We have over 10,000 backers and we feel like the current momentum can take us to being funded. We have a few things to announce in that regard, and this is a longer update than usual.
Campaign Stretch Goal(s)
From the very beginning, we have been very careful about focusing on the one goal that really matters, and that's getting the campaign funded.
We had made plans for Stretch Goals, though. We put together two plans, one in case the campaign was incredibly successful very fast, and another plan in case the campaign got funded a few weeks in. We also knew there was a chance the campaign would only get funded at the last minute, which ended up the case. We didn't talk about the other alternative, because we believe in the campaign.
Anyhow, we want to address Stretch Goals in case we do get funded and you want to know what the extra funds will go towards.
We had a long meeting today about this, and we kept coming back to the one thing that we have been asked the most throughout the campaign: bringing The Good Life to the Nintendo Switch.
Even though, as you know, our lead programmer has started to play with the console devkit, we know that this will be a costly endeavour and we don't want to mess up our budget.
We have set a unique Stretch Goal at JPY 88,000,000 - bringing The Good Life to the Nintendo Switch
Of course, we know this is a very high Stretch Goal, and considering the way the campaign is going, it is very much possible we are not going to reach it, so let me explain our reasoning.
We could have set up more stretch goals, adding content to the game, and help them build up towards the Switch Stretch Goal. However, as each of this smaller goal comes with a cost, they would have set the Switch Stretch Goal even further, making it meaningless, and upsetting the numerous fans who have been asking for the Switch port.
We could have set up those smaller game content stretch goals, and not mention the Switch Stretch Goal, but as I mentioned, this is by far the number one request I have received during the campaign, and not addressing it seems bad.
So, we decided to aim high - go for one single ambitious stretch goal, the most requested addition to the campaign.
BUT.
If we
do get funded and we
miss the Stretch Goal, we will use the extra funds towards additional content for the game and we will share what these are with you in a post campaign update. To give you an idea, we are considering things like adding more music tracks, adding more seasonal events to Rainy Woods, creating more part time jobs/revenue generating activities for Naomi to repay her crippling debt, more outfits for our intrepid photographer, and so on.
This way you know that whatever happens, you are building towards a better game.
What happens to the Nintendo Switch version if we miss the Stretch Goal?
We really, really want to make a Switch version. Any game developer these days is excited about this console. I would love to see fans playing The Good Life on the go, on the train.
However, I also want to make The Good Life, and for this, we need to be very careful with our budget, and have a clear focus.
If we miss the Stretch Goal, I will work very hard to find an alternative way to get the Nintendo Switch version to happen, but we are not making it a promise to you. And the moment we know we can make it, you will be the first to be informed.
What about collecting funds after the campaign to go toward the Switch Stretch Goal?
We discussed this, and as you will see in the next part of the update, we are planning for a way to collect some extra funds after the campaign. However, I know other Kickstarter campaigns have run late backers campaigns in a way where they have set those extra funds to complete more Stretch Goals.
I think this is admirable and brave, but for The Good Life, we want to be able to really focus on our initial game, and work really hard towards it as soon as possible. The idea of having Stretch Goals indefinitely opened after the end of the campaign is quite scary, it gives us a moving target, harder to hit.
For this reason, we are only looking at the funds gathered during the campaign for the Stretch Goals. I believe it will lead to a better focus on our part, and a better game in the end for you all, and I hope you can support that decision and that philosophy.
BackerKit confirmed for our pledge manager
We are very happy to be able to confirm that we will use BackerKit to manage the pledges after the campaign.
If you are not familiar with BackerKit, they are a company specialised in supporting the logistical side of crowdfunding campaigns.
It will allow us to more efficiently manage the surveys, and make sure we collect the right amount for the shipping costs if you have a physical reward that needs to be sent to you.
Now, BackerKit also allows us to do a few extra things that are interesting. We can run a late backers campaign with them - we are still figuring things out about this and we might do one. But more importantly, we do know that we will allow our Kickstarter backers to purchase additional items from the campaign. In order for you to be able to plan which tier is best to pledge for, we want to let you know now about items that we have confirmed will be accessible to our backers on BackerKit, and their prices.
Please note that the listed prices (just like the campaign rewards) do not include the shipping costs:
・The Good Life T-Shirt. $40
・The Good Life Hoodie. $95
・The Good Life Mug. $20
・Digital Copy of the game on PC. $30
・Digital Copy of the game on PS4. $40
We haven't confirmed the other items - especially the Collector's Edition box. The current CE box has an exclusive design for the Kickstarter campaign, but we know that there will be a Limited Run version available at some point as well, and it might mean we won't offer the Kickstarter exclusive box on BackerKit.
The prices have been set this way with a few things in mind:
・We want the prices to be fair to the backers who have selected the tiers where these items are available. They are trusting us to deliver a great game, and to make nice rewards for them, and we don't want them to feel like they are left out.
・We want to make these items as nice as possible. I believe this is apparent in the mockups of the hoodie designs that we have shared with you, and it is our goal to make these items with the best quality possible. We will be able to do this more easily with these price points.
・We are a video game studio first. It is not our goal to make lots of t-shirts and generate money with them. 100% of the extra money we collect goes into making The Good Life and supporting us. By getting an extra T-Shirt, you are not just getting an item of clothing, you are essentially supporting us further.
If you have already backed The Good Life and put money beyond the reward tier that you have selected, please note that you will be able to use those extra funds towards these extra items.
And if you already know you want one those items, of course, you can increase your pledge accordingly, just make sure you stay at the reward tier that you want. For instance, if you want the Joyful Life Tier (about $50), but are interested in getting the T-Shirt, you can pledge $90, and keep your pledge at the Joyful Life Tier.
SWERY 05/02/2018
