The Woes Continue for Mighty No 9 Kickstarter Backers
Three months after its release, Kickstarter backers of Mighty Number 9 are still waiting for their pledges to be fulfilled.
It’s not looking pretty for Kickstarter backers of Mighty No 9. After years of smoke and mirror theatrics, miscommunication and multiple delays, Mighty No 9 released in June to relatively insipid reviews across the board. That in itself is a kick in the pants for fans who threw down their hard earned cash, understandably thinking that their investment was a good one with industry stalwart Kenji Inafune at the helm.
But even three months after Mighty No 9’s release, the managerial missteps and shady practices continue. Backers that pledged for 3DS and PS Vita versions remain out in the cold. No word has been forthcoming from Comcept on when the handheld versions will be available, or even the development status of these versions. Some backers are even still waiting on their keys for platforms that have already been released.
It is also painfully clear that many backers who pledged for physical rewards are yet to receive their loot. A brief perusal of the comments on the Mighty No 9 Kickstarter page reveal that backers from every tier from $60 up are still waiting for word on the status of their physical rewards. Some delay might be considered acceptable given the complexity involved in the organisation and distribution of said rewards. But these physical rewards were initially promised to be with backers by April 2015 (yes, a year-and-a-half ago), which should not have been held up by delays to the game itself.
Comcept has shown a surprising stubbornness to not engage with backers on the game’s Kickstarter page. Instead, the company continues to roll out tedious updates about the latest fan concept art competition or behind-the-scene documentary videos. But no mention of the issues that backers actually want answers to. Even though every update from Comcept is met with rabid and disgruntled comments from backers, the silence is deafening.
If you ever wanted the perfect example of how not to run a Kickstarter campaign, look no further than Mighty No 9. Both Inafune and Comcept have lost a lot of credibility with the mismanaging of this campaign. Especially so, when it was discovered that Inafune had turned his attention to other games including Red Ash and Re-Core. For more information on these games, you may wish to read What Does Inafune's Presumptuous and Disingenuous Red Ash Kickstarter Say About Gamers? and ReCore: Can It Survive the Curse of Comcept?
Gamers do not forgive or forget easily.
In the mean time, Mighty No 9 Kickstarter backers remain sitting miserably on the sidelines. With no word on when the 3DS/PS Vita versions will release or when physical rewards will be shipped, there is very little good news. And even when those versions are released, the game that awaits them leaves a lot to be desired.
Writer:
Stephen Mitchell