Fans can now invest in Stormgate dev Frost Giant

RTS game is targeting a Q3 2024 Early Access release

Frost Giant Studios

Frost Giant Studios, the development studio formed by ex-Blizzard employees, has officially launched its equity crowdfunding campaign. Fans can buy shares in the company to help get Stormgate, the studio’s debut title, out of the door and reap the financial rewards of its success down the line – that’s the theory and hope, anyway.

It was a bit of a surprise to the community when the developer revealed its intention to run such a campaign earlier this year, especially after a more traditional crowdfunding effort on Kickstarter already blew expectations out of the water. Responding to the criticism, the developers explained in no uncertain terms that their initial funding from backers like Riot Games, Kakao Games, and Bitkraft plus the Kickstarter money would see them to the Early Access release, but didn’t leave much leeway aside from that – such as for the expensive area of marketing. 

Usually, a publisher would take on that job (and its costs), but Frost Giant wanted to retain full creative control over its game, so it decided to self-publish the title.

As part of the equity crowdfunding campaign on StartEngine, investors could already reserve shares ahead of kick-off. According to Frost Giant, shares worth $1.3 million USD have been reserved in this way.

“Frost Giant Studios' crowd-equity offering on StartEngine enables private investors and passionate players to actually be our business partners, to help launch Stormgate in the best way possible – together,” stated Tim Morten, CEO and production director of Frost Giant Studios in a press release. “The funds we secure will bolster a strategic marketing campaign, setting the stage for Stormgate's Early Access launch this summer. This initiative invites our supporters to upgrade into shareholders.”

Stormgate, a free-to-play RTS game inspired by Warcraft 3 and StarCraft 2, will go into its final beta playtest on April 30, 2024, with the Early Access launch on PC being planned for Q3 2024. At Steam Next Fest in February 2024, Stormgate managed to become the second-most played demo of the event.

According to the developer, “1v1 competitive, 3-player co-op against AI, three free introductory campaign missions, and the initial act of the Vanguard campaign” will be included in the Early Access launch with the game building its content from there. Initially, two of the three factions envisioned for the title will be available.