Fans of the atmospheric sci-fi games “Deliver Us The Moon” and “Deliver Us Mars” were met with disappointing news in May 2024. KeokeN Interactive, the Dutch developer behind the titles, announced layoffs of its entire staff. This difficult decision stemmed from the studio’s inability to secure funding for its next project.
The news came via a heartfelt message on social media platforms from KeokeN’s leadership, CEO Koen Deetman, and Managing Director Paul Deetman. They expressed their heartbreak at having to let go of the team, citing a lack of “substantial materializing” opportunities at the recent Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2024. This event, a crucial platform for studios to connect with publishers and investors, unfortunately, yielded no breakthroughs for KeokeN.
The studio elaborated that they had “exhausted all our possible options for publishing, work for hire, and co-development.” This statement highlighted the challenges faced by smaller studios in the competitive games industry. Securing funding is a constant hurdle and despite the critical acclaim for “Deliver Us The Moon” and “Deliver Us Mars,” financial backing for their next project remained elusive.
However, the announcement wasn’t entirely devoid of hope. KeokeN revealed they are “preparing a Kickstarter soon for our much-anticipated Deliver Us Home.” This suggests the studio isn’t giving up on its vision. Kickstarter, a popular crowdfunding platform, allows studios to directly appeal to their player base for financial support.
The success of a Kickstarter campaign hinges on the community’s enthusiasm. “Deliver Us The Moon” garnered a positive reception for its unique blend of lunar exploration and emotional storytelling. If KeokeN can effectively tap into that existing fanbase and generate excitement for “Deliver Us Home,” the crowdfunding route might offer a lifeline.
KeokeN’s Resilience: Navigating the Future of ‘Deliver Us Home’ and Rebuilding the Team
The news sparked an outpouring of support from the gaming community. Many fans expressed their appreciation for KeokeN’s work and wished them well in their future endeavors. This positive sentiment could translate into tangible support for a potential Kickstarter campaign.
KeokeN’s situation underscores the precarious nature of game development, particularly for smaller studios. While creative vision and critical acclaim are crucial, financial backing is equally important. The viability of a Kickstarter campaign for “Deliver Us Home” remains to be seen, but it demonstrates the studio’s resilience and commitment to continuing its narrative-driven sci-fi journey.
What’s interesting is that the message also mentions that a Kickstarter project for the company’s upcoming game, Deliver Us Home, being “prepared” in the background. Though it’s unclear exactly how development will go after this, we assume that KeokeN’s two surviving employees, Paul Deetman, Managing Director, and Koen Deetman, CEO, will spearhead this crowd-funding initiative.
One can’t help but wonder what the future holds for KeokeN. Will the Kickstarter campaign for “Deliver Us Home” be successful? Will the studio be able to rebuild its team? Only time will tell. However, one thing is certain: the passionate fanbase KeokeN has cultivated will be eagerly watching their next move.
