Pathfinder Online, the “next-generation fantasy sandbox MMO” whose Kickstarter campaign was $125,000 short of its goal yesterday with only fourteen hours to go, has scraped past its $1,000,000 target in the nick of time.
Despite the limited amount of time left when the campaign reached its goal, the team at Goblinworks Inc. still implemented stretch goals. The first, set to kick in when the funding reached $1.06 million, will see the game get gnomes – the winners of a poll opened to fans – added to its character lineup.
Further stretch goals, which would have brought more content to the “Emerald Spire” book companion to the game, were not met.
Had Pathfinder Online not met its target, the game would still have been made, but without that extra $1 million the work would have taken much longer. Even so, the game isn't due to be properly ready until early 2016, though “early enrolment” is set to begin next year.
The team thanked backers in an update when the goal was met yesterday:
WE ARE FUNDED!
Awed, humbled, utterly blown away by your love and support. Words fail us.
Having reached our funding goal is such an amazing achievement. We'll be the 10th most funded videogame project in Kickstarter history. We are showing the videogame industry that there's a place for a fantasy sandbox MMO, FUNDED BY ITS PLAYERS.
This is history-making stuff here, people. And you are a part of it.