End of the Platform That Gave us Pillars of Eternity 2 and Homeworld 3
It looks like the crowdfunding website Fig.co is shutting down without much success after being acquired by Republic.
Crowdfunding campaigns are not always successful, even if the fundraiser itself hits its intended target. Apparently, the same is true of the websites dedicated to such initiatives. Today Fig.com - the same website that funded, among others, Psychonauts 2 and Pillars of Eternity 2 and on which it was possible to support Homeworld 3, is getting shut down.
The news was reported by Double Fine Productions, which learned of the end of Fig.co less than a week before the website closed (according to the announcement: May 28). The announcement was also made by Gearbox Software, stating the date of shutdown as May 29. Both companies had to transfer all activity related to, among other things, gifts for backers to their their own websites and e-mail. There is, however, no announcement from either the service itself or its owner, Republic.
After entering the campaign section on Fig.co, it is still possible to view already completed collections. However, the tabs for any of them are no longer active, and ongoing campaigns were supposed to be moved to a new website (via Rock, Paper, Shotgun). Another thing is that apparently they are not about investments in individual games, but brands (including Atari).
Fig.co was bought out by Republic in 2020, but later that year the company announced the closure of the "old" version of the website (via Gearbox). As we read on its official website, the company specializes in investments in "start-ups, cryptocurrencies, real estate, art, music and more."
We are unsure of the reasons for the de facto closure of Fig.co. When Republic acquired the service, it announced developing it with the active participation of the platform's founder, Justin Bailey. Also the latter doesn't seem to have noticed the end of his website.
