Bluey’s Quest for the Gold Pen: finally, a Bluey game that actually feels like a game
Bluey embodies the warmth, charm, and inventive spirit that define Australia’s creative industry. Yet for a long while, the franchise’s video games struggled to meet those high standards, often delivering mixed results that left fans disappointed.
Some parents watched Budge Studios’ 2023 mobile game Bluey: Let’s Play! with wary eyes, thanks to a steep $9.99 monthly subscription and persistent ads for other licensed titles. Later that year, Artax Games’ Bluey: The Videogame drew sharp criticism for its short run time, technical hiccups, and a hefty $60 price tag. Australian critic Luke Plunkett even described it as a “slapdash cash grab that does the bare minimum.”
In August, StoryToys released Lego Bluey for mobile, featuring block-building, mini-games, and another subscription—albeit a more affordable one with lighter advertising. All three games were commissioned by BBC Studios, which co-produces the show with ABC and manages Bluey’s international licensing and merchandising.
Bluey’s Quest for the Gold Pen, however, marks a turning point. Commissioned by BBC Studios and developed in Brisbane by Bluey creator Joe Brumm and Halfbrick Studios (the studio behind Fruit Ninja), it’s the first Bluey title crafted entirely in Australia, the first to involve Brumm directly, and the most promising glimpse of Brumm’s world since the show’s peak popularity. It also stands as perhaps the last original Bluey story we’ll receive from Brumm before the 2027 movie.
After spending time with the opening chapters, it’s clear this game plays like a proper, fully realized adventure. Halfbrick estimates a ten-hour journey, and that feels right. The premise is simple: Bluey and Bingo chase their mischievous dad Bandit through a sequence of magical artworks after he swipes their precious pen. The game rewards curiosity, exploration, and clever use of Bluey’s magic wand, while Brumm’s writing invites the family into lively debates about parenting styles—specifically, how to avoid the overbearing “lawnmower” approach—as they design the next level.
Shainiel Deo, Halfbrick’s CEO, has long been a strong advocate for Bluey’s video-game potential. Halfbrick’s track record—millions of players worldwide, a history with Brumm dating back to their collaboration on Dan the Man in 2016—made him a natural fit to pitch BBC Studios. Brumm initially proposed that the project go to an Australian developer first, but BBC ultimately chose partners they’d worked with before. Deo recalls telling decision-makers, “This game should be ready when it’s ready.” He also notes that Halfbrick was willing to shoulder the financial risks to deliver a genuinely great experience.
Deo’s approach embraced an open-ended development process, prioritizing exploration and prototyping even if that meant delays. He believes the result proves that a local team can produce a premier Australian game tied to a beloved homegrown hero, with a sensibility rooted in Brisbane’s contemporary culture. “They’re proud to be the first Australian studio to work on Bluey,” he says.
This achievement comes at a time when the Australian games scene is still recovering from high-profile releases and layoffs. The global spotlight on Hollow Knight: Silksong underscored how Australian developers deserve broader access to major licenses. Until now, no Australian studio has released a Mad Max game, and even a Neighbours racing game found its way overseas instead of staying local.
Jason Imms, head of QA at Keywords Studios and a fellow Australian developer, notes that BBC Studios owed nothing to Australia in a contractual sense, but leveraging the talent behind Bluey was a straightforward decision. He’s glad to see a respected Queensland studio given a shot at showcasing Bluey on a major stage, stressing how rare it is to work with truly homegrown IP.
Joey Egger, head of games at Screen Australia, which co-funds the show but not the games, echoes the sentiment. He praises Halfbrick for capturing Bluey’s distinctive “Australian-ness”—its casual, breezy nuances that feel unmistakably Brisbane—and believes the only way to extend that authenticity into games is to truly understand those local traits.
For developers, working with a beloved local franchise is both an honor and a challenge. As Egger puts it, today’s young audiences don’t just consume in silos—they migrate across TV, cinema, and games, seeking IP they genuinely adore and will engage with across platforms.
The game’s quality isn’t just a win for pride; it represents a broader question about how children are treated in the marketplace. While Halfbrick has experimented with different monetization models—both freemium and subscription—the team opted for a traditional premium approach, aiming to avoid pressuring players into endless grinding or additional purchases. Deo emphasizes that ethics matter and that the game should respect its youngest players.
Imms argues that kids deserve better in game design—more thoughtful storytelling about kindness, resilience, and family dynamics that Bluey is known for—rather than being nudged toward monetization schemes aimed at grown-up players.
Bluey’s Quest for the Gold Pen is available now on iOS and Android, with rollout to PC and consoles planned for later in 2026.
