I would be on board with this if it were released for free after the game is finished, and anyone who pre-ordered can receive a full refund with interest if the game does not meet the stated requirements within the stated time frame. Like a street performer protocol.
Example:
1: I will make a 3D first-person RPG with a freeform skill system that gains each skill as you use it (continue back-of-box-style advertising promises) by 2 years after I achieve $100,000, and in 5 years regardless.
2: I accept pledges. Eventually, perhaps 3 years later, I reach $100,000 and now I have 2 years to finish the game. If I don't reach $100,000 by year 3, I'm starting to get screwed because I need to deliver by year 5 at the latest.
3: I release the game.
3A: The game fulfills all original promises. I own the copyright, but anyone is allowed to download the game for free or give it to each other and make copies. They aren't necessarily allowed to modify or use game assets for other purposes, or to develop their own fork. I can give out those rights if I want. I keep all the money.
3B: The game fails to fulfill all its original promises, but I released anyway. If anyone who pledged wants their money back I have to give it back with interest calculated based on how much time has passed since the pledge drive started. Anyone can still share the game freely, but again they don't have extra rights like using the game assets in their own game.
3C: I know I'm boned. I fail to release any game. I must refund all pledges, with interest, and any money that can't be refunded for whatever reason must be donated to a 3rd party org that directs funding to artistically promising video game projects.
3D: I fail to get $100k in pledges. I'm under no obligation to release the game, but if I don't I must return all pledges with interest as in 3C.
4: The game is now out, and anybody can have it for free. People who pledged may get some extra bonus, but it's mainly because they wanted to see the game come out, and soon, and wanted to support the developers.
Free rider problems, of course, but if the project fails for lack of pledges (probably resulting in 3C) all those people can kick themselves and know that if they had only opened their wallets to the tune of $10 or so the game would be a reality.
People are encouraged to pledge because it results in a cool game being created OR a refund with interest. Perhaps you'd start to see people pledging toward things they know can't succeed just to get interest?
The money would be held in escrow by a third party, so the developer can't snatch and run. The account must be funded with all additional interest that would be paid out in the event of a failure - so the developer does need some kind of income to support the project. But the account would be interest-bearing, meaning his burden is reduced there.
Mainly this allows the developer a guaranteed payout for the project. Every developer hopes his game will be a huge hit and sell millions of copies, but honestly, what are the chances of another Minecraft, seriously. And it allows the developer to ignore piracy problems because he doesn't care after it's released and he gets paid. No need for DRM anymore.
The developer might just release the game even if he got insufficient pledges. Maybe it's close, or he just wants to be done with the project.
Or he could fail to release, then refund everyone with interest, and announce the project again. Now he has a finished project, he can show people a demo, and now start working on more cool stuff for the game. People are more likely to pledge, and he might even raise his pledge threshold because of the extra time he's now putting into it. Eventually you get a very well-developed game that everyone is just salivating for and those free riders are finally willing to pony up.
At the end of development, perhaps I have a year left and I've fulfilled all promises, and I'm fully funded and the pledges have stopped trickling in. Now I announce that I can release early, but to do it I want another $25k. People can decide whether they want to wait the year, or are willing to pledge (or pledge more) to see it happen sooner. This might happen more than you expect because the developer gives himself more time than he really needs. But he doesn't want to give himself too much time! Technology changes quickly and people don't want to pledge for something they won't see for a decade.
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Topic: Game Industry Reform through Pre-Order Bonuses (Read 1531 times)