Gas Powered cans Kickstarter amid studio turmoil

Beleaguered developer Gas Powered Games has cancelled its Kickstarter project for a new action RPG, as it focuses its attention on staying open.

Gas Powered cut off its crowdfunding effort four days ahead it deadline with only $504,120 pledge of its $1,100,000 goal.

On the Kickstarter page for Wildman, the developer posted an update saying it plans to focus its attention on “other ways to keep Gas Powered Games running”, but did not share any specifics.

Last month, the studio made substantial layoffs shortly after launching its Kickstarter, throwing its financial stability into question. Gas Powered CEO Chris Taylor lamented the fact that donations from backers had become “about saving a company” as opposed to funding a game.

“I’m really not happy that too many people are pledging not because they like the game, but because they feel sorry for us,” he wrote at the time on a Reddit thread.

“That’s not what making games is about!! I feel terrible about that. I want people to support it because they like the idea. Otherwise it’s not a true process. If it’s the wrong game at the wrong time, then we need to be sent packing.”

Develop’s Craig Chapple commented on the developer’s decision to turn to crowdfunding, despite its financial position and subsequent promotional activates.