Question 1

Controller support on release?

Accepted Answer

Yes - full gamepad support, including Steam Deck.

Question 2

Is the game story-driven?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The game has a strong narrative backbone. The exact level of branching, consequences and other storytelling methods are still being determined as we develop.

Question 3

Platforms?

Accepted Answer

PC (Windows) and Steam Deck at launch. We may explore other platforms like Mac or consoles in the future.

Question 4

How will I get my game copy?

Accepted Answer

Most likely through a DRM-free build or a digital key. We would love to give every backer a Steam key, but we can't guarantee it: over the years Steam's policy gets more and more anti-crowdfunding (e.g. they started to seriously limit amount of keys per project).

Question 5

Single-player or multiplayer game? Will it require internet?

Accepted Answer

It’s single-player only and it’s fully playable offline once installed. We’d love to work with the modding community post-launch to explore online co-op, but that will depend on resources and interest.

Question 6

Language support on release?

Accepted Answer

English and at least one Asian language at launch. Additional languages may follow, depending on funding and community interest.

Question 7

Will there be modding support?

Accepted Answer

We’re designing the game with modder-friendly systems in mind and we’ll be happy to share our internal files with the modders. Please contact us if you'd like to help us with that in future.

Question 8

System requirements?

Accepted Answer

Exact specs will be shared closer to launch, but the game is being optimized for both mid-range PCs and Steam Deck.

Question 9

Physical rewards?

Accepted Answer

Unfortunately no. It was a tough decision to make as we're sure our backers would love to have physical items too. However, current economic situation puts us at risk of not being able to fulfill those tiers due to constantly changing tariffs.

Question 10

Will backers get exclusive in-game content?

Accepted Answer

Yes - certain cosmetic or lore-based extras are exclusive to our backers. These won’t affect gameplay balance.

Question 11

Will the game have replay value?

Accepted Answer

Yes - we plan to include New Game+ mode in the full game. Similar to Hitman: Contracts, you will be able to replay missions with new objectives and complications. One of our tiers (Premium + Design a contract) gives you an opportunity to design one of the contracts yourself.

Question 12

Why not Kickstarter?

Accepted Answer

Unfortunately, it only supports certain European countries but not all. So we had to look for alternatives.

Question 13

How long to beat the game?

Accepted Answer

We’re making the game for a mature audience that values your time: thus a meaningful experience without filler. We don’t want to stretch things out and make your grind (unless you want to - in that case we have New Game+). We’d like the game to be around 5-7 hours.

Question 14

PLEDGE: VIRTUAL MEETUP W/ DEVS

Accepted Answer

We're genuinely excited to meet you! Here's how it'll work:

Scheduling: 
We'll offer a selection of dates and times (either before or after the game's release - we'll keep you posted). Because backers join us from all over the world, we'll look at the median timezone across everyone in this tier and do our best to find a window that works for most people. We can't promise perfection across every time zone, but we'll work hard to be as inclusive as possible.

Format: 
It'll be a relaxed hangout - a mix of casual chat and Q&A. We'll host it on Discord or a video call platform like Zoom or Google Meet, depending on what works best for the group.

You'll need a working internet connection to join. We'll send all the details well in advance so you have plenty of time to get set up.

Question 15

PLEDGE: YOUR NAME IN THE GAME

Accepted Answer

We'd love to include your name in the game - it means a lot to us that you're part of this journey! To make sure it fits naturally, here are a few things we ask:

Real name or nickname? 
We do gently recommend your real name (or a close variant of it) where possible. Nicknames are okay, though harder to implement because in certain in-game contexts - like a collaborative workspace or a chat interface - a handle like "xX_DarkLord_Xx" can feel a little out of place next to other names.

Language: 
Please send your name in English characters. If your name uses a different script, a romanized version works perfectly. You are free to also send other spelling options in case the game is localized into your native language. Please don't forget to identify which language that is.

Small legal note: 
Please make sure the name you submit is your own - not a trademarked character, a brand, or any name you don't have the right to use. We want everyone in the credits to feel proud of what they see!

Question 16

Release date?

Accepted Answer

We are currently aiming at 2028 (pessimistically with going into early 2029).

Question 17

Difficulty options?

Accepted Answer

We’re aiming for flexible stealth gameplay, from forgiving to challenging, so you can play at your preferred pace. In short: absolutely, we plan to integrate various difficulty options for the full game.

Question 18

PLEDGE: UNIQUE PDA SKIN

Accepted Answer

Your in-game PDA, your canvas. Share your vision with us: a mood, a color palette, references, and we'll craft a custom skin that lives on your device in the game world.

THE PROCESS
We work in two stages: a draft and a final.

Draft. Based on your brief and references, we'll produce an initial design. This is the stage for big-picture feedback: composition, color direction, overall feel. If the draft is genuinely miles away from what you described, we'll do a second draft. That said, we only offer up to two drafts, so the more clearly you brief us upfront, the better.

Final. This is the stage for fine-tuning: small adjustments to color, detail, or balance. If a dark geometric design at draft stage was approved, the final round isn't the moment to turn it into floral and pastel instead.

Each stage comes with a response deadline, which we'll communicate clearly when we send your design. If we don't hear back from you within this time, the design will be finished nevertheless and the pledge will be considered fulfilled.

CONTENT RESTRICTIONS
We want your skin to feel personal and expressive, and we'll work with a wide range of styles and aesthetics. The following, however, can't be included:

- Copyrighted or trademarked material; logos, brand imagery, characters, or artwork belonging to someone else 
- Hate speech, slurs, or discriminatory language or symbols 
- Symbols or iconography associated with extremist or terrorist organizations 
- Political slogans, propaganda, or party symbols 
- Sexually explicit or suggestive imagery 
- Graphic violence or gore 
- Content that targets, demeans, or threatens any individual or group
- Other illegal or morally dubious content

If your submission touches on any of the above, we'll reach out to discuss alternatives before proceeding. We reserve the right to decline any brief that falls outside these guidelines.

A NOTE ON REFUNDS
We put real time and care into every skin, and we'll always work closely with your references and brief. Because of this, we're unable to offer refunds if the final result isn't to your taste - by that point we will have done our best through two rounds of feedback. The best way to make sure you love the result is to brief us well and engage with the draft stage.

Question 19

PLEDGE: I HATE MY BOSS

Accepted Answer

We treat every submission as raw material. What goes into the game is fiction, inspired by the feeling and dynamic you describe, but thoroughly transformed (for legal reasons also). Industry, location, company size, timeline, names, genders, physical descriptions - all of it gets changed or abstracted.

By submitting, you grant us full creative rights to use and fictionalize your story for the game and its promotional materials.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD SUBMISSION

The best submissions lead with feeling and dynamic rather than facts and specifics. We need the atmosphere, that particular flavor of absurdity is what becomes good fiction.

We ask to anonymize your stories: no full names, no recognizable details, no identifying information in your submission.

Aim for roughly half a page to 2 pages max - enough to give us the full picture. The best submissions tend to cover three things:

The dynamic. Who was this person to you, and what made them difficult in that particular way? There are so many flavors of bad bosses. Help us feel the specific texture of yours.

The moment. A single scene, exchange, or incident that captures it perfectly (include the build up if necessary). Was it something they said or did? Dialogue is gold - if you remember actual words, write them down. We need the essence of how people like this actually talk.

How did it end, or where does it stand? Did you leave, outlast them, or are you still in the trenches?

You don't need to write well. You don't need to be fair or balanced or professional about it. This is a safe place to be completely, gloriously one-sided.

One thing to keep in mind: focus on the human side of the story rather than the professional specifics.

PLEASE DO NOT share anything you're bound to keep confidential (NDA): proprietary information, internal business data, trade secrets, client details. Aside from potentially putting you in a difficult position with a confidentiality agreement, none of it makes for better fiction anyway.

What we promise you:

Your submission stays private. We will never share your original story publicly or with anyone outside the development team. It lives with us, gets transformed into fiction, and that's where it ends.

We reserve the right to decline. 
Some stories are better processed in other ways - if a submission involves serious allegations of illegal conduct, reads more like a legal complaint than a narrative, or risks identifying a real person too clearly regardless of our efforts, we may need to pass. We'll reach out to see what we can suggest instead.

Question 20

PLEDGE:  YOUR FACE // YOUR CHARACTER IN THE GAME

Accepted Answer

This is one of our most personal rewards, and we want to make sure we handle it with the care it deserves.

For Item "Your face in the game":
We'll place an image in the environment with your appearance, retouched to the game's art style.

For Item "Your character in the game":
We'll create an in-game character based on your actual appearance.

For both:
Send us a photo of yourself, or describe the character you'd like us to create, and we'll turn it into a unique in-game character in our realistic art style.

A few simple rules: please don't base your character directly on famous/public figures (such as actors, musicians, athletes, or politicians), other real people without their permission, or copyrighted characters (e.g. Marvel, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Pokémon, Mario, etc.)

The final model will resemble you, but won't be a 100% exact replica. Our artists will adapt your likeness to fit the game's art style and technical requirements.

NB: We'll never use your likeness for anything outside the game and its promotional materials without your separate permission.

We'll send more guidelines to help you share exactly what you have in mind!

Question 21

PLEDGE: DESIGN A PROP

Accepted Answer

You'll get to contribute an actual object to the game world. To help us bring your idea to life, here are some guidelines:

Size: 
Think small to medium, something a character could realistically pick up, carry, or place on a table. A mug, a lantern, a mysterious little gadget - that kind of thing. Very large environmental pieces (furniture, architecture) are unfortunately outside of the scope for this reward.

Style: 
Props should fit the game's visual world, so we may need to adapt your idea slightly to make it feel at home. We'll share more about the art style and setting when we reach out. The important thing is that it needs to be a realistic object, made not later than early 2000s in our time line.

THINGS WE CAN'T INCLUDE:
We want to make sure the game stays welcoming for everyone, so we ask that submissions avoid:

- anything that infringes on copyrighted or trademarked material (e.g. a replica of a famous brand's product or a fictional object tied to another IP) 
- adult or sexual content 
- religious or political symbols or statements 
- content that promotes hatred, discrimination, or harm toward any group etc
- other illegal items

We reserve the right to decline or modify any submission that doesn't fit within these guidelines. If we need to make changes, we'll always talk to you first.

Question 22

Prototype VS Full game - What to expect?

Accepted Answer

This prototype is a Vertical Slice. We've iterated several times on the core gameplay mechanics. In terms of map size, it's roughly comparable to a full first mission in the final game, though it's possible the entire level will be reworked further down the line.

What's not in the prototype yet:
- Cutscenes
- Voice-over / voice acting
- Not all PDA functions are working yet (e.g. highlighting points of interest on the map to make it easier to follow mission objectives)
- No immersive moments yet, such as being able to overhear guard conversations
- Clues can currently only be picked up via PC interaction, not by physically picking up objects and reading from them
- Some animations are missing
- Vertical level-design is not represented and climbing is missing
- Big Katch currently misses the ending with CEO office

Question 23

How will the funds be used? / Cost breakdown

Accepted Answer

100% of the goal amount will go directly into content creation - specifically level design, as we plan to get some very talented level designers involved.

The team behind the project is self-funded, meaning we unfortunately don't pay ourselves any salary, and that's probably not going to change until after the game's release. On the contrary, whatever we can invest from our day jobs, we bring into the project ourselves - mainly, to hire people with the expertise we can't cover on our own.

Have more questions?
Check the FAQ or hit us up in the Discussions.

SeverLink - Y2K stealth action video game

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SeverLink - Y2K stealth action video game

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About SeverLink

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