Square Enix too cheap to make games Kickstarter!

[Shelby]

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kitfoxgames/moon-hunters-a-myth-weaving-rpg?ref=category_newest

To those of us that are informed in the gaming industry we were warned this might happen. TotalBiscuit, one of youtubes most successful and respected game critics said that with the success of KS that big game companies might start using it to help cut costs. As some of you might know Square Enix made tomb raider reboot game which only became profitable after 6 million copies were sold and were very verbal with there complaints about how well it did!

Well that day is now here, the game Moon hunters has recently launched and is already mostly funded, being backed by Square Enix yet not enough it seems, your money is now needed to not only buy these games but to get them funded/made to.

What does this mean for all you guy putting your games on KS, since so many of you are now, you get to have your project next to big company games. It should be interesting to see how a current RPG maker game funding will go with this going on now.

 

[Necromus]

As far as I can see, it's a small indie studio under supervision of Square without any financial backup from Square, like it says on KS.

Doesn't seem that different from other big names supporting small companies, surely with the intend to either make cash through them later on, or maybe acquiring some of their talents (people) and I don't really see anything wrong with it.

There are always outstanding projects on KS, and for each of those probably a thousand that aren't that decent at all, so competition was always around.

I don't really see a problem with that yet, until they are trying to fund their big AAA projects, which wouldn't work anyways, since even the most successful projects on KS are millions short of those projects.

Involvement of big names is a trend that surely works against smaller devs, that's true, but that has always been the case.

 

[Diretooth]

Just to be devil's advocate here, more money = better quality games. There are many games that could have been amazing for the simple fact that they ran out of money.

Also, taking time to read the page, Squeenix is assisting by giving these four developers (stated in the KS) less obscurity. Essentially, a big name company is helping a small name group.

Now, if it were Squeenix asking for funding for a game, it probably would not work.

 

[Shelby]

Just to be devil's advocate here, more money = better quality games. There are many games that could have been amazing for the simple fact that they ran out of money.

Also, taking time to read the page, Squeenix is assisting by giving these four developers (stated in the KS) less obscurity. Essentially, a big name company is helping a small name group.

Now, if it were Squeenix asking for funding for a game, it probably would not work.

more money = better quality games. No and proven untrue.




throw lots of money at people that do not know what they are doing and this happens, FACT.

And over 35k in a few days? yeah company support, just like some other projects I could talk about.

 

[hiromu656]

Well, Moon Hunters is just one of the indie games apart of Square Enix Collective, which is a program Square began to back indie projects through exposure for the most part (they aren't paying to get these games funded themselves). I myself have been emailed about participating in Square Enix Collective and I'm not apart of any big name company. Square is doing something good with this by getting both their name and the indie developers' names out there. The system is comparable to Steam Greenlight; a big name company supporting indie developers, except here the player Community along with Square Enix representatives can provide feedback to your game ideas and help you get funded.

http://collective.square-enix.com/

 

[Necromus]

more money = better quality games. No and proven untrue.

throw lots of money at people that do not know what they are doing and this happens, FACT.

And over 35k in a few days? yeah company support, just like some other projects I could talk about.

Ofc there are examples where that is not true, but don't generalize that would you?

More money always means better quality in the right hands, thats a fact.

The very project you're talking about seems pretty nice, and a bigger exposure through SE is nice for them, I really don't see a problem with that.

It's not SE asking you for money after all, they're just a big name giving publicity here.

 

[Shelby]

Well, Moon Hunters is just one of the indie games apart of Square Enix Collective, which is a program Square began to back indie projects through exposure for the most part (they aren't paying to get these games funded themselves). I myself have been emailed about participating in Square Enix Collective and I'm not apart of any big name company. Square is doing something good with this by getting both their name and the indie developers' names out there. The system is comparable to Steam Greenlight; a big name company supporting indie developers, except here the player Community along with Square Enix representatives can provide feedback to your game ideas and help you get funded.

http://collective.square-enix.co

Well, Moon Hunters is just one of the indie games apart of Square Enix Collective, which is a program Square began to back indie projects through exposure for the most part (they aren't paying to get these games funded themselves). I myself have been emailed about participating in Square Enix Collective and I'm not apart of any big name company. Square is doing something good with this by getting both their name and the indie developers' names out there. The system is comparable to Steam Greenlight; a big name company supporting indie developers, except here the player Community along with Square Enix representatives can provide feedback to your game ideas and help you get funded.

http://collective.square-enix.com/

Steam Greenlight a good thing???? Not last time I checked and form everyone that's tried using it as well as posts made today about it. And not really a indie when you have a big game company that you owe to now.

But maybe this won't hurt the little guy? Hm 17 days left on a RPG maker project I am looking at now, should be interesting to see how it turns out. Maybe some backer that has had GREAT success with KS might help them get funded. Should be interesting.

 

[Missile]

""Projects which successfully raise funds may also find support from Square Enix through the development process, and assistance in distributing the final project across leading digital channels once completed,""


^Was part of the stipulations regarding Square's original voting process. Is it ethical for a large company to do this? Who knows. Moon Hunters looks great and definitely wouldn't have trouble getting on those digital storefronts either way, or likely being funded via kickstarter, for that matter.


However, they signed the contract, so it must work out for them in the end. Square could definitely give them great exposure, which could be worth a lot.

 

[Shelby]

""Projects which successfully raise funds may also find support from Square Enix through the development process, and assistance in distributing the final project across leading digital channels once completed,""

^Was part of the stipulations regarding Square's original voting process. Is it ethical for a large company to do this? Who knows. Moon Hunters looks great and definitely wouldn't have trouble getting on those digital storefronts either way, or likely being funded via kickstarter, for that matter.

However, they signed the contract, so it must work out for them in the end. Square could definitely give them great exposure, which could be worth a lot.

Very true, just throw out that indie title when no one is looking. I guess we all have to wear a collar around out necks, and to have one with such a fancy name from such a big company! Ehh not for us.

 

[Necromus]

If you don't like it, don't participate in that programm, its not like that would be a requirement for a successful KS project.

If you want to push a RPG Maker game through KS, you better have something different/special anyways, why else should anyone even back your project?

I still don't see your issue with SE (like with them especially), since other publishers are doing that for a while already.

 

[Shelby]

If you don't like it, don't participate in that programm, its not like that would be a requirement for a successful KS project.

If you want to push a RPG Maker game through KS, you better have something different/special anyways, why else should anyone even back your project?

I still don't see your issue with SE (like with them especially), since other publishers are doing that for a while already.

Big game companies are not indie, indies are not big game companies, I don't like seeing them mix, the greed and mistakes passing over to honest indie developers, they should be separate. And if Square Enix wants to support a game then guess what they can do it LIKE EVERYONE ELSE and just fund them.

In these days of never ending lies by big game companies, false showings using pre rendered footage and on PC is it any wonder why I do not like them.

 

[Necromus]

Big game companies are not indie, indies are not big game companies, I don't like seeing them mix, the greed and mistakes passing over to honest indie developers, they should be separate. And if Square Enix wants to support a game then guess what they can do it LIKE EVERYONE ELSE and just fund them.

In these days of never ending lies by big game companies, false showings using pre rendered footage and on PC is it any wonder why I do not like them.

Even if your opionion is somewhat hyperbole, I absolutely agree with mixing big names with indie companies brings a lot of fodder for problems, however it also brings a lot of opportunities.

You think SE should just help them funing their game instead? Like act as a backer?

That project is aiming for 45k right? You know how much the publicity SE can and will give you would cost you?

If thats not support (or call it indirect backing if you want), then I don't know what is.

The sheer exposure you get through something like that is worth way more than what backers will give you, webadvertisement is really expensive after all.

Also about greed and honesty, the game industry is a buisiness, if you want to survive, you will need to make profit, thats how it works.

Sure call big companies greedy, but thats what you have to be to survive, there is no other way to expand and improve yourself.

Also not every indi dev is "honest", not calling them thieving liars, so don't get started on that , just you also have your own (much smaller) buisiness, and you will have to make decisions to push through and not everyone will like them, such is life.

 

[Shelby]

Big game companies think of profit first, indies think of their game first, because if you do not love your game then you are a #$^& but you do make a good point, there are some good and bad out there, CD project that makes the witcher game go out of their way to not be like big game companies, then again they are polish so that explains that.

 

[Necromus]

Big game companies think of profit first, indies think of their game first, because if you do not love your game then you are a #$^& but you do make a good point, there are some good and bad out there, CD project that makes the witcher game go out of their way to not be like big game companies, then again they are polish so that explains that.

So nationality has something to do with not beeing the evuuul big publisher? I get your point, but really now lol

Big companies don't have a chance about thinking of profit first or not, make money or drown, there is no other way.

So the small indie dev that wants to make the best game he possibly can will need cash too tho, and what do they do?

They try to get help from others, and in this case SE is the one helping, I don't see the difference here.

Like if that contract for that deal consists of a phrase something like "all your profit will go partly to SE at some point", that would be a different story and really kinda lame from a indie point of view. From a buisiness point of view that would be pretty clever tho.

You either can fund your game on your own, or you will have to make some "deals with the devil" at some point either way I'd say.

 

[Shelby]

So nationality has something to do with not beeing the evuuul big publisher? I get your point, but really now lol

Big companies don't have a chance about thinking of profit first or not, make money or drown, there is no other way.

So the small indie dev that wants to make the best game he possibly can will need cash too tho, and what do they do?

They try to get help from others, and in this case SE is the one helping, I don't see the difference here.

Like if that contract for that deal consists of a phrase something like "all your profit will go partly to SE at some point", that would be a different story and really kinda lame from a indie point of view. From a buisiness point of view that would be pretty clever tho.

You either can fund your game on your own, or you will have to make some "deals with the devil" at some point either way I'd say.

nationality plays a HUGE part! OMG! But the USA is not actually the worst, England has their game review awards sponsored by game companies, talk about a conflict of interest. Now let's talk about poland, a place that doesn't waste money on that crap and BEST of all the Witcher 3 game they are making, is the Xbox one even going to their country!? Find that out and get back to me   the more you know.

 

[Tsukihime]

In these days of never ending lies by big game companies, false showings using pre rendered footage and on PC is it any wonder why I do not like them.

3 examples?

 

[Necromus]

You know that you're claiming people/devs from certain countries are...I don't even know...horrible persons because they were born there or work there?

I don't think I need to mention how completely moronic that is, really.

What any kind of Xbox has to do with Witcher 3 also eludes me, since it will be released on the new generation consoles anyways, regardless of the console beeing available in Poland (which it will be, by the end of September 2014 btw). And guess why that will be? Cause it will generate more income, due to more sales, strange I know!

 

[Shelby]

3 examples?

3 examples?

Enjoy, now find some more! I don't like being lied to and if you think these companies are being honest to you then lol.

 

[Diretooth]

Reading through this, one would get the impression that you're a sensationalist or someone who hates large companies because they're not independent.

I plan on making my own gaming company, I want to make games that I want, and I want to make games that the people want. I want to take the world by storm and give them new perspectives, to give them something unique and/or enjoyable, but I also want to make money and support myself, as well as people who would be under my employment.

The fact that I've discerned from countless hours of research and observation is, yes, there are greedy people out there, and yes, there are greedy companies, but there are a lot of people out there who are not, there are a lot of companies that are not.

Companies exist to make money, but they also exist to market and sell a product, it doesn't matter if that product is everyday cleaning supplies or a game or a book, that doesn't make a person greedy, it makes then an entrepreneur.

Who knows, maybe today's indie developer is tomorrow's Eidos or Squeenix. Heck, I certainly plan on making enough money to live a comfortable life, and I'd certainly want others to have a similar life.

Right now, my experience and skill equates me to a starving artist, someone unskilled and barely able to make a game, let alone release one. And in some cases, indie does not always equal right or perfect, or even good. If a large company promised me free advertisement in exchange for a percentage of profit, I'd certainly go along with it because I'd be getting my game to a large audience and making money to support myself.

(This whole post was written on the fly and isn't necessarily a reaction or reply.)

 

[Shaz]

I've moved this thread to Video Games. Please be sure to post your threads in the correct forum next time. Thank you.