Darkhaven's kickstarter plagued by fraud, echoes past failure
The retro RPG revival is facing turbulence. Darkhaven, a project spearheaded by Phil Shenk, a key artist from Diablo II, is battling a wave of fraudulent donations and unsettling parallels to a previous, similarly named venture that vanished with nearly $700,000. The situation is raising serious questions about the viability of the Kickstarter campaign and the future of the game itself.
Kickstarter under siege: $65,000 in fake donations
Moon Beast Productions, the studio behind Darkhaven, has confirmed that at least $65,000 of their Kickstarter funding is comprised of illegitimate contributions—money that won’t be collected but still appears as secured pledges on the platform. This has left the studio in a precarious position: accept the loss and proceed, or shutter the campaign, refund all backers, and attempt a relaunch. The choice isn't a simple one, and the team is reportedly weighing its options.
Shenk, however, remains steadfast in his commitment to delivering the “best possible experience” to players. While the financial setback is concerning, it hasn't yet jeopardized the core development of Darkhaven. However, the incident has understandably sown doubt among existing backers, splitting the community between those willing to see the project through and those urging a complete reset.
A ghost from the past: the original darkhaven debacle
The current turmoil isn’t happening in a vacuum. Years ago, another project named Darkhaven, developed by Hidden Achievement, raised over $640,000 on Kickstarter promising a spiritual successor to Final Fantasy Tactics or Tactics Ogre. What began as a promising campaign devolved into silence. Since October 2023, communication from Michael Monks, the previously obscure figure leading Hidden Achievement, has ceased entirely. The studio’s website vanished, social media accounts went dark, and attempts by backers to retrieve their funds have largely been unsuccessful, leading most to believe they were victims of a scam.
The echoes are chilling. Backers of Shenk's Darkhaven are drawing uncomfortable comparisons, despite the projects’ differing narratives and concepts. The specter of the previous Darkhaven failure looms large, fueling skepticism about whether this venture will meet a similar fate.
Moon Beast Productions has yet to announce a definitive course of action regarding the Kickstarter campaign, stating they need “a few more days to consider the best path forward.” Whether they choose to persevere through the current challenges or start anew remains to be seen. One thing is certain: the Darkhaven saga serves as a cautionary tale in the increasingly complex landscape of crowdfunding and retro game development.