10 INSANE Video Game Risks (That Totally Paid Off)
5. Cuphead Developers Remortgage Their Homes
Video games aren't just made by huge studios with dump-trucks full of cash, sometimes they come from the bedrooms of passionate programmers who use their free-time to work on their art. Cuphead is one such story, and a successful one indeed, considering that it was met with high praise and spawned a Netflix animated series.
Cuphead's development began around 2013 as a dream in the minds of brothers Jared and Chad Moldenhauer. A short clip of the idea of a run-and-gunner inspired by 1930s cartoons was posted on YouTube which grabbed the attention of Microsoft. After striking a deal, the ball was really rolling and industry interest grew because of just how unique and stunning the art style was.
As the game's demands grew, so did the need for more staff and more investment. As such, the brothers decided to quit their day jobs (which yes, they still had even after signing a release deal with Microsoft) and even re-mortgage their homes in order to spend on supporting the fledgling studioMDHR.
In the economy of today, even being able to afford a mortgage at all seems like a dream come true for some people. But Cuphead's devs took a gamble by selling their houses back to the bank in order to see their game come to life.
It gives the final boss of the game's gambling aesthetic a deeper meaning indeed.