Kickstarter has a very interesting, pleasant premise; let gamers choose to fund the games that they want, allowing developers to create without needing a publisher. However, the idea isn't without its pitfalls. Many projects get cancelled and there is a lack of obligation for developers to follow-through. Luckily, there are steps you can take to increase your odds of backing a true winner.
First and foremost, you need to make sure that the idea isn't too ambitious for the developer. Watch out for small and one-man developers that use words like "open world" and "procedurally generating"; these are things that small teams normally lack the resources and man-power to complete. Projects like that aren't likely to get completed within funding (Or in the "Cult: Awakening" case, not making it with SEVEN HUNDRED PERCENT funding).
Once you've established that, understand the developer's history. A developer with the experience is more likely to know their limits and have realistic goals. With experience, a developer is more likely to make a competent product and on-time.
They might be capable of knowing how long a game will take to develop, but what about you? It's a major plus if the developer provides a detailed timeline of when to expect parts of the game to be finished. If they fail to make many of those dates, you could have a strong case to ask for a refund from the not yet bankrupted developer.
Lastly, have an idea where the money is going. A developer should be expected to provide details on where the money is going. You might not want to give money to a developer that's expecting to spend too much on personal expenses or cocaine. It builds confidence in who you are backing to know that they have a professional understanding of what to do with the money.
TL;DR Tips:
*Don't give to small/one-man development teams that use words like "open world" and "procedurally generated" that indicate a project too ambitious for them to handle
*Only give to those with experience developing professional products
*Only give to those that have a very detailed timeline
*Only give to those that have a very detailed breakdown of what the money is for
"If the problems are severe enough that the creator can't fulfill their project, creators need to find a resolution. Steps ***could*** [AKA, no specific obligation as to how to "fix" the situation] include offering refunds, ***detailing exactly how funds were used*** [AKA just saying "LOL, spent it all on rent, sry"], and other actions to satisfy backers."
--Kickstarter FAQ
Microsoft announced its financial results for Q3 of fiscal year 2026, including an update on its gaming Xbox business and more.
Not looking good. Hopefully Asha Sharma is able to turn Phil’s disaster around.
To me it's still quite remarkable how they can cash-in 5.3bn in revenue in a single quarter, since their hardware is basically dead.
The stock mark is what makes Microsoft remarkable, They have convinced every institutional and retail investor to just keep piling money into them. Like many big tech giants they are just a big growing pyramid scheme. As long as people keep dropping money into ETF's that cover the market Microsoft will always be liquid. At the same time it is completely stifling innovation and competition. People need to start being more discreet in how they invest their money as it's killing the system.
Riiiiight because people will just flock back to them for one or two games per year.
15+ years of bad performance is what they call irreparable in business. It is time for them to sell off the assets and get out of entertainment.
These declines are on the back of extra revenue received from releasing games like Forza horizon 5 on PlayStation. So I’m being sarcastic here when I said they should go back to exclusives. Killing off a revenue stream from Ps5 sales will only make things worse
The charity event will be streamed live from Gamescom in August.
Thanks to the slip-up of an artist working on the title, we now have more evidence that a new Injustice game is in the works.
BTW, here's an article on the cancelled Kickstarter project that inspired this blog: http://beefjack.com/news/su...
http://www.kickstarter.com/...
Just about 700% funding. Basically one guy claiming he will make a game with procedurally generated maps, story, LANGUAGES, etc...
Guess that's the downside to Kickstarter. Anyone can jump up there and exploit the system. You never know who you're really donating to.
kick starters can suck it. donate your money to something helpful.
Definitely something to watch out for. But kickstarter is also great, It's giving us things like Star Citizen, which is my no. 1 most anticipated game right now.
I think Kickstarter is a great idea. I really don't like the lack of accountability, or the inability to pursue recourse should a project not come to fruition due to abuse or the developer's own incompetence.
These are good points people should look out for. I've yet to fund any kickstarter because, while I know there are good dev teams on there, the abuse, and the amount of money people can get through that abuse, just turns me off. Until Kickstarter has something that allows me to fund with more confidence, I will not open my wallet for them. That Phoenix game though looks really good, and has been hard to put off.