The Fair Play Collective

@fairplaycollective.org

241 Followers 239 Following

Community-funded indie game dev, built on sustainability, transparency, and human-centered values. No crunch. No layoffs. Better games. Fairplaycollective.org Want to be involved? hello@fairplaycollective.org Discord: https://discord.gg/xqAbRz6HqA

January 29, 2026 at 2:03 PM I'm going to be a little vulnerable really quickly, so bear with me. I feel stuck at the moment with The Fair Play Collective and I really have since the new year. I was inspired when I first announced what we were working towards. Really. So many people reached out and wanted to offer words of encouragement, valid criticisms, excitement for a model they'd been hoping for for years. It felt good, and it was easy to just cruise forward on the idea. We bought the LLC, I had a blast putting the website together. It was invigorating to write up the manifesto and goals. It was fun to share them with everyone and feel the momentum. But things have slowed down. Which in and of itself is fine. I've said from the start that if this takes a year to get to the RIGHT place to give developers what they should have, that's fine. Now we're approaching where the rubber meets the road. Or should be. It's time to "do the thing," and it's kind of scary.
Dylan Smith Now Currently pouring it all into The Fair Play Collec... You're not wrong. It's an absolute struggle to get traction and notice at a "start from nothing scale." And while the goal is absolutely to change the industry for good at a large scale, I'd also be extremely happy maintaining a niche funding platform for a few developers every year. Just creating alternative paths, even small ones, is good change.
•..because to me, games are about more than having fun, right? ...if you want this medium to be more than, you know, a kind of 'have-fun-machine,' then like, you don't have to like this game. But this is the kind of thing that you should be paying attention to, because this is the place where that kind of work is happening." A quote by Jacob Geller on the MinnMax podcast
An abysmally bad take about union busting tactics. Ashley Wylde in • 3rd+ Workplace realist, Psychology student, wife,... 1w • Edited • O + Follow Rockstar Games I stood firm to protect its mission, direction, focus and honestly. Rockstar reportedly terminated 30 employees for attempting to unionise. This isn't just happening in headlines it's happening to many businesses, and it reflects a mindset spreading across the tech world. Not every company is designed to operate as a collective, and certainly not a founder-led creative powerhouse like Rockstar. Businesses built on vision, accountability, and leadership depend on clear direction. When those lines blur, creativity can quickly turn into chaos. Many start-ups are feeling this tension, with employees adopting a co-operative or "equal say" mindset that simply doesn't align with commercial or high growth environments. Collaboration is vital welcomed and essential, yes but leaders still needs to lead. There's a difference between having a voice and trying to take the wheel.
LLV status on the web showing that Fair Play Collective is a Limited Liability Company and active.
FPC manifesto faq about Q Fair Play Collective an experiment in backer-funded, indie developer mutual aid in Read Manifesto Learn More A better games industry - For devs: fair pay, reasonable hours, sustainable work and making something that you love shouldn't be a dream - it should be the reality. For players: this is a chance to give back to the teams you love (and will love!), ensuring that you can enjoy games that
Beautiful acrylic keychains from left to right, Vivi from FFX, Cloud from FFVII, Link from BOTW, and Shadow the Hedgehog
We're literally one day on the outside of revealing all of this and the support and interest has just been phenomenal. Thank you all so much for following and sharing. I hope to get so much more out in front of everyone in the coming couple weeks. Fair Play Initiative has an official LinkedIn page as of today and l'd love to see anyone over there as wants to be. I'll try to keep the posts fairly synchronized.
⚖️ Accountability & Zero Tolerance We’re building this collective because the industry has failed to protect its people — especially from exploitation, abuse, and silence. That means enforceable expectations and zero tolerance for: Misuse of funds Sexual harassment or misconduct Bullying, threats, or verbal abuse Discrimination or hate speech Physical violence or intimidation Forced/coerced crunch Violations trigger a confidential investigation. If substantiated: Funding is suspended Public accountability report is issued Studios may be permanently removed Offenders are named; studios that protect them lose support We do not shield abusers. We do not quietly cut ties. We take action.
Backer Benefits for the Fair Play Collective Monthly free game (yours to keep, no DRM) 40% off MSRP on all Collective games Dev diaries, postmortems, AMAs and live Q&As Founding member credit on site and in-game More to come in this space
How It Works (Right Now) Monthly Backers Fund the Pool: Supporters pay a flat monthly rate. We publish monthly reports showing how it's used. Studios Apply for Funding: They submit a concept, timeline, staffing, salaries, and a no-layoff/crunch pledge. A developer-led board reviews each one. Selected Studios Receive Monthly Support: Up to 24 months of funding with progress reporting and accountability. Games Are Released When They’re Ready: No early access. No forced deadlines. Devs set the timeline. Backers Get Benefits: Free monthly game, discounts, updates, and transparency reports.
Part of the Fair Play Collective’s manifest, specifically the “What We Stand For” section. What We Stand For -Creative sovereignty: Devs make what they want. No pitch wars. No popularity contests. No interference. -Worker-first ethics: No layoffs. No crunch. No hidden pay scales. Studios must submit fair, public compensation plans and timelines. -Trust, not access: Backers don’t get early builds. They fund because they believe — not because they want to peek behind the curtain. -Transparency everywhere: Salaries, progress, and project status are shared publicly. No NDAs. No smoke and mirrors. -Community without control: Supporters get behind-the-scenes access when studios choose to share — but never creative ownership or decision-making power.