Video game developer Double Fine Productions recently launched a joint campaign with 2 Player Productions on Kickstarter to raise money for the development of an upcoming point-and-click adventure game. In less than nine hours, the team surpassed their goal of $400,000 with more than a month of donation time remaining.
Kickstarter is a crowd funding site that is used to generate financing for a variety of projects such as indie films, music endeavors and comics. As an established game studio, it may seem a bit odd for Double Fine to seek public backing for their next game but founder Tim Schafer and staff believe it’s a wonderful opportunity that will benefit both gamers and the studio.
Not having to rely on traditional financing methods such as investment firms, publishers or loans will give Double Fine the freedom to experiment, take risks and design without any strings attached. Backers (those who pledge money to a project) will get an inside look at how a game is developed from start to finish, free of commercial marketing.
The game itself will be created over a six-to-eight month period and is described as a point-and-click adventure. Where it goes from there will unfold in real time for all of the backers to see. 2 Player Productions will be documenting the entire process and releasing monthly videos exclusively for Kickstarter backers.
In addition to the documentary, there will be a private online community for backers to discuss the project and submit their thoughts regarding the game and its development. Beta access will be provided for anyone that pledges $15 or more and once the game is finished, the completed version will be available in the format of their choice.
As of writing, over 17,000 backers have donated in excess of $700,000 to the project. All extra money over the original $400,000 goal will be put back into the game and documentary. Those interested in pledging can do so through Double Fine’s Kickstarter page.
