428: Shibuya Scramble is an early pioneer of detective gaming, a visual novel set in Japan’s Shibuya ward that uses live action photographs and a complex timeline mechanic to present its crime narrative. Originally launching in 2008 for the Wii, it was released on Steam a decade later, garnering ‘Very Positive’ reviews and a cult following.
Last year, 428’s executive producer Jiro Ishii announced a spiritual successor—Shibuya Scramble Stories—launching a crowdfunding campaign on the Japanese platform Ubgoe to fund it. The game blew past its funding goal in less than an hour, raising a total of 55 million yen ($340,000) by the campaign’s end.
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Ishii goes on to say that Okada did eventually show him the account, but the numbers of the transaction itself were obscured, leading Ishii to believe that he was being misled. On top of that, Kasagi points out that in these circumstances, it is typical for a business to initiate a transfer reversal with the bank, leading him to be sceptical about Okada’s claim that he couldn’t recoup the funds.
Compounding the situation is that, according to Ubgoe’s terms and conditions, it is Skeleton Crew Studio, not Ubgoe, that is responsible for fulfilling its obligations to backers, something that Ishii wasn’t aware of when all this began. “I myself didn’t realise that the project owner would bear the responsibility if the collection agency absconded with the funds,” Ishii said. “I suppose I was acting under the assumption that people were inherently good.”
The good news is that the issue shouldn’t affect the development of Shibuya Scramble Stories any more than it already has, as it has guaranteed the project’s realisation with support from another company, Toyku Land Corporation. Nonetheless, Ishii is resolved to pursue the matter with Ubgoe, and ensure the funds owed to the project are, eventually, paid in full.
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