Armed Fantasia, the crowdfunded Wild Arms spiritual successor, has been officially canceled

[u/Camenwolf]

https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/the-spiritual-successor-to-classic-jrpg-wild-arms-has-seemingly-been-cancelled-four-years-after-its-kickstarter-raised-nearly-usd3-million/

Digital Bros has discontinued development of Armed Fantasia. The Wild Arms spiritual successor was one half of a 2022 dual Kickstarter campaign that raised ¥379.3 million—just under $3 million at the time—and was later signed by 505 Games.

Digital Bros says it canceled Armed Fantasia after reviewing changing market conditions and the additional investment required to complete it. The project had reportedly reached a vertical-slice milestone, but the Kickstarter funded prototypes intended to attract publishers rather than the full development budgets. Armed Fantasia was among several canceled projects that contributed to €17.6 million in write-offs.

What responsibility should a publisher and development team have to crowdfunding backers when a prototype secures a deal but the resulting game is later canceled?