A Finnish developer has unveiled a game in which players control military drones and carry out attacks on Russian forces
The ongoing military conflict in Ukraine is being used as the backdrop for a new video game developed by Finnish studio Rockodile, which has launched a crowdfunding campaign to fund the project.
The game, titled ‘Death From Above’, is being advertised as an “easy-to-pick-up arcade drone warfare game,” which allows players to take on the role of a Ukrainian military drone operator fighting against Russian troops.
Players will be tasked with dropping bombs on Russian servicemen and equipment, salvaging “precious hardware,” such as stolen washing machines, and restoring crucial communication lines disrupted by the conflict, according to the game’s Kickstarter crowdfunding page.
The studio has vowed to donate 30% of net proceeds from Steam sales of the game to Ukrainian charities and commit a further 70% of net proceeds after the developer breaks even.
It’s noted that none of the funds raised through Kickstarter will be donated to charity and will only be used to improve and expand the game, “making it bigger and better looking.”
The game’s director, Hendrik Lesser, said ‘Death from Above’ was originally intended to be a simulation game which involved mini-games involving operating drones, transferring cargo and racing. However, the scope of the project and the team have expanded in the past six months, and the studio has also partnered up with Gis Arta – a Ukrainian developer of military software used to control and coordinate drones and artillery in combat scenarios.
The game is expected to be released on Early Access on Steam in the coming months, regardless of the results of the Kickstarter campaign, the developers said. However, those who donate to the campaign can get bonuses following the official launch.
Those who donate a minimum of €3 will unlock the ‘Mass Mobilization’ tier and receive a wallpaper that the developers hope will remind players of “the fun and excitement” they experienced in game. Those who pledge €18 will unlock the “Art of Propaganda” tier and be gifted with three caricatures of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Moscow, meanwhile, has repeatedly decried the “unprecedented level of Russophobia” detected in numerous countries amid the Ukraine conflict. In some parts of the UK, for example, hate crimes and violent assaults against Russians have more than doubled over the past year, according to a Sky News report earlier this month.
That’s the beauty of “net proceeds”, they can be hidden in expenses.
Hollywood Accounting
"Because of the studio’s ability to place arbitrary charges along the value chain, net participation “points” (a percentage of the net income as opposed to a percentage of the gross income of a film) are sometimes referred to as “monkey points”. The term is attributed to Eddie Murphy, who is said to have also stated that only a fool would accept net points in their contract.[4][5]
Actress Lynda Carter on The Late Show with Joan Rivers commented “Don’t ever settle for net profits. It’s called ‘creative accounting’.”[6]
Many insist on “gross points” (a percentage of some definition of gross revenue) rather than net profit participation. This practice reduces the likelihood of a project showing a profit, as a production company will claim a portion of the reported box-office revenue was diverted directly to gross point participants. The studios rarely agree to gross participation, generally only when the person has considerable leverage, such an A-list star, producer, or director whose participation is vital to the project."