One interesting response in the reddit thread about this was someone saying "...now you can fund the shit that nobody still wants to play?", followed by "20.000 is nothing", when another poster pointed out that over 20.000 people were already backing this project.<p>This seems to be exactly the publisher's point of view. If you consider marketing, development costs, console licensing fees, ... paying everyone involved in the project and to make sure that there's still profit left over for everyone involved, then 20.000 people buying your game is not that much.<p>However, for me this kickstarter project is kind of the opposite of pirating, where the developer gets the money before the development process has even started and they don't need to worry if they will break even, since the original goal has already been reached anyway.
Plus, as already mentioned several times, they cut out the middle-man with this approach, so that this could definitely open doors for new & interesting projects.<p>Even though 20.000 is not much for a publisher of a AAA title, I am pretty sure that the final amount will turn heads in the gaming industry and might spawn some new developer <-> customer relationships similar to this kickstarter funding.
Some analysis here:<p>1. The publisher in this case has a track record, so there is less risk involved.<p>2. $15 for an adventure game sounds "well priced"<p>3. There is a bit of risk reversal on the pledgers since the game might turn out to be awful. This is compared to buying a game after it has been reviewed.<p>4. However, the risk is only $15<p>5. There is much nostalgia, and even if $15 is wasted, it would have been a nice way to thank Tim for the good times in the past.<p>6. Presumably the game might cost a little bit more when it is released.<p>7. What happens if the publishers blow out their budget? It is a sizeable team.
What makes a project like this succeed so spectacularly on kickstarter? Is it because the video is so well done? Or because Tim Schafer is behind it? Or because a lot of people want to play an adventure game? Or the perfect storm of all of the above? Just trying to wrap my brain around it.
I'm actually quite shocked that game publishers aren't lining up to give Tim Schafer all the money he wants. But I don't really know what's going on in that industry.
There are actually more donation tiers, but they're not listed on that page because KS only goes up to $10,000. <a href="http://www.doublefine.com/news/comments/the_double_fine_adventure-adventure_is_here/" rel="nofollow">http://www.doublefine.com/news/comments/the_double_fine_adve...</a>
It's really amazing he raised that much money so quickly, with so many in the higher tiers as well, especially since the higher tiers of funding are still a donation and do not provide any equity in the project. I suppose the original art wouldn't be worthless though!
This project may exceed the previous highest donation record on kickstarter, which that record was awarded yesterday to that iPhone dock. Kickstarter is really starting to make some money I see.