So a bit of good news in the Producer's Letter today it seems. Looks like VR got a new 7 digit funding increase that will help hit some major milestones this year. Also added one person to the QA team and one to HR. Welcome aboard you two.
Here's hoping Pantheon gets some additional love and hits alpha this year.
Newsletter: https://www.pantheonmmo.com/news/producers-letter-january-2021/
Funding Announcement: https://visionaryrealms.com/further-funding-acquired-for-pantheon-rise-of-the-fallen/
Further Funding Acquired for Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen
POSTED DATE / 01.19.21
Visionary Realms, Inc., a multiple award-winning independent video game studio, today announced a seven-figure investment into Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen.
The investment provides a runway for Visionary Realms to bring the hotly-anticipated Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game, Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen to its goals in 2021 and beyond. The studio plans to use the funds to continue the game’s development; begin preparations to support over 8,000 players already signed up for an alpha release of the game; and strengthen its back-end systems supporting the game client, accounts and front-end web platforms.
In addition to this achievement, Christopher R. Kronenthal will join the company as a board member. Chris is widely recognized for his expertise in managing and architecting global solutions and omni-channel environments for the world’s largest brands, and providing Fortune 500 companies with industry-leading solutions consulting to drive global commerce connectivity and payment security.
“We are very fortunate to have Chris Kronenthal join us, and to have his support closing the financing round,” says Christopher Rowan, Chairman and CEO. “The partnership just makes sense. He has incredible insight and a rare acumen that aligns with all of our goals for Pantheon, and Visionary Realms as a company.” Kronenthal added, “It is clear that the team at Visionary Realms is deeply committed and competent in all things related to game design and ecosystem, technology and architecture. Their expression of this in the world of Pantheon is extremely evident, and I am confident that gamers of all types will enjoy this epic adventure!”
Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen has won the Player’s Choice Most Anticipated upcoming game four years running at MMORPG.com and polled as second most anticipated game at Massively OP’s 2020 Awards.
In addition to this achievement, Christopher R. Kronenthal will join the company as a board member. Chris is widely recognized for his expertise in managing and architecting global solutions and omni-channel environments for the world’s largest brands, and providing Fortune 500 companies with industry-leading solutions consulting to drive global commerce connectivity and payment security.
I'm nothing but happy to hear of VR adding staff. Yet I have to admit that while I understand every single word in that announcement, I have no freakin' idea what Chris's job will be :)
Nevertheless, Welcome Aboard Chris!
I do think this from the Producer's Letter is interesting: "While this is not full funding, it does allow us a nice runway to get the recently-completed evaluation build out to additional potential partners while hitting some major milestones in 2021." Especially after all the statements of "funded through release" over the years.
Regardless, I hope this provides a new platform for the devs to finish the game that we've all been hoping for.
Sicario said:I do think this from the Producer's Letter is interesting: "While this is not full funding, it does allow us a nice runway to get the recently-completed evaluation build out to additional potential partners while hitting some major milestones in 2021." Especially after all the statements of "funded through release" over the years.
Regardless, I hope this provides a new platform for the devs to finish the game that we've all been hoping for.
They have, historically, said that they were funded through release, but that more funding would make the release quicker. I have a feeling this is related to "release quicker".
Kalok said:Sicario said:I do think this from the Producer's Letter is interesting: "While this is not full funding, it does allow us a nice runway to get the recently-completed evaluation build out to additional potential partners while hitting some major milestones in 2021." Especially after all the statements of "funded through release" over the years.
Regardless, I hope this provides a new platform for the devs to finish the game that we've all been hoping for.
They have, historically, said that they were funded through release, but that more funding would make the release quicker. I have a feeling this is related to "release quicker".
Indeed, but it's a point that they've remained quite ambiguous around and I'm uncertain that ambiguity has been of benefit. There's also been skepticism within the community around the claim of funded through release. More clarity about what they mean around "funded through release" vs "full funding" and the timelines/features they have in mind for each category would go a long ways in assuring potential pledgers, especially as they begin courting more investors. Look around this board alone and we see concern that bringing on more investors will mean a potential dilution of game integrity and increased risk for features that the community generally doesn't desire.
Not long ago in some stream or other, Ben D. added a bit of clarification to that phrase. I don't remember which stream it was so I can't quote it. If anyone knows and can link, that would be nice.
My takeaway was that by "funded thru release", VR meant that they felt themselves able to keep working on the game until completion with the current amount of crowdfunding/subscription support that they regularly have coming in, but that it will likely take a long time. (and when VR says a long time, you should believe them.) Many others have taken "funded thru release" to mean that they had a large bank account that would pay their bills until they completed the game. They certainly could have been a tad clearer with that phrase in the past.
I belive that when VR refers to "full funding" it means not a specific, one-time dollar amount of money received, but a contractual commitment from someone -possibly but not necessarily a publisher- to provide regular, ongoing financial support that will fund at a level sufficient to complete the game in whatever VR deems an acceptable time frame.
Kratuk said:I imagine it's like most board members. To ensure money is spent wisely, turn a profit, and scream things like "JOPPA, get me a coffee!" lol
You don't want me making coffee for two reasons:
1. I hate coffee personally, so I wouldn't make a good quality cup of it.
2. That would be time spent doing something other than getting this game made.
Joppa said:You don't want me making coffee for two reasons:
1. I hate coffee personally, so I wouldn't make a good quality cup of it.
2. That would be time spent doing something other than getting this game made.
Fair enough. ;p
Not a coffee man myself either. Makes me tired for some reason. I'm weird like that.
Jothany said:Not long ago in some stream or other, Ben D. added a bit of clarification to that phrase. I don't remember which stream it was so I can't quote it. If anyone knows and can link, that would be nice.
My takeaway was that by "funded thru release", VR meant that they felt themselves able to keep working on the game until completion with the current amount of crowdfunding/subscription support that they regularly have coming in, but that it will likely take a long time. (and when VR says a long time, you should believe them.) Many others have taken "funded thru release" to mean that they had a large bank account that would pay their bills until they completed the game. They certainly could have been a tad clearer with that phrase in the past.
Correct, and thanks Jothany. We have stated a few times now that the current rate of crowdfunding, the game can continue to be made, albeit slowly. The most recent mention was in an interview with Nathan Napalm (https://youtu.be/HVBK5HIcb-U) , later summarized at MassivelyOP. https://massivelyop.com/2020/10/19/pantheon-talks-pre-alpha-5-publishers-and-properly-funding-the-vision/
BenD said:Correct, and thanks Jothany. We have stated a few times now that the current rate of crowdfunding, the game can continue to be made, albeit slowly. The most recent mention was in an interview with Nathan Napalm (https://youtu.be/HVBK5HIcb-U) , later summarized at MassivelyOP. https://massivelyop.com/2020/10/19/pantheon-talks-pre-alpha-5-publishers-and-properly-funding-the-vision/
Your welcome.
That's why I didn't remember where it was from. Nathan was on a roll getting beans out of you in that vid and I was just trying hard to remember EVERYTHING!
Congrats on the new funding.
"Christopher R. Kronenthal will join the company as a board member."
Wasn't Christopher Kronenthal already involved in some way in the past? My brain says I have read his name on the 'Team' page on the website some years ago, but I can't remember what his role was listed as back then.
GoofyWarriorGuy said:"Christopher R. Kronenthal will join the company as a board member."
Wasn't Christopher Kronenthal already involved in some way in the past? My brain says I have read his name on the 'Team' page on the website some years ago, but I can't remember what his role was listed as back then.
I don't think so, I check those pages regularly for years now and I remember he popped up on the team page as a board member/investor back in maybe August/September? It was pretty obvious the team got additional funding (or the promise of) awhile back, and you could google who Kronenthal was, so it was pretty easy to figure out he was the backer even if they didn't announce it until now. I actually did all of that at the time sadly enough. I had thought his funding had come through early-mid 2020, and that was what had allowed the team to re-code the game and focus on the demo, but according to the press release, it's new money to be spent moving forward, so who knows.
Mathir said: "I don't think so, I check those pages regularly for years now and I remember he popped up on the team page as a board member/investor back in maybe August/September?"
Yeah I wasn't sure how he was involved, but I do remember seeing the name before. But I'm pretty sure I saw it several years ago. Not this past August/September. But maybe I was wrong. I just seem to remember googling him way back several years ago when I first saw his name on the Team page. I guess we will have to wait to see what the history books say :-)
Already funded through release is a phrase that is essentially meaningless but "feel good". It could mean many millions of dollars already invested and release certain to be within a few years even with no more. That is how we would all *like* to read it. Or it could mean a lot less - they have enough money to keep two people working two hours a month to get it released in 2045 (with 2019 code and graphics but someone in a museum of ancient computers could still play it).
I also note that "already funded through release" and funded through release at "the current rate of crowdfunding" are enormously different concepts. One says they have the cash. One says they don't and if we stop pledging and increasing pledges they go poof.
So I think we are all best off focusing on specific progress and specific announced investments and not worrying about how many angels (or pledgers - assuming there is a difference) fit on the head of a pin.
dorotea said:Already funded through release is a phrase that is essentially meaningless but "feel good". It could mean many millions of dollars already invested and release certain to be within a few years even with no more. That is how we would all *like* to read it. Or it could mean a lot less - they have enough money to keep two people working two hours a month to get it released in 2045 (with 2019 code and graphics but someone in a museum of ancient computers could still play it).
It's true. PR speak can't be trusted most times. But I think Ben's on ok dude. I like to think VR will be fine as a small studio but I do remember the saga of Realtime Worlds and their ambitious APB game that was hyped up and funded through release when it launched on June 29th, 2010, promptly followed by entering administration on August 17th the following month despite having received $100 million in funding relatively recently prior to that. And thus the game was shuttered on September 17th, 2010, just under a mere 2 months after its launch. It did, however, gain new life with GamersFirst as APB: Reloaded.
But I digress. Weird, feels like I used to research and write about this stuff or something. Bah, I'm sure it's nothing. Anywho, forward and up. ;p