Borderlands Creator Launches New Indie Studio, Announces Debut Game Dung Ho!

The six-player co-op physics-driven chaos rolls onto PC via Steam next week.

Mar. 5, 2026 at 2:49pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Matthew Armstrong, the creator of the Borderlands franchise, has launched a new indie studio called Lesser Weevil and announced the debut game Dung Ho!, a cooperative physics-driven game where players take on the role of dung beetles rolling a ball across the wilds of Africa. The game is set to launch on March 12, 2026 for $7.99 USD on PC via Steam.

Why it matters

The launch of Dung Ho! marks a new chapter for Matthew Armstrong, who is known for his work on the popular Borderlands series. The game represents a shift towards smaller, more experimental indie projects that allow Armstrong and his team to focus on creating fun, approachable, and shared experiences without the constraints of a typical game development studio setup.

The details

Dung Ho! is a six-player co-op physics-driven game where players take on the role of dung beetles and work together to roll a ball across the African wilderness. The game features approachable, skill-agnostic mechanics that challenge players to protect, repair, and guide their ball past environmental hazards and the unpredictable decisions of their teammates. Built for 30-60 minute sessions and friends-only multiplayer, the game transforms a seemingly simple mission into chaotic moments of teamwork, tension, and humor.

  • Dung Ho! will launch on Wednesday, March 12, 2026 at 10:00 AM PT.

The players

Matthew Armstrong

The founder of Lesser Weevil and the creator of the Borderlands franchise.

Wes Parker

The art director and gameplay engineer at Lesser Weevil, who has previously worked on the Borderlands games.

Michael Graham

The lead world and level designer at Lesser Weevil, who has worked on Skylanders and The Legend of Spyro.

Shaylyn Hamm

The principal character artist at Lesser Weevil, who has previously worked on Borderlands 2.

Boo Armstrong

The associate artist at Lesser Weevil, who helped come up with the initial concept for Dung Ho!

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“The most fun part of making games is at the start, when it's just a small team doing something fun together.”

— Matthew Armstrong, Founder of Lesser Weevil

“Matt came to us with a pitch to make a game about pushing a ball into a hole. The dung beetle idea came along later. I'll admit, I wasn't a huge fan of the dung beetle concept at first. The idea of modeling a dung ball wasn't exactly appealing. But at the end of the day, this isn't a gross game, it's a silly game about beetles, and everything is inspired by real beetle behavior.”

— Wes Parker, Art Director and Gameplay Engineer at Lesser Weevil

“We have some really fun ideas for where this game can go, and games we want to work on next. We really hope that people like Dung Ho! so we can make more – a lot more.”

— Matthew Armstrong, Founder of Lesser Weevil

What’s next

The game Dung Ho! is set to launch on March 12, 2026 for $7.99 USD on PC via Steam.

The takeaway

The launch of Dung Ho! and the creation of Lesser Weevil represent a shift towards more experimental and passion-driven indie game development, as veteran developers like Matthew Armstrong seek to create unique and approachable shared experiences without the constraints of a typical studio setup.