While plenty of video games have featured dogs over the years, with the likes of the Fallout series’ Dogmeat and Elder Scrolls stalwart Barbas having melted innumerable adventurers' hearts, none have allowed your canine friends to get behind the controls.
Cats have certainly been able to engage with Stray to a degree, the idea of a game aimed specifically at turning real-life pets into gamers might seem a bit far-fetched.
Though, as reported by Axios’ Stephen Totilo, this might be set to change in the future, with a startup currently aiming to make the idea of doggy gaming a reality.
Are you eager to get your furry friends into gaming?
The company in question, called Joipaw, is headed by co-founders Dersim Advar and Marco Jenny, with the former having formulated the idea for game playable by dogs while trying to come up with ways to keep his rather hyperactive own furry friend occupied.
While only a prototype at current, the console developed as a result of this idea aims to allow pups to play games like whack-a-mole by tapping the screen with their snouts and dispensing treats when they successfully negotiate a challenge.
As well as helping to provide entertainment, Joipaw suggests that engaging with the games could help keep your pooch’s brain active, especially if they’re on the older side, though interacting with humans is obviously still the most ideal means of stimulating your hound’s mind.
In line with this, Joipaw’s website states: “Our goal with this venture is to push for a better understanding and inclusion of dogs and animals in human societies by showing the world how intelligent they are.”
As of right now, the console doesn't have a release timetable, though Advar does tell Axios that, when it does arrive on the market, it’ll hopefully offer a broad selection of games, some of which may pit owners against their beloved mutts.
If you’re now stressing out about the idea of being beaten at video games by your pet, you might want to take up sim racing, as, unless you own a great dane, it’s quite unlikely that their paws will be able to operate a wheel and pedals at the same time.