Update:
Playtonic Games has now announced two new stretch goals on its campaign page. £1.1 million will bring an N64 'shader mode' plus a DK rap + video in the credits, while £1.2 million will add a developer walkthrough and commentary video. At current momentum these will likely be passed in the next day or so - there's no stopping this hype train at the moment.
Original Article:
Playtonic Games launched its Yooka-Laylee Kickstarter yesterday at 5PM UK time, which turned heads by smashing through its initial funding goal in under an hour.
Of course, that initial goal is just the beginning, and many Kickstarter projects withhold certain elements for the loftier stretch goals - and Yooka-Laylee was no exception. However, missing out on features isn't something that supporters of this venture have to worry about any more, because the campaign has just reached its final stretch goal of £1 million - and in less than 24 hours of being live, too.
That means a Wii U launch is guaranteed for day one, alongside the other console editions and PC version. It also means that the talented team at Playtonic now has some serious work to do - but as we found when we were lucky enough to visit the company's offices recently, dedication isn't something that is in short supply.
Be sure to check out our exclusive behind the scenes feature here, as well as our gameplay impressions here.
[source kickstarter.com]
Comments 92
I just knew it would! This game has impressed me from the very beginning, so it is no surprise to see it succeed. If they can make a game look THAT good with just 3 months of development, I am very eager to see what the finished product looks like! It helps that the song clips they just released are incredible.
It feels like Rare is back!
Wow the platforming looks wonky. I know it's early footage but, what's up with the pretty backgrounds with zero interaction i.e. leaves don't move when they walk through them. And I will say it again that bats nose is f,ing ugly.
Let's hope they put all of that money to good use!
Woot! Maybe a Yooka-Laylee commercial? Plushies? ...amiibo?
@Grimlock_King This is three months of work. Get a grip.
Needs Yooka-Laylee plushies and/or amiibo stretch goals.
@erborlongan They already added another one xD
@Damo
Any news on Madmen Football??! Can't wait for that gem!
@Damo I agree!
Great news, but let's not forget that there is no guarantee that the WiiU version will be released on launch day, or even released if a publisher has any say. Let's not forget Project Cars!
Hell yeah. I haven't been this excited about a game in a long time. Real 3D platforming is back baby and I'm so happy I could cry. My faith in the gaming community has really gone up a few notches after hearing this.
The next stretch goal is a new DK rap written by the same writer as the original, but now it's a rap for ooka-laylee.
Is this a new crowdfunding record? I mean, a Million in less than 24 hours (and in British Pound, no less) sound rather stellar!
@Laxeybobby The stretch goal guarantees that, so Playtonic will most likely sync the releases with each other, and I believe 1Million should make that work out fine enough.
Two new stretch goals added, but we need even more!!!
How about stretch goals for reaching 2 million pounds? Or 3 million? Or 4?
So, now all I need to decide is, do I get this on PC or Wii U?
Absolutely astonishing. I expected success, but this is something else. Super stoked and happy to be a backer.
THE DEMAND IS REAL. THE PEOPLE HATH SPOKEN. WE WANT 3D PLATFORMERS!!
@Damo Super Damo - Troll Hunter... Well put!
Never really had that much interest in anything on kick starter and have never funded anything. But for some reason this has really caught my attention in a big way, I just have to keep checking back to the ks page!!
Never really played BK either, although I was 16 when it came out so probably had other things on my mind at the time!
At 3,000,000: Alright guys. Good news and bad news. Bad news, we're not making the game. Good news, we just bought Banjo-Kazooie's IP so we'll be making a new game off that. Wait for our next Kickstarter
This is definitely good news, I was afraid this game would have been just a small thing cause low budget, now however they can put togheter a true spiritual sequel with no funds limitation.
But I think they are running out of stretch goals... A new rap and video walkthrought? People should slow down the funding for give them time for proper strech-goals' planning XD
Does anybody know what the N64 shader mode is? Does that make the game look like an N64 game? If so that is sweet! I agree the 1.2 million pound goal is kind of lame, but the 1.1 million goal for the N64 shader and DK style rap is incredible!
@zeldagaymer93 i'd some it'd shade all the textures in block colours, i doubt it'll change the models to all pointy
The next stretch goal should be to change the characters to Banjo-Kazooie haha
One and a half million dollars in a single day?! (That's how much 1m pounds is equal to. More than that, actually.) They haven't even made the game yet!
On the kickstarterit says gk rap not dk rap.
I backed it. Threw 15 pounds at them as soon as I got up.
@BaffleBlend
Pounds.
Thank you to everyone who funded this so I dont have to.
But Ill believe Oct 2016 when I see it. I mean, how do you have about 10 different stretch goals adding so many differnt things - co-op, vs, etc - yet the release date is always the same?
Im still waiting on Rainbow Skies, announced Aug 2013 for a 2014 release, and now the date is simply 2015, and its already May. And Zeldas release date is "not 2015", has Nintendo even guaranteed 2016 yet? All they've told us is no show at E3.
So yes, so far this game looks like something Id really like, but Im going to pretend it doesnt exist for now, like the Yankees and Arods $6mil home run.
How does Kickstarter work? I would have liked to back this game, but I do not know if the money is taken straight away or nearer the time of release.
Could someone please clarify how it all works?
Big sassy game publishers always denying and not supporting this type of games in more than 10 years because they think 3D platformers are not going to be supported by customers and here we did it in just 24 hours!! Hope they take this as a strong message that gamers are always going to be ready to support and play a good 3D platformer. Congrats, Playtonic! Now you guys have a ton of work to do. Hope they don't dissapoint us and make Yooka-Laylee an awesome game!
@Grimlock_King I actually like the bat's sound effects. Watching the gameplay video with the grunts really flushes out the game to me for some reason.
@rjejr I second thanking everyone else who contributed. I love the idea of Kickstarter, but I'm always hesitant to back anything. This was the first time I was going to back something, but now I don't have too.
I really, really kinda hope Microsoft is seeing this and realizing the error of their ways in how they treated Rare after the acquisition.
Seeing this news is making me giggle and smile!
I threw money at the screen, and it worked. No telling what they'll give backers later on, like Yacht Club Games to SK backers.
Anyway, I can't wait for this game, and I do have doubts it's going to make the October 2016 release. But who knows? These guys do have a lot of experience and tons of cash. Not that that guarantees a release of Oct. 2016, but still, it bodes well.
Also, @Alundra-1998, you don't get charged until a set time. Basically, they do it sometime after the game is funded. Not sure when this particular campaign will charge you, but it's not instant.
Jesus Christ
Nintendo, it's about time you consider about New Super Mario 64.
Microsoft, you'll get your "gamers don't want these kinds of games anymore" thrown back at you time and again. I hope you're ready.
Playtonic, think about the best about the past. You can make something colossal out of this serious lack of 3D platformers: practically you're alone in the genre. Think big. I'm funding a Wii U version even with the MXN - GBP exchange rate (No laughing matter, guys. Trust me)
Everybody else: Hyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyypeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
That'd be all. Nice day.
I heard something amiibo being a potential implementation. I would definitely get them if they made characters for them.
@Laxeybobby
There is no publisher, and they've confirmed that it will be on all platforms day one.
@Nik-Davies They mentioned Amiibo at their little press conference but I doubt it will come as this game will be for everything, Not just Nintendo.
@Outburst: Thank you for correcting me. When I realized it, I converted it to get an idea of how much it was... and it turns out a million pounds is WELL over a million dollars. So now I'm even MORE impressed.
Okay I'm blown away by this. I wasn't expecting them to reach 1 million. That means all consoles will be released at the same time. Great news!
@rjejr
"I mean, how do you have about 10 different stretch goals adding so many differnt things - co-op, vs, etc - yet the release date is always the same?"
Because those things were always likely to be in the game regardless, and were put as 'stretch goals' to encourage contributions.
@rjejr the money is used to hire more people so the workload is spread out more evenly.
I pledged £55 and got a t-shirt.
There's just no stopping this game, and that's a good thing.
@Damo Actually, it's a GK Rap (Grant Kirkhope Rap), not a DK Rap.
@Pokefanmum82
I was gonna and then I saw the extra £10 postage and I went to the £35 instead lol
@KingofSaiyans
I think that might be the case as well. I hope it happens.
Almost at 1.1m pounds!! I'm very impressed by the people reception about this game.
I'm waiting for M$ to pull Banjo-Kazooie 4 out of their asses in retaliation, and make it suck harder than Nut & Bolts.
@Kaze_Memaryu @ryanator008
I'm just stating that nothing is guaranteed with these kickstarter projects as there is no legally binding contract to guarantee what you back you finally get.
Wasn't that the case with Project Cars when they were funded? WiiU promised as a primary release platform, which is allegedly why so many Nintendo users backed them.
Now look at Project Cars - Namco Bandi take it on and all platforms except the WiiU get a release date (although WiiU version was in doubt long before they signed as publisher because no WiiU preview material has ever been released).
Wow, I expected this to do well, but this is still surprisingly great
@Laxeybobby That's true, and it's the main reason I'm not backing anymore. But I'm kinda optimistic that this here will go better than some others.
@rjejr These are trained veteran developers we're talking about
Not a pet project by a bunch of kids, like most Kickstarter initiatives.
@Laxeybobby If you watch the video interviews, they're not interested in a publisher - they don't want anyone to come in and make changes to the process. The only thing they'll look at is a possible partner who'll let them do it their way. With these guys' history and love for Nintendo, the day 1 release on Wii U is guaranteed.
I'm torn. I want them to get loads of backers to make the game as good as possible, but often going way over the target causes problems. The original targets are planned out over weeks and months, every pound of each stretch goal allocated to the task. When far more money than planned pours in and the developers feel pressure to continue adding stretch goals without the time to really plan it starts to get a bit muddy.
Just look at Double Fine. They get all that money, way more than they planned for, and they start making the game bigger and bigger... and suddenly the game is too big, and they actually need more money again. If they'd got the exact amount that was asked for, I bet that game would have come out on time because it was so carefully planned out.
@Peach64 I get where you're coming from, but I do honestly believe that with the experience of the people in question that they'll be smart enough to handle the extra money/hype in a practical way...
I also think that looking at the total raised right now that they might wanna start thinking about some more "do-able" stretch goals - maybe a version for the New 3DS (seen as I believe it's able to support the Unity game engine) or maybe the inclusion of a classic game in a virtual arcade cabinet a la DK64 with it's inclusion of the original DK or Jetpac - the extra money could be used to buy the rights to include it... Invasion of the Mutant Space Bats of Doom maybe? Think I'd prefer that in comparison to Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards...
@Dr_Corndog WiiU where it's real home is.
@Dr_Corndog
WHY NOT BOTH?!
@OptometristLime - Is that why Zelda is taking so long, Nitneod has a bunch of Kickstarter kids working on it? The Last Guardian had some of the best people in the bizz working on it, sitll not out. Final Fantasy 15 has been in development for 10 years (the first 9 as FF 13 vs) does Square Enix
get all it's talent off of kickstarter? I don't care what Rare was able to accomplish 20 years ago, I'm more of a "what have you done for me lately" kind of guy. Kickstarter or no, Playtonic has exactly ZERO games to it's name.
@HollywoodHogan - That makes sense, but they are still taking on a lot. guess I'll beleive it all when I see it.
@Monado_III - I also get that more money equals more people, but then you still have to tie all the work together, making sure the 4 player intertwines w/ the single player and the 2 player co-op. Still seems like a lot of work for 18 months.
Nothing is guaranteed when it's funded by Kickstarter, indiegogo, etc. Hopefully they stick to their word! I will certainly get this if there aren't too many collectibles
All stretch goals have been reached in less than 48 hours. Should we call this a new record for video game kickstarting campaign?
@Azooooz It is. Pillars of Eternity had a similar start with around $1 million in the first 24 hours, but this beat that.
People also need to realise that just like Capcom and Mighty Number 9, Publishers that no longer fund 3D platformers probably won't be 'kicking themselves'. It's only 35,000 backers, and a game selling even ten times that wouldn't really be considered a hit.
I still don't get people's problem with Kickstarter. Don't feel confident in the people behind it? Then don't back it. There's plenty of people out there happy to throw money at certain developers just to see them try and make a game that they love. I'd pledge £100 to Yu Suzuki if he put up a Shenmue 3 Kickstarter, just to give it a chance. It's not a system to pre-order games years in advance. It's to give us consumers a chance to actually help games get made. Maybe some of you don't care enough to see that happen, but don't knock the system.
@rjejr I think Zelda is being delayed to be a launch day title for the Wii U's successor. It worked out extremely well for Nintendo with Twilight Princess and they could easily use Twilight Princess HD as a replacement to Zelda U.
@Peach64 I just joined the other 35,000 backers with my £15 pledge. And I disagree, ten times 35,000 (350,000) is huge for an indie game. Many AAA titles these days fail to break a million. For an indie "B" title to make just a third of that would be a big deal.
@StarDust4Ever But I'm not talking indie titles. People are going 'Ha, Microsoft, look what you could have had!'. MS aren't indie, and the numbers backing this won't make them regret letting the staff go. It won't stop people though throwing around their comments though. From all accounts it sounds like MS are revealing a Rare-developed 3D platformer at E3, and I bet a lot on here will accuse them of jumping on the bandwagon because of this Kickstarter, despite the fact that game has been in development since before the Playtonic guys left Rare.
@Grumblevolcano - You need 1 of these at the end of your post.
No way no how does Zelda get delayed until NX. NX is only going to be "officially" announced in 2016 for a 2017 holiday release, Zelda will be out in 2016 making extensive use of the Gamepad for which it has been built from the ground up. You can't have a Nintnedo home console w/o a real Zelda game. You just can't, it's Zelda. I'm OK w/ no Metroid.
@rjejr We have Wind Waker HD
For the frankly ridiculous amount of hype NintendoLife is providing this game, I hope you guys are prepared to take some ownership of it should the game never materialize, as so many Scamstarters have.
@Technosphile Uhhhhh.......
They added a new stretch goal, and this one is awesome:
1,500,000 Pounds: Orchestral score!
@rjejr "No way no how does Zelda get delayed until NX. NX is only going to be "officially" announced in 2016 for a 2017 holiday release, Zelda will be out in 2016 making extensive use of the Gamepad for which it has been built from the ground up. You can't have a Nintnedo home console w/o a real Zelda game. You just can't, it's Zelda. I'm OK w/ no Metroid."
That's my thinking, an original Zelda not being on Wii U would be pretty unheard of. With TP, at least GCN already had WW, Wii U has no original Zelda to call its own. Not to slight the device, but whatever NX is, I hope it doesn't get the Zelda that's supposed to be only for Wii U.
I can wait as long as it's good. Delayed and good is better than rushed and bad.
It looks realy nice but the nose of the bat feels a bit off, can't put my finger on it.
I hope they don't copy the old N64 controls they are so wonky
@Azooooz A fully orchestrated soundtrack would be awesome! I can't see them not making twice that at this point, unless a bunch of peeps drop out.
£3 million strech goal - N64 128Mbyte physical cart release. Make it happen guys!
@rjejr You've been burned in the past so you have an increased sensitivity to release dates I get it. But carrying over those fears to a studio that has no track record is irrational; comparing it to Zelda is strange because of the grand scope of that game and the developer involved (delays are common with certain Nintendo franchises).
It's almost capped 2 million pounds now, w00t!
@Grumblevolcano - VC on steroids, doesn't count, like A-Rods 660th home run.
@OptometristLime - "But carrying over those fears to a studio that has no track record is irrational"
I'd say believing ANY release date is irrational these days. Seems like there are as many delays as games released on schedule. And if your talking about a release date 18 months out I'd say the odds of them making it are slim to none.
That's not illogical, it's statistical.
I did my part.did the $24 console of my choice.i have to roll with wii u,since the real rare is back.
@Technosphile it's the real rare that's why.oct you will be wrong.
@Don-Clawleone they are kicking themselves right now.lol I'm luvin it
This could be the return of great 3D platformers that are too rare nowadays. So excited!
Forgive my cynicism, but there is nothing anywhere to say this game will actually be any good. Rare hasn't made an outstanding game in years, and while I realise the game's not being developed by Rare, it may as well be...
This is the first game I have ever backed on kick starter! Super pump'd!
How about a stretch goal for increasing their staff so that they can get this game out sooner and get working on the next awesome game?
Anyone else thinks of Pikmin when they start rolling?
I hate to sound selfish, but being very realistic, I have no incentive to back this game. I don't want a digital download, I don't care about digital anything - digital artbook to me means a PDF full of stuff you could have just copied from a google search. I want a Wii U copy in physical form - this will cost me $60 when the game comes out, WELL under the only reward tier that might offer it. That being said - the games already funded so I'll just reap the rewards without shelling out my cash for meaningless rewards.
@Kat This is arguably due to managerial direction. The folks who have broken off and are now playtonic are obviously capable of greatness (as seen by their portfolio) and now without the restraints by Microsoft have made it known what direction they want to go - this direction being the same as those good games of yore. So, no there isn't a guarantee but let's settle for the probability is astronomically higher than whatever Rare's next project might be.
Just backed it now myself for the console download. The N64 cartridge version description is a little confusing but intriguing. It sounds likely they are just encasing a USB drive with possibly the PC game on it in a N64 cartridge with box. Or did I read it incorrectly and they will be making a huge 64GB (not MB) cart version of the game playable on N64? Would love to see a physical retro version for N64 happen and would hope that some are made available later on for $99 or less. Also the stretch goal of the N64 shader mode was met, so I'm assuming a mode will be available or rather unlockable to have the option for N64 quality visuals? This project just keeps getting better and better.
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