Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire Funded in One Day, First Stretch Goal Added

[Lizzy Finnegan]

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire Funded in One Day, First Stretch Goal Added

Obsidian's crowdfunding campaign for Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire has reached its goal of $1.1 million less than 24 hours after launching.

Obsidian officially announced [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/169383-Pillars-of-Eternity-II-Deadfire-Announced] Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire, sequel to one of the most successful crowdfunded video game projects ever, at 1pm ET on Thursday. The company was looking to secure the funds necessary to make the game once more through crowdfunding, this time turning to games-focused crowdfunding platform Fig. Obsidian was seeking $1.1 million, and has already secured that amount - reaching its initial goal less than 24 hours after launching. There was roughly a 50/50 split between equity and rewards. Obsidian has also revealed the first stretch goal, which will be available at $1.4 million and will add sub-classes.

"We have the best fans in the world. It is amazing how quickly they helped us reach the funding goal for Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire. Our fans were responsible for the original game's critical and financial success, and we are looking forward to doing it all over again with them for the sequel. For those who reserved Fig Games Shares games shares, thank you for your trust in us and we look forward to having you share in the potential success of Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire together," said Feargus Urquhart, CEO of Obsidian Entertainment.


In Deadfire, players will be continuing the story they began in the original, and will be traveling by land and sea to "discover new cultures and environments." There will be both new and familiar characters, and Obsidian states that companions will be "tightly intertwined with the fate of Eothas, Deadfire, and will change based on the player's choices over the course of the story."

"Eothas has returned. The god of light and rebirth was thought dead, but he now inhabits the stone titan that sat buried under your keep, Caed Nua, for millennia," reads a description from the press release that accompanied the initial announcement. "Ripping his way out of the ground, he destroys your stronghold and leaves you at the brink of death. To save your soul, you must track down the wayward god and demand answers - answers which could throw mortals and the gods themselves into chaos."

While no release window was given, the delivery window for the rewards - which include copies of the game - is Q1 2018.

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[AwesomeDave]

Quick question... If PoE was so financially successful, and since we all know Obsidian isn't a small indie studio, why are they crowdfunding the money for the development of the game? Will it be free, since it's development is paid for already?

Honestly, I don't understand. It's like McDonald's crowdfunding to pay their bills, and still charging you for the hamburger. I thought the whole point of business was the business spends money to make money, not begs for money to make money.

 

[Dalrien]

Honestly, I don't understand. It's like McDonald's crowdfunding to pay their bills, and still charging you for the hamburger. I thought the whole point of business was the business spends money to make money, not begs for money to make money.

Except McDonalds Is a multi-billionaire business and Obsidian Is...not? Guessing yourself to an answer isn't inherently useful.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

Quick question... If PoE was so financially successful, and since we all know Obsidian isn't a small indie studio, why are they crowdfunding the money for the development of the game? Will it be free, since it's development is paid for already?

Honestly, I don't understand. It's like McDonald's crowdfunding to pay their bills, and still charging you for the hamburger. I thought the whole point of business was the business spends money to make money, not begs for money to make money.

they aren't charging you for the hamburger though? you're getting it for free with the crowdfunding (depending on which pledge amount you choose).

OT: I did like the first game, but one of the points it got super dry so I didn't get to finish it, got super close from what I remember, might have to go back and do that before getting this one.

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

Quick question... If PoE was so financially successful, and since we all know Obsidian isn't a small indie studio, why are they crowdfunding the money for the development of the game? Will it be free, since it's development is paid for already?

Honestly, I don't understand. It's like McDonald's crowdfunding to pay their bills, and still charging you for the hamburger. I thought the whole point of business was the business spends money to make money, not begs for money to make money.

In lieu of a publisher, since Obsidian is not in the business of publishing generally speaking, crowdfunding is the alternative source for development needs. Even if a previous game is profitable, it doesn't mean they can fund a sequel with the profits.

 

[Scytail]

Quick question... If PoE was so financially successful, and since we all know Obsidian isn't a small indie studio, why are they crowdfunding the money for the development of the game? Will it be free, since it's development is paid for already?

Honestly, I don't understand. It's like McDonald's crowdfunding to pay their bills, and still charging you for the hamburger. I thought the whole point of business was the business spends money to make money, not begs for money to make money.

I pledged 45 bucks. That gets me the equivalent of a Deluxe Edition when the game releases: a copy of the game, some extra digital goodies like soundtrack, and typical extra in-game bits. I don't have to pay for the game again.

So its like giving McDonald's $45 and getting a voucher good for $45 in cheeseburgers I can use later.

 

[Arnoxthe1]

Welp, they're gonna have pretty darn stiff competition now with Divinity: Original Sin 2.

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

Quick question... If PoE was so financially successful, and since we all know Obsidian isn't a small indie studio, why are they crowdfunding the money for the development of the game? Will it be free, since it's development is paid for already?

Honestly, I don't understand. It's like McDonald's crowdfunding to pay their bills, and still charging you for the hamburger. I thought the whole point of business was the business spends money to make money, not begs for money to make money.

Because if a company can spend at least a high degree of monies from sponsors to bankroll a project it means they don't need to borrow with interest, or reduce their cash ratio in case it flops. It guaranteed two ghings. Interest free lending and guarantees a degree of immediate returns upon sale of the product (because many copies have slready been sold).

Basic economics.

(Edit) Unlike something like Blizzard or EA, who operate cash ratios lower than immediate liabilities ... smaller companies like to have both a guarantee they don't need to divest of other assets, guarantee a certain number of presales, and allow them to immediately cover shortfalls in spending if the projevt isn't as successful a return on total time and funding.

Unlike Blizzard or EA they can't jist rely on a yearly FIFA or a Nova Starcraft mission pack to boost a war chest.

In short, for a smaller game company, crowdfunding allows a more expensive product, while limiting risk. Obsidian foesn't deserve to break it coffers over one bad game, agreed? This is also why Nintendo will never die... they have a cash ratio of a stunning 9:1 (which represents but only 24% of total company assets) and rarely release a console at significant loss per unit.

Hence why Nintendo innovate with products, don't feel the need to play nice with third party, all while hoping to replicate the success of the DS and the Wii... without significantly risking their capacity to continue making products. It can rely on consumers to bankroll R&D into tech it can sell beyond itself, and not necessarily just about games, and it doesn't then need to listen to third party how that R&D unfolds.

Hence why you had Iwata saying things like; "Nintendo is going to be more than just games..." and hinting at things like medical technologies back in 2014. If you take that it consideration, suddenly "Nintendo is just weird..." becames an; "Ahhhh... I get it now." I think they want to get involved in myoelectrical devices and direct CNS research and tech?

Also basic economics. Capitalism, it's not magic.

 

[Naqel]

Pilocks of Mediocrity was a letdown from which my faith in Obsidian has not yet recovered and I hear Tyranny wasn't all that hot either.

Godspeed to them on this new endeavor, but it will be undertaken without my monetary support.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

Fig now tells you what number backer you are. I made my pledge and was met with Thank you backer #5908. I wasn't sure if I was going to prison or backing a crowdfund project. Also got $5 off for backing the first game, so I'm glad to get the full shebang when it's released for a great price upfront.

Welp, they're gonna have pretty darn stiff competition now with Divinity: Original Sin 2.

Not really. Not only is it quite possible for two games to exist at the same time, considering their target audience the chances are very high that many players will buy both (myself among them), particularly considering the release schedules. Games and crowdfunding are not zero sum.

 

[Arnoxthe1]

Not really. Not only is it quite possible for two games to exist at the same time, considering their target audience the chances are very high that many players will buy both (myself among them), particularly considering the release schedules. Games and crowdfunding are not zero sum.

D:OS2 is already out and it's just growing and growing. PoEII is not even out yet. Yeah, you could say that's an advantage, but the thing is, by the time PoEII is finished and released, a lot of people might well just not buy it since D:OS2 already held their attention for so long.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

Not really. Not only is it quite possible for two games to exist at the same time, considering their target audience the chances are very high that many players will buy both (myself among them), particularly considering the release schedules. Games and crowdfunding are not zero sum.

D:OS2 is already out and it's just growing and growing. PoEII is not even out yet. Yeah, you could say that's an advantage, but the thing is, by the time PoEII is finished and released, a lot of people might well just not buy it since D:OS2 already held their attention for so long.

....

do you only buy one rpg for a given time period, ever? If I like the dev/the previous game in the serious, there is a 99.654% chance I'll be getting the sequel, D:OS2 is already out as in the steam keys are out for the beta, but I see no reason why they are "competing" with each other, outside of you, I've never seen rpg's compete against each other, most people will get both if they like this type of subgenre.

 

[Arnoxthe1]

do you only buy one rpg for a given time period, ever? If I like the dev/the previous game in the serious, there is a 99.654% chance I'll be getting the sequel, D:OS2 is already out as in the steam keys are out for the beta, but I see no reason why they are "competing" with each other, outside of you, I've never seen rpg's compete against each other, most people will get both if they like this type of subgenre.

OK, I think you're being way too optimistic here. People be poor, yo. Sure, they may get it later but most of a game's sales are made at its launching date. And if PoEII doesn't have enough to attract buyers as compared to D:OS2, it's simply not gonna sell very well. That's all there is to it.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

do you only buy one rpg for a given time period, ever? If I like the dev/the previous game in the serious, there is a 99.654% chance I'll be getting the sequel, D:OS2 is already out as in the steam keys are out for the beta, but I see no reason why they are "competing" with each other, outside of you, I've never seen rpg's compete against each other, most people will get both if they like this type of subgenre.

OK, I think you're being way too optimistic here. People be poor, yo. Sure, they may get it later but most of a game's sales are made at its launching date. And if PoEII doesn't have enough to attract buyers as compared to D:OS2, it's simply not gonna sell very well. That's all there is to it.

if your case would be true, this would fuck any game ever coming out within a ~3 month timespan of a similar big hit title....which that's not the case. Don't get me wrong, there are people who wait/don't have funds at the moment/etc...

but to outright say the game won't do well because a game (by your own admission) that is already "out and growing" will somehow make people not get POE:2 is laughable, it'll be judged on its own merits, not because D:OS 2 happened to be on a slightly similar timeline.

 

[Kajin]

do you only buy one rpg for a given time period, ever? If I like the dev/the previous game in the serious, there is a 99.654% chance I'll be getting the sequel, D:OS2 is already out as in the steam keys are out for the beta, but I see no reason why they are "competing" with each other, outside of you, I've never seen rpg's compete against each other, most people will get both if they like this type of subgenre.

OK, I think you're being way too optimistic here. People be poor, yo. Sure, they may get it later but most of a game's sales are made at its launching date. And if PoEII doesn't have enough to attract buyers as compared to D:OS2, it's simply not gonna sell very well. That's all there is to it.

As someone who is relatively poor but still pinches pennies to afford the games I like, I can assure you I have more than one game of the same genre on my computer. It's absolutely shocking, I know, but people who like one type of game might also tend to buy similar games with the same or similar genre conventions.

 

[Arnoxthe1]

As someone who is relatively poor but still pinches pennies to afford the games I like, I can assure you I have more than one game of the same genre on my computer. It's absolutely shocking, I know, but people who like one type of game might also tend to buy similar games with the same or similar genre conventions.

Not really what I was actually arguing but OK.

 

[Kajin]

As someone who is relatively poor but still pinches pennies to afford the games I like, I can assure you I have more than one game of the same genre on my computer. It's absolutely shocking, I know, but people who like one type of game might also tend to buy similar games with the same or similar genre conventions.

Not really what I was actually arguing but OK.

Pretty much exactly what you're arguing, even if that's not your intent.

Early Access or not, Divinity 2 is out now and is already attracting buyers. Pillars 2 is being funded and by the time it comes out interest in Divinity 2 will have long since started to wane. Most people who wanted Divinity 2 would have likely bought it and will be in the market for another game by that point. The argument you're trying to make doesn't hold water.

 

[Metalix Knightmare]

Quick question... If PoE was so financially successful, and since we all know Obsidian isn't a small indie studio, why are they crowdfunding the money for the development of the game? Will it be free, since it's development is paid for already?

If I had to assume, it's to keep the game from having to rely too heavily on publishers and their demands. Given just how badly Obsidian has been burnt by Publishers before, (Hello KOTOR 2, that's a nice HK factory you're making. Be a shame if you had to meet a christmas deadline that's almost as bad as ET's.) I can't say I blame them for taking this route.

 

[Kahani]

Quick question... If PoE was so financially successful, and since we all know Obsidian isn't a small indie studio, why are they crowdfunding the money for the development of the game? Will it be free, since it's development is paid for already?

What exactly do you mean by "so financially successful"? It was successful for a crowd-funded video game, but was peanuts compared to any publisher-backed AAA release. Just because it made enough money for its own production and for the company not to immediately collapse and lay everyone off afterwards, that doesn't mean it made enough to fund the company for several years during the development of an entire new game. As for not being a small indie studio, size is relative but they absolutely are indie. Since their games are not being funded by a bit publisher, where exactly do you expect them to get their money from?

As for giving it away for free just because it's already been developed, that's one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard. You just complained that they're not running the company entirely on profits from their last game, but now you want them to give games away for free as soon as their development has been paid for? How exactly do you expect anything to ever get made if both profit and external funding are forbidden?