright, a soft-hearted puppet who enters “The Tournament of a Million Punches” to save his childhood orphanage from demolition. Built using Sans Strings Studio’s proprietary, real-time animation platform, the game combines beautiful puppetry with tactile, skill-based mechanics and a narrative story full of dark humor and heart.
“We built Felt That: Boxing to feel deeply personal and completely unhinged – like as if some weird furry puppets had an emotional baby with Punch-Out!!” said Ryan Corniel, CCO and Co-Founder at Sans Strings Studio.
"The fusion of Sans Strings’ brilliance and our inherent weirdness? It’s a one-two punch in a toothless puppet mouth I couldn’t be more excited about," said Eric Towner, co-creator at Stoopid Buddy Stoodios.
AN UNHINGED NARRATIVE FIGHTER
In Felt That: Boxing, players engage in fast-paced 1v1 matches that emphasize timing, positioning, and dynamic, physics-based interactions. Combat is framed by colorful stages and loaded with whimsical props. All stitched together by a narrative thread that tugs at the heart and hits you in the gut.
Key features include:
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Arcade-Style Brawling – Responsive, skill-based combat with over-the-top physics.
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Story Mode – A heartfelt journey through a series of boss-level fights.
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In-Stitches Super Moves – Absurd finishing attacks like Furry Flurry and Poopet Blaster..
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Trainer Challenges – Intense mini games like dodging toast and frozen meat beating.
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Voiceover & Score – Star-studded cast and dynamic music from Flying Lotus.
The game’s visual aesthetic draws from traditional puppet-making techniques, with rich stitched textures, googly-eyed characters, and detailed environments and rings. Designed for both casual players and genre fans, Felt That: Boxing balances slapstick humor with emotional depth.
SUMMER GAME FEST PREMIERE SUCCESS
Felt That: Boxing joins Summer Game Fest 2025's highly curated lineup of groundbreaking games. The annual showcase, which attracts millions of viewers globally, serves as the kickoff to gaming's biggest season and has become synonymous with the most exciting reveals in the industry.
ABOUT SANS STRINGS STUDIO
Sans Strings Studio brings together decades of combined expertise in digital artistry, computer graphics, and animation technology. Founded by Ryan Corniel, with his extensive background spanning from graphic design to VR development, and Sébastien Deguy, an Academy Award and Emmy-winning pioneer in computer graphics, our studio represents the perfect fusion of creative vision and technical innovation.
Their digital puppeteering platform brings characters to life in real-time for scripted shows, live events, social campaigns, interactive experiences, and games. Working with both established studios and independent creators they offer a fresh approach to animation that maintains the soul of performance while streamlining production.
Felt That: Boxing is the studio’s debut game.
ABOUT STOOPID BUDDY STOODIOS
Stoopid Buddy Stoodios is an artist-friendly collective that houses some of the finest talent in animation and entertainment. They’ve got a knack for creating unique visuals and telling character driven stories with an uncanny and irreverent sensibility. Founded by Seth Green, John Harvatine IV, Matthew Senreich, and Eric Towner, the studio is home to the multi Emmy Award-winning Robot Chicken, as well as Crossing Swords, Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K., Buddy Thunderstruck, and others. The studio brings its creative voice to gaming for the first time with Felt That: Boxing.
Felt That: Boxing premiered during Summer Game Fest 2025’s main showcase, streamable at www.summergamefest.com and across major platforms. A full trailer, press kit, and Steam wishlist page are available.
Trailer and Press Materials Available: https://sansstrings.studio/felt-that-epk/
Steam Page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3763840/Felt_That_Boxing/
Social Media: @FeltThatGame