Failbetter launches fund for narrative games

Failbetter Games, the UK studio behind Fallen London and Sunless Sea, has launched its new Fundbetter initiative to assist the development of games with a narrative focus.

Described as a ‘rolling fund’, the venture is aimed at independent projects with investments of between £2,000 and £20,000 available. For larger projects, more significant investments may be available if matched by Kickstarter backing or other sources of funding.

"We want to pay our luck forward, and support game designers and writers from all kinds of backgrounds: first-timers, veteran game makers, LGBT+ and black and minority ethnic creators, people whose backgrounds are in linear fiction, theatre, radio, TV and film,” the studio’s Hannah Flynn wrote on the Failbetter website.

“We’re open-minded on the meaning of ‘narrative’ and ‘game,’ though we’re most excited by text-centric projects. Your idea could be a game with a strong linear storyline; a choice-based narrative using Twine or a similar technology; a piece of parser-based interactive fiction; a card game where story emerges from the mechanics; or a dozen other things we haven’t thought of.”

The first recipient of Fundbetter investment is Harry Tuffs, the developer behind upcoming title A House of Many Doors.

You can find out more about how to apply at www.failbettergames.com/fundbetter.