Loftia's Founders On Their Viral TikTok Success And The Game's Early Access Launch

Published Nov 4, 2026, 9:19 AM EST I spoke with Loftia's founders about the Early Access game's unexpected social media success and plans for the future. Loftia's Founders Never Expected Their TikTok Hobby Project To Become A Full-Fledged MMO When Loftia first started gaining attention on TikTok in 2022, it was little more than a hobby project. Its graphics were rough, its world was small, and its creators, Michael Su and Martina Qin, had no idea that their project would go on to attract hundreds of thousands of followers. Inspired by childhood favorites like Club Penguin and MapleStory, the pair wanted to create the kind of online world they had grown up loving. Somewhere for players to make friends, decorate their homes, and simply enjoy spending time together. After a Kickstarter campaign that raised $1.3 million and a few more years of development, Loftia finally entered Early Access on November 3. I spoke with the co-founders of Qloud Games about the game's unexpected social media success, its nostalgic inspirations, and their hopes for its future. From TikTok Hobby Project To A Nearly 40-Person Studio Neither Su nor Qin expected Loftia to become the project it is today. Su initially built a small prototype using his software engineering experience, while Qin suggested sharing their progress online. "We never imagined that it would blow [up] as so many people would start following our journey," Su says. "We just started talking and documenting the whole process because we just wanted to do it for ourselves, and somehow along the way, so many people joined us as well." As their videos gained traction, the pair watched their Instagram and TikTok followings grow from thousands into the hundreds of thousands. Eventually, they realized their idea had the potential to become something far bigger. "We had so many people liking our videos, leaving the nicest comments, and we just watched as the number of followers on our Instagram and our TikTok kept blowing up," Su says. The pair eventually left their corporate jobs, invested their savings, and began hiring others to help them build Loftia. What started as a two-person project gradually grew into a studio of nearly 40 people, with its Kickstarter campaign raising $1.3 million. Club Penguin And MapleStory Inspired A Different Kind Of MMO For Su and Qin, much of Loftia's appeal comes from recreating the feeling of older online games. Growing up playing Club Penguin and MapleStory, they loved virtual spaces where socializing was as important as the gameplay itself. "We were really craving that kind of experience again, but nothing was quite scratching that itch for us," Qin says. "So then we were like, how about we make one?" Rather than building another MMO centered around combat and becoming the strongest player in the world, the pair wanted to focus on its social possibilities. "I remember during Club Penguin, honestly, one of my favorite things to do was to visit other players' homes," Qin says. "I love to just go into different people's igloos and see their setups and see the decorations." That feeling of simply existing alongside other players became the driving force behind a major part of Loftia's design. Players can visit neighbors, admire their homes, play mini-games, and make friends without being forced into group activities. "We really want to kind of emulate that idea where sometimes you don't even have to do anything," Qin says. Building A Solarpunk World With Room To Grow Loftia has also developed a stronger identity since its earliest prototype. It eventually embraced a solarpunk setting centered on humanity living in harmony with the environment. For Qin, sustainability was already a personal interest, and the game offered an opportunity to introduce those ideas to a wider audience. "We really wanted to try and get people interested in this whole topic of sustainability," Su says. "How can players learn more about it? How can we emulate this sustainable way of living in the game?" The team hopes Loftia will encourage players to explore sustainability beyond the game itself, rather than simply presenting it as another gameplay mechanic. Loftia’s world will continue to expand even after it leaves Early Access. Su highlighted plans to introduce additional districts, each with new characters, storylines, and activities. The team is also working on Clubs, Loftia's take on traditional MMO guilds, which will give players another way to find their community. Despite everything that has changed since 2022, the founders' original ambition remains remarkably consistent. When asked what they would consider a success for Loftia five years from now, Su returned to the same idea that inspired the project in the first place. "From day one, my goal has been to create an experience that brings people together. Full stop," he says. Qin hopes that the community will eventually grow across different countries and regions, with Loftia already launching with support for multiple languages. Four years ago, Su and Qin were sharing rough prototypes on TikTok, and hoping a few people might enjoy following along. Now, they're welcoming players into a world they've spent so many years building. If their vision comes true, Loftia's biggest achievement won't be how many districts it adds or how many activities players complete. It'll be the friendships people make along the way. Loftia Systems Released November 3, 2026 Developer(s) Qloud Games Publisher(s) Qloud Games Multiplayer Online Co-Op Number of Players Single-player Steam Deck Compatibility Unknown Genre(s) Life Simulation, Farming, Casual