The King of Wayward Kickstarters - Axes & Anvils (is pretty much dead)

Latest update can be summarized as thus:

The money is gone, I spent more time running kickstarters and organizing cons than I did to actually write the games in question. I fucked up, but so do 40% of RPG kickstarters that never produce a product (a number puled out of his nether region). No worries tho, because I can still try the pyramid scheme to have a later project fund an earlier one - wait, that's what put me here in the first place...

Here it is in it's full glory:


Project Update #39: Update

Posted by Mike Nystul

So here's the thing. I screwed up. I started a game company and proceeded as though the cash flow and production speed would keep pace. They did not. I’ve tried to keep you informed and up-to-date, but most of all I’ve tried to deliver on expectations. So far, all you’ve seen are delays and broken promises. I take this situation very seriously.

The long and the short of it is that Cairn and Axes and Anvils have become troubled projects. We are out of money, due to some poor decisions on my part. People have asked for refunds I can't possibly give them.

Some 40% of RPG Kickstarters fail, their sponsors simply disappearing with the money (bull fucking shit Mike! 40% may be late, seriously late, but few totally fail after collecting cash - it may be that 40% fail to fund, but that's not the issue here). Good people don’t ever see the projects in which they put their faith, and they don’t receive refunds. That number haunts me. That will not happen here.

Cairn could use more work to make it what it should be. I was rushing to get it out and turned in some inferior work. I just wanted to get something out the door and into your hands. Axes and Anvils has suffered because I was thinking like someone running a company and has too much going on at once.

We have discussed ways in which to get something into your hands – maybe ashcans like the old D&D White Books. It’s not the finished project, but it lets you see what we’re doing and lets you start playing with it as soon as possible.

I believe in these games. I will move heaven and earth to get it out, and into your hands. Every promise made will be honored – every tankard and every last stitch on every last plush. This company and it's products will NOT be numbered among the 40%. I and everyone involved in the project are completely committed to that notion. All I can do is be completely honest with you, and ask you all to forgive my my stupidity and bear with me as I make it right.

I tried to salvage the company with my well intentioned, but poorly received, IndieGogo campaign. I see the point of the people who objected - I was not an effective custodian of your investment in the first place. Why invest more? An excellent point. All I can really say is my goal here has nothing at all to do with money.

Case in point - one of my bad decisions was DwarfCon. We didn't have the money or manpower to mount a first year Convention. Based on optimistic projections of where I thought we would be it seemed like a good idea. I shut it down and took a big hit. Because my first priority is the people who supported the idea I'm mounting NonCon instead. For free. A way to try to make good without asking for anything but your moral support.

Moving forward, I am searching for ways to fix these problems that don't call for anyone to invest further or take a leap of faith. I may try another IndieGoGo but this time for a complete in-hand game. Not a promise. A product. I will be working as hard as I know how to dig myself out of the hole I find myself in. My heartfelt thanks to everyone who has been patient and understanding.