Japanese YouTuber Narunii, the creator of the troubled crowdfunded fantasy game Chikai no Fuchi, has faced renewed criticism after announcing that he cannot immediately refund supporters of the project, which raised approximately $320,000. In an October 23, 2026 video, Narunii outlined a plan to contribute 50,000 yen (approximately $320) per month toward refunds while attempting to restart development. On October 26, he also reported receiving death threats and threats to bomb his home.
The latest controversy follows years of development difficulties for Chikai no Fuchi, also known as Oath’s Abyss. Although Narunii says he remains committed to completing the game, its future depends on securing a new development partnership and additional financing.
Chikai no Fuchi began as a crowdfunding project in 2023, raising 50,851,500 yen from 3,851 supporters through the Japanese platform CAMPFIRE. The campaign exceeded its original 30 million yen target, reaching approximately 169% of its funding goal.
Despite that initial success, the game missed its planned 2024 release window. Development encountered further difficulties in late 2025 when key members of the production team, including its director and lead programmer, departed.
Narunii subsequently disclosed that the remaining development materials were insufficient to continue production as originally planned. After seeking outside technical assistance to examine the Unity project, he concluded that substantial portions of the game would need to be rebuilt.
The creator has attributed the difficulties to problems with development management, communication and the breakdown of the original production arrangement. These explanations reflect Narunii’s account of the project’s history rather than independently established findings about responsibility for its failure.
The financial consequences have become a central concern for supporters. With much of the crowdfunding money already spent on development, Narunii acknowledged in his October 23 video that he does not have sufficient funds to immediately reimburse everyone requesting a refund.
Instead, he proposed transferring approximately 50,000 yen from his personal funds each month to the company handling the project. That money would then be allocated toward refund requests.
Narunii warned that completing the refund process could take considerable time. The total amount requested by supporters remains unknown, and he has not established a definite timetable for completing payments.
The proposed monthly contribution is particularly small compared with the project’s original crowdfunding total. However, the amount ultimately required for refunds will depend on how many supporters request their money back.
The situation escalated after Narunii addressed supporters seeking refunds during the video. He described some backers using the Japanese expression “ohitoyoshi type,” which can refer to people who are overly trusting or excessively accommodating.
His comments appeared in a broader message suggesting that supporters should not blame themselves or feel guilty about requesting refunds. Narunii also expressed gratitude for their original support and said he was not trying to discourage refund requests.
Nevertheless, the wording attracted substantial criticism online, with some viewers interpreting the remarks as condescending toward people who had financially supported an unfinished game.
On October 26, Narunii stated on X that he had received threats against his life, including a threat to bomb his home. He subsequently said he had consulted a lawyer and was going to report the matter to police.
These threats have been reported by Narunii himself. Their authenticity and the identities of those responsible have not been independently established.
Alongside the refund announcement, Narunii provided a potentially significant update on the game’s development. He said discussions with an unnamed game development company had reached their final stages, raising the possibility of restarting production under a new arrangement.
However, no finalized development partnership has been publicly confirmed.
Narunii also announced the involvement of veteran scenario writer Tomoyoshi Nagai, whose previous credits include 428: Shibuya Scramble, Digimon Survive and Final Fantasy XV: Episode Ardyn. Nagai is expected to contribute to the project’s writing and scenario development.
To finance further production, Narunii plans to use revenue from his YouTube activities and has considered obtaining a bank loan. Whether those resources will be sufficient to complete the game remains uncertain.
The financing problems highlight a challenge also visible in other independent game projects, where unexpected production expenses can threaten development schedules. One example involves a Steam game developer taking out a bank loan after its AI-powered demo generated substantial daily operating costs.
For Chikai no Fuchi supporters, the immediate questions concern the timing and scale of refunds, whether a new development agreement will be completed, and when production can meaningfully resume.
Narunii maintains that he has not abandoned the game, but Chikai no Fuchi currently has no confirmed release date. The proposed refund arrangements and development partnership have yet to demonstrate that the project can recover from its prolonged setbacks.
