‘I've been sentenced to prison’ Fortune’s Run developer reveals, leading to a longer wait for the full release
The developer's imprisonment has put a stop to the work on Fortune's Run. He's committed to finishing it, but it's hard to say what the future holds.
Fans of Fortune’s Run will need to wait longer than expected for the full release. The developer, based in New Zealand, first shared some sad news six months ago, and now provides another update with insights into the game's current progress and opens up about personal challenges that will inevitably delay the project.
Development hit a pause in 2024 after the first wave of bad news
Fortune's Run, a retro-styled FPS with immersive sim elements, entered Early Access in September 2023. It quickly gained ‘Very Positive’ reviews on Steam, drawing comparisons to classics like System Shock, Deus Ex, DOOM, and Ultrakill. While it hasn't attracted a massive player base, the developers at Team Fortune have stayed busy adding new content and making improvements with regular updates. That is, until July 2024, when one of the developers shared some heartbreaking news, explaining:
As some of you may know, this game is being worked on by two people; I, Dizzie, and Arachne, my wife. Previously we attempted to collaborate with more people, but long story short, we couldn't afford anything anywhere near full-time because the game just doesn't make that much money.
The real bad news, however, was about Arachne's health, as she had undergone major surgery:
…she was very ill and almost died but is now stable and has been released home into my care.
So, yeah, this is a pretty big deal and it changes everything for us. Her health is now the priority. If you've been paying attention, you'll know that in order to deliver content on time, we've been doing crunch constantly for the past 3 years.
Later, Dizzie shared that they were doing their best to continue working on the game, as it holds personal significance to both of them. Although the release might not meet the usual high standards, they were still committed to delivering something meaningful. The game wasn’t cancelled, but significant delays were expected. They kept fans updated and stayed active on Discord, though they preferred not to share too many details. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the end of unfortunate events.
Work on Fortune’s Run completely halted as the dev announced he’s going to prison
On January 15, 2025, Dizzie, now the sole developer working on Fortune’s Run, shared another update about his circumstances and the future of the game's full release, something that really hit fans hard. Dizzie opened up about his past, acknowledging the consequences of his actions and the impact on his current situation:
I've been sentenced to prison for the next 3 years. It's a long story, but I've lived a very different life before I was a game developer, and I wasn't living very well. My case is about 5 years old now, I have been going through the legal process the whole time I've been working on this. I have finally been found guilty and sentenced, and I'm going away next month.
The other developer, who handled QA and level design, has left the project, further complicating the game's progress. Despite these challenges, Dizzie managed to complete the work needed for a release before his imprisonment. However, with development now paused, it's unclear when or if the game will be finished.
To provide some clarifications, at the end he added:
My case dates from before I met the other dev. She is not related to it in any way. Like I said, the other dev was recovering from a botched surgery. If you want to accuse me of something, accuse me of stressing her out with my legal problems and my crazy work schedule.
While The Long Awaited Update for Fortune's Run is now live, filled with new content, features, and improvements, the game's development is currently on hold. Dizzie's heartfelt message reflects his determination to continue making games in the future, despite the unexpected hurdles in his life.
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