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Japacon TV is a show that is on the forefront of the Japanese content industry and broadcasts at 12 a.m. every Friday on the Japanese satellite broadcast channel BS Fuji. We continue with the fourth part of Episode 15, “This is the Way the Game Industry Thrives.” In this part, crowdfunding, a new way to create games, is introduced.
Crowdfunding is a way for companies to solicit help in the form of monetary investments from a large number of people. Before crowdfunding, taking out a loan through a financial institution was the general way that companies received sponsorship and funding. However, in recent years, crowdfunding, which is concentrated in America, has spread and become an area of interest for many creators as a method or raising funds for game production.
The Japanese indie game Monken is one game that was produced through crowdfunding. Monken is a name for a wrecking ball used to demolish old buildings. In the game, players operate a monken to destroy a building and save people who are being held hostage inside. Although it’s an indie game, Monken a complete game that was developed by pro game creator Kazutoshi Iida.
At the time of production, 2 million yen in funding had been received through the crowdfunding site, Campfire. In just three weeks, more than 200 people invested in the game and the project exceeded its funding goal. However, a game can’t be made with just 2 million yen. So, did the staff of Monken utilize crowdfunding? Watch the show to find out!
This is a Tokyo Otaku Mode Original article.
