Crowdfunding Corner – July 2015
Bob’s July update of Crowdfunding Corner. See the latest campaigns and review the table of all "classic" adventure games that have used Kickstarter and Indiegogo along with their status.
Greetings and welcome to the world of crowdfunding.
If you are new to crowdfunding and aren’t entirely sure of what I’m talking about, then scroll to the bottom of this page where you’ll find an explanation of this new and exciting phenomenon.
The table below lists all of the “classic” adventure games I have identified at Kickstarter and Indiegogo along with their status. If you should find any that I missed, or find an adventure game at another crowdfunding site, please send me the info so I can include it (bobw at justadventure dot com).
Note, this table only contains those campaigns that have succeeded or are still active. But just because the funding drive falls short doesn’t mean that the project is dead. Many times the project will either try again (HM Spiffing) or just go it alone with a smaller goal (making just Chapter 1 rather than the whole game, as 7th Guest III did).
If you would like to see us follow other types of games such as FPS or RPG, you’re more than welcome to assemble additional tables for them. Just send the completed tables to me at bobw at justadventure dot com and I’ll make sure they are included. Oh, and thank you for volunteering :-).
First, a moment of silence for those campaigns that did not make it. They’ve been removed from the table.
Every time I search Indiegogo for games with the key word “adventure” I get a different list. So here are some more which appear to be active and so I have added them to the table.
Here are a couple of games which do not fit the classic adventure genre, but are really cool.
Crowdfunding Page – Widget/link to the crowdfunding page.
Game Homepage – Name of game and link to its homepage, if it has one.
Developer Homepage – Name of the developer and link to their homepage, if they have one.
Articles/Reviews – Links to any articles and reviews at JustAdventure. Note, a star (
) in this field indicates that I think this game is worthy of special attention. It is a personal pick.
Start – Date the campaign started. The table is sorted by this date.
End – Date the campaign ended. Note, Indiegogo Flexible Funding campaigns never end.
Complete – Date the project itself is expected to complete. Usually represents pure fantasy.
Get it Here – Links to where the completed project can be acquired.
Crowdfunding Page | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Game Homepage | Developer Homepage | Robert Guiscard | Zadbox Entertainment | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Reviews |
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Start 00/00/00 | End 00/00/00 | Complete 00/00/00 | Start 06/21/15 | End 08/21/15 | Complete 12/31/15 | Start 06/18/15 | End 07/18/15 | Complete 03/31/16 | ||||||||||||||||||
Get it Here |
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Gwan Moon High Achool | AWE Studio | Dan Rutkowski | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Start 06/05/15 | End 07/05/15 | Complete ????? | Start 06/04/15 | End 07/04/15 | Complete 06/30/17 | Start 06/03/15 | End 07/03/15 | Complete 11/30/15 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Radek Bazak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Start 06/02/15 | End 07/02/15 | Complete ????? | Start 06/01/15 | End 07/01/15 | Complete 05/31/16 | Start 05/26/15 | End 06/25/15 | Complete 06/30/16 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Cherrymochi Game Studio | The Gates of Charon | McGlone | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Start 05/05/15 | End 06/05/15 | Complete 09/30/16 | Start 05/10/15 | End 06/10/15 | Complete 10/31/16 | Start 05/01/15 | End 05/30/15 | Complete 07/31/15 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Robyn Tong Gray | Quest for Infamy King’s Challenge Fortress of Fire | Brilliant Shadows | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Start 04/27/15 | End 05/27/15 | Complete 05/31/16 | Start 04/03/15 | End 05/03/15 | Complete 11/30/15 | Start 04/03/15 | End 05/18.15 | Complete 06/30/15 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Start 04/01/15 | End 05/25/15 | Complete 02/29/16 | Start 03/17/15 | End 04/26/15 | Complete 06/30/15 | Start 02/27/15 | End 04/13/15 | Complete 12/31/15 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Nupixo Games | Playism Games | Goetia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Start 02/25/15 | End 03/27/15 | Complete 04/30/16 | Start 01/24/15 | End 02/23/15 | Complete 12/31/15 | Start 01/19/15 | End 02/20/15 | Complete 10/31/15 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Skullz 2 | Feliks Balzer | Medieval Madness Sale | Oded Sharon | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Start 01/09/15 | End 03/09/15 | Complete 12/31/15 | Start 12/28/14 | End 02/01/15 | Complete 03/31/15 | Start 12/11/14 | End 12/16/14 | Complete 12/21/14 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Oded Sharon | Scraps | Fredrik Strom | Dog Business | Kyle Marcarello | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Start 12/11/14 | End 12/16/14 | Complete 12/21/14 | Start 12/02/14 | End 01/01/15 | Complete 12/31/16 | Start 12/02/14 | End 01/19/15 | Complete 03/31/15 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Ron Gilbert & Gary Winnick | Ryan Green & Josh Larson | Kevin and the Infamous Machine | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Start 11/19/14 | End 12/18/14 | Complete 06/31/16 | Start 11/12/14 | End 12/12/14 | Complete 10/31/15 | Start 11/12/14 | End 01/29/15 | Complete 09/30/15 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Mariusz Szypura | HM Spiffing | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Start 11/04/14 | End 01/04/15 | Complete 07/31/15 | Start 11/04/14 | End 12/28/14 | Complete 01/31/15 | Start 10/16/14 | End 11/21/14 | Complete 09/30/15 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Outpost 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Start 10/08/14 | End 11/07/14 | Complete 05/31/15 | Start 10/04/14 | End 11/03/14 | Complete 03/31/15 | Start 09/06/14 | End 10/06/14 | Complete 07/31/15 | ||||||||||||||||||
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desolate | InkBit | Kreative Spill A/S | Kona | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Start 08/31/14 | End 09/30/14 | Complete 07/31/15 | Start 08/21/14 | End 09/20/14 | Complete 12/31/14 | Start 08/07/14 | End 09/06/14 | Complete 04/30/15 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Duke Grabowski: Mighty Swashbuckler | Ape Law | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Start 08/07/14 | End 10/06/14 | Complete 12/31/15 | Start 08/05/14 | End 09/05/14 | Complete 02/28/15 | Start 08/05/14 | End 09/20/14 | Complete 06/30/15 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Unnecessary Sentience | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Art1 Art2 Art3 Art4 Art5 Art6 Art7 Art8 Art9 Art10 Art11 Art12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Start 08/01/14 | End 08/09/14 | Complete 04/30/16 | Start 08/01/14 | End 08/31/14 | Complete 07/31/15 | Start 07/30/14 | End 08/30/14 | Complete 12/31/15 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Start 07/22/14 | End 08/21/14 | Complete 12/31/16 | Start 07/11/14 | End 08/10/14 | Complete 06/30/15 | Start 07/09/14 | End 08/08/14 | Complete 10/31/14 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Nick Pittom | Alexander Kuvshinov | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Start 07/08/14 | End 07/28/14 | Complete 01/31/15 | Start 07/03/14 | End 08/03/14 | Complete 12/31/15 | Start 06/01/14 | End 08/01/14 | Complete Yes | ||||||||||||||||||
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Lyle Cox | Amund Farifteh | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Start 05/30/14 | End 07/01/14 | Complete 03/31/15 | Start 05/07/14 | End 06/06/14 | Complete 08/31/14 | Start 05/06/14 | End 06/05/14 | Complete 02/28/15 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Sam Farmer | Tomas Mariancik | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Start 04/10/14 | End 05/10/14 | Complete 07/31/14 | Start 04/10/14 | End 05/09/14 | Complete 05/31/15 | Start 04/07/14 | End 05/07/14 | Complete No | ||||||||||||||||||
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Fictorirama | Amazu Media | Julian Churchill | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Start 03/12/14 | End 04/12/14 | Complete 04/11/15 | Start 02/21/14 | End 03/23/14 | Complete 12/31/14 | Start 02/11/14 | End 03/13/14 | Complete 07/31/14 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Tim Follin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Start 02/11/14 | End 03/23/14 | Complete 01/31/15 | Start 02/07/14 | End 03/09/14 | Complete 08/31/14 | Start 01/03/14 | End 01/17/14 | Complete 04/30/14 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Kristian Fosh | ROM: Read Only Memories | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Start 11/20/13 | End 12/22/13 | Complete 10/14/14 | Start 11/18/13 | End 12/15/13 | Complete 07/31/14 | Start 11/13/13 | End 12/13/13 | Complete 09/30/14 | ||||||||||||||||||
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The Ballads of Reemus 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Start 11/04/13 | End 12/07/13 | Complete 03/31/15 | Start 10/17/13 | End 11/16/13 | Complete 10/15/15 | Start 09/19/13 | End 10/19/13 | Complete 06/30/14 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Candle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Start 08/27/13 | End 09/27/13 | Complete Yes | Start 08/27/13 | End 09/26/13 | Complete 2015 | Start 07/19/13 | End 08/16/13 | Complete 01/31/14 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Alum | Killmonday Games | Ghost Encounters: Deadwood | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Start 07/10/13 | End 08/19/13 | Complete 05/15/15 | Start 06/30/13 | End 08/30/13 | Complete 12/31/15 | Start 06/26/13 | End 08/05/13 | Complete 12/31/13 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Amazon iTunes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Lost Bits | Screwy Lightbulb | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Start 06/20/13 | End 07/10/13 | Complete 07/31/13 | Start 06/18/13 | End 07/18/13 | Complete Act 1 | Start 06/03/13 | End 07/03/13 | Complete No | ||||||||||||||||||
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Laney Berry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Start 06/01/13 | End 07/01/13 | Complete Yes | Start 06/01/13 | End 07/01/13 | Complete 12/31/15 | Start 05/30/13 | End 07/11/13 | Complete 12/31/14 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Start 05/28/13 | End 06/27/13 | Complete 12/31/15 | Start 05/25/13 | End 06/29/13 | Complete 07/31/14 | Start 05/03/13 | End 06/02/13 | Complete 10/31/13 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Start 04/18/13 | End 05/18/13 | Complete 12/31/13 | Start 03/18/13 | End 04/17/13 | Complete 03/31/14 | Start 02/25/13 | End 04/01/13 | Complete 12/31/13 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Start 02/08/13 | End 03/10/13 | Complete 11/30/14 | Start 01/29/13 | End 02/28/13 | Complete 12/31/13 | Start 01/19/13 | End 02/18/13 | Complete 12/31/13 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Start 11/23/12 | End 12/23/12 | Complete Yes | Start 11/21/12 | End 12/21/12 | Complete 03/31/12 | Start 11/14/12 | End 12/14/12 | Complete Yes | ||||||||||||||||||
Rising Sun: Episode 1 | Josh Mason | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Start 11/05/12 | End 12/05/12 | Complete Yes | Start 10/26/12 | End 11/25/12 | Complete 10/30/13 | Start 09/25/12 | End 10/05/12 | Complete 01/31/13 | ||||||||||||||||||
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MS Paint Adventures | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Start 09/06/12 | End 10/06/12 | Complete 12/31/12 | Start 09/04/12 | End 10/04/12 | Complete 12/31/15 | Start 08/23/12 | End 09/22/12 | Complete 04/30/13 | ||||||||||||||||||
MS Paint Adventures | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Scope Creep | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Start 08/20/12 | End 09/19/12 | Complete 12/31/15 | Start 07/09/12 | End 08/09/12 | Complete Act 1 & 2 | Start 07/03/12 | End 08/02/12 | Complete 09/30/12 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Jack Houston and the Necronauts | Carlos Coronado | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Start 06/25/12 | End 08/09/12 | Complete 12/31/15 | Start 06/15/12 | End 07/16/12 | Complete ????? | Start 05/29/12 | End 06/60/12 | Complete 05/31/13 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Karen B Wehner | Reincarnation: The Root of All Evil | B-Group Productions | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Start 05/15/12 | End 06/05/12 | Complete 11/30/13 | Start 05/15/12 | End 05/16/12 | Complete 04/22/14 | Start 05/14/12 | End 07/13/12 | Complete 12/31/15 | ||||||||||||||||||
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The Curse of Shadow House | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Start 05/11/12 | End 06/10/12 | Complete 11/30/12 | Start 02/28/12 | End 05/31/12 | Complete 12/31/15 | Start 02/08/12 | End 03/13/12 | Complete 10/31/13 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Narratavius Story Engine | Dropsey | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Start 11/07/11 | End 11/27/11 | Complete 01/31/12 | Start 10/29/11 | End 12/11/11 | Complete 06/12/12 | Start 10/17/11 | End 11/02/11 | Complete 12/31/15 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Stage 2 Studios | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Start 10/17/11 | End 12/01/11 | Complete 01/31/12 | Start 09/16/11 | End 10/24/11 | Complete 06/06/14 | Start 05/09/11 | End 06/08/11 | Complete 12/31/15 | ||||||||||||||||||
Lifeless Planet |
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Cardboard Computer | Hadean Lands | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Start 01/07/11 | End 02/06/11 | Complete 12/31/12 | Start 11/01/10 | End 12/06/10 | Complete Yes | Start 09/15/10 | End 10/15/10 | Complete 11/15/10 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Start 09/14/10 | End 10/29/10 | Complete 2016 | Start 09/14/09 | End 11/01/09 | Complete Yes | Start 07/19/09 | End 08/18/09 | Complete 12/31/14 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Crowdfunding is a relatively new resource which helps independent developers raise funds for their projects. Developers launch a funding drive, people who like the project pledge money towards it and if enough money is pledged then the project takes off. The two sites which fund the most game development are Kickstarter and Indiegogo.
Game development has become a very complex and expensive endeavor. To create a top-notch professional game requires programmers, artists, musicians, actors, engineers who understand the nuances of shader algorithms and particle physics, and so on. Where do independent developers get those kinds of resources?
Historically, they would go to a publisher who would give them an advance (a loan based upon expected sales). But there were several problems with this paradigm.
First, they would have to convince the publisher that their game would be popular. Then the publisher would impose a deadline for the developer to deliver within, whether they thought it was finished or not. And frequently the publisher would retain legal rights to the game.
Crowdfunding gets around these problems by eliminating the middleman and going directly to the players. If the players want the game, they will put up the money to develop it. Any deadline is self imposed by the developer so they can release it only when they are satisfied with it. And the developer retains all rights to the game.
The players also win. They get to decide which games get published, not some faceless executive. Also, by pledging early they can get exclusive bonuses such as signed artwork, tee shirts and even inclusion in the game itself. But mostly, they win by getting better quality games which are not released until they are truly finished.
There are difficulties as well. The publisher normally takes care of advertising and promotion. With crowdfunding it is totally up to the developer to get the word out. They may have the greatest game idea since tic-tac-toe, but if nobody knows about it then nobody will pledge towards it.
There is also no guarantee that the developer will actually complete the game. There has been the occasional scam where the developer just took the money and ran, but fortunately these are rare. So you will want to decide just how trustworthy the developer is before pledging, not just how honest they are, but do they have the ability to actually finish what they start.
What happens when a really cool looking game doesn’t make their goal? Find the game’s website or facebook page. Many times a project will continue, just without the help of Kickstarter.
What happens when you find out about a great game, but missed the campaign? Find the game’s website. Most developers allow backers to come late to the game via PayPal, although the rewards may be limited (i.e., you can still get the tee shirt, but the signed posters are no longer available).
What if the game is finished and already released? Check to see if it is for sale in the JustAdventure+ Store. If not, go to the game’s website for details. You may be able to purchase it through Steam, Humble Bundle, GOG or however the developer decides to distribute it. You would just lose out on the exclusive backer goodies.
Getting involved in a crowdfunding campaign can be a lot of fun. Check it out. WARNING: Kickstarter campaigns can be even more addicting than eBay auctions!
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