Game development is a complicated beast, a constant challenge to get funding and for Studio Black Flag who were building the promising looking Orphan Age it's all over. A game I covered all the way back in 2018 with their Kickstarter, when the developer was confident on it having Linux support.
Speaking in a fresh announcement on Steam the developer put it very bluntly:
Dropping the nautical jargon for clarity, the last few months we’ve been going through bankruptcy procedures in France. This started when communication broke down between us and our publisher, leading to payments not continuing. Alas, with our publisher not continuing funding and no other sources of continued funding to finalize the game, the French government has elected to shut down the studio effective immediately. (Like at the end of the work day today we cannot legally continue working.)
Going by the date, they shut as of October 2nd.
To make matters worse when going through the Kickstarter they originally stressed how they "tried to work with publishers, but we never found a compromise that respected Orphan Age's DNA". Clearly they found one, but this is where it gets messier. In the FAQ at the bottom of the announcement it seems their publishing agreement handed over all of the rights of the game noting "I’m not able to get into the specifics of our contract with our publisher, but we simply do not have ownership over Orphan Age in a way that would allow us to shop it to another publisher.".
It might not be the complete end for the game since the publisher could continue it but it's now entirely out of the hands of Studio Black Flag.
Brutal, but a reminder that there's a lot of bad publisher contracts out there, where like this you hand over all your rights just to get the money. The developer has not named the publisher involved.
It's also a reminder that a lot of Kickstarter and other crowdfunding campaigns aren't nearly enough for a developer to fund a full game. Which is why a lot of them also end up with a publisher.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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And once again Kickstarter backers are left holding a withered IOU coupon.
11 Likes, Who?
Fish! How I hate how publishers buy the IP and then sit on it. Brass Studs the lot of 'em!
We need a new name for publishers that indicate their hoarding and coercion.
Hmm, like Dragons?
Dragon: Give me everything and do as I say!
People: Or?
Dragon: There is no or! There only me!
People: …
We need a new name for publishers that indicate their hoarding and coercion.
Hmm, like Dragons?
Dragon: Give me everything and do as I say!
People: Or?
Dragon: There is no or! There only me!
People: …
3 Likes, Who?
I'm sorry if this sound harsh but, they get no sympathy from me. People should know that money is not infinite, so if you drag development of something for 6 years, it will end with the project being canceled.
Gaming development is not a new thing. People should know how it works by now and have realistic goals, when they start a project like this.
We are in the 2020's and the writing is on the wall: don't buy anything on pre-release, not from a big studio, nor from a bunch of new kids that don't know what they are doing. If you loose money, it is on you.
Gaming development is not a new thing. People should know how it works by now and have realistic goals, when they start a project like this.
We are in the 2020's and the writing is on the wall: don't buy anything on pre-release, not from a big studio, nor from a bunch of new kids that don't know what they are doing. If you loose money, it is on you.
4 Likes, Who?
I need help understanding this. I think I am missing something.
According to the Steam page for Orphan Age, the developer and the publisher of Orphan Age is Studio Black Flag. I assume that Studio Black Flag entered into a contractual agreement with a publishing company. Is this correct?
If this is correct, then what is the name of the publishing company that bought the rights to the game or studio?
I am asking for this information so I can add the publisher to my "naughty" publisher list.
According to the Steam page for Orphan Age, the developer and the publisher of Orphan Age is Studio Black Flag. I assume that Studio Black Flag entered into a contractual agreement with a publishing company. Is this correct?
If this is correct, then what is the name of the publishing company that bought the rights to the game or studio?
I am asking for this information so I can add the publisher to my "naughty" publisher list.
0 Likes
I only skimmed the Kickstarter news updates so I probably got some details wrong, but this reads like a cautionary tale of how NOT to do game development. Every time they got close to finishing the game, the goal posts were moved.
- First time this happens the developers were afraid it didn't live up to the fundraising promises so they delay the release and start adding features. Essentially a rewrite?
- This needs more people so they expand from a two person indie team to a 14 (?) person company.
- Kickstarter brought in €30K so money is presumably long gone. Fortunately a publisher steps in, but considers it so unsuitable for release that it is reworked again...
- First time this happens the developers were afraid it didn't live up to the fundraising promises so they delay the release and start adding features. Essentially a rewrite?
- This needs more people so they expand from a two person indie team to a 14 (?) person company.
- Kickstarter brought in €30K so money is presumably long gone. Fortunately a publisher steps in, but considers it so unsuitable for release that it is reworked again...
6 Likes, Who?
I'm sorry if this sound harsh but, they get no sympathy from me. People should know that money is not infinite, so if you drag development of something for 6 years, it will end with the project being canceled.
Gaming development is not a new thing. People should know how it works by now and have realistic goals, when they start a project like this.
We are in the 2020's and the writing is on the wall: don't buy anything on pre-release, not from a big studio, nor from a bunch of new kids that don't know what they are doing. If you loose money, it is on you.
100% this. In fact, I rarely buy a game day 1 now.
0 Likes
I need help understanding this. I think I am missing something.
According to the Steam page for Orphan Age, the developer and the publisher of Orphan Age is Studio Black Flag. I assume that Studio Black Flag entered into a contractual agreement with a publishing company. Is this correct?
If this is correct, then what is the name of the publishing company that bought the rights to the game or studio?
I am asking for this information so I can add the publisher to my "naughty" publisher list.
Ubisoft, ask them
1 Likes, Who?
They got €32k out of their kickstarter. Being based in France, a quick search suggests a monthly salary of around 2500€ would be reasonable. With just 2 people full time, they would be out of funds after 6 months. As if that wasn't bad enough, it appears they hired more people and even external consultants (source: their kickstarter updates).
Pretty likely that their publisher put several hundred thousands on the table before cutting their losses, not sure they deserve the flak they're getting. I for one wouldn't buy an unknown game IP with its half finished prototype for even €1000.
Pretty likely that their publisher put several hundred thousands on the table before cutting their losses, not sure they deserve the flak they're getting. I for one wouldn't buy an unknown game IP with its half finished prototype for even €1000.
1 Likes, Who?
I couldn't fathom how much it would hurt to be in the developers position.
4 Likes, Who?
slaapliedje Oct 4
This is why video games are off my list of things I'll back on kickstarter. The last one I did was Abomination Vaults... which still isn't out...
1 Likes, Who?
I'm sorry if this sound harsh but, they get no sympathy from me. People should know that money is not infinite, so if you drag development of something for 6 years, it will end with the project being canceled.Absolutely, yes.
Gaming development is not a new thing. People should know how it works by now and have realistic goals, when they start a project like this.
Game development is a business - especially once it isn't only your own money on the line anymore.
I had never heard about this before, but looking at the Kickstarter and digging in some more into the developer "history", I see more red flags here than at a CCP National Congress.
this reads like a cautionary tale of how NOT to do game development.Couldn't have put it better myself.
0 Likes
I couldn't fathom how much it would hurt to be in the developers position.Yeah, some large helpings of sympathy is probably in order.
Quite a few people lost their jobs. As for the original developers, I was going to write that's six years lost. But reading up on the game, development actually started in 2014, from an idea and proof of concept going back to 2009.
That's somebody's life project... not an easy thing to bounce back from.
3 Likes, Who?
looks like it was not their fault, but who knows, in any case...
i hate how people dont think twice before donating money for crowdfunding that didnt delivered anything, but think a million of times before donating to an open source project.
i hate how people dont think twice before donating money for crowdfunding that didnt delivered anything, but think a million of times before donating to an open source project.
2 Likes, Who?
They got €32k out of their kickstarter. Being based in France, a quick search suggests a monthly salary of around 2500€ would be reasonable. With just 2 people full time, they would be out of funds after 6 months
You're forgetting Kickstarter fees. And taxes. That's more like 3 months for 2 devs.
Last edited by DrMcCoy on 4 October 2024 at 10:27 pm UTC
2 Likes, Who?
They got €32k out of their kickstarter. Being based in France, a quick search suggests a monthly salary of around 2500€ would be reasonable. With just 2 people full time, they would be out of funds after 6 months. As if that wasn't bad enough, it appears they hired more people and even external consultants (source: their kickstarter updates).
Pretty likely that their publisher put several hundred thousands on the table before cutting their losses, not sure they deserve the flak they're getting. I for one wouldn't buy an unknown game IP with its half finished prototype for even €1000.
10-19 employees, with a gross yearly revenue of 714 900€ for the company, you know how much the publisher put money on the game. This is public data you can found here: https://www.societe.com/societe/studio-black-flag-793709577.html
Simple math would tell an average gross yearly salary around 36.000€ per employee (for 19 employees), which is above the average in France, based on the fact it was a cooperative, salaries should have been flat. However, a big part could have been used to pay some third-parties, so the salary may have been lower
0 Likes
They got €32k out of their kickstarter. Being based in France, a quick search suggests a monthly salary of around 2500€ would be reasonable. With just 2 people full time, they would be out of funds after 6 months. As if that wasn't bad enough, it appears they hired more people and even external consultants (source: their kickstarter updates).
Pretty likely that their publisher put several hundred thousands on the table before cutting their losses, not sure they deserve the flak they're getting. I for one wouldn't buy an unknown game IP with its half finished prototype for even €1000.
10-19 employees, with a gross yearly revenue of 714 900€ for the company, you know how much the publisher put money on the game. This is public data you can found here: https://www.societe.com/societe/studio-black-flag-793709577.html
Simple math would tell an average gross yearly salary around 36.000€ per employee (for 19 employees), which is above the average in France, based on the fact it was a cooperative, salaries should have been flat. However, a big part could have been used to pay some third-parties, so the salary may have been lower
Had no idea it was public, thanks for digging it up! It sucks for the people who lost their job, but I really can't fault the investor(s) for not wanting to cough up 700k/year if they thought the project was going nowhere.
1 Likes, Who?
RandomizedKirbyTree47 Oct 6
I have backed 48 Kickstarters (just on Kickstarter: I'm not counting crowdfunding on other platforms). I've backed tabletop games, comics, novels, music, film, and live theater.
Every single campaign I backed either delivered everything they promised, or is in the process of doing so and making steady progress. A few projects I backed were delayed a few years before eventually delivering the rewards. I have never been ripped off by a Kickstarter I backed.
I have never backed a crowdfunder for a video game and I have no plans to do so. There are so many ways it can go badly and so many already-existing games I can play that I just don't want to take the risk.
Every single campaign I backed either delivered everything they promised, or is in the process of doing so and making steady progress. A few projects I backed were delayed a few years before eventually delivering the rewards. I have never been ripped off by a Kickstarter I backed.
I have never backed a crowdfunder for a video game and I have no plans to do so. There are so many ways it can go badly and so many already-existing games I can play that I just don't want to take the risk.
3 Likes, Who?
Every single campaign I backed either delivered everything they promised, or is in the process of doing so and making steady progress. A few projects I backed were delayed a few years before eventually delivering the rewards. I have never been ripped off by a Kickstarter I backed.
I can say the same for my nine backings...
I have never backed a crowdfunder for a video game and I have no plans to do so. There are so many ways it can go badly and so many already-existing games I can play that I just don't want to take the risk.
... which are all video games supporting Linux.
2 Likes, Who?
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