Summary

• Development of the Steam FPS Fortune's Run has been halted due to the creator's 3-year prison sentence.
• The game is now in early access limbo.

Fans of the Steam FPS Fortune's Run may be disheartened to learn that the game's development is on hold, as its creator, Dizzie, faces a three-year prison sentence. While delays in game development are common, often due to financial or technical issues, Fortune's Run faces a unique challenge with its sole developer being incarcerated.

Before this unexpected news, Fortune's Run had garnered a "Very Positive" rating on Steam, appreciated for its nostalgic art style and innovative gameplay, even in its early access stage. However, fans will need to wait until Dizzie's release for any further updates. While other games like Half-Life 2 have overcome similar development hurdles, the future of Fortune's Run remains uncertain.

Dizzie announced their prison sentence on January 14 via a Steam update, explaining that the crime occurred before starting work on Fortune's Run, during a time when they identified as "a very violent person." This situation isn't isolated to the gaming industry; for instance, streamer Johnny Somali faced arrest in South Korea. Nonetheless, a game's delay due to a developer's imprisonment is uncommon.

Progress on Fortune's Run Won't Continue Until Developer Is Released From Prison

Originally, another team member was part of the project, but they left after a botched surgery recovery and lost interest in game development. With Dizzie now the only developer, work on the game will pause completely during their three-year sentence, starting in February 2025. The Steam page still lists an early access exit target of 2026, but this seems unlikely. However, other indie games like Satisfactory have taken over five years to leave early access, suggesting that a three-year delay isn't unprecedented.

In the Steam update, Dizzie expressed optimism about finishing the game post-release. Until then, players can continue enjoying the current version of Fortune's Run, and there are plenty of other engaging early access shooters available on Steam to tide fans over until development resumes.

[ttpp]