Watched the video, Jim makes some good points.
But I still don't see any of the issues of a big publisher like Sony helping fund someone using KS. I've seen a lot of people throw around the argument that Sony is a major company, they have money. They shouldn't be making their customers take a risk. They should take all the risk. Well first off, this isn't Sony's KS, and it's something Yu wanted to do. But anyways, even so, companies absolutely have to look out for their own interests financially. This idea that they have money, and thus should take all the risk, is pretty crazy and IMO nonsensical. There is a reason that no company has been willing to back Shenmue, and that's because it's high risk. The % of people that actually want it, are small compared to most games and the audience size. So it's not worth the AAA budget investment.
This game can only happen, because of this. Because Yu is willing to take his game directly to those small % of fans, and letting them pay for it. I see no problem with Sony then coming and also offering support. Because they could only do this, in this format. So I'm failing to see where a big publisher helping out in this specific scenario, makes them "shady", "scummy" or "unethical". I'm being open to others perspective on this, and I'm just not seeing it.
I see a lot of projected "what ifs"....like what happens if other Publishers start abusing KS. And that could happen. And if it does, people should not support it. They should be openly critical of it. Ultimately, KS has allowed a lot of things to happen on its site, without caring. And if they don't care, then it is what it is. Don't use the site. People have the right to spend their money how they see fit, and take the risks they want to take. Expecting Sony to just back this whole thing and not have fans do the KS, is silly, because Sony would not have backed the project at all, if it wasn't for Yu doing this as a KS side project. Is what it is. Shenmue is a dead franchise to the larger consumer market. And it doesn't make sense to fully fund this kind of project.
Anyways, I appreciate Jim updating things. He brought up some good points:
* They weren't up front with how everyone was involved in the backing, as well as where they expected most of the money to come from.
* The original $2 million goal makes sense in that, most KS will set a goal they KNOW they can make something with. But they have stretch goals that will make their full project how they really want to make it. Well, maybe it makes sense to just set the original goal as to what you ACTUALLY NEED to MAKE THE GAME YOU WANT. (I get why they set it low, so they can get actual funding. And then try to work around it. But this still seems dodgy, in terms of WHAT you are actually giving your backers in the long run).
What I'll say is, while I think the KS has been a mess, and run poorly. I don't think people should have become a mob, and tried to launch an anti-campaign against the KS, without knowing more info. Media should not post assumptions, unless they actually know either. They have responsibility. Asking questions is fine though, and that is their job. Yes, the KS being ran poorly shares in the blame. And people had the right to be critical and ask questions. But becoming a mob and acting without information, is bullshit.
Ultimately, Jim brings up a lot of concerns about big Publishers abusing the system. But again, it's really on KS to control their own site. And it's also on consumers, to decide whether they are going to give their money to a system that is being abused (if a slippery slope happens on KS).
However, I don't think Sony's involvement here, will be the beginning of that slippery slope. I don't agree with people at all, that Sony is acting unethical. This a franchise/game that is dead, and not worth the risk to publishers on a financial level. But it has a very intense/passionate fan base. So this is the only way this game could get made. I see no issue with Sony allowing Yu and his team to go through KS, and then help out with marketing/funds for their KS ran project.
Also, while I think it's true that: I. We are getting Shenmue, and it couldn't have been done without it. And II. People have the right to spend their money how they see fit. < While I think those things are true, it doesn't exempt something from criticism. I just personally don't see the issue with how Sony is acting within this project. And if other major Publishers also acted in a similar fashion, I actually wouldn't have an issue. I wouldn't want like EA to start a KS. But if a creator had a rights to a franchise that was high risk, and had a small audience, I would have no issue with that creator running his KS and taking that title directly to fans, and then someone like EA helping out with marketing.