Wipeout In All But Name: Formula Fusion Kickstarter
Zoom-o
Update: corrected an inaccuracy about R8 Games' involvement with Wipeout.
It's a sign of quite how much Kickstarter fatigue has set in that even folks who worked on a Wipeout game and now want to make a new own-brand Wipeout are needing to hedge their bets carefully. Formula Fusion [official site] developers R8 Games have launched their Kickstarter, and the initial goal is a very low £35,000.
This figure, they say, "represents a base line plan to start gathering momentum." But unless it reaches stretch goals at £150,000 and above, they "would need to reassess how we are going approach those targets and reschedule accordingly". They'll still finish it, in short, but it'll debut in minimal form and may take longer.
The pitch is simple: Formula Fusion is a new anti-gravity futureracing game, made by a studio including folks who worked on Wipeout 3, with pretty bits designed by Wipeout prettybit designers The Designers Republic, and music from folks including Wipeout musicman CoLD SToRAGE. It wants to be a new Wipeout, and a new Wipeout is an exciting prospect.
If they do reach that £150,000 stretch goal, they'll plan to release it for Windows in March 2016. If they only get the actual Kickstarter goal of £35,000, they'll plan to release a polished but content-light version with eight tracks onto Steam Early Access and add bits as that earns more money. Higher stretch goals include Mac and Linux versions.
It looks like they'll definitely hit the £35k minimum, but I imagine a fair few folks are waiting to see if it'll reach £150k before chipping in. The £35k goal clearly isn't what they want to make, but I suppose they don't have confidence that they could definitely hit £150,000. Hmm. As ever with crowdfunding, be fully aware that you're putting up money to fund someone's plans, not paying for a finished product.
