With Kickstarter finally giving the green light to projects based in the UK, we decided to get in touch with British-based studios for their take on how the crowdfunding tool may impact the dev scene on these shores.

Next up: Spilt Milk Studios MD and AppyNation comms manager Andrew Smith.

Pocket Gamer: Having watched developers in the US utilise Kickstarter, what do you think it'll do for the UK market?

Andrew Smith: It'll have a good effect for the projects suited to it.

I'm not sure anyone who was keen enough hasn't already circumvented the rules to use it already but it is a good thing it's here now. More funding options can only be beneficial to the market.

How valuable is Kickstarter as a marketing tool?

It certainly helps that it's a platform on which you can tick certain boxes to improve your visibility.

It's a shame that the ocean between the USA and the UK still has an effect - IndoGoGo just doesn't have the same brand - and as such I believe Kickstarter provides a touch point for USA-focused press and hence consumers that were previously unavailable.

Should crowdfunding be a tool primarily used to fund games that can't get publishers, or as some have suggested, is it still a viable option when the developer behind it either has the money to fund the game outright, or has the support of a publisher?

I think it is a viable tool for any dev with a strong IP, truly innovative and appealing game idea, or who wants a proven - and safe in the minds of the fans - platform through which to offer something a lite bit different.

It'd be a shame if the big companies wrestled their way in, but it could happen.

Is there a risk consumers may suffer from Kickstarter fatigue at some point?

I don't think so.

I think the number of nostalgia-driven projects will dwindle over time and one or two projects will likely fail badly and disappoint people, but the fundamental appeal of getting involved with a project you find tremendously appealing at an early stage and in a meaningful way will never wane.

Would you consider using it to fund one of your games?

Certainly, but Kickstarting - or any crowdfunding - is a full time job, and I'd be very careful about choosing the right project.

I did a small campaign with Smash The Block for mobiles on IndieGoGo, and I managed to learn a lot from that. It's a huge undertaking.
Thanks to Andrew for his time.

If you're a UK dev with a view on Kickstarter's launch, drop us a line at keith.andrew [at] pocketgamer.co.uk.