The Unfortunate Demise of Drag Her: A Crowdfunded Fighting Game That Failed to Secure Funding

The story of Drag Her, a 2D hand-drawn fighting game featuring real-life drag artists, serves as a prime example of the difficulties faced by independent game developers in securing funding. Despite meeting its Kickstarter goal of $69,000 in February 2022, the game's development was officially shut down in May 2024 due to a lack of funding. According to studio director and producer Ian Ramsay, the Kickstarter campaign was intended to demonstrate the market potential of the game, rather than fully fund its development. The team had hoped to secure a publishing deal to cover the remaining costs, but unfortunately, this did not materialize. Ramsay acknowledges that the studio's failure to clearly communicate its funding needs to backers was a significant mistake. The game's exhibition at the Evo fighting game tournament in the summer of 2023 generated positive feedback, but behind the scenes, the development had already stalled due to financial constraints. The team decided to release a free, limited version of the game on Steam, but this meant that the drag artists featured in the game would not receive royalties. Ramsay believes that the game's queer cast and theme may have deterred some publishers from investing, and that the current industry climate, with its emphasis on risk aversion, made it even more challenging to secure funding. Despite the setbacks, Ramsay encourages other queer developers to continue pursuing their projects, hoping that one day, the industry will become more receptive to diverse voices and stories.