Throughout the article I kept coming back to how generic the name sounds. It conjured pictures if the digital slot machines that are free mobile games, with gameplay loops mostly consisting of waiting or paying money to skip wait timers. The name "Toto" being associated with gambling sure doesn't help either. I would've never clicked a link with that name no matter how good you make your game look.
A lot of genuine effort and care went into this but with an uninviting name and, by their own admission, a complicated control screen, no amount of art or advertising would've convinced me as a consumer to buy it.
This would've been a smash hit on a flash games site, and it would've probably sold well if Ouya had succeeded.
One thing I find interesting is that online multi-player wasn't added as a feature during development. I understand how overworked the lone dev must've been, but adding an easy way to play with friends would've surely boosted sales.
I also wonder if the game would've gotten more sales on a handheld. I think the 3DS might've made this a great little party game, especially if you follow the "stream a limited version of the game to your friends" model that made DS local multi-player so interesting. Now, with the Switch out, with its built-in local multi-player features, the game might've gotten a popularity boost as well.
It's sad to see a game made with so much love fail, but with problems in do many key areas I'm surprised it took them this long to admit defeat.