Kickstart Your Engines – December 2016

Crowd-funding has quickly solidified its position as a valid alternative to traditional funding arrangements within the gaming space. With multiple crowd-funding websites available and thousands of projects looking for success each month, it can be difficult to keep track of the big successes on the crowd-funding stage. With that in mind, I’ve pawed my way through the huge library of hopeful projects to compile a list of December’s biggest and most successful crowd-funded games.

Note: All funding and AUD conversion details are accurate as of 31/12/16

“A new single player medieval fantasy role-playing game that will take you back to the glory days of 80’s gaming”

Game Description:

Unknown Realm is a daring project that is looking to break the mold in a few different ways. Developers have been targeting the nostalgic gamer market for some time now, although none have gone as far and as hard as Stirring Dragon Games. I say this because Unknown Realm isn’t merely mimicking or borrowing from an older style of play or aesthetic, it is recreating it in all of its 8-bit glory. The old-school RPG was created in a proper 8-bit engine and will even be releasing in cartridge form onto the Commodore 64. Featuring an open world, secret locations, turn-based combat, settlements, NPC’s and actions with real consequences; gamers are clearly impressed with Unknown Realm as it comfortably achieved its $65,536 goal.

“Renegade Line is a third person comic shooter featuring different classes with various abilities”

Game Description:

Renegade Line describes itself as a competitive, comedic, class-based, third-person shooter. With two factions available and 4 classes to pick between the game is aiming to offer varying yet balanced play styles dependent on your preferences. With a ranked mode available from the get go, it is clear that the developers are angling and focusing this game toward a competitive market. Breaking from tradition, Renegade Line is also incorporating some MMORPG mechanics such as multiple player slots, customisable characters and a level cap of 100 you can strive to achieve. With the campaign still two weeks away from completion it seems very likely that Renegade Line will reach its €50,000 goal.

“A dark and twisted fantasy game combining turn-based tactical strategy and Rogue-like elements”

Game Description:

Whilst its campaign technically launched in November, Plague Road arrived too late to be counted in last months round-up. Achieving its goal and raising $55,000 is no easy task though and so its praise will be sung for December instead. Plague Road mixes tactical, turn-based combat with punishing, rogue-like mechanics. Starting in a safe zone and travelling outward into treacherous, procedurally-generated territory; you encounter enemies, complete objectives, rescue survivors and attempt to survive the plague-ridden lands.

“Kingdoms and Castles is a game about growing a kingdom from a tiny hamlet to a sprawling city and imposing castle.”

Game Description:

Kingdoms & Castles is a city-builder inspired by classics of the genre such as the SimCity franchise, Banished and Stronghold. Using a cartoony aesthetic, the game lets you build and design your city from the ground up. Keep your people happy and alive, manage outside threats, have your people gather resources and fund your need to expand and improve. The campaign comes from crowd-funding website Fig, which unlike Kickstarter allows outside investors to help fund the game alongside donations. Due to this, comparing a Fig campaign to a Kickstarter one can often lean too generously in Fig’s favour; however, after almost quintupling its $15,000 goal, it’s safe to say that Kingdoms and Castles was one of December’s biggest crowd-funding projects.

“A new multiplayer experience in a fantasy primal Africa. The game that pays homage to Shadow of the Colossus.”

Game Description:

Voodoo is another late November campaign that released slightly too late to be included in last month’s feature. It is however a big success that deserves recognition for achieving its €30,000 goal. The project wears its Shadow of the Colossus inspiration boldly on its sleeve with towering colossi scattered around the game’s open world. Bringing its own flair in to the mix, Voodoo will also incorporate survival aspects, crafting and multiplayer integration. How cohesively these mechanics can come together is yet to be seen but the game most certainly looks intriguing.

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With all that said and done, December had some pretty impressive crowd-funding projects. It is the final month of the year and December has certainly given us something to look forward to in the future. With another year of successful campaigns behind us, the trend of crowd-funding is looking as strong as ever before. What 2017 holds is yet to be seen but I’m excited to wait and find out.

For those looking for more crowd-funding content, November’s list of big and successful campaigns can be found here.