The creator of a viral indie game where players must literally find a needle in a haystack is tired of his project getting cloned. So, he made a new game mode, where players must find the real game in a pile of fakes.
Thanks to advancements in artificial intelligence, it’s getting easier and easier for players to ‘reverse-engineer’ video games and even outright copy projects that haven’t been released yet.
It’s been a hellish situation for developers in the industry, particularly for small studios without the funds for legal backing or, even worse, single creators who made their games all by themselves.
NasNakarus is the driving mind behind Needle in a Haystack Simulator, which is exactly what it sounds like. Such a simple concept is easy to copy, and there are currently oodles of similar titles clogging online marketplaces. But he’s not taking it personally; instead, he’s poking fun at the ordeal with some well-timed commentary and a new ‘mode’ for his game.
NasNakarus posted about the mode on October 27, along with a quick demo of what it would look like. In this joke mode, called ‘Find the Original Game,’ players would sift through a pile of game cases with the wording ‘Needle in a Haystack Clone,’ with the ‘Clone’ being in a bright red box. And while players noted that this version of the haystack would be far easier to sort through, it’s less about the mode itself (which may or may not be actually coming to the game), but more about the fact that the developer felt a need to comment on the swath of clones by going to such lengths, at all.
“Our needle in a haystack game has been cloned so many times we made a new game mode,” the dev joked.
Our needle in a haystack game has been cloned so many times we made a new game mode
find the original game https://t.co/DH4nBMoYhg
— Nas (@NasNakarus) October 27, 2026
“This is what is called a ‘tragicomedy.’ A situation in which you find yourself, unsure whether to laugh or cry,” one fan replied.
“Someone recreate this on Roblox but you have to search for a specific Roblox game,” another suggested.
Needle in a Haystack Simulator isn’t actually out yet. It’s set to launch in Q4 of 2026, with playtests scheduled for this week. Some users remarked that clones may have taken advantage of this fact, while others pointed out that the concept isn’t exactly a novel one and is, due to its nature, prone to being cloned.
As previously mentioned in this article, the continued evolution of AI is making modding and cloning games easier than ever. Using the technology, modders have been able to port games onto web browsers, combine games (like putting Spider-Man in Batman: Arkham Asylum, for instance), or outright making ‘new’ games based on existing IP. And while some developers are taking legal action against these mods, others — somewhat surprisingly — are speaking out in favor of the trend.
Virginia (she/her) is IGN’s News Editor. With ten years of experience reporting on games and entertainment, she’s got a storied background in the fighting game community, influencer news, and viral online trends. Find her on Twitter at @TheeMissGlaze.
