'Elite: Dangerous' Sets a record as the most expensive project on Kickstarter, which successfully raised money for implementation

If you are from the 80s, congratulations, you are an old man. If you weren’t in the 80s, then take a time machine and transfer to 1984 to play Elite . It was an incredible game for that time, with an improved ship and an explored universe full of fights and trade (albeit in a monochromatic 3D frame mode), it was the great-grandfather of games like Eve Online ... as well as any other cosmos. And thanks to the successful Kickstarter project , we will soon get a sequel.

David Braben, the founder of Frontier Developments, who co-authored the original game, asked supporters for a massive amount of £ 1.25 million (about $ 2.03 million) and recently received it. Although this project is not a record holder, it is a Pebble smartwatch, which raised more than $ 10 million, according to a Kickstarter spokesman, this is the highest-priced project that has successfully raised money for implementation. Several projects requested a large amount (one requested $ 3.5 million), but not one of them was successfully funded.

When I saw that Frontier Developments requested 2 million, my first reaction was, “WHAT WHAT ?!” But moving away from the shock, I realized that it makes sense. This is not a $ 10,000 startup. Braben already has experience in the gaming industry, releasing titles like Kinect Disneyland Adventrues with Frontier Developmets . Braben wants to make a 21st century sequel to Elitewho will be worthy of this name: a high-quality product that will have the resources and people to support this ambitious project.

Braben wrote on the Kickstarter page,
“I have long wanted Elite: Dangerous to be made by Frontier. The next game in the Elite series is incredible space with amazing effects, addictive gameplay and an exciting atmosphere, but now you can also play with friends. I want a game that feels like the original “Elite” and with faster travels (this is for the multiplayer component of the game) - so you travel faster using local “hyperspace” ways than rewinding time - but in the rich Frontier universe - and more, much, much more.
I will be frank, we had several initiatives in this direction during these years that were not successful in my understanding. And of course it is clear that other projects had higher priorities - projects with a announced release date or other obligations. Until now, a small team has worked on Elite, which has been doing this for themselves and in their free time. Nevertheless, we were preparing - laying the foundation for technology and design until better times. And this time is now. ”


Less than two days before graduation, Elite: Dangerous has set a new bar: If funding exceeds £ 1.4 million, Frontier will release a Mac version; after 1.5 million, Frontier will add another 10 game ships. (The only playable ship in the original Elite was the Cobra MKIII. And although you could improve the lasers and the hull, you couldn't change the ship.)
But no matter what happens, space fans can start warming up the engines.

Note: For those interested in the sequel name, veterans know that “Dangerous” is the sixth pilot rating. Pilots had to go through the ranks from Harmless, Mostly Harmless, Poor, Average, Competent, Dangerous, Deadly and ultimately Elite.

Original article on Forbes
Link to the game page on Kickstarter

PS At the time of writing, the second funding bar has been passed. Congratulations to all the poppy workers.

Also popular now: