Chronicles of Elyria Outlines Expenses in Latest 'Developer Journal'
Chronicles of Elyria is back at it this month with a new developer journal. In the latest journal by Soulbound Studios owner Jeromy “Caspian” Walsh, the financial numbers have been detailed in what appears to be a lengthy list of expenses. These expenditures are meant to outline what Chronicles of Elyria has cost Soulbound Studios since the development started in 2016. After a successful Kickstarter campaign that raised $1.3 million and an additional $7.7 million raised via their website, the game was originally marked for a December 2017 release. However, the game will likely never see the light of day, and the studio has been marred by numerous setbacks, including layoffs, lawsuits, and a hiatus.
The latest dev blog from the Chronicles of Elyria ‘team’, posted in July 2023, provides a financial breakdown of the studio's expenditures. While the transparency might be appreciated by some, it raises more questions than it answers. The financials at this stage don’t appear to follow much in the way of the current phase of development, but rather expenditures during the time the game was in active development from 2017 to 2019. In many ways, it seem to be an attempt to justify the lack of progress, but they only serve to highlight the mismanagement of funds and the failure to deliver on promises.
The update reveals that the studio has spent a significant portion of its funds on salaries and benefits, despite Walsh himself stating he currently is not taking a salary, nor has since 2020. This raises questions about the allocation of funds and the studio's priorities. Furthermore, the update mentions the loss of employees, with the studio now unsurprisingly hosting only a single developer.
The post also includes a section on
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