Game Studio Seeks First 'Kickhire'

With competition in the computer game market at an all time high, development studios are constantly searching for ways to set their product apart from the rest. In order to create a game that is unique and innovative, companies must have the right combination of developers, content creators, and artists. A team that has great chemistry and vision could mean the difference between adding or merging servers three months after launch. However, the chances of a smaller studio luring a big name developer away from a big name studio is nigh impossible.

For small computer game companies, sometimes a little out-of-the-box thinking is what's needed. Last week, newly founded Pander Studios launched their mandatory Kickstarter to fund their inaugural MMO due out in 2019. While most of the the reward tiers offer the usual beta access and in-game items, the largest backer tier proved to be the most unusual. Dubbed the "You're Hired Tier!", the company seeks to recruit up to five new game developers in the form of project backers.

In order to get hired by Pander Studios, a backer must pledge $50,000 to secure a spot on their payroll. There is no job experience or educational background required.

Studio founder Jason Albrecht described the motivation behind the move, "We really want to hire someone who is passionate about the game. If donating fifty grand to a game doesn't show passion, I don't know what does." When asked about the discrepancy in the amount pledged versus the amount paid for the job, Albrecht explained, "well, we still need your money to make the game, now don't we?"

Comments posted on the game's Kickstarter have been mixed. While most congratulate Pander Studios on giving everyday gamers the opportunity to fulfill the dream of creating computer games for a living, some followers of the game are outraged. User 733tNooblet seemed most distraught at the fact the "You're Hired Tier!" reward was not offered at a lower backer tier. "Even though the campaign just launched, this game is already p2win [pay to win]! I've been following this game since it was a GDD [game design document] in Google Drive. The devs should really be rewarding players who have been here since the beginning, not whoever can fork over the most cash."

Dismissing such comments as a very vocal minority, Albrect is confident that his company will eventually be able to attract talented developers to Pander Studios. "It's a win-win for Pander Studios. If we end up hiring someone who terrible at the job, then we just fire the backer after a month, take the money they contributed, and hire someone who doesn't suck."