Double Fine's Kickstarter hits over $2 million
By: Zach Chovan
Famed developer Tim Schafer and his company Double Fine, if you haven't heard, is attempting a new approach to financing game development. In a very interesting and risky endeavor, Double Fine has created a Kickstarter account in attempt to bypass a publisher completely. This was done in an effort to create a classic point-and-click adventure game with Schafer and Ron Gilbert behind it--something that hasn't happened in many years.
After hearing publishers' excuses and reluctance to fund a classic adventure game, Schafer decided to see just how much demand was really out there. He decided to see if fans will--pardon the cliche--put their money where their mouth is. After hearing from fans for so long from fans that they will gladly pay for this type of game, the test has finally been put forth.
It worked. Really well. After reaching the budget goal of $600,000 for the game and exclusive making-of documentary in just 8 hours, the donations have recently hit $2 million. And there's still 20 days remaining for donation collecting! That's quite impressive. As a result, the game's production values will be boosted by a large margin (voice acting, music, visuals--that kind of thing) and the game will be released on more platforms (PC, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, DRM-free version have all been confirmed so far). "Backers" as they're called, get different rewards for donating different amounts. You get the game for $15 and access to the unprecidented documentary (for the gaming industry, that is).
I have found this project extrememly interesting as well as uplifting. It's uplifting because it shows just how passionate fans can be, and how they're helping a passionate developer do something they love for people that love it. It's interesting because a game from a major game studio has never been funded in such a way. I can't help but view it as a big middle-finger to out-of-touch game publishers that are too risk averse and reliant on old brands, many of which have become stale. Best of luck, Double Fine!
