Experimental RPG developer Summer Eternal: 'We're giving away 5% of our studio to you, the Players' in order to 'mend the trust broken in this industry a thousa
Summer Eternal, an experimental RPG studio, announced a governance model granting players 5% profit share and democratic influence to rebuild industry trust.
Summer Eternal, co-founded by former ZA/UM designers, introduced a governance model blending FairShares principles with player ownership. Unlike traditional shareholding, the studio’s structure includes players as stakeholders through a non-profit organization. This model aims to shift accountability beyond the point of purchase, addressing industry-wide trust issues. The approach prioritizes collective decision-making over profit extraction by players.
The studio’s model extends ownership to freelancers and customers, offering profit-sharing and democratic input. Players receive 5% of profits and voting rights, similar to systems in EVE Online or Old School RuneScape. This contrasts with publicly traded companies focused on shareholder returns. The proposal reflects a response to industry practices seen as exploitative or unsustainable.
Summer Eternal’s first product is the Summer Eternal Anthology Vol. 1, a book combining essays on the games industry with a preview of its debut game, Project Red Rooster. The Anthology is available for preorder for one more day. The book serves as both a manifesto and a funding mechanism for the studio’s radical governance model.
The studio’s governance model is detailed in posts by Aleksandar Gavrilović on its website. The model emphasizes transparency and player involvement in studio decisions. By integrating players into the financial and operational structure, Summer Eternal seeks to redefine developer-player relationships in the RPG genre.