Record-breaking Altered TCG needs another €2m to save latest expansion – despite having already raised over 10x its crowdfunding goal

Altered, the trading card game which broke Kickstarter records with its €6.2m debut crowdfund two years ago, is running almost €2m short of the amount needed for its latest expansion – despite having raised more than 10x its crowdfunding goal from backers.

The Seeds of Unity campaign has collected more than €535,000 from close to 2,000 backers since launching on Gamefound a week ago – and reached the €50,000 goal amount set by publisher Equinox less than nine minutes after the crowdfund went live.

But Equinox said in a new campaign update that the actual goal needed to create the game is €2.5m – a figure which if it does not reach, “the adventure will come to an end, and both backers and retailers will of course be refunded”.

Equinox said that €2.5m goal amount includes orders placed by local game stories through its dedicated retailer platform, but added that numbers on that platform were “still low”.

It said, “That’s perfectly normal at this stage. Most shops will wait until the final days to confirm their quantities, giving them time to gather preorders from their players and accurately assess their stock needs for the February release.”

But the update added, “We don’t yet have an exact picture of the total number of retailer preorders. That means there’s a scenario where the combined total of Gamefound and store preorders falls short of what’s needed for the project to continue with the quality we aim for.

“And since some of you may still be hesitating, we felt it was important to say it plainly: if you believe in Altered, if you want to see the game keep growing, now is the moment when your support matters most, whether that’s by backing the campaign on Gamefound or preordering through your local store.”

Noting the €50,000 crowdfunding goal for Seeds of Unity, and the message on the Gamefound page describing it as more than 1,000% funded, Equinox said, “The funding goal displayed on Gamefound is symbolic, as it usually is in crowdfunding campaigns.

“It’s chosen to help build early momentum but doesn’t reflect our actual needs. Setting the bar too high sometimes makes a project feel out of reach, while a more accessible goal helps get the collective energy moving right from the start.”

Altered shattered the crowdfunding record for a TCG on Kickstarter through its debut campaign in 2023, pulling in more than €6.2m from about 15,000 backers.

The game aimed to stand out from high-profile competitors such as Magic: The Gathering through its focus on exploration and bringing heroes together, rather than battles between characters and monsters, as well as innovations such as a print-on-demand and a digital marketplace for cards.

Those innovations were beset by heavy delays, however, and only went live in an open-beta form in April this year – putting the game at a disadvantage as it tried to compete in a crowded TCG space with alternatives such as Star Wars: Unlimited, Lorcana, One Piece and Flesh and Blood.

Equinox has come under heavy fire in the comments section of the Gamefound campaign following the announcement, with backers announcing their fears for the game’s future and disappointment with how the publisher has communicated the news.

The update from Equinox concludes, “That’s the context. That’s our reality. The campaign isn’t over yet, and everything is still possible. Now you know where we stand. Retail preorders are progressing at their own pace; stores have until November 10 to finalize their orders, and players until November 14 through the pledge manager.

“If you want to give Altered every chance to continue under the best possible conditions, this is the time to help build that future. Whether by backing the campaign or preordering through your local store.

“Not out of obligation or pressure, but out of desire. The desire to see this project grow, to keep building it together, with the same dedication, sincerity, and respect.”