Gamasutra - The Latest Kickstarter Debacle

Couchpotato

Part-Time News-bot
Joined
October 1, 2010
Messages
36,073
Location
Spudlandia
Gamasutra has posted a short article about a kickstarter I mentioned last year called Confederate Express, and they call it the latest Kickstarter debacle.

There's trouble brewing for another video game Kickstarter campaign, as a developer has postponed work on his funded game, and subsequently been accused of squatting in a Californian condo.

Maksym Pashanin ran a successful Kickstarter for a game called Confederate Express at the end of 2013, but later admitted that due to restructuring at his company, development on the game had been postponed.

In its place, the developer revealed a new game Knuckle Club, and said that all backers of Confederate Express would receive a "free reward pack" for Knuckle Club.

But another strange turn of events has been brewing alongside this, as it was suggested that Pashanin has been squatting in an Airbnb condo for the last few weeks, as spotted by Polygon.

Pashanin himself appears to have confirmed that this is the case, leaving a comment on his own Kickstarter page which reads, "Ok guys, what's the latest deets on the drama? 10/10, would squat again."

This has led many of his Kickstarter backers to believe that the entire thing was a scam all along, with one backer stating, "Never in my life have I felt so betrayed and ashamed of having given money to someone."
More information.
 
Joined
Oct 1, 2010
Messages
36,073
Location
Spudlandia
I didn't back that game as they asked 10 grand. What can you make with that? Nothing but a phonecrap game.

It went down the hole? Good.
Someone was scammed? Next time don't back what looks like a phonegame.
 
Joined
Apr 12, 2009
Messages
23,459
Some people just give away their money without putting much thought into it...
 
Joined
Dec 13, 2010
Messages
619
Hah, I saw a story about this Airbnb condo squatting on TV news the other day. They didn't mention the Kickstarter. Same guy. Guess he's just a pure scammer. I'm sure tons more will be revealed on Kickstarter in coming years. When you can get 50K to make a potato salad, why not?
 
Joined
Sep 26, 2007
Messages
3,429
As someone pointed out in the Kickstarter comments:

Maksym spelled backwards is My Skam (scam). And now that I look at it, the company kickstarting their other game was started by his brother, who also has the suspiciously coincidental backwards-able name of Denys, which backwards is Syned (sinned). Maybe just a coincidence, but still curious to note.

I didn't back that game as they asked 10 grand. What can you make with that? Nothing but a phonecrap game.

FTL, a pretty successful game on release, only asked for $10,000 but that was because they'd almost completed the game and mostly needed the money for the legal fees to set up their business to actually distribute it.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Mar 23, 2012
Messages
361
I wouldn't be surprised if half these kickstarter scams turn out to be publishers fighting against their inevitable decline.
 
I wouldn't be surprised if half these kickstarter scams turn out to be publishers fighting against their inevitable decline.
Publishers are doing just fine. Just look at Valve, they can probably wipe their asses with dollar bills.
 
Joined
May 29, 2012
Messages
123
Valve is a publisher?
 
Joined
May 6, 2013
Messages
4,950
Location
Germany
Valve obviously represent the norm now and for all time, if we ask Mr. Controversy ;)
 
Those guys are a half step away from Nigerian Princes. One second looking at them should have been enough. I am shocked anyone backed this one.
 
Joined
Apr 10, 2011
Messages
777
Valve is a publisher?
Yeah, and an incredibly successful one at that.
Valve obviously represent the norm now and for all time, if we ask Mr. Controversy ;)
Stop calling me that, you twerp. I get that you're trying to troll me but stupid name-calling is just pathetic.
 
Joined
May 29, 2012
Messages
123
FTL, a pretty successful game on release, only asked for $10,000 but that was because they'd almost completed the game and mostly needed the money for the legal fees to set up their business to actually distribute it.
Didn't back FTL either, didn't buy and never would.

In my case:
No balance = luck/gambling = no buy.
 
Joined
Apr 12, 2009
Messages
23,459
Joined
May 6, 2013
Messages
4,950
Location
Germany
Didn't back FTL either, didn't buy and never would.

In my case:
No balance = luck/gambling = no buy.

That's pretty irrelevant to my point, which is that kickstarter games can ask for 10thousand and be released and be successful.
 
Joined
Mar 23, 2012
Messages
361
That's pretty irrelevant to my point, which is that kickstarter games can ask for 10thousand and be released and be successful.

Your point reads to me like this: "even crap can sell".
Yes it can. I'm still not buying.
Now take it like a man.
 
Joined
Apr 12, 2009
Messages
23,459
Your point reads to me like this: "even crap can sell".
Yes it can. I'm still not buying.
Now take it like a man.

I'm a bit puzzled as to why you think your ten dollars is so important to the value of things, but as you wish.
 
Joined
Mar 23, 2012
Messages
361
Back
Top Bottom