Dark Matter (video game)
A truncated metroidvania with a missing ending.
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Dark Matter is an indie video game blending metroidvania and survival horror elements. It was created by Interwave Studios and released by Iceberg Interactive in October 2013 for Windows, Linux, and macOS. The game is known for its difficult development and poor reviews.
The game was originally planned to be built by a team of six people within a year. After twelve months of work, it was still unfinished. Running low on money, Interwave launched a Kickstarter campaign in June 2013 seeking £50,000. The campaign failed, and the development team was let go that summer.
The game was then released in an incomplete state with only four levels and no ending. The studio hoped that sales would allow them to rehire the staff. Neither Interwave’s management nor Iceberg knew the ending was missing, and they temporarily removed the game from Steam. A cinematic ending was added later that October.
Critics gave Dark Matter negative reviews, including a 4/10 from GameSpot. Reviewers and players criticized the abrupt ending, which led to refunds from GOG and another temporary removal from Steam.
Background
Interwave Studios intended Dark Matter to be developed by a team of six and completed within a year. One year into production, the game was not in a complete state. With funds running low, Interwave launched a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign in June 2013, hoping to raise £50,000. The campaign failed, leading to the development team being laid off that summer.
The game was released in a truncated form in October 2013, offering four levels, and with its ending missing. The intention was that sales of the game could fund the rehiring of the development staff. Both the management team at Interwave and the publishers at Iceberg were unaware that the ending was missing, and temporarily pulled the game from Steam in response. A cinematic ending was patched into the game later that October.
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Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Dark Matter (video game) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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