Brutal Legend 2 needs $100m Kickstarter

Double Fine has promised to make a sequel to its 2009 heavy-metal open-world game Brutal Legend, but only if a new Kickstarter campaign raises an almost impossible $100 million. The developer recently regained its independence from Xbox and has launched a crowdfunding drive for its next 'Amnesia Fortnight' game jam.

According to the campaign page, the primary goal is to fund 'Amnesia Fortnight 2026, Indie Reboot.' This is a two-week internal event where the studio develops prototypes for new game ideas. The campaign's stretch goals are minimal. The first is simply to reach the initial funding target. The second, set at $100 million, states: "We make Brütal Legend 2. Yes, really."

The Amnesia Fortnight Tradition

The studio describes Amnesia Fortnight as a long-standing tradition dating back to 2007. It is a two-week period where developers pitch their wildest game ideas to each other, vote on favorites, and create playable prototypes. Several of the studio's past games, including Costume Quest and Iron Brigade, originated from these jams.

For the 2026 event, backers of the Kickstarter will be able to vote for four ideas from a list of 26 pitches. The chosen concepts will become small, playable games after the two-week development sprint. One of those four will then be selected for full development into a "real (small) game" to be published under a new label called Double Fine Action Labs.

The $100 Million Reality Check

The $100 million stretch goal for Brutal Legend 2 is widely seen as a joke, reflecting the studio's signature cheeky humor. Raising such a sum on Kickstarter is described as almost impossible. The most successful Kickstarter campaign of all time raised $46 million for a 3D printer. In video games, the record is held by Shenmue 3, which raised $6 million.

In contrast, the Amnesia Fortnight 2026 campaign has currently raised over £236,000. Its initial funding goal is £295,399. The campaign will also fund a behind-the-scenes documentary produced by 2 Player Productions, the crew known for the PsychOdyssey series.

Studio Independence and Pitches

Double Fine recently regained its independence after being divested by Xbox earlier this summer. The move was part of broader layoffs at the console maker. The studio also regained the rights to its entire back catalog, including Psychonauts and Brutal Legend.

The list of 26 game pitch ideas for the upcoming jam includes unusually named concepts such as 'Lesbian Sled Death,' 'Friendslap,' and 'Brouroboros.' The final, fully developed game from the jam will be released on Mac and PC platforms. The studio's announcement did not mention console release plans beyond noting that the original Brutal Legend was released on PS3 and Xbox 360.