It's been little over a day since Double Fine Productions turned to the Kickstarter crowd-funding website to help raise cash for its next project, and already Tim Schafer and his team are close to doubling their $400,000 goal.
Launched yesterday, the Kickstarter campaign was set up to help Double Fine bypass finicky publishers and generate enough funds to make a “downloadable 'point-and-click graphic adventure game for the modern age” with support and input from the studio's community. As it turns out, Double Fine supporters were more than happy to participate in the crowdsourcing experiment. At time of print, the campaign has attracted more than 12,000 backers and over $620,000 in contributions.
“I love you, world!” Schafer declared in a tweet to fans. “Double Fine fans are the greatest fans in the world. [You're] gonna make me cry. :) :) :)”
Schafer said excess funds will be funneled into the development of the game, the making of a behind-the-scenes documentary by 2 Player Productions, and future localization efforts. Contributors will also have an opportunity to provide input throughout the game's development, as well as score early access to final product and Double Fine swag. The studio has even gone so far as to offer such perks as dinner with Schafer and a night of bowling with Double Fine developers as incentives for large-scale donations.
The only downside to Double Fine's Kickstarter success is that it's temporarily taken attentions away from yesterday's news that Markus “Notch” Persson was in talks with the studio to help fund the production of Psychonauts 2. At last check, Schafer told followers: “If you're wondering about @notch's generous offer to help Psychonauts 2 happen, all I can say is that we are having a lovely chat about it!”
Hmm. Maybe if this Kickstarter thing really takes off, Double Fine will have enough resources to do more than “chat”.
