Bluey’s Quest for the Gold Pen: A Landmark Moment for the Franchise’s Gaming Vision
Bluey captures the warmth, creativity, and authentic spirit that define Australia’s cultural industries. Yet, until now, its video game adaptations have been a mixed bag, with a few notable misfires coloring the franchise’s gaming reputation.
Some parents approached Budge Studios’ 2023 mobile release Bluey: Let’s Play! with caution due to a $9.99 monthly subscription and a steady stream of ads for other licensed titles. Later in the year, Artax Games’ Bluey: The Videogame faced sharp criticism for a roughly two-hour runtime, technical hiccups, and a $60 price tag. In his assessment, Australian critic Luke Plunkett described it as a “slapdash cash grab” that offered only the bare minimum.
In August, StoryToys released Lego Bluey, a mobile title featuring block-building and mini-games, paired with another subscription—though cheaper and less pushy in advertising. All three games were commissioned by BBC Studios, which co-produces Bluey with ABC and oversees much of the show’s international licensing and merchandising.
But Bluey’s Quest for the Gold Pen, available at https://www.bluey.tv/play/blueys-quest/, stands apart as the first game to truly meet the high standards the series has earned globally. Also commissioned by BBC Studios, this title was developed in Brisbane by Bluey creator Joe Brumm and Halfbrick Studios, the studio behind Fruit Ninja. It marks several firsts: the inaugural Bluey game produced in Australia, the first to involve Brumm directly, and—likely—the final original Brumm-led Bluey adventure before the 2027 film offering new material.
After testing the opening sections crafted by Halfbrick, it’s clear this game behaves like a real, fully-fledged title. The developers estimate roughly 10 hours of play, a figure that feels right after a first-hand feel of the game. The structure is a classic adventure: Bluey and Bingo pursue their mischievous dad Bandit across a gallery of magical artworks after he borrows their pen. Curiosity and exploration are rewarded, and you’ll frequently rely on Bluey’s magic wand to progress.
Brumm’s writing injects humor and heart, with Chilli and Bandit debating how to avoid helicopter-style parenting while they improvise the next level of the game.
A long-standing candidate to helm Bluey’s gaming journey, Halfbrick’s CEO Shainiel Deo, has longtime ties to Brumm, dating back to their collaboration on Dan the Man in 2016. When Brumm suggested BBC Studios consider Pitching to an Australian studio, Deo anticipated the choice would lean toward familiar partners, even as he understands why the BBC initially partnered with developers they already knew.
From the outset, Halfbrick aimed to honor Bluey’s essence. Deo recalls telling BBC decision-makers, “This game will be ready when it’s ready.” He took on the financial risk, funding the project with his own resources, driven by a desire to deliver a remarkable experience.
Deo pushed for an exploratory, prototype-friendly timeline, even if it meant delays. He believes the approach paid off, thanks to a team united by pride in Bluey and a deep resonance with Brisbane’s everyday life portrayed in the show. “They’re proud to be the first Australian team to work on a Bluey game,” he notes.
This achievement comes at a time when the Australian games industry has faced high-profile ups and downs, including the global reception to Hollow Knight: Silksong. Australian developers have long sought better opportunities to work with homegrown licenses. To date, there has been little Australian-output for some iconic franchises, with even a Neighbours racing game developed abroad.
Jason Imms of Keywords Studios highlights that BBC Studios owes nothing to Australia, yet utilizing local talent to bring Bluey to life felt like a straightforward, sensible choice. Imms, who oversees QA for Keywords, welcomes Halfbrick’s involvement as a reputable Queensland studio stepping into a globally beloved IP. He emphasizes the rarity of genuine homegrown Bluey content and the value of capturing the show’s distinctly Australian flavor in the game medium.
Joey Egger, head of games at Screen Australia (which co-funds the TV show but not the games), also celebrates Halfbrick’s role. He describes Bluey’s “unique Australian-ness” as something that can be authentically extended into games only by truly understanding the local culture and setting. The broader sentiment among developers is pride in working with a beloved local IP and the potential it holds to reach younger audiences across platforms.
Beyond national pride, there’s a broader conversation about how children are treated in gaming markets. Halfbrick has experimented with both freemium and subscription models, yet neither seemed appropriate for Bluey’s primarily young audience. Deo opted for a premium, one-time-purchase approach reminiscent of pre-mobile era pricing, arguing that it avoids turning play into a grinding tax. He emphasizes that ethics guided this choice.
Imms argues that children deserve thoughtful game design that respects their development. He notes that stories like Bluey can shape values—kindness, care, resilience—making it essential that games built from these narratives provide constructive, age-appropriate experiences.
Bluey’s Quest for the Gold Pen is now available on iOS and Android, with a January 10, 2026, release planned for PC and consoles later in the year.
