Brian Fargo on crowdfunding Wasteland 2

[Brother None]

Another interview on crowdfunding and Wasteland 2's success with inXile's Brian Fargo, this time in article style from gamesindustry international.<blockquote>Should Wasteland 2 be a great success, though, it will raise a very different question. Crowd-funding has proved to be a convincing platform for getting ostensibly non-commercial ideas into production and into the public eye, but once that has been confirmed and rewarded with commercial success, is it appropriate to go back to the crowd for more?

"Yeah, because it goes beyond just getting money to do it," says Fargo. "Even if [Wasteland 2] sells a bunch and it could finance [another game], I'd like to keep that same relationship."

"Let's assume that I'm gonna deliver the game, so my backers are going to get whatever they were gonna buy anyway. If I pitch a new idea to my Kickstarter fans and nobody wants to fund it, I'm glad I didn't make it. It builds on itself... Ultimately, it helps me that I'm spending time and effort on something that people actually want. I can't see any harm in that because I'm giving people what they want at the end of the day."</blockquote>Interesting! Could be a little tricky in how people would respond to that, crowdfunding without strictly needing crowdfunding, but if it's presented more as an early-opportunity pre-order type deal, I think we can get on board.

 

[Mrxknown]

Interesting! Could be a little tricky in how people would respond to that, crowdfunding without strictly needing crowdfunding, but if it's presented more as an early-opportunity pre-order type deal, I think we can get on board.

Crowdfunding is not the same as pre-ordering. If they say it is or market it as such, then they are liable if the product is not finished.

There's been many kickstarters that have been fully funding but for various reasons do not finish. One in particular didn't manage the budget probably and burned through it in 5 months. They didn't anticipate they needed more money and/or they didn't manage their time well.

Crowdfunding is an investment with no guarantee of a return. Investment is always a risk, but it's still possible if there's proper homework on the investors to know that the product they are backing will be completed and/or be a success and give them monetary rewards.

 

[4too]

Funding Fever

Funding Fever

… "I've invested in a bunch of projects," Fargo says. "Frankly, I've invested in games that I probably would never have bought anyway: for their own cleverness, I was excited, I was helping a guy with a vision, whatever. …

Have not been spending as much in the last few years on electronic gaming, as … in days of yore. Not at the nexus of the billion dollar demographics.

'Don't get around much, anymore.'

Has been easy to contribute to many Kickstarter ventures, some low entry levels, for a digital download, are at bargain bin prices. A comfortable bet on the pitch makers' gleam in eye.


Fine to ask the questions on the limits of Kickstarters. I think any change, or rather the opportunity in funding is here to stay.

Corporate politics will just have to adapt / appreciate that a higher tide of gamers playing, from whatever fiscal tributary, might float their boats too.


As long as there is an internet that a game developer can make a literal 'one on one' deal with thousands of potential players, I see no problem with a successful dev returning to 'the well'.

If the net went down, with a data base of addresses, I'd anticipate Fargo, et al, digging out a long forgotten Pitney Bowes stamping machine and blessing our postal routes with personable post cards.

Pardon my nostalgia. Pre practical dial up net, the 1980's, got the offer for the fan fiction style Wasteland 1 hint book via post card, a real hand fondle-able artifact.

A franked hard copy? Excellent retro touch! But in this 'brave new world' we'll just have to be content with culling our spam for Wasteland 2 e-mail up dates.





4too

 

[Paul_cz]

It just comes down to trust. If Fargo delivers great Wasteland 2, I will gladly kickstart his next RPG. If he does not deliver, or Wasteland 2 is bad, then I will not kickstart him again. Simple as that. So the team better no fuck it up

 

[Zeronet]

He can always sell it in terms of "I can make the next game, but this is all we can afford, if you back this project and we raise X, we can make the game bigger and add A,B and C"

Not really that different to a Project with stretch goals.

 

[dukem]

these are exactly the reasons why I decided to not fund more than one project simultaneously.

I funded wasteland2 because I have this feeling that Brian Fargo is exploding with idea's and it's something he really wants to do (well obviously I like the genre otherwise I would not care at all)

If wasteland2 fails for whatever reason it would be very bad and not only because my bucks are gone.

 

[Jebus]

Interesting! Could be a little tricky in how people would respond to that, crowdfunding without strictly needing crowdfunding, but if it's presented more as an early-opportunity pre-order type deal, I think we can get on board.

As MrXKnown said, this is not a good move. Kickstarter offers no guarantee of money back if the project doesn't deliver, while pre-ordering does (or should).
Starting another Kickstarter is only going to make Fargo look untrustworthy, even if WII does come through.

 

[Mrxknown]

Interesting! Could be a little tricky in how people would respond to that, crowdfunding without strictly needing crowdfunding, but if it's presented more as an early-opportunity pre-order type deal, I think we can get on board.

As MrXKnown said, this is not a good move. Kickstarter offers no guarantee of money back if the project doesn't deliver, while pre-ordering does (or should).
Starting another Kickstarter is only going to make Fargo look untrustworthy, even if WII does come through.

I have no problem with Fargo doing another Kickstarter for a project. If he wants to continue to focus on gaining funding for exaqctly what the customer wants, then that's good especially if he can get the funding from a fanbase that wants it.

It's only when people start describing Kickstarter as a pre-order service, that it needs to be clarified. I don't think Brian ever tried to do that.

I've donated to Extra Life, the Red Cross, Save The Children, etc. Those are donations with the returns expected to be directed that the respective goals of those groups.

For Kickstarter, you donate to a project with an expected return coming back to you at some point, that's an investment.

Heck, in Kickstarter, you can opt to invest into an project without being tied to a Tier and thus it becomes a donation.