Dev's 3-Year Prison Sentence Halts Steam FPS Game Development

Summary

• Development of the Steam FPS Fortune's Run has been halted due to the creator's 3-year prison sentence.
• The game is now in early access limbo.

Fans of the Steam FPS Fortune's Run will be disappointed to learn that the game may be stuck in early access for an extended period. The creator, who goes by the name Dizzie, has been sentenced to three years in prison, causing a unique delay in the game's development. While it's not uncommon for Steam games to face delays due to financial or technical issues, a prison sentence is a rare reason for pausing development.

Before this unexpected news, Fortune's Run had garnered significant success on Steam, boasting a "Very Positive" rating. Players have praised its nostalgic art style and innovative gameplay, even though it remains in early access. However, fans will have to wait longer for any updates. While other games like Half-Life 2 have overcome prolonged development challenges, the future of Fortune's Run remains uncertain.

Dizzie announced their prison sentence in a Steam update on January 14, explaining that the crime occurred before they began working on Fortune's Run. They described themselves as "a very violent person" during that period of their life but did not specify the nature of the crime. This situation is reminiscent of other recent cases, such as the arrest of streamer Johnny Somali in South Korea, though delays due to prison sentences are unusual in the gaming world.

Progress on Fortune's Run Won't Continue Until Developer Is Released From Prison

Originally, Fortune's Run had another team member who left the project after recovering from a botched surgery and lost interest in game development. With Dizzie as the sole developer, the project will be entirely on hold during their three-year sentence, starting in February 2025. Despite the Steam page's goal of exiting early access by 2026, this target seems unattainable now. However, Satisfactory took over five years to leave early access, suggesting that a three-year delay for Fortune's Run is not unprecedented in the indie game community.

Dizzie remains optimistic, stating in the update that they intend to complete the game upon their release from prison. In the meantime, fans can continue to play the current version of Fortune's Run. For those looking to fill the gap, there are numerous excellent early access shooters available on Steam.

[ttpp]