Philip Summers, the author of the gorgeous Hand-Drawn Game Guides series, has canceled his official Kickstarter project.
As noted by Summers on Twitter, the project wasn't without its concerns when he first took Hand-Drawn Game Guides to the crowd-funding platform. "It was always a risk," writes Summers. "I pulled the plug on the Hand-Drawn Game Guides Kickstarter. Yes, for exactly the reason you think it's for. I had hoped that I could successfully navigate any legal trouble, but alas I wasn't able to do so."
It's not explicitly stated but the reason Summers alludes to is likely due to licensing issues around the used properties. The content of Hand-Drawn Game Guides largely concerned classic titles from the Nintendo Entertainment System; the books on offer included The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Ninja Gaiden and Contra. While all of the artwork in the books was created by Summers, the use of properties owned by major companies like Nintendo and Konami may have complicated matters.
Summers clarified that the cancelation of the project wasn't due to any one company. "This project did not get a cease and desist. There will be a conversation between parties. The party involved has been polite and I'm hopeful something can be worked out," write Summers.
"It was a hell of a ride and no matter what happens I'll always be grateful for it. I always knew this thing was a big risk, but I looked at how similar books navigated these sorts of issues and tried my best to learn from them," continued Summers. "Of course I'm disappointed, but I completely understand why this happened."
Summers also shared a screenshot of the Kickstarter project before it was officially turned off. Hand-Drawn Game Guides managed to pull in $322,337, smashing its original goal of $20,000. Everyone who backed the project will have their money returned and can expect a cancellation email.
According to the official description of Hand-Drawn Game Guides, the books were illustrated and written to capture the feeling of childlike amusement experienced when paging through a classic manual. Summers went to great lengths to explain that all of the books were both unauthorized and unofficial. "This means a truly original take on the classics we know and love that will pay respect to their legacy," reads the description.
Summers does hint that the project may not be completely dead yet, suggesting that he doesn't know the future of Hand-Drawn Game Guides. He elaborates by saying that he'll know more about the situation in the coming days and will keep followers in the loop.
Source: Twitter
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