The Overload Kickstarter gets funded just two hours before it ends

A few days ago, we brought your attention to the newly-released demo for Overload, the 6DOF shooter being developed by the guys who made Descent. But with the good news—free game—came bad: The $300,000 Kickstarter campaign was just a few days from ending and had achieved not much more than half its goal. I didn't say so in the post, but there was no doubt in my mind that it was all over but the shouting. And I was wrong.

It was a close thing, but with less than two hours left in the campaign, the goal was achieved, and it ultimately wrapped up with $306,537. The Kickstarter got a big push over the final day, during which the team ran a 24-hour livestream on Twitch and released two new builds of the demo, available via direct download from yesterday's update. They're “pretty rough and not quite as ready for release as the previous builds,” but they provide a stiffer challenge for those who, unlike me, were able to make it to the end of the original demo without getting blown into crunchy little bits.

The developers said a backer survey will be sent out within the next couple of weeks. For now, the “official” Overload demo, which, pre-alpha state notwithstanding is really quite good, remains available on Steam. Overload's estimated delivery date, which is basically Kickstarter lingo for a release date, is March 2017. More info is up at playoverload.com.

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.