Double Fine Adventure: A Record-breaking Donation-based Crowdfunding Campaign
This campaign set a precedent for how independent games can finance their projects without engaging publishers.
- Type of production/project: Digital Media (game)
- Funding Target: $400,000 (USD)
- Funds Raised: $3.3 Million (USD)
- The company: Double Fine
Based in San Francisco, and founded in 2000 by industry veteran Tim Shafer, Double Fine is an award-winning independent games development company with a strong track record on different games platforms including XBOX and Playstation.
Double Fine set out to raise an ambitious target of $400,000 (USD) for a point and click game and behind the scenes video. On March 13, 2012, when Double Fine’s Kickstarter campaign concluded, the company had raised seven and a half times that amount, reaching $3.3 million (USD), more than enough to fund the development of their game.
Analysis
Of all genres, games arguably have the most active communities and sub-communities around specific properties such as the phenomenally successful and persistent “World of Warcraft.” Games are interactive and attract users who want to be members of a community and participate in it. Double Fine recognized this community desire and engaged potential investors by offering them exclusive access to development forums and to brainstorm with developers. Double Fine’s success proves that avid gamers will pay for this privilege.
