Publishers beware: Can other game developers copy Double Fine’s Kickstarter millions?
[Via Ars Technica]
For decades, there was one really successful financial model for making big, profitable games: a publisher providing project funding to a developer in exchange for a large share of any eventual profits. It’s a model that’s seen its share of disruptions in recent years, with direct game downloads and free-to-play, micro-transaction fueled games often succeeding without the need for a publishing middleman.
But the traditional model saw one of its biggest disruptions earlier this month, when developer Double Fine, sporting talent behind classic point-and-click adventure titles like Grim Fandango and The Secret of Monkey Island, managed to raise over $1 million of funding for a new adventure game project in under 24 hours, directly from tens of thousands of eager fans on Kickstarter.
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It now has over $2 million invested. Fro over 60,000 people. A couple put up$10,000.
They wanted $300,000 to make the game and $100,000 to film it. Fully funded in 8 hours. $2 million with 22 days of fundraising left. Wow, did they succeed.
Perhaps it was the great video. Or just the idea of pre-buying a game. Or the idea that backers get a DRM-free version of the game.
I think it as being a part of the creation of the game. Seeing it from start to end and being a part of the creative process. That would be worth paying for.
I know I would pay just to see the videos – the ‘creator’ is a hoot. And they all seem genuinely shocked/humbled at the tremendous outpouring.
So, not only is it a new game but the start of a new community, a community of people with very similar aims. All for a minimum of $15.
Not a big risk. I expect to see much more of this.
What would happen if Joss Whedon wanted money to make a movie? What could he do with a couple of million dollars upfront? I’d be willing to put up some money and I bet millions more would.
