Launch Edu Highlights: A Start-up That Fills The Lego Gap For Girls, And iPad Games That Track Preschool Learning
Though it’s administered on a much smaller scale than its parent Launch Festival, the Launch Education and Kids Conference should be…
Kickstarter
Seeking The Heart Of Indie Games In Austin
For the first time, the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, has added a Gaming Expo. Since the 1980’s the city has been the spiritual heart of computer gaming. Austin’s strong ties to the $67 billion dollar video game industry are now being recognized by the festival. This puts the 7,000 game developers who work in Austin– according to the IRS by way of the International Game Developers Association — in the spotlight. While conventioneers have been gathering downtown to hear about the latest trends, I went in search of Austin’s burgeoning independent game scene.
Who Backs the Backers On Kickstarter?
When it comes to raising money for the arts, Kickstarter has become the place to go. Since it launched in 2009, the crowd-funding site has successfully delivered over $400 million to creative projects, including three films currently up for Oscars. But for all of Kickstarter’s success, funding creative work is still risky business. A study out of Wharton counts 3.5% of funded projects drop the ball. Small, but significant enough to raise the question: what happens to that money?