Update 3: In less than 24 hours, Double Fine Productions has raised over 1 million dollars simply by asking fans for their help. February 9, 2012: Video games have won the day.
Update 2: Within 18 hours and 20 minutes of opening the “Double Fine Adventure” project for backing on Kickstarter, over $850,000 have been raised, easily besting Kickstarter records for most funds raised in the first 24 hours and highest number of backers of all time. With six hours to go, Double Fine could potentially top 1 million dollars in the first day of this project’s run.
Update: In less than 12 hours Double Fine has already met the $400,000 goal. As of this writing, a total of 13,000+ backers have pledged $573,012.
Tim Schafer, the mind behind adventure classics like Full Throttle and Grim Fandango, will have a brand new point-and-click adventure game in the works with some help from the videogame community.
Schafer’s studio, Double Fine Productions, is seeking $400,000 via the Kickstarter funding platform. If that goal is reached by March 13, then the project will be funded.
The game would be developed by a “small team” under Schafer’s supervision over a six-to-eight month period, with the goal being for fans to actually see the creation process. Keeping in line with that goal, a monthly documentary series will filmed for “Kickstarter backers” (those who donate enough money).
There are various rewards depending on pledge amounts. A pledge of $15 or more results in a copy of the game on Steam, access to the beta, access to the video series, and access to the private discussion community. The rewards get better as pledge amounts increase, including lunch with Schafer and Ron Gilbert and a tour of the Double Fine offices for that one die-hard fan willing to donate $10,000 or more.
More information, including a helpful FAQ, can be found on the Double Fine Adventure Kickstarter page.
For any skeptics out there, check out the fantastic pitch courtesy of Schafer and Double Fine Productions included below.