The Milkman Cometh: Psychonauts 2 Has Been Funded
$3.3m pledged
An odd feeling - this thing we prayed for for years, and which seemed such an impossibility, is now happening. And not just happening: it felt like a foregone conclusion from the second it was announced. With $3.35 million pledged by crowdfunders and investors, it looks like Psychonauts 2, Double Fine's sequel to their acclaimed 2005 adventure-platformer, will become a reality at last.
Here's Tim Schafer and his studio celebrating the news:
I suppose it's not quite as exciting an announcement for some of us as it might have been a few years ago. Double Fine's record has been a little spotty lately, with Broken Age and Massive Chalice underwhelming and the abrupt cancellation of Spacebased DF-9 disappointing many.
On the other hand, the studio remains a house of ideas, one of few which can pair conceptual invention with a substantial budget. They might not be true-blue classics, but Costume Quest, Stacking and Iron Brigade all made me a happy boy. And clearly many others too, given Double Fine keep on successfully returning to the crowdfunding well. (Although it should be clarified that they've used Fig rather than Kickstarter, which enables investors and not just punters to get onboard).
$3m is not enough to make Psychonauts 2, as Double Fine have been entirely open about. The first game cost between $10 and $13m, but they claim they can raise the remainder from their own reserves and "an external partner." Notch once said he might pay to make it happen - is it possible?
Psychonauts 2 is slated for an Autumn/Fall 2018 release date, which hopefully gives them enough breathing space that they won't have to pull another Broken Age-style act 1/2 thingy. The Fig campaign remains open for another five days if you want to chance your arm/buy some backer rewards.