Despite the mandate, the first incarnation of the dog was disastrous. Molyneux recalls the early design as “utterly awful,” and many team members urged removing the companion altogether. He persisted, however, arguing that the raw emotional connection players feel for a loyal pet is invaluable.
Development produced three major iterations. The initial prototype was little more than an annoying, yappy creature; the second focused heavily on gameplay mechanics — the dog would attack enemies and provide power-ups. By the third iteration the team finally nailed the balance, and Molyneux says the dog’s implementation truly shone, particularly during the game’s ending.
Molyneux has also joked about his early enthusiasm for selling his first game — he once cut a hole in his mailbox so orders would fit. It sold two copies, and he suspects one of them was from his mother.
Source: gamesradar.com
