Square Enix to launch ‘Collective’ crowdfunding program

It appears Square Enix is getting into the crowd-funding business. They’re gearing to roll out a new platform called Collective. It’s a multi step process similar to Steam’s Greenlight in which developers essentially pitch ideas, gain support from the community and ultimately receive the funding they need to turn a idea into a reality.

The initial information is available now on the Collective website but Square Enix is planning to explain the platform more in depth at the Game Developers Conference in November.

According to the Collective site,

“Each project pitch submitted goes through an evaluation phase to ensure ideas sit within the submission parameters, and if the community backs your ideas we’ll work with you on a due diligence process to give the community reassurance that you have the expertise and tools you need to create the game you’re planning to – plus we’ll use our experience of bringing games to market to help you work out how much you’ll need to raise to make it a reality.”

The community plays a large part in the process.

“When a pitch goes live, you’ll have 28 days to decide if you think it’ll make a good game, and get involved in the feedback process. Then, if that idea receives enough support, we’ll check it out – and if the team is good to go, we’ll open it up for crowd-funding via our partnership with Indiegogo – which is your chance to get in early and help to get the game you want to play into development.”

After the pitch is approved the crowd-funding process will begin. When and if the goal amount has been reached with Indiegogo it will enter the final phase – distribution. Square Enix will then distribute the funded game (digital download only) and ensure the majority of revenue goes to the developer.

Square Enix will also allow some developers to work with older IP’s from it’s subsidiary company, Eidos Interactive. Just which IP’s are unknown. Many questions loom but we’ll have to wait till GDC Next in November for more details.

Do you think Collective has a future? What older Eidos games would you like to see rebooted or a next-installment-of?

SOURCE Square Enix Collective