Securing funding for a video game has always been a daunting task, but in recent years, it’s become nothing short of a Herculean challenge. The days of COVID-era spending sprees are over, and developers are now facing a harsh reality: even modest budgets are hard to come by, let alone anything above $1 million. This is the story of Brooke Burgess, creator of Fallen, who finds himself in this very predicament as he seeks $1.5 million to bring his vision to life.
But here’s where it gets controversial: while publishers like Devolver Digital and 11-Bit Studios are shifting their focus to smaller, lower-risk titles, Burgess is betting on a mid-sized project that dares to dream bigger. Fallen is a captivating blend of combat and exploration, inspired by classics like Hyper Light Drifter and Death’s Door. It follows Astra, an angel sent to hell to uncover a conspiracy about its very existence—a narrative that challenges the nature of good and evil. Along the way, players must decide whether to forgive, condemn, or abandon souls, each choice shaping the gameplay in unique ways.
And this is the part most people miss: despite its ambitious scope and clear potential, Fallen is struggling to secure funding. Burgess has pitched to numerous publishers and investors, receiving praise but no commitments. The consensus? Anything above $500,000 is a no-go. Even though the game fits squarely within the wheelhouse of publishers known for action-adventure titles, the financial commitment remains a sticking point. Is the industry too risk-averse, or is Burgess’s vision simply ahead of its time?
Burgess isn’t without experience—far from it. With a career spanning from EA producer to narrative consultant, he’s no newcomer. Yet, this is his first time in the director’s chair, and investors are wary. Fallen’s budget, though modest for its scope, feels like a gamble in today’s tight-fisted market. Burgess’s business plan is reasonable: a small team working for two and a half years, with room for additional talent in art, localization, and marketing. He’s even explored transmedia opportunities, from comics to merchandise, to expand the game’s universe.
But the landscape is unforgiving. Burgess has been navigating private financing for 18 months and courting publishers for seven, yet a deal remains elusive. Is the industry’s obsession with trends—open-world, souls-like, JRPGs—leaving innovative projects like Fallen in the dust? Burgess’s motivation is simple: to create a game he’d want to play, a self-contained single-player experience that doesn’t demand 60 hours of commitment. And with the success of old-school titles like Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, there’s clearly an audience hungry for this kind of game.
To cut costs, Burgess has turned to AI—a topic every publisher brings up. He plans to use it for localization, QA, and animating Renaissance-style paintings in the game. But he’s no AI evangelist. Is AI the future of game development, or a risky shortcut? Burgess is pragmatic: he’d rather not use it, but if it means reducing the budget from $1.8 million to $1.5 million and increasing the chances of funding, he’s willing to explore it—without compromising creativity.
Crowdfunding? Burgess has considered it, but the appetite for original IP has waned. Audiences, burned by unfinished projects, now favor nostalgia and established IPs. A hybrid model, where a publisher matches crowdfunding efforts, could be a solution. But so far, it’s just another maybe.
The project began years ago when Burgess reconnected with his mentor, Scott Blackwood, who funded a prototype before passing away in 2023. Blackwood’s vision was to bypass publishers and seek private venture capital, a strategy Burgess has pursued ever since. But in an industry where publishers are tightening their purse strings, is this even possible?
As frustration sets in, Burgess’s sentiment is clear: “I just want to make the damn game.” But the question remains: will the industry let him? Is the current funding climate stifling creativity, or is Burgess’s struggle a necessary rite of passage for any ambitious developer? Let us know what you think in the comments—is the industry too risk-averse, or is Burgess’s vision simply too bold for today’s market?
