Quote:If there's one thing that both gamers and developers love it's customer loyalty. We all enjoy the idea that developers are creating games with us, not just for us; taking our criticisms and requests seriously as they push towards creating more engaging experiences. Naturally developers need that kind of appreciation to thrive, as we generally show our love in the form of a purchase. The trick has always been finding a happy medium where game companies can extend how long a game can be profitable while at the same time generating content that everyone loves. This generally means changing the business model of a game to something more than just a flat purchase, and content like DLC has come a long way in getting gamers to revisit their favorite titles months later. However, for all its success downloadable content has always been a rocky road with communities. Disputes over what the real value of said content is always up for debate when it comes to most console games and on-disc unlockable content can be as insulting as it is convenient. Subscription based games have seen similar issues generally focused on what the real value of a monthly fee (versus what the perceived value of any particular game experience) and whether or not that price is justified. On the same page subscription games may have also discovered an alternative solution to the DLC 'problem'.

Full Story: Should More Developers Consider Kickstarting?

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twitter.com/34thGingerbread

Kickstarter has indeed lead to an interesting direction for the games industry. I still feel like to many devs are taking the lazy way out and funding everything by fans. Take Dive kick for example Everyone (including myself) was excited for the game and then the kickstarter went up for $30,000. Almost everyone felt betrayed by it and hate immanently grew around a great game. I ended up only donating a $5 at EVO 2012 for it, but still even I knew that it was a bit much. Even with all the lawyers and certification things you need to go through.

On the other spectrum of things smaller projects on kickstarter like The comedy button and good job brain are great ideas. Starting up a podcast can be hard, but if you set your sights on what you need it doesn't really come out that expensive. Still there are many other ways people are mis/using kickstarter with projects like penny arcade going ad less and what not.

Great feature Adam and to everyone else who actually read my long comment thanks!

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You know Kickstarter is a great tool for developers who have an idea that they think is great but they know a publisher will not support it. Now KS is great for smaller games that get supported by the community. Like most games, games on KS are really hit or miss. There are some really good looking games on KS, but some of them don't turn out as good later down the line. That doesn't mean there aren't great games on KS.

When people support a video game project on KS they of it as a pre-order, but it really isn't since KS projects are more like investments if you think about it. Your hoping this will succeed so you invest your hard earned money into it. When the project doesn't get enough money then that was bad choice in the end.

Kickstarter is a great tool for developer like I said, but it's a risk not only for the developer but the consumers/investors; no tool is perfect I guess.

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(August 02, 2012 10:42:42 AM)Torchwood4sp Wrote:  Kickstarter has indeed lead to an interesting direction for the games industry. I still feel like to many devs are taking the lazy way out and funding everything by fans. Take Dive kick for example Everyone (including myself) was excited for the game and then the kickstarter went up for $30,000. Almost everyone felt betrayed by it and hate immanently grew around a great game. I ended up only donating a $5 at EVO 2012 for it, but still even I knew that it was a bit much. Even with all the lawyers and certification things you need to go through.

On the other spectrum of things smaller projects on kickstarter like The comedy button and good job brain are great ideas. Starting up a podcast can be hard, but if you set your sights on what you need it doesn't really come out that expensive. Still there are many other ways people are mis/using kickstarter with projects like penny arcade going ad less and what not.

Great feature Adam and to everyone else who actually read my long comment thanks!

Crowdfunding is a pretty new concept, so I can definitely see there being a few problems that will have to be smoothed over. Particular when it comes to bigger, more ambitious projects. But that being said, it's a pretty exciting time to see how this develops.

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twitter.com/34thGingerbread

Really enjoyed the article Adam, and I agree with most of your points. The only one downside of a Kickstarter style AAA project is with so much money being thrown about, would all of the donors become shareholders of sorts in that game? What if the game didn't quite deliver, would said donor be able to pull his/her money back out? Developers would have to fully design and define a game before opening it for donations (which would cost money in itself), and then during development I would worry that innovation might be stunted for fear that it oversteps the predefined bounds. I think it all depends on how the crowdfunding would be regulated and whether the "crowd" would be laid back enough for changes in direction and creativity.

I think it could work though, but I don't see many devs buying into the idea right now, unfortunately.

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