Classic Cartoon-Style Shooter Mouse: P. I. For Hire Won’t Have Microtransactions

Games free of microtransactions have become increasingly uncommon, but one such game is on the way. The upcoming Mouse P. I. For Hire breaks away from that with the developers announcing to players the cartoony FPS won’t feature any sort of microtransactions whatsoever.

On the game’s official Twitter account, the creators promised an “awesome single-player, noir-fueled, guns-blazing FPS” without the need for microtransactions so players can buy the game and enjoy it as is.

Developed by Fumi Games and PlaySide Studios, the shooter features a classic cartoon aesthetic resembling that of Fleisher Studios of the 1930s. You play as Private Investigator Jack Pepper in the corrupt and crime-ridden city of Mouseburg.

“His journey starts with a seemingly cliché damsel in distress, but as P.I. Pepper begins to scratch the surface of Mouseburg’s seedy underbelly,” the official synopsis reads. “His journey for justice quickly spirals into a complex web of intrigue, involving murder, corruption, and the unlikeliest of enemies.”

From what we’ve seen from the footage and trailers, the gameplay will have a classic Doom or Duke Nukem feel–even with Pepper sounding like he’s doing a really good Duke impression. The weapon system slides more into cartoonish violence territory with not just tommy guns and shotguns, but playful-looking bazookas with enemies falling in comedic and violent ways.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire is coming to PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch, although it does not yet have a release date. You can wishlist it now on Steam, where it’s said to be launching in 2025.