An nameless reader shares a report from Ars Technica:
The month earlier than Dwarf Fortress was launched on Steam (and Itch.io), the brothers Zach and Tarn Adams made $15,635 in income, principally from donations for his or her 16-year freeware undertaking. The month after the sport’s business debut, they made $7,230,123, or 462 instances that quantity….
Tarn Adams famous that “rather less than half will go to taxes,” and that different individuals and bills should be paid. However sufficient of it is going to attain the brothers themselves that “we have solved the principle problems with well being/retirement which are troubling for unbiased individuals.” It additionally implies that Putnam, a longtime modder and scripter and neighborhood member, can proceed their work on the Dwarf Fortress code base, having been employed in December.
The “problems with well being/retirement” turned very actual to the brothers in 2019 when Zach needed to search remedy for pores and skin most cancers. The $10,000 price, principally coated by means of his spouse’s employer-provided insurance coverage, made them understand the necessity for extra strong sustainability. “You are not simply going to run GoFundMes till you may’t after which die while you’re 50,” Tarn instructed The Guardian in late 2022. “That’s not cool.” This realization pushed them towards a (comparatively) extra accessible business launch with conventional graphics, music, and tutorials.
