Game That Raised $300,000 On Kickstarter Won’t Be Released As Studio Shuts Down

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The creator of the semi-crowd-financed PC game titled Alzara: Radiant Echoes has declared that they are discontinuing operations, meaning the game will not be distributed following a successful fundraising campaign that surpassed $300,000 for its production.

Studio Camelia, who managed to gather €294,428 (approximately $339,000 USD) from over 5,000 backers through Kickstarter, revealed the news in an official statement.

“We can only imagine your disappointment upon reading this,” the studio said.

Studio Camelia regrets to inform you that they cannot process refunds for those who contributed to their Kickstarter campaign. They understand this might not be what was expected, but Kickstarter projects come with inherent risks which are made clear during the fundraising process.

As a gamer backing a project on Kickstarter, it’s crucial to understand that this platform isn’t like a regular store offering returns or refunds. When I pledge my support, I’m essentially helping a creator bring their innovative idea to life. By joining them on this journey, I accept the risks and uncertainties that come with creating something new.

What happened?

The team announced their intention to construct a JRPG with a unique outlook, drawing inspiration from games such as Final Fantasy X and Golden Sun. The project received financial backing from a Kickstarter campaign, personal savings of the staff members, as well as investors like business angels, banks, and institutions. Additionally, the game was selected to participate in Microsoft’s Developer Boost Program.

Nevertheless, Studio Camelia’s explanation only addressed half of the requirements for creating Alzara. Consequently, they opted to launch a Kickstarter campaign to show prospective investors that Alzara had potential. Later on, they endeavored to acquire funding from an “industry partner,” but unfortunately, they couldn’t find one.

Investors currently find themselves in a situation where it’s more prudent to minimize risk, so they’re choosing to be patient before fully dedicating to a project, thus lowering potential risks.

At events such as the Tokyo Game Show, DICE, and others, Studio Camelia engaged potential partners for funding opportunities. However, no agreements were finalized following these meetings.

The developer stated that they gave their all and hung on as long as possible. This is a tough aspect of our industry. We may be creatives, but we require financial support to continue creating. Even with an exciting game idea, proven market appeal, and a talented team, success isn’t guaranteed. It seems like every released game is nothing short of a miracle.

Currently, Alzara has been put on a temporary hold due to the studio’s ongoing liquidation process. This procedure involves several legal steps that will take a while to complete.

The studio mentioned that there’s a small possibility a third party could potentially intervene and assume control of the project in the future. If this occurs, the nature of the game might deviate from the path promised during the campaign, but it’s hoped this change would be for the best.

Pre-production demo footage

Although Alzara might not see a release, Studio Camelia unveiled sneak peeks of the game during pre-production, displaying an unpolished version of the project. However, they can’t share the demo themselves because of copyright matters and complications related to the liquidation process.

A significant number of video games get initiated but never see the light of day due to the unpredictable nature of the creative process. For instance, Blizzard Entertainment reveals that they abandon around half of the games they start developing. Warner Bros., on the other hand, is known for investing $100 million into a new Wonder Woman game project before deciding to cancel it.

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2025-06-18 22:39