Devolver Digital, indies offer cash support for GaymerX convention
A number of games companies have volunteered to offer aid to much-loved but financially ruinous LGBTQ games convention GaymerX.
This year's GaymerX convention cost about $90,000 to organise and run, far beyond its $24,000 in crowdfunding and $19,000 in sponsorship.
The figures were published in a recent Kickstarter update, and cast doubt on the convention's future.
The financial security of the convention's organiser's has been somewhat assuaged thanks to an unhappy bit of scandal that has since been amicably resolved.
The trouble kicked off when publisher NIS America emailed organiser Matt Coon to withdraw its $3000 sponsorship - after the event.
This disappointing turn of events did the rounds on social media, with wonderful results - multiple companies and individuals raised hands to throw money in the hat.
Publisher Devolver Digital kicked off the donations, but was joined by Thomas Was Alone and Volume dev Mike Bithell, Goat Simulator and Sanctum developer Coffee Stain Studios, Tinsley PR and Guman Clive developer Bertil Hörberg.
As it turned out, the situation with NIS America was a mix up, with Conn telling Joystiq the publisher would make good on its original pledge; it sounds like there was an internal communication problem.
In a statement on behalf of GaymerX, Conn apologised for publicising the error, and thanked and praised NIS America for its willingness to back a convention most mainstream publishers shied away from.
GaymerX has not yet decided whether to collect the pledges offered by other companies, and has apparently not received formal contact from any of the pledgers - and while $15,000 is a nice bonus, it won't cover the $50,000 deficit or ensure another GaymerX will take place.
"But they certainly help us feel like, if we did, we would have a better chance of being financially sustainable," Conn said.