After eight years without a fresh entry in the Suikoden series, a Kickstarter campaign for a spiritual successor has emerged to fill the void, and the response has been ravenous. Eiyuden Chronicles: Hundred Heroes has exceeded all expectations and is already smashing through stretch goals.
Renown for its enormous ensemble casts, Suikoden never achieved the same mainstream appeal as JRPG-juggernauts like Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, or Persona, but it has always enjoyed a passionate following nonetheless. Now, with a Kickstarter backed by the series' original creator, Yoshitaka Murayama, Suikoden may finally have the opportunity to step into the spotlight with the crowd-funded spiritual successor. The Eiyuden Chronicles campaign launched with a target of just over $500k, and a seemingly-ambitious stretch goal for next generation ports, including Nintendo's unannounced successor to the Switch.
Murayama and his team may have been a bit conservative when estimating their fans' demands. The project met its funding goal in under two hours, and at time of writing, the campaign has raised over $1.9M. Reward tiers extend from a $10 demonstration of support to a $3,647 reward tier where the backer becomes an NPC in the game. The latter option was limited to ten backers, and is now completely sold out, along with most of the other expensive, limited-backer tiers. Hundred Heroes has already out-paced the Wonderful 101 Kickstarter, which took two days to reach $1M in funding.
Kickstarter has been a popular destination for creators of retro franchises looking to do something fresh with properties that have long lain fallow. After numerous delays, Koji Igarashi's Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night satisfied fans' towering expectations for a new, Symphony of the Night-styled Castlevania game, and appears to have successfully launched a new franchise. Interestingly, Igarashi also released a video in support of the Eiyuden Chronicle Kickstarter, citing a positive work-relationship with the talent involved. Given the success of Bloodstained, Igarashi's endorsement doubtlessly helped sway more than a few hesitant backers.
Like all Kickstarters, the quality of the final product can vary wildly, and video game campaigns in particular are often subject to numerous, multi-year delays. While being an early backer can earn players a bargain, it is also a bit of a gamble. Despite a wildly successful campaign, the Kickstarter for the Mega Man nostalgia vehicle, The Mighty No. 9, delivered a flop that disappointed players and critics alike, leading to public apologies and acceptance of blame from Keiji Inafune.
In addition to the next gen ports, backers have also unlocked stretch goals that will add several new minigames, and a new game+ mode to the title—features that have factored prominently in the Suikoden series' success. Only time will tell how Eiyuden Chronicles measures up against the best Suikoden games of all time. But judging by the Kickstarter response, fans are optimistic indeed.
Rewards for the Eiyuden Chronicles: Hundred Heroes Kickstarter are scheduled to be delivered in 2.5 years.