Mythic Games launched a Kickstarter for the board game version of Darkest Dungeon in October 2020, and it was an instant, massive success. It crossed $1 million in support in one day – more than triple its initial target of $300,000 – and ended with over $5.6 million in total. Despite that remarkable achievement, creator Mythic Games now says it is facing a serious financial crunch, and is asking backers for more money.
The problem is that the cost of materials has gone up, and shipping costs have increased by an average of 600%, according to Mythic. The reason, of course, is two-fold: the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Mythic tried to quell this by saying that it (along with most other “professional market players”) believed that the situation was temporary due to the sudden resumption of shipping from China for a long time forced by the pandemic. But instead of peaking through 2021 and 2022, manufacturing and shipping costs continued to rise, “an amount we never imagined.”
“Today, the shipping cost to get you these games is $3.1M, which is $1.4M more than the $1.7 million backers paid,” Mythic said in a Kickstarter update. “On top of that, there was an additional $350,000 in manufacturing costs due to the increase in oil and crude materials. That’s a total of $1.75 million to be paid for in additional costs.”
Mythic said it’s been eating up costs on releases over the years, including its most recent release, Anastar, another huge Kickstarter success. But that’s clearly no longer an option: “In order to ensure the sustainability of Mythic Games to deliver our excellent games and to allow our teams to develop games with passion and commitment, we now need everyone The decision has had to be taken not to absorb the additional cost.”
The studio also shared a chart showing how fast shipping costs have risen:
(Image credit: Mythic Games)
Mythic said it would pay for half the reduction of the Darkest Dungeon board game with the help of original Darkest Dungeon creator Red Hook Studios, but that still leaves $875,000 to cover backers. They’re being told to grope based on the amount they’ve ordered: someone who supports only the core set is asked to pay an additional $18, eg. For, while someone who has endorsed the core set, the Crimson Court expansion, and Darkest Organizer will be asked for $29.
Shipments are being arranged in two waves: Wave 1, which includes the English-only core set, Crimson Court expansion, and most of the add-ons, is printed and ready to go, while content for Wave 2, which includes the rest English add-ons will be included and printing of all non-English versions of the game is expected to begin in early 2023.
(Image credit: Mythic Games)
Most supporters, surprisingly, are not happy with the situation. While some have expressed understanding – the world has changed significantly over the years, after all – most people are not inclined toward forgiveness. Some question Mythic’s honesty about cost escalation, while others question Mythic’s ethics and legitimacy—arbitrarily raising the price of a product they’ve already paid for.
“We’ve already paid for shipping and since then we’ve come to an agreement and are now robbing you for more money in broad daylight,” wrote one supporter in the Kickstarter comments. “Think it’s called extortion. I can understand that prices have gone up and shipping has gone up but it’s really the company’s problem to be solved without any more money.”
The response is similar in the DarkestDungeon_TBG subreddit. “In every other business I can think of, the financial risk is owned by the company providing the product/service,” wrote redditor Doc_Serious. “This risk is balanced against the potential for the financial reward of bringing your product/service to market. Most of the time it works in favor of the company providing the rest of the product or service, but sometimes it doesn’t. I understand I don’t know why the extra cost should be my problem. Everyone is getting hurt right now.”
Of course, there are also a lot of inquiries about (and demanding) refunds, but because Mythic has already paid for and completed the first wave of products, automatic refunds are no longer an option. Instead, supporters who want their money back can contact Mythic customer service “and we will do our best based on individual circumstances and their financial situation.”
Unfortunately for frustrated supporters, there’s not much they can do to force a refund or force Mythic to ship the game at a previously agreed-upon rate. Kickstarter rules state that campaigns have a “fundamental responsibility” to complete their projects, address backer concerns, and provide rewards, but, the responsibility for assessing and accepting risk ultimately rests with backers.
“Backers should understand that Kickstarter is not a store,” states Kickstarter’s policy on manufacturer obligations. “When you back a project on Kickstarter, you are helping to create something new – not pre-ordering something that already exists. As Kickstarter does not offer refunds, we do not offer refunds to backers.” We encourage you to scrutinize the project idea, to thoroughly examine the builder, and to assess the inherent risk of the project for yourself before making a pledge.”
This is a tough place. I sympathize with Mythic’s plight: Nearly 29,000 people supported the Darkest Dungeon board game, and that’s just too many boxes to ship globally at a time when the cost of virtually everything is rising. But I’ve also backed more than a dozen Kickstarters over the years, and I have no doubt I’d be upset—at the very least—if I was suddenly told I had to pay more to get the product. I was promised—and if I didn’t, the money I had already paid was forfeited.
I’ve contacted Mythic Games and Darkest Dungeon creator Red Hook Studios for more information on the Kickstarter status, and whether the request for additional funding will be reversed, and will update if I get a response.
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