Snoozy Kazoo on Hobnobbers – Interview Series

Turnip Boy developer Snoozy Kazoo is gearing up to launch yet another oddball project—a “co-op looter” that will reportedly transport its players into a vast gnomish world of kleptocracy and magically-randomized stores. According to the team, the game, Hobnobbers, will include a wide selection of unique stages, upgrades, and “dozens” of different cosmetic upgrades to unlock. And that’s barely scratching the surface; the game is still in early development, and so, naturally, the devs are still keeping a significant portion of its primary components under wraps.

With all of the above said, I still wanted to learn more about the upcoming game. Thankfully, I had Kiki of Snoozy Kazoo on hand to help scratch that itch.

From Turnip Boy to Hobnobbers, Snoozy Kazoo has once again proven that oddball concepts can, and often do generate genuinely compelling stories.

With all of the above said, it appears that there’s still a lot more that we’ve yet to learn about the upcoming co-op looter. So, enlighten us, if you’d be so kind. What is Hobnobbers, in a nutshell?

Kiki: Hobnobbers is a co-op game about looting malls with friends! You play as a ‘Hob', one of the former gnomes corrupted by the Lady Goddess, and go through Lord Pixy's mall to pilfer its magically-randomized stores time and time again.

Let’s talk about the story—the centerfold that, from the sounds of it, will cast its attention on a rather peculiar feud between Gnomes and Pixys. What’s the deal here, if you don’t mind me asking?

Kiki: While Gnomes (now Hobs!) and Pixys were friends in the past, the Lady Goddess' and Lord Pixy's messy divorce forced them to take sides. Now, they're sworn enemies- the Pixys have even turned the Hobs into a commodity, using them as a replacement for boba!

Let’s take a closer look at the heart of Pixy’s Domain. What sorts of areas, treasures, and obstacles are we likely to encounter in this eccentric world of yours?

Kiki: Lord Pixy's Domain is meant to contrast the Lady Goddess' in every aspect. While the Lady Goddess has had her heart corrupted by the divorce, leading to a polluted and trashy domain, Lord Pixy's heart is shiny, attractive, and absolutely FAKE. Everything in his domain reflects this, being the epitome of a shiny capitalist hellscape!

Team up with friends and raid Lord Pixy's Domain in our new game…

🐦‍⬛ #HOBNOBBERS 🛍️

Coming soon! ⏳

Wishlist it right NOW!

👉 https://t.co/tuFByysmDq pic.twitter.com/Mxr7Mli16r

— Snoozy Kazoo 💤 (@SnoozyKazoo) November 21, 2024

Looting a mall is one thing, but having to deal with Hexes is another monumental task altogether. Tell us, how will these Hexes influence the gameplay?

Kiki: Hexes are yet another way for runs to differ. They affect the whole Mall, and can be positive or negative- from Gold Storms to Rat Hound Swarms, there's a lot in store to mix things up for players!

You’ve certainly piqued our interest with these “cosmetic upgrades” (or “drip”) that you have previously touched base on. Would you mind telling us a bit more about the perks, boosters, and rewards that’ll feature in the game?

Kiki: We can't talk about all of the unlockables yet, but we're planning dozens of different cosmetic upgrades for the Hobs! We'll be letting players dress as wizards to jesters, or be flat out naked! The more shinys you pilfer for the Lady Goddess, the more sick drip you'll get!

Would you mind if we asked where you are with the game’s ongoing development? Any chance of another update or sneak peek before year’s end, or is that wishful thinking?

Kiki: We're pretty early on in development, having begun full-time work on the game in late August! While we likely won't have any massive new feature reveals, we consistently post shorts about the game's development basically anywhere you can watch that sort of thing. People can also keep their eyes peeled for our first devlog about the game dropping soon…

How can we stay up to date with Hobnobbers? If you’ve a few social links or useful resources to spare, then we would appreciate the input!

Kiki: We're on basically all socials; you can find a link to every single one on our website HERE!  We also have a discord server linked there with an active community that we enjoy interacting with and answering questions for. If you're really looking for a scoop, check us out there!

Thanks for your time. We look forward to seeing more of Hobnobbers over the coming months!

You can find more information on Snoozy Kazoo’s Hobnobbers by following the official X channel here. You can also add the game to your wishlist on Steam for additional coverage and pre-launch updates here.