Exclusive: Troubled Rainbow Six board game receives enough extra cash from backers to go into production

The financially troubled Kickstarter for the officially-licensed Rainbow Six: Siege board game is set to go into production for some of its backers after developer Mythic Games successfully persuaded them to part with significant amounts of extra cash to fund the game.

Frustrated supporters of 6: Siege were told on April 30 they would have to dip back into their pockets to ensure the game would be made, with some being asked for up to $249 to cover unexpected hikes in production and shipping costs.

BoardGameWire revealed last week that at least 30% of backers needed to agree to the extra contributions if the game was to be produced – but that only supporters who committed the requested money would actually receive the game, leaving those unwilling or unable to pay up empty handed.

Mythic Games founder Leonidas Vesperini confirmed to BoardGameWire this morning that it has passed the threshold for producing the game, this time using an unspecified “monetary threshold” as a yardstick and citing a figure of 43%.

Vesperini said he hoped that total could reach 60%. Backers have now been given until May 24 to pay. Supporters were initially given just two weeks to come up with the additional cash if they wanted to receive the game.

He said, “Knowing that it’s going to happen now with certainty, that the game is going to be produced and delivered, it’s possible that this will bring in even more contributions by the deadline.”

6: Siege raised more than $1.5m from close to 11,000 backers in July 2021, with an estimated delivery date of June the following year.

Currently running more than a year over that schedule,Mythic is blaming Covid and the war in Ukraine for prices having “literally exploded in all areas”, saying its Kickstarter estimates were “no longer relevant”.

It said the cost of paper and cardboard had risen by an average of 50% to 100%, Chinese labour costs had doubled and energy, plastic and raw materials increased in price by almost half.

But the company also admitted that, “We spent much more than expected in the development of the game, with more people than we expected working on it and longer than we originally estimated (which caused extra costs, but also has the advantage of having an optimal, well-tested, varied and balanced game in the end).”

Mythic has been swamped with negative comments on its Kickstarter page since announcing the need for extra contributions on April 30, with scores questioning how the company spent the more than $1.5m it raised for the project from close to 11,000 backers in July 2021.

Vesperini denied to BoardGameWire last week that it is on the verge of bankruptcy, despite the 6: Siege crowdfunding being its second successive Kickstarter in which it asked backers for extra contributions in order to finish producing the games.

BoardGameWire asked Mythic to clarify its current financial situation, given the scores of backers who have questioned the company’s ability to stay afloat before they receive their games, even with the extra commitments.

We asked for 2021 and 2022 figures for company revenue, profitability, debt level and cash flow, as well as a current balance sheet with assets and liabilities, but Leonidas replied, “Our best response will not be to give out balance sheets but to show that we are delivering the games when these exceptional contributions are requested. We did it with Darkest Dungeon, and we will do it again with 6: Siege.”

Last July the company told Kickstarter backers of Darkest Dungeon – another title based on a hit video game – that they would need to commit between $18 and $69 depending on their pledge level to ensure the game was produced.

More than 80% of Darkest Dungeon backers paid the extra contribution according to Mythic, which again had blamed Covid and the Ukraine war for rising shipping, delivery and raw materials costs.

Vesperini would also not be drawn on whether then company would ultimately sell copies of 6: Siege through its own website, although it has confirmed the game will not be sold through retail outlets.