A Studio's Fight to Stay Afloat: The Power of Community Support

Three Fields Entertainment, a game development studio, is in a tough spot. They made a game called Wreckreation, which lets players change race tracks and the world with a simple button press. But when it came out, it wasn't well-received. Players pointed out many technical problems and felt there wasn't enough content. This was a big blow to the studio. Just over a month after the game's release, the studio's CEO, Fiona Sperry, shared some bad news. She posted on LinkedIn that the entire team might be let go if things didn't get better. She expressed pride in her team but admitted the reality was harsh. The studio had been funding itself for most of the year and all post-launch content. Without support from their publisher, keeping the studio running was becoming impossible.But the story doesn't end there. Three Fields Entertainment decided to turn to the community for help. They launched a Patreon page, responding to players who wanted to support them. The page explains that the studio needs about $65, 000 a month to keep the team together and continue updating the game. The studio is also looking for new partners and pitching new projects. However, finding new funding can be a long process, and many studios have shut down or laid off staff while waiting. The video game industry is facing a tough time overall, with layoffs and studio shutdowns happening frequently. The next few months are crucial for Three Fields Entertainment. They hope their story will have a different ending than many other studios facing similar challenges. The power of community support could be the key to their survival.