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The company behind STALKER Apocalypse’s crowdfunding platform World Wide Funder has addressed concerns surrounding the relationship between the company and developer West Games.
West Games is currently attempting to raise some $600,000 through the new website, despite doubts surrounding whether the development team is legally allowed to use the STALKER name. The studio has so far claimed it has every right to use the name as “Stalker by itself is a common word, and anyone can use it”.
The studio previously had a crowdfunding campaign suspended on Kickstarter after accusations of missing assets and false claims to the IP.
Now World Wide Funder has sent out a statement distancing itself from West Games, claiming the developer did not make the website, and that the crowdfunding campaign will continue.
“This confusion came about because Leonid Kovtun is a member of our company,” read a statement.
“He knows West Games, and showed our platform to them. Unfortunately, some people jumped to conclusions, and wrongfully associated us as one and the same. WFunder is a platform that gives people unique social options and a great degree of creative freedom.”
Develop has looked at the Nevada business portal SilverFlume – the state in which World Wide Funder and West Games are based – and has found that West Games CEO Eugene Kim may also have links with the firm. He is listed as the reservation holder of a now expired company called World Wide Funder, which expired in November.
The applicant name for a new company also called World Wide Funder, which is currently active, is “Animal Book Incorporated DBA World Wide Funder.
Develop has asked for clarification on any possible links and has yet to receive a response.
It should be noted that there is no issue with a company raising funding through its own website if there is such a link. We have asked however for clarification on the relationship between the two firms and what the minimum funding goal for the STALKER project is, as companies are allowed to keep any and all money raised through World Wide Funder.
