Dev's 3-Year Prison Sentence Halts Steam FPS Game Development

Summary

• The development of the Steam FPS game Fortune's Run has been halted due to its creator, Dizzie, receiving a 3-year prison sentence.
• The game remains in early access, with its future uncertain.

Fans of the Steam FPS game Fortune's Run will be disappointed to learn that the game may remain in early access for an extended period, as its creator, Dizzie, is set to serve a three-year prison sentence. While development pauses on Steam games are common due to financial or technical issues, Fortune's Run faces a unique challenge with its sole developer being incarcerated.

Before the news of Dizzie's prison sentence, Fortune's Run had achieved considerable success on Steam, boasting a "Very Positive" rating. Players have lauded its nostalgic art style and innovative gameplay, even though it's still in early access. However, any future updates will be delayed significantly. While other titles like Half-Life 2 have overcome development hurdles, the future of Fortune's Run remains uncertain.

Dizzie broke the news of their three-year prison sentence in a Steam update on January 14, stating that the crime occurred before they began working on Fortune's Run and admitting to being "a very violent person" during that time. This situation is rare, but not unprecedented, as other gaming personalities, like streamer Johnny Somali, have faced legal troubles recently.

Progress on Fortune's Run Won't Continue Until Developer Is Released From Prison

Originally, Fortune's Run had another team member who left the project after a botched surgery and lost interest in game development. With Dizzie now the only developer, the game's progress will be completely stalled during their incarceration, starting in February 2025. Despite the Steam page's goal of exiting early access by 2026, this target seems unattainable. However, other indie games like Satisfactory have taken over five years to leave early access, suggesting that a three-year delay is not unprecedented.

Dizzie remains optimistic about completing the game once released from prison. In the meantime, fans can continue to enjoy the current version of Fortune's Run, and there are numerous other early access shooters on Steam to explore until development can resume.

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