After dropping off the map for quite a while, Serbian developer Ebb Software has reached out to the Kickstarter backers who helped fund its upcoming horror FPS titleScorn. While Ebb Software did provide backers with an explanation for why the team went radio silent, it also made its position very clear. It seems that the developer intends to prioritize making the game over building hype–or maintaining a line of communication with fans–and unsatisfiedKickstarterbackers are invited to ask for a refund.
Scornwas advertised as a survival horror game inspired by the works of Polish artist Zdzislaw Beksinski and Swiss artist H. R. Giger, both of whom were very well known for their activity in the body horror genre. Earlyteaser trailers forScorncapitalized on grotesque imagery to build a sense of the game’s atmosphere and draw attention from potential players. However, the last trailer for Scorn was released in October of 2020, which appears to have left many fans frustrated.
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Recently, Ebb Software addressed the development team’s silence in an update to theScornKickstarter page. The post includes an unofficial announcement thatScornwill be delayed into 2022and possibly further if the game needs more work. According to the developers, they stayed quiet because they wanted to focus on making the game over building up excitement for a release that could still be months or years away. They also stated their belief that interrupting the developers to communicate with fans or drum up hype could damage the end product, citing the infamousCyberpunk 2077as an example, and invited frustrated fans to ask for a refund.
The post went on to explain that the team originally drummed up publicity specifically to get the game funded, but now that they have their funding, they plan to dedicate their resources to game development rather than marketing. While this may sound reasonable, it can’t be denied thatScornwas originally announced back in 2016 and the release date has been consistently pushed back.Scornis still a highly-anticipated releaseat this time, but it’s uncertain how long the excitement will last.
In this post, Ebb Software makes it clear that it is unlikely to adjust its schedule, even to keep fans updatedonScorn’s development progress. The studio notes that most AAA games are marketed using cinematic trailers made by other companies and thatScorndoesn’t have the resources to use this strategy. Ebb Software’s desire to focus on making the game before marketing it may be understandable, but it could also be disappointing for gamers who pledged on Kickstarter to bring the project to life.
Scornis coming to the PC and Xbox Series X in 2022.
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