What do you guys think of Kickstarters?

Joined Jul 2009
2K Posts | 0+
California
Welp as the subject title reads. What are your guys' opinions on them?

Have you guys backed any?
Do you guys think they are a sham?
Anything you're hoping gets a kickstarter?

I've backed a few. River City Ransom and Shenmue were always games I talked about so of course I backed the kickstarters for those sequels.
I know it gets a lot of heat for being a pre-order taken to the extreme but hey, the only reason I buy games new or at release these days is to support the creators so I personality love knowing I can help something I want come to fruition.

So yeah so far I've backed:
Shenmue 3
River City Ransom Underground
Bloodstained

Also backed a pair of headphones through Indiegogo which were supposed to be released back in April. Finally got updated to be released in November so here's hoping!
 
crowd-funding seems good on the whole. I'm sure a lot of game ideas get passed up because the target audience isn't large enough or bigger publishers don't find them cash cows. Crowd funding seems to help those lesser realized games make it to their respective niches. I keep looking for kickstarters I want to fund but by the time I hear about them they've already been funded and the kickstarter is done, but I will support projects I believe in or really want to play.
 
I really only became aware of kickstarters when the Ouya was launching. Didn't know there were games kickstarting. I have not personally backed any as of yet. But I would not hesitate on something I was excited about. I think they are good also, if the big guy overlooks something just because they don't think it would have that mass appeal.
 
I have a general policy not to back kickstarters. I don't like someone having my money with a promise of a product later. I also don't preorder games.

BUT...

Shenmue 3 is the game I'll actually back (which reminds me, I need to do it today.) I love that series so I'm willing to put down money just this once.
 
Yeah gotta take it all as a risk and weigh it against reward I suppose. Shenmue is still a ways away but I'm hoping it's worth the weight.


Been watching that Megaman Legends-esque Red Ash Kickstarter and that's kinda rubbing me the wrong way. I'm just not a fan of how Inafune has been handling Mighty No.9 after the initial kickstarter and now this.
 
Yeah, all those games you mentioned did not sit right with me, even from the beginning.

The difference with Shenmue is that it's actually backed by Sony. So it's going to have a traditional development cycle and shouldn't fall in to the same traps the other big kickstarter games did.
 
I was really hopeful of red ash with the cult following of legends and tronne bonne I was hoping for great things. What rubbed you the wrong way?
 
CreepinDeth said:
Yeah, all those games you mentioned did not sit right with me, even from the beginning.

The difference with Shenmue is that it's actually backed by Sony. So it's going to have a traditional development cycle and shouldn't fall in to the same traps the other big kickstarter games did.
Well I'm not completely sure about that. I'm hoping everything goes well during development but I heard Sony was only handling the PS4 version and the marketing. All of which is great but I don't think Sony is the big dog pulling the strings, it's one of the guys backing it but apparently they have multiple agreements with others backing them as well. I trust Yu Suzuki well enough though since he's been wanting to make this game this entire time and seems to have a very level head as to what he needs to make Shenmue happen according to what budget.

targetrasp said:
I was really hopeful of red ash with the cult following of legends and tronne bonne I was hoping for great things. What rubbed you the wrong way?
Honestly I think it's just lingering things from Mighty No. 9 and this might just be me. He had a hugely successful kickstarter and some features originally pitched are not going to be included like stealing normal enemies' powers like Kirby was scrapped due to budget despite being 400% funded. He did the slacker backer or whatever for DLC, another kickstarter for an animated series and the whole community manager fiasco that rubbed a lot of people the wrong way.

But yeah I guess that is solely with MN9 but moving on the game isn't even out yet and he's got a kickstarter going for the Red Ash game and an animated short. I understand that he may want to give his company something to work on but we don't even have a finished product yet and he's already on another Kickstarter still riding the success of MN9 and banking on nostalgia. Couldn't he have waited til MN9 came out to give some peace of mind? Maybe use some of the profit from MN9 to make the Red Ash animation to help generate hype for the game rather than have the consumer fund both?
As of today too a Chinese company is backing Red Ash so it kind of renders the kickstarter moot and now any funds made through the kickstarter, assuming it reaches it's goal, will go towards additional content for the game.

It just feels more like Inafune is using his fans because he can rather than it being the only means.
 
I backed the Kickstarter for the Homestuck video game. It was actually supposed to come out in 2014 I think but got pushed back because the game company that was hired to develop it stole a large portion of the money to make their own game instead. :mad: They had to bring in new developers.
 
I'd probably support a kickstarter for Jon Stewart to run for president against Trump...but I've never supported any yet. :) I don't know, I'm not totally opposed to the idea, I just haven't found any worth it to me to support so far.