Kickstarter games

[Sheilbh]

To broaden the appeal.

But they don't need to and there's no sign their customers want them to.

Someone could do something similar with companies for what you and Drakken suggest. But then I imagine there's a lot of hoops to jump through to set that up and there may not be enough of a market to justify companies doing it.

[Admiral Yi]

The only way you can say they don't need to is if every project that needs funding is already being funded.

[Sheilbh]

The only way you can say they don't need to is if every project that needs funding is already being funded.

That seems an odd measure for it. Kickstarter don't need to, they're making a very healthy profit from it and they don't have to deal with any problems or costs of selling shares. Now I think they're moving into new markets and, I suspect, if a few big projects (like the Veronica Mars movie) come out they'll do even better.

Their users might be disappointed but again I think for most of them (especially because it seems to slant creative) the easy access to the cash is worth more than potential access to more cash but with lots of regulation and contracts getting involved.

[Neil]

Kickstarter isn't there to replace venture capital.  It's there to allow fans to get what they want, and to pay for it.  It's cyberbegging, or a return to the subscription model.

[Maximus]

It's just fundraising

[viper37]

How does it work, though? I mean, people just give over cash in the hopes that the games will be made, but have no actual vested interest in the game? In other words, they donate toward the making of the game, but receive no return on that investment other than the t-shirt and first shot at downloading that comes with their $50 contribution?

Games, and other project, have a fixed objecitve.  Canonical, the maker of Ubuntu, tried to raise 32M$ for a new cellphone-pc hybrid.  There were pledges of up to 10M$, but since ultimately the project will not go ahead, nobody is being charged, as is the case with all these projects.

If it gets done, then there's usually a list of rewards depending on how much you pledge.  For example, Meytal Cohen, young Israeli-American artist in the making offered to visit those who gave 10 000$ in person to thank them, bring a friend, donuts, special edition album, pictures, drumsticks, etc.

Rewards can be anything, of any scale.  They can't include stock options or other financial securities so far, I think, because most countries laws would forbid it for non private corporations.

If the project gets cancelled after the funds are transferred, it's between you and the promoter.  So you got to investigate first, and see if they are serious.

[viper37]

So beyond the funding aspect, is this really how you guys learn about potential new games coming out? I know E3 is the big one for console games, but my son said that PC games really don't get released there. It's pretty much word of mouth via Kickstarter or some other kind of funding project unless it's a big-name company who already has a vast following.

I usually read pc.gamespot.com and pc.ign.com once a week to keep me apraise of the new games.  And I take a look at the gaming forum here

[Valmy]

That's why I distrust the concept of Kickstarter: I understand that it allows fans to see content made on intellectual property no one would have touched prior without that funding, but without rewarding this investment by dividends over the profit, which they should be entitled as this constitute in fact investment in all but name. Every cent of profit goes to the creator, while the payer ends with a product which, odds are, will end up like receiving the proverbial Halloween rock of Charlie Brown.

Then do not participate.  Plenty of places to invest in ventures.  But this is not that, this is contributing to art being made.

[viper37]

So you basically end up with you funding part of an business venture like it was charity, and the whole profit (including future profit from his creating snowballing further) goes to the creator?

That's why I distrust the concept of Kickstarter: I understand that it allows fans to see content made on intellectual property no one would have touched prior without that funding, but without rewarding this investment by dividends over the profit, which they should be entitled as this constitute in fact investment in all but name. Every cent of profit goes to the creator, while the payer ends with a product which, odds are, will end up like receiving the proverbial Halloween rock of Charlie Brown.

so long as it's clear in the beginning, I don't see why not?  People want to give, they give.  They want stocks&dividens instead, they find other ways to contribute or don't contribute at all.

[viper37]

I agree with Seduction Community.  Do it like venture capital.  Hand out shares of the upside for seed money.

I guess these type of projects don't offer a lot of benefits in the early days.  You'd need to be patient, the way venture capital can be, but it needs to show promises.  Anything touching arts (movies, games, music) is frowned upon, unless you get a regular studio contract for some commercial music.

[Razgovory]

The whole idea sees insane to me, but has produced results, which pleases me immensely.  I even kicked in some cash for one of the video games, just for shits and grins.  The fact this has turned out to be a viable method of raising capital for small developers seems to be a really good thing for PC gaming.

[Jacob]

Admiral Yi, if you think a venture capital model is superior to the current kickstarter one, that sounds like an opportunity to be disruptive. Kickstarter is making good cash, this could be your ticket....

[Scipio]

I've back 26 projects, about 20 of them PC games.  Of the 26, three did not make it.  I've received my first game, Shadowrun Returns, which was a great deal of fun.  It cost me 20 dollars, and I got 23 hours of play out of it.

[DontSayBanana]

Count me in with the "always seen it more as patronage" crowd.  I've supported a couple, but they're mostly symbolic gestures in the form of a couple of dollars here and there- I have yet to seriously put skin into one of these projects.

[Scipio]

I have dropped some serious kwan on three indiegogo projects, and on two kickstarter projects.  All checked out as reputable, so I was willing to take the risk.