Old Friends Dog Game

***Old Friends Dog Game*** is a free-to-play simulation and management game by Runaway Play. It was announced in Fall 2019 and released globally on the App Store and Google Play on August 12, 2021. It is based on Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary, a real dog sanctuary for senior dogs located in Mount Juliet, Tennessee.

*Old Friends Dog Game* was featured as one of fifty-five games in the Wholesome Direct showcase, a community whose focus was to bring attention to low-stress, positive games.

## Gameplay

The gameplay is story-driven and centers around caring for the senior dogs at the sanctuary. Players can cook treats, pet, and play with the dogs to increase loyalty, which unlocks additional narrative chapters individual to each dog. The sanctuary grounds can be customized with furniture and toys that the dogs can interact with. Each dog also has accessories that can be unlocked through the story.

Players can increase the popularity of their sanctuary by sharing photos of the dogs and playing through chapters. As the sanctuary grows more popular, donations from fans and followers will unlock improvements, such as bigger and better treats.

## History

The idea for the game was presented back in 2018 by Runaway Play's creative director and narrative designer, who have both been fans of OFSDS for years. One of Runaway's motivations for making the game is to support senior dog adoption and share their stories. Each dog in the game is based on a real resident at OFSDS.

The game draws inspiration from the Japanese animation film studio Studio Ghibli.

## Release information

### Early access

An early access version of the game was released under the working title *Dog Game* on July 21, 2020? and was in Open Beta for Android devices. This initial version had a limited amount of content, and Runaway Play released several updates fixing bugs, updating the design, and adding new stories and characters since its release. Users that were part of the Open Beta were given free gifts as a thank for their support: a wardrobe item for Mack and a trophy decoration.

### In other media

In October 2019, Runaway announced their release of a 2020 calendar featuring concept art from the game, with all proceeds going to OFSDS. The calendar was available to purchase from OFSDS's online shop.

In August 2021, Runaway stated there would be merchandise for the game, with all proceeds going to OFSDS. Items are available to purchase from OFSDS's online shop and clothing store.

## Awards and nominations

* 2022 NYX Game Awards in Mobile Game - Simulation: Gold
* 26th Webby Awards: Webby Honoree in Games - Social Impact
* 2022 Pocket Mobile Games Awards: Game of the Year finalist

## Gallery

### Videos

Old Friends Dog Game - TRAILEROld Friends Dog Game Theme Song
## Trivia

* The game's title was changed from *Old Friends Dog Sanctuary* in early 2021.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Runaway Play (2020). Old Friends. Runaway Play. Retrieved on September 21, 2020.
2. ↑ "Runaway Play celebrates 10 years". *Scoop*. Scoop Media (2019-12-19). Retrieved on September 21, 2020.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Dog Game - Apps on Google Play. Runaway Play (2020). Retrieved on September 21, 2020.
4. ↑ Old Friends Dog Game (2019-10-03). Untitled. Runaway Play. Retrieved on September 21, 2020.
5. ↑ Old Friends Dog Game (2021-08-04). Untitled. Runaway Play. Retrieved on August 5, 2021.
6. ↑ NYX Game Awards (2022). NYX Game Awards | Simulation. Retrieved on April 20, 2022.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "New tricks for old dogs win awards". Otago Daily Times (2022-04-11). Retrieved on April 20, 2022.

## External links

* Old Friends Dog Game website
* Old Friends Dog Game at Facebook
* Old Friends Dog Game at Twitter
* Old Friends Dog Game at Instagram