Behind The Rubberhose Curtain of MOUSE: P.I. For Hire – IGN First

IGN

by Ryan McCaffrey

February 26, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is an upcoming first-person shooter that stands out for its unique 1930s rubberhose animation style and black-and-white visuals. Developed by Fumi Studios, the game was inspired by the historical techniques of hand-drawn animations from the 1930s and 1940s. Art Director Michal Rostek, who also created the initial art for the project, shared how his passion for animation history led to this innovative approach. The team faced challenges in creating a fully black-and-white game, especially in guiding players through levels without color cues. Despite these hurdles, they successfully developed a visually distinctive and engaging style that has captured attention in the gaming community. The development of MOUSE began as a small project within Fumi Studios, with only five initial members on the team. The game's early prototype gained traction when programmer David shared it on TikTok, leading to widespread viral success. This unexpected exposure brought the project into the spotlight and garnered significant interest from potential players. The developers emphasized that their decision to stick with black-and-white visuals was deliberate, as they wanted to honor their roots in animation history rather than conforming to traditional gaming aesthetics. The game's art style is entirely hand-animated, reflecting the 1930s rubberhose technique but adapted for modern game development using computers. This blend of retro and contemporary methods allowed the team to streamline the production process while maintaining the unique visual charm they aimed for. The developers noted that creating animations without color required them to master techniques in contrast and shading, which were challenging yet rewarding. MOUSE: P.I.

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Originally published on IGN on 2/26/2026