Despite selling numerous copies and receiving widespread praise from the gaming community, the soulslike game Another Crab's Treasure by indie studio Aggro Crab is still struggling to secure funding for their next project.
In Another Crab's Treasure, players take on the role of Kril, a hermit crab wearing trash dumped from the surface as his shell on a journey to buy back his repossessed shell and uncover the dark secrets of the polluted kingdom. First announced during a Nintendo Indie World presentation in 2022, Another Crab's Treasure quickly drew attention from the community thanks to its unique setting, soulslike genre, and especially the "Shell System," where discarded trash becomes Kril's customizable armor, granting him different abilities based on the trash shell he's wearing.
The game appeared to be a major success for such a small team. Within the first four days, this funny game crab game sold over 100,000 copies, even while launching on day one through Xbox Game Pass. It was therefore surprising when Aggro Crab recently posted on X/Twitter that funding for their next "ambitious" title had fallen through:
THE CRAB IS SEEKING TREASURE
— AGGRO CRAB (@AggroCrabGames) November 1, 2024
So our funding plans for Game 3 fell through. I guess 2024 is really taking no prisoners
But hey interest rates are down so if you represent an investor/publisher and want to help us make our best game yet, our DMs are open!
The year 2024 has been tough for indie developers, with many having to shut down or lay off staff as industry investment dries up. You might wonder how Aggro Crab could still need funding even though Another Crab's Treasure was a success. A comment from X/Twitter user @TheLegendaryMoL might shed some light on this:
So, they sold 500k copies globally. But they pay 30% before receiving anything. They still have overhead costs to pay and they need enough to cover their employees and their new game. Gotta keep the money coming in because games take years to make not months.
Later, Aggro Crab quoted @TheLegendaryMoL’s tweet, confirming what he said was accurate: "Yeah basically this. I mean don't get me wrong we have some runway finally but it's not an amount we're comfortable covering the next game with entirely, especially with our ambitions for it :)"
One day after Aggro Crab’s tweet about their funding setback, the community rallied to show support. Fans shared Aggro Crab’s post widely and gave Another Crab's Treasure glowing reviews on Steam, with 97% Very Positive ratings.
And it seems the community’s efforts have borne fruit, as Aggro Crab posted a message thanking everyone:
The game industry in my DMs after announcing our funding fell through
— AGGRO CRAB (@AggroCrabGames) November 2, 2024
thanks guys pic.twitter.com/9x98xPAQLG
Though the road is challenging, there’s hope Aggro Crab will secure funding for their next ambitious project. In today’s tough market, indie games shine brightly with innovative examples like Buckshot Roulette and Balatro. Let’s hope Aggro Crab continues their journey in creating unique games. And as always, our trusted price comparison tool offers gamers the best deals on titles both big and small—Another Crab's Treasure included.
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