Kickstarter campaign (Torment: Tides of Numenera)

The **Kickstarter campaign** for ***Torment: Tides of Numenera*** was launched by inXile Entertainment on the March 6, 2013 with the aim of financing a CRPG set in the *Numenera* universe, created by Monte Cook. The game would also be a spiritual sucessor to *Planescape: Torment*, sharing numerous thematics with one of the most popular CRPG of all time.

By the April 6, 2013, the campaign had recolted $4,188,927 (while aking for $900,000) thanks to 74,405 backers. It was the most funded video game of Kickstarter at the time and it has only lost this title to *Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night* the June 13, 2015. It has also set a new record for being the fatest Kickstarter project to reach one million dollars, but it was short lived since *Veronica Mars* stole it a few days later. The campaign is still the most funded *Numenera* product and the most funded inXile Entertainment game on Kickstarter.

## Timeline

* March 6, 2013: The *Torment: Tides of Numenera* began. After only six hours, the Kickstarter goal of $900,000 is reached. Soon after, the first stretch goal is reached ($1,2M), adding PC gender choice. inXile announce a series of diaries/blogs, *Planescape: Torment Developer Retrospective*, exclusive to backers.
* March 7, 2013: $1,5M stretch goal reached, adding a new game area (the Crystal Dimension), Mur Lafferty and Tony Evans join to the Writing Team and a fourth novella will be written by Nathan Long. $2M stretch goal reached, adding another game area (the Ruins of Ossiphagan) and a fifth companions (The Toy), Monte Cook joins to the Writing Team, more music (live orchestrated) will be produced by Mark Morgan, and Mur Lafferty along with Tony Evans will wrote a fifth and sixth novels. In addition to that, Colin McComb will have to do a commented playthrough of *Planescape: Torment*.
* March 12, 2013: $2,5M stretch goal reached, adding the Castoff's Labyrinth and a mysterious sixth companion, George Ziets will join to the Writing team, Monte Cook will be writing a seventh novel. This time Colin McComb will have to 'apologize' for his work on *The Complete Book of Elves*.
* March 19, 2013: $2,75M stretch goal reached, adding a new designer to the team (Brian Mitsoda), and Reflections of companions and other NPCs will the added to the Castoff's Labyrinth.
* March 22, 2013: $2,85M stretch goal reached, adding a comprehensive and detailed epilogue.
* March 24, 2013: $3M stretch goal reached, adding a seventh companion, five mores Legacies (for a total of 11), several Cults (Children of the Endless Gate and Order of Flagellants and Austerities), and secret Meres in the Castoff's Labyrinth.
* March 27, 2013: $3,1M stretch goal reached, adding a new cult, the Dendra O'hur.
* March 31, 2013: $3,25M stretch goal reached, adding Patrick Rothfuss to the Writing Team.
* March 2, 2013: $3,35M stretch goal reached, adding the Lacunae in the Castoff's Labyrinth.
* April 2, 2013: $3,4M stretch goal reached, adding an eight companion, written by Patrick Rothfuss.
* April 3, 2013: $3,5M stretch goal reached, adding Chris Avellone to the Writing Team, and he will wrote a nineth companion.
* April 4, 2013: $3,6M stretch goal reached, adding another game area, the Hall of Lingering Reflections.
* April 4, 2013: $3,75M stretch goal reached, adding more depths to the companions, including companions quests, and portals in the Castoff's Labyrinth.
* April 5, 2013: $4M stretch goal reached, adding the Oasis of M'ra Jolios, more music by Mark Morgan to match the new areas, and an enhanced Tide and Legacy system (number of Legacies increased to 16).

## Behind the scenes

The Kickstarter campaign was a risky bet for a lot of people involved in the project, like Kevin Saunders or Colin McComb, and for inXile Entertainment. Colin McComb, who was already involved several months before the launch of the Kickstarter, was not even paid until the project was confirmed as a success.

Two stretch goals were not reached during the campaign. The $4,25M stretch goal was to increase the overhall story, add a Codex, and the ability to craft Numenera. At last, the $4,5M stretch goal was to permit an general improvement of the game, while adding a player stronghold. Nonetheless, the penultimate stretch goal was validated thanks to Paypal backers, adding 160,495 dollars to the total.

After the end of the Kickstarter campaign, inxile continued to accept funds through Paypal. By the end of April, while the sum of all pledges was not enough to rech $4,5M, it was decided that it would still be included in the game, thanks to additionnal money from Briand Fargo and Steve Dengler.

## External links

* *Torment: Tides of Numenera* Kickstarter page

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