Battalion 1944 developer pledges refunds for all Kickstarter backers, no questions asked
"We flew too close to the sun."
Bulkhead, the Derby-based developer of old-school WW2 shooter Battalion 1944 (also known as Battalion: Legacy), is providing refunds to its Kickstarter backers, with no questions asked.
In a joint statement with studio owner Splash Damage, the developer stated this decision had been prompted by the fact it "couldn't fully deliver on all that [it] set out to do" with the game.
These refunds are eligible to all of Battalion 1944's original backers, regardless of platform, pledge tier, or time played in the game.
"Without that initial Kickstarter support, Bulkhead wouldn't exist today. We want to thank our backers for believing in the project as strongly and as passionately as we did," Bulkhead's CEO Joe Brammer said today.
Splash Damage exec Richard Jolly added: "We're not just committed to learning from these experiences, but also demonstrating it through action, and we believe this is what best respects the support and loyalty that the Battalion community has shown us."
Players who backed Battalion 1944 on Kickstarter will find more information on how to claim their refunds in an email from the company.
In addition to announcing these refunds, the studio addressed its previously promised console release, which was cancelled last year. It admitted it "flew too close to the sun" with its Battalion 1944 ambitions, and attempted more than it could handle.
Following the cancellation of Battalion 1944's console version, Bulkhead stated it would be refunding all of its console Kickstarter backers. Nearly a year on, today's announcement marks the first time PlayStation and Xbox owners are now able to claim these.
The team at Bulkhead will now continue to work with Splash Damage, whose titles include the Enemy Territory franchise.
"We feel like we've got our confidence back now," creative director Howard Philpot said in a video accompanying this announcement (see above). "We don't feel like we have to hide any more. Our original believers who backed us are being repaid, and this allows us to have a new beginning."