Tim Schafer, the founder of Double Fine Productions best known for games like Maniac Mansion, The Secret of Monkey Island, Psychonauts and Brutal Legend, has turned to crowd-funding service Kickstarter to fund an adventure game.
In a statement to Double Fine fans, Schafer wrote:
Publishers tell us that adventure games are dead. Our fans tell us they aren’t.
Who is right? Well, I think it’s about time we found out!
Into the THUNDERDOME!And by THUNDERDOME, I mean KICKSTARTER!
Kickstarter allows regular people to pool their money to make awesome things happen.
While no details have been released on what the adventure game will be or what shape it will take, those who make premium pledges will be rewarded with the following:
Pledge $15,000 or more:
Dinner with Tim Schafer and key members of the dev team.Pledge $20,000 or more:
Dinner and BOWLING with Tim Schafer and key members of the dev team.Pledge $30,000 or more:
Picture of Ron Gilbert smiling.Pledge $35,000 or more:
Undoctored picture of Ron Gilbert smiling.Pledge $50,000 or more:
Become an actual character in the game.Pledge $150,000 or more:
Tim Schafer (that’s me) will give last four remaining Triangle Boxed Day of the Tentacles, in original shrink-wrap.” (Limit of 1) (Holy crap, what am I thinking? I only have four of those!)
To our knowledge, this is the first time a studio of the size and scale as Double Fine has turned to a crowd-funding site to fund their project. We wish Schafer the best of luck!
Visit the Double Fine Kickstarter page here.
Glenn
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 1:23 PMIf he can promise he’ll use the money to make Day of the Tentacle 2 I’ll donate.
Bob
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 1:24 PMHoly crap, 5 figure premium pledges? I’m not too familiar with kickstarter, but I would’ve thought that sounds like a hell of a lot.
Tracey Lien
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 1:29 PMYou can make smaller pledges, although I guess if they didn’t have premium pledges it would take A LOT longer to reach their goal.
Barry
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 2:34 PMI think it’s a min of $15
syvRaen
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 2:53 PMActually, I think the minimum is $1. But you won’t get any reward unless you pay $15 or more.
Tigerion
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 3:16 PM$1 is a minimum pledge but you don’t get anything unless you spend at least $15
Tigerion
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 3:16 PMAlso know as what they said ^^^^
The Steeng
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 1:45 PMThose are joke pledges. Like, a photo of Ron Gilbert smiling is worthless (although an undoctored one is quite valuable provided they provide a COA). Go through to the Kickstarter page to see the actual pledges. $10k is the highest reward bracket.
Bob
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 2:03 PMIf you read the “Pledge $10,000 or more” you’ll see it refers to the doublefine website for the higher premium pledges.
p tear griffin
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 1:25 PMgreat idea we can all be apart of making a game
Hermes and Thoth
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 1:28 PMSo what’s @notch up to then?
Neo-Kaiser
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 1:43 PMlol pay them money for a game and then have them use some of that money to treat you.
Matthew K
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 2:16 PMYes? It’s a very common system for fundraising drives on kickstarter and rockethub. It’s not unlike buying a raffle ticket for charity with the possibility of winning a car.
Lachlan
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 1:44 PMYou’re basically buying the game before it comes out. This is a win-win for everyone.
I paid $30. I’m pumped to see this happen.
masha2932
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 1:47 PMDay of the tentacle 2, Full throttle 2 and Grim fandango 2 please.
A new IP would be great as well. I have complete confidence in you double fine.
Another Melbourne Gamer
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 1:50 PMIf I had the disposable income I would seriously love to go bowling with Tim Schafer.
That would be awesome.
Blake
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 2:00 PM$15 for a Tim Schafer game (when it’s made)?
I’m in.
GooberMan
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 2:16 PMIf you’ll allow me to be pedantic for a minute, Schafer didn’t start at Lucas Arts until a couple of years after Maniac Mansion was released.
He is, however, well known for its sequel Day of the Tentacle.
MrTaco
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 6:49 PMActually he did work on the NES version of the game, apparently.
mattyb83
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 2:17 PMPledged $30.. can’t wait for another Tim Schafer adventure game!
thistler
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 2:35 PMThey’re going to get the $400,000 easily. The pledges have risen around $50,000 in the last 20 minutes
Bob
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 3:00 PMThey’re 1/4 of the way there inside of 2 hours. This is going to be a well funded game, hopefully that means good quality game :P
NotAbbott
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 3:07 PMI’m in for a pineapple.
It’s also quite hypnotising watching the pledge count go up as fast as Chrome can auto refresh the page.
Tigerion
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 3:59 PMhahahahaha somebody has taken the > $10,000 pledge
I hope they are going bowling
Lanky Mikey
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 4:21 PMNotch announced on Twitter that he bought the $10000 pledge but he chose the painting so someone else could get the lunch and tour.
Kung Fu Kai
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 6:40 PMI will pledge all the money I have to make Brutal Legend happen…
…all 50 cents of it.
Kung Fu Kai
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 6:41 PMBrutal Legend 2* sorry.
Vapor
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 9:15 PMAs of 9:15pm, the $400,00 target has been reached.
Birdie
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 9:27 PMI just realised Kickstarter is going to make AT LEAST twenty grand off this (they charge a 5% fee)
No wonder they’re promoting it everywhere…I don’t know how this makes me feel.
DogMan
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 11:29 PMWell to be fair they are doing a pretty important part of the work for Double Fine/2 Player. They’re essentially charging $2 per transaction they’ve handled and I’d imagine there’s a fair bit of work to be done there (even a completely automated system still requires work).
I’m sure they’ll make out like bandits on this project in advertising their service alone, but it’s not like some smooth talker from Kickstarter convinced them to give them a 5% cut for doing nothing.
Glenn 2
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 9:46 PMI’m much more interested in Psychonauts 2 instead of a Ipad/phone adventure game. I love the adventure game genre, but the point and click mechanics really hold it back, and besides touch screens are giving me RSI.
Khuntza
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 11:16 PMTim Schafer and Ron Gilbert making an new adventure game!
Shutp and take my MONEY!!