# Slapdash Gaming Parodies Cliffhorse by Markus Persson Makes Fun of Early Access Programs By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2014-06-10 | Tech Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cliffhorse References: [engadget](http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/09/cliffhorse/) & [cliffhorse](http://cliffhorse.com/) Cliffhorse is a new game from Minecraft creator Markus Persson that seems one part silly and one part satire. The game took only two hours to code and it basically consists of a horse on a cliff that pushes around a big ball. The Windows-only game was made to poke fun at developers who charge money for [early access](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/video-gaming) to early game releases that barely took any effort to build, when most of the real gaming content comes at a later date. Persson's gaming parody is [free to download](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pathologic-3-quarantine), but he accepts payment in the form of [virtual Dogecoins](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/paywhatyouwant-gaming-platform). Like the game, the Cliffhorse website is extremely basic in terms of its presentation. Persson humorously notes that upon downloading Cliffhorse, there is "No guarantee of future updates." ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.9/10 - Popularity: 13% | Activity: 36% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/tech) > [Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/games) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Silly Gaming Parodies:** Creating fun and satirical games that poke fun at existing gaming practices and trends. - **Early Access Programs:** Exploring alternative approaches to early access game releases, such as different pricing models or offering more substantial content upfront. - **Minimalistic Game Design:** Developing games with basic and uncomplicated designs that focus on gameplay rather than graphics or extensive development time. ### Who This Affects Most - **Gaming:** Examining the impact of gaming parodies on the industry and exploring ways to innovate in game development and distribution. - **Digital Payments:** Exploring the use of virtual currencies like Dogecoin as a payment method for games, and the potential for wider adoption in the industry. - **Software Development:** Rethinking the standard practices of software development, particularly with regards to early access programs and updating release models. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Creative Frustration Outlets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/punch-your-client.md) - [Theme Park-Inspired Game Modes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/minecraft-2.md) - [Goat Sandbox Adventure Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/goat-simulator-3.md) - [Horror Media Creation Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/content-warning.md) - [Virtual Horse Racing Hubs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ride-with-us.md) - [Open-World Mongolian Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/windstorm-the-legend-of-khiimori.md) - [Mobile Game Release Pranks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/palworld-go.md) - [Dungeon Crawler Game Studios](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bitshift-entertainment.md) - [Casual Animal-Herding Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/herdling.md)