The platformer Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus has just been released on Steam and all major consoles, but the studio behind the game is already facing a crisis.
What kind of game is this? Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus is a colorful Metroidvania based on Japanese folklore and the debut of the indie studio Squid Shock Games. It was released on July 17, 2024, on Steam and has a 78% positive rating there.
Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus was published by Humble Games, but only a week after the release, the publisher announced a restructuring on July 23 – without any employees. In a post on X, the studio explained: “We lost access to our critical systems pipeline without warning.”
Without publisher support, the devs turn to the community
How did the studio cope without a publisher? Squid Shock describes the first two weeks after launch as “hectic.” Due to the publisher’s restructuring, they were unable to provide the crucial post-launch support, endangering the future of the studio.
Currently, they can only manage the Steam version of the game and have already released an update there. However, the situation on consoles looks worse, as ports and quality updates were part of the deal with Humble Games.
However, they are working on restoring access to the “pipeline”.
How is the studio managing? As the developers explain, they still have a lot planned that goes beyond small updates for their game. To deliver the planned content in the future, the studio is returning to its roots: crowd-funding.
The original funding of Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus was achieved through supporters on Kickstarter who believed in the project. Therefore, the developers have now started an account on Patreon to give fans a behind-the-scenes look while simultaneously raising funds.
There, you can choose from six different tiers, which cost between 1 and 97 euros per month and grant access to various content. As a “Seedling,” you get a digital thank-you card, as well as access to exclusive content on Patreon and to the Discord server.
For just under 100 euros per month, you’ll get a character appearance in the game, a personalized thank-you message, a mention in the credits of future games, access to beta builds, as well as earlier access to developer updates and a thank-you package sent to your home.
Many games have taken their first successful steps on Kickstarter. Currently, the creators of a special MMORPG have celebrated a significant milestone: The new MMORPG Peasent lets you play as a farmer and surpassed its Kickstarter goal in just 24 hours.
