If you were looking forward to Clang, the Kickstarted motion-controlled swordfighting game spearheaded by fiction author Neal Stephenson, you may want to stop holding your breath.
Subutai Corporation, the developer of the game, has said in an update to Kickstarter backers that it has “hit the pause button” on the game’s development “while we get the financing situation sorted out.”
In other words, it has burned through the over half a million dollars that backers donated to get Clang made, and can’t finish the game without more money.
Greg Micek writes: "Our weekly dose of hot takes, occasionally well formed opinions, and fevered outbursts is back. Yup, it's time for the Question of the Week! This week our question is all about what developers should do when their Kickstarter campaign hits the fan. We're not referring to a failed campaign in the sense that they didn't raise enough money, but what happens when they can't deliver on their promises."
People really need to put their expectations in check when they back campaigns.
This week's CAT takes a look at one of the most frustrating crowdfunding campaign's yet: Clang. The perfect storm of ignorance and indifference.
Greg Micek writes: "As much as I love Kickstarter, and crowdfunding in general, I have to admit that it can be pretty scary at times. Scams, incompetence, emotional breakdowns, and general sketchiness seem to be just as common as starry eyed developers full of dreams. Given that we typically cover the starry eyed angle here on Cliqist I figured that for Halloween it was time to change things up a bit. I give you… (queue spooky music) 5 Terrifying Kickstarter Games."
Impossibly high expectations for Star Citizen? No... never lol. For the most successful crowd funded game of all time, I'm sure people's expectations are higher than just about any game. It does, however, look utterly fantastic. I have yet to fund it myself though. I will end up picking it up when it comes out at least. It looks too good to miss.
I think it'll be better than the author fears, but I'm still pretty skeptical theyre gonna deliver on everything.
Yeah it would be pretty hard to do that all at once... unless they delay it a significant number of times. Or just don't talk about a release date until it's pretty much done. When that will be is anyone's guess though.
Sounds to me like the backers got played and this dude got a free pay day.
with that much money i think hes full of it. I can make a game for way less.
Those people need to set up a class action lawsuit.
Lol Clang. Funny for a sword fighting game cause that is the sound that metal makes when it hits other metals. It clangs lol.
This really makes all kickstarters sound bad and sketchy, especially to the original people who helped fund him. Now it will be more difficult for other kickstarters who deserve to get help to actually get it.
I think the problem with kick starter is there is no one to hold any of these indie developers accountable on how they spend the cash. Its free money to them without any of the responsibilities of having a publisher or self funding the money. If they do finish on budget then everything they make is almost pure profit.
... if you want to instill faith in your Kickstarter project, here's an example of how NOT to do it.
One way to try and salvage this could be full disclosure of what you did with the money... provided you can actually do that without pissing people off once they know the truth.