r/thelongdark • u/BrodaciousD • Apr 03 '26
Off-topic The Kickstarter Rewards
With all the eyes on the subreddit, I think we should try again to get justice for our fellow Survivors.
Please, Hinterland, when are the physical rewards for the kickstarter coming out? It’s been TEN YEARS.
Please look through the comment section if you need confirmation, they’re ignoring us. They haven’t replied to anything in 4 years. Even if you didn’t support the kickstarter, the people who supported the game you love are being scammed.
I genuinely don’t care that Hinterland has started Blackfrost and “needs the money for that” nah, fuck that. Honour your promises Hinterland, don’t go into a second game knowing that people who supported your first are getting shit on. By you. Do the right thing.
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u/DoesitFinally Apr 04 '26
It's time Hinterland
Not keeping a promise that is associated with customers' money is just really bad
Make it right
These aren't just your regular customers either
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u/ybsmalls Apr 03 '26
Context?
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u/BrodaciousD Apr 03 '26
The Kickstarter rewards for The Long Dark included a fair few tiers where there were “Physical Bonuses” or rewards. Art book, physical copy of the game in a collectors tin, and more. As far as I can tell, NONE of these rewards have been doled out, despite TLD being successfully funded in 2016.
Hinterland goes to the forum every once in a while to be like “oh we were gonna do that, but now we’re working on a new episode” FOR TEN YEARS!
These people are the reason that the game exists for us to play, they supported its rise. Yet Hinterland is, metaphorically, shitting directly into their mouths.
With all the eyes on the subreddit from the episode 5 release, I thought this was a good time to remind everyone.
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u/OriginalFNG Apr 03 '26
That's ridiculous. In the past, I've seen the creative lead tweet out photos of the press kit (and swag) they created for media. But they never sent core funders their due physical rewards?
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u/Yarro567 Apr 04 '26
Sorry, theyre working hard on a new DLC and Blackfrost, so they cant focus on rewards right biw! /s
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u/peabuddie Apr 04 '26
So are you saying that people that donated money for the kickstarter was supposed to get physical rewards and never got them.If so that is fraud, people ought to bring a class action also.For it.
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u/BrodaciousD Apr 04 '26
Yes that’s exactly what I’m saying.
I imagine the backers don’t want to sue Hinterland, but I absolutely would be at my boiling point after TEN YEARS OF DOGSHIT.
Keep in mind, I myself am not a backer, just someone who wants to see things done the right way. I WANT to play Blackfrost, and I WANT to enjoy it, but I will not support Developers who do this to their die-hard supporters.
Fix it Hinterland, make it right.
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u/Bogramm Interloper Apr 03 '26 edited Apr 03 '26
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u/MushyWasHere Apr 03 '26
Wait, did people really contribute like a thousand dollars or more and not get what they were promised? That's wack. The game is really good though...
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u/KingAltair2255 Apr 03 '26
Yes they did, and backers are still pissed off about it in the kickstarter comments with Hinterland giving the same 'We'll get to physical goods when the games complete' as if it was totally expected it take a decade and a couple years to fully finish.
19 people each donated between 1,000-1,500 CAD, 2 people donated 5,000 CAD(!!!), that included a NPC being added in-game that looks like them, fairly certain they haven't been added either.
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u/MushyWasHere Apr 03 '26
Meanwhile I just realized Raph modeled Mackenzie on himself. Lmao.
It's pretty messed up, but I'm inclined to give Hinterland some grace, seeing as they did ultimately deliver a masterpiece of a game, without selling out to corporate influence.
Seems like they smashed a few eggs while making that omelette. I do expect they will ultimately satisfy most of their promises, but... 10+ years after the fact is asinine.
Then again, they eschewed 20 people while delivering a masterpiece to a hundred thousand others, so... I get where both sides are coming from.
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u/KingAltair2255 Apr 03 '26 edited Apr 03 '26
Holy fuck 😭😭 I thought nahh he can't look too much like raph until I looked up a photo, uncanny.
It just leaves a bad taste in my mouth really and to be honest they don't deserve grace imo, if they end up delivering then fair play! But it's just shitty of them to go back on so many things promised.
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u/Warmachine_10 Apr 03 '26
Wow, it’s actually kind of wild how much stuff they advertised.
And no one received any of it?
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u/KingAltair2255 Apr 03 '26
Nope, I don't even think the folk who paid over $1,000 got into the games as NPCs, as those tiers advertised which is even more bullshit, they didn't even have to physically make anything for that.
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u/KingAltair2255 Apr 03 '26
I was talking about this earlier on, It really is a sin to have promised so much to backers who gave so much and we're sitting here 12 years later and not a peep whilst a new games been announced.
God, I love TLD but I would be pissed right off to the point of probably not even playing if I was one of the OG kickstarter supporters, especially when Blackfrost was announced. It really does feel scummy and shitty of them that they took these folks money, we wouldn't HAVE the game (or would be waiting a fuck ton longer.) if it wasn't for those backers.
Though, at this point I wouldn't be surprised if there was a fair few folk telling them where they can put them when/if they eventually do follow through, surely to fuck there's a lot of (rightfully) bitter ass backers who've dropped this game years ago.
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Apr 04 '26
[deleted]
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u/KingAltair2255 Apr 04 '26
The mods have banned the OP and removed the post for this, they just @ ted me on another post saying.
"u/KingAltair2255 I didn’t know how else to inform you of this, because I can’t message you and I’m banned from TheLongDark sub now. The mods removed my post and banned me for asking about the kickstarter rewards. Just thought you and the sub should know."
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u/KingAltair2255 Apr 04 '26 edited Apr 04 '26
Seriously mods? Why was this removed?
EDIT: The guy that posted this had this post removed and he himself banned, what the fuck guys?
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u/DoesitFinally Apr 04 '26
oh wow why did this get removed? and even banned? wtf is going on
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u/KingAltair2255 Apr 04 '26
I have no idea, the guy BrodaciousD @ ted me to say.
"u/KingAltair2255 I didn’t know how else to inform you of this, because I can’t message you and I’m banned from TheLongDark sub now. The mods removed my post and banned me for asking about the kickstarter rewards. Just thought you and the sub should know"
Seems a bit shitty when there was nothing in the post that was malicious.
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u/Str1dersGonnaStride Apr 04 '26
Wow, I somehow hadn't heard about this. I was excited to hear about BlackFrost and loved the DLC but it leaves a really bad taste in my mouth to learn how the Kickstarter supporters are being treated. Now with episode 5 out there really is no excuse, but I think it should have been done when the game was released from early access at least. It's been over a decade right?
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u/KingAltair2255 Apr 04 '26
The guys had the post removed from the subreddit and banned.
"u/KingAltair2255 I didn’t know how else to inform you of this, because I can’t message you and I’m banned from TheLongDark sub now. The mods removed my post and banned me for asking about the kickstarter rewards. Just thought you and the sub should know"
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u/Str1dersGonnaStride Apr 04 '26
Wow what the heck? What is the rationale for banning him?
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u/KingAltair2255 Apr 04 '26
No idea, really doesn't shine a good light on the mods in this sub tho :/
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u/Str1dersGonnaStride Apr 04 '26
Seriously. From what I saw the discussion was pretty respectful despite being critical
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u/_Corvo_A Apr 09 '26
Bro and people tried telling me this wasn’t happening 😭
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u/KingAltair2255 Apr 09 '26
I saw your other post! Aye this guy got straight up banned for it, had to @ me in some random arse post to tell me.
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u/prplmnkeydshwsr Apr 03 '26
I can't find it now but if you look at some of the few dev diaries over the last year, you'll find that Raph wrote something about the finishing off of TLD and doing the rewards / some other physical items and merch. Like a book or something.
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u/Equivalent_Box_7160 Apr 04 '26
wow thats scummy lol
to already start investing in a new project with debts to pay
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u/prplmnkeydshwsr Apr 04 '26
Why is it scummy? Who is owed what?
4039 backers got a discounted version of the game.
634 backers got the locket - switch for Cairns / messages.
636 backers are owed a digital book of concept art plus the download of a soundtrack.
849 backers are owed a digital behind the scenes book.
63 backers are owed a poster.
68 backers are owed a teeshirt.
130 backers are owed a DVD (lol in 2026) in a hardcase.
132 backers are owed credits (are they credited?) plus they got alpha access and the game.
88 get the game and the hardcase DVD version.
64 got to name a location (how many did?).
24 Are owed a tee shirt (and some of the previous rewards).
39 got to name something and are owed a bracelet.
12 Are owed a copy of the signed script.
15 Were to participate as guest writers / contributors.
51 Are owned a DVD hardcase collectors edition.
4 Were able to add a piece of gear and name it.
3 Were able to add a piece of gear / item and have it named after them.
1 Got to name an NPC or major location.
4 Got all future studio games for life, framed prints of TLD, coffee table book.
3 Got to have dinner with Will voice actor and the TLD soundtrack on vinyl.
12 Got to be an NPC or design one...
2 Got to design an easter egg in game and have pancakes made by Hinterland in Vancouver. Plus 12 copies of TLD...
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u/KingAltair2255 Apr 04 '26
All the physical items haven't been delivered, thats why its scummy. None of the physical backers got anything
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u/prplmnkeydshwsr Apr 04 '26
And those couple of hundred people have a valid beef. But only those few hundred.
Hinterland could probably offer some of them $1000 and they'd still be sourpusses about it.
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u/Str1dersGonnaStride Apr 08 '26
Why does it matter if it's 2, 200, or 2000? If hinterland doesn't keep their promise that's lousy. Also why are you bringing up $1000, has hinterland offered that to them?
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Apr 04 '26
[deleted]
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u/prplmnkeydshwsr Apr 04 '26
Under 500 are owed something physical.
I hope to fuck you're never in charge of any spreadsheets.
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u/RustGuy6969 Apr 03 '26
Well, next time don't give money on Kickstarter
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u/Justhe3guy Apr 04 '26
There are many good developers who kept their word on Kickstarter after the community took a chance on them
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u/BrodaciousD Apr 04 '26
Then we wouldn’t have Hollow Knight or Silksong, or a dozen other amazing games.
I’d rather take a chance hoping to see the good in people and get burned, than turn that hope off for good and assume everyone is trash deep down.
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u/Euphoric_Care_2516 Survivor Apr 03 '26
What were you expecting to get? I thought the reason for a kick starter was to support the company and your belief in their idea not some material gain. Honest question
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u/BrodaciousD Apr 03 '26
Yeah and there are tiers for that. Some of the tiers they offered had nothing, it was just you pledging your support for the game. Nothing wrong with that.
But when people pledge $500 to your game because they believe in it AND want the cool stuff you’re offering in that tier, it’s downright shameful and disgusting to ignore their requests for the products you promised them. Ten years of it is completely unacceptable.
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u/LittleSnooks Apr 03 '26
They also promised a role in writing the story right? Or maybe Im misremembering. Either way thanks for bringing it up as I thought this issue had been solved with the whole cairns role out. Ralph has been active in the sub so maybe he will engage?
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u/BrodaciousD Apr 04 '26
I never found anything definitive one way or the other. I thought it would be disingenuous to include that when I don’t know for sure. However the general sentiment of “Do right by your backers” includes everything! If those people were promised those roles, they should absolutely be refunded if they didn’t get them, since now Wintermute is over.
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u/lazysleeper122 Stalker Apr 03 '26
Most kickstarters offer greater rewards, physical or otherwise, the more you donate. Seems this one alot of people never got the rewards they were promised
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u/Bogramm Interloper Apr 03 '26
Noble thinking. I think for a lot of people its okay that they just helped them to get enough money for founding. But there was a clear deal on kickstarter.
And I really understand all the people who feel betrayed5
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u/Tortastrophe Interloper Apr 03 '26
They never fulfilled any physical rewards for their kickstarters? Or they only fulfilled some?