[ startgame.dev ]
BUILD / PROVE / FUND
A platform for funding indie games through verifiable progress instead of hype. Creators raise in stages, backers fund into escrow, and money releases only when real milestones are delivered.
SCROLL// 01 - The Problem
Publishers want proof before they engage, developers need capital to build that proof, and backers have lost trust in promise-first crowdfunding.
FOR DEVELOPERS
To attract funding - from players, investors, or publishers - you need a playable build to prove your vision. But creating that build requires capital you often do not have. This paradox kills countless indie games before they start.
FOR PUBLISHERS
A playable build is often the price of admission, but the build alone is rarely enough. Developers also need evidence that the team can deliver, iterate, and hit milestones before a publisher will take the opportunity seriously.
FOR BACKERS
Platforms like Kickstarter shift all risk onto backers. When projects under-deliver or fail entirely, the money is gone. That accumulated frustration and skepticism makes early-stage funding harder for legitimate teams.
// 02 - The Solution
Three pillars designed to replace hype with proof - for both sides of every campaign.
PILLAR A
Funds are held in a smart contract vault visible to all. Capital releases only per approved milestone - never upfront.
PILLAR B
A unique 3-layer system replaces subjective judgment with structured proof.
PILLAR C
Every deliverable - code, art, builds - receives a permanent blockchain record. Verifiable progress, full accountability.
// 03 - How It Works
01
Backers know exactly what is being built, what each stage unlocks, and what proof of completion looks like before pledging a single dollar.
02
Rather than releasing all funds upfront, capital is held in a transparent smart contract vault - visible to everyone, controlled by no one.
03
As milestones are completed, developers submit evidence: code, builds, art assets, or other agreed deliverables.
04
AI checks run first, then community review. Expert arbitrators step in only if there is a dispute - keeping the process fast and fair.
05
Capital flows directly to delivery. Backers only pay for what gets built. Developers prove progress, earn trust, and unlock the next stage.
// 04 - The Context
Getting a publishing deal requires a playable build - but a build alone rarely scores a deal. You need the build and the evidence. Startgame.dev generates that evidence as a natural byproduct of funding.
1 in 625first-contact pitches result in a signed deal. The funnel is brutal - Startgame helps developers arrive at each stage with verifiable proof in hand.
// 05 - Quick Answers
Kickstarter is trust-first. Startgame.dev is proof-first and milestone-based. Backers do not fund a promise - they fund a track record of verified delivery.
A hybrid system: automated checks run first, community input follows, and expert review steps in only if there is a dispute - keeping things fast and fair without single points of failure.
Code, playable builds, art assets, and other milestone deliverables. Any tangible evidence that real progress was made - defined upfront by the developer and agreed to by backers.
No. The core idea is better funding infrastructure for game development. Blockchain and smart contracts are backend tools for escrow, transparency, and verification - not the product itself.
Primarily indie game developers who need early funding, and backers who want more trust and accountability. The platform is designed to serve both sides equally.