“Stray” Is Cool Enough to Turn Anti-Screen Cat People Into Devoted Gamers

Rein in your cat-lady stereotypes: Not every game-obsessed homebody has a cat weaving in and out of their legs as they advance from one level to the next. And some cat people prefer to read, thank you very much.

Gamer or not, you’ve been missing out on “Stray,” the feline-centric adventure that’s quickly become a global obsession. In fact, since its debut in July, “Stray” has consistently remained a top-selling release and has rallied its fans to give back to the cat community.

A gamer’s guide

The third-person adventure game, created by France’s BlueTwelve studio, is born of the internet’s two great obsessions: cats (the ultimate muses of memes) and our collective end-of-days anxiety (a collateral effect of the pandemic). At face value, “Stray” looks like yet another post-apocalyptic/cyberpunk contender, entrenched in a “decaying cybercity and the murky environments of its seedy underbelly” (their words). But it’s actually a kind of sweet story about a cat’s colorful journey — with artificial-intelligence drone in tow — through a curious, new world inhabited by robots. 

The orange tabby lands there after accidentally falling into a hole, while traveling with its clowder (a.k.a. a group of cats — look it up!). As the cat attempts to escape from this creepy underground city, it eludes Sentinel and bug-like Zurk menaces and makes some curious acquaintances along the way.

Oh, also: There are no humans. They’ve all been wiped out by a plague. Yup, even in this pandemic era, the creators went there.

Cats are gamers, too

Cat aficionados will revel in the game’s many realistic delights, such as prompting the feline to meow, nuzzle, scratch, jump, balance on ledges, knock things off shelves — but mostly — you know — explore. Unsurprisingly, a stray rescued by BlueTwelve’s cofounders served as the game’s primary inspiration. In fact, the Twitter account called Cats Watching Stray follows real cats that have been entranced by it, too.  Said BlueTwelve producer Swann Martin-Raget to CNN: “When the cats in the office started to react to what was happening on our screens, I think we kind of felt that we were going in a good direction.” Meanwhile, some fans are going rogue with their “Stray” love, modifying the game’s code to add in shoutouts to their favorite cats.

“I certainly hope that maybe some people will be inspired to help actual strays in real life,” Martin-Raget went on to tell the Associated Press, “knowing that having an animal and a companion is a responsibility.”

His wish has come true. “Stray” has inspired a grassroots fundraising culture around it. Gamers, such as a twice-over cat-dad who goes by Twitch username TreyDay1014, have been live-streaming themselves playing “Stray” to raise money for cat-related charities and shelters. The game’s publisher, Annapurna Interactive, has joined them, too.

Beneficiaries have included: the North Shore Animal League America, Nebraska Humane Society, and Meow Parlour. Needless to say, even PETA is a fan of this game.

From game to big screen

If you’re someone who’d rather hang out with cats than people, we have some good news for you. Stray, your absolute favorite feline-adventure video game, is on track to become an animated film from Annapurna Animation. 

“This is a game that’s all about what makes us human, and there are no humans in it,” Robert Baird, co-head of Annapurna Animation, told Entertainment Weekly. “It’s a buddy comedy about a cat and a robot, and there’s such a hilarious dynamic.” He explains that the movie will assume a bummer-free “hopepunk” tone, with its heroes on an optimistic quest to fight for positive change. “If we are going to do this adaptation justice, this is going to be the first and greatest hopepunk movie that’s ever been made.”

Annapurna Pictures, the company behind films, such as Vice and Hustlers, debuted its animated division early this year with Nimona, Netflix’s acclaimed sci-fi adventure about a teenage shape-shifter who joins forces with a knight. The studio is highly motivated to make a hit, especially in light of the runaway success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, another animated video-game adaptation. To date, it has grossed more than $1.35B internationally, according to Variety. And that bodes well for Stray fans, who want even more cyber-punk cats in their lives.

Fans are already ready for a Stray movie

Not surprisingly, Stray was chosen as Annapurna’s first video game adaptation because of its intense fanbase. “What is it about this game that is so popular?” Andrew Millstein, who heads Annapurna Animation with Baird, told EW. “How do you adapt a game into long-form storytelling that is incredibly respectful to the game itself and the audiences, but then also is film worthy? The process of that is always part of the challenge.”

“I think it’s one of the reasons why the game was incredibly popular, that you are seeing the world through the point of view of an adorable cat,” Baird added. “How did they pull that off, and how are we going to pull that off in the movie? We will, even though sometimes it feels impossible, but we know that’s the essence of the game and the key to telling the story.”

Despite no release date being set, fans are already into the idea of a Stray movie. “I hope they don’t give the cat any dialogue other than his amazing meows [and] other cat noises. One of the things that made the game special was the fact this cat was just a regular cat,” said one fan of the game on Reddit. Added another: “As long as they show him meeting up with his other kitty pals, I’ll be here for this.”