Double Fine’s Spacebase DF-9 covers its investment

Indie Fund and other parties invested $400,000 into development

Spacebase DF-9 seemed to be one of the natural fits for Steam’s Early Access program; like Prison Architect, it’s a management sim that’s added new features (a large update came out at the end of last week) as development has gone on. It’s good news then, that Spacebase has recouped its initial investment of $400,000 in just two weeks. I bought the Amnesia Fortnight Double Fine bundle mainly for the video documentaries and Spacebase did look like one of the projects that I’d be keen on playing.

Indie Fund put forward $75,000 and other investors made up the rest of the budget. In the past, Indie Fund has put forward between $50,000 and $100,000 into projects, so it was clear that Spacebase needed some extra help. What’s interesting to me is the split between sales on Steam Early Access and direct from Double Fine, which were 85 percent and 15 percent, respectively. I’d be interested to see other breakdown in sales for other games on Early Access as I’m curious if Steam selling games that are in alpha reduces buyer concerns.