A Chapter Closes

As promised, we are getting back to you to provide an update on the mobilization of our professional partners.

The amount collected from them stands at €680,000. Combined with the €420,000 currently pledged on Gamefound, we have reached a total of approximately €1.1 million at this hour.

We are far — far too far — from the vital goal of €2 million we had set to guarantee the future of the game. It would be dishonest to tell you that we can still turn the tide by Friday evening. We must face reality: the numbers simply aren't there.

It is with a heavy heart that we have decided to cancel the Roots of Corruption campaign. As we committed to doing, all backers — both players and retailers — will be reimbursed in full. This is the cornerstone of our responsibility toward you, and it is the most obvious decision to make.

This campaign does not only mark the end of a crowdfunding project; unfortunately, it also marks the end of the Altered adventure.

“On a personal note, I have experienced the end of projects before—cycles that come to a close. But today feels different. Tonight, we feel a profound sadness as we reflect on what Altered has become for all of us.

Tonight, we are thinking of you—our players, our community, our ambassadors. To everyone who accompanied us, supported us, and sometimes challenged us. Altered managed to create something rare: a sincere, kind, and committed community. We say this because we met you time and again. You often surprised us. We are sad tonight because we realize what this game represented for many of you. And because we also realize all that we failed to achieve.

We are thinking of the game stores. To those who believed in the game before it was a certainty, who championed it to their customers, and who ordered stock on a gamble. Running a game store is an act of faith in itself; betting on an independent French TCG with an original universe and no established license to lean on... that deserves to be acknowledged. Thank you to them.

We are thinking of our artists. Altered is a universe, a visual identity—something recognizable at a single glance. This world did not exist until they drew it. Thank you to them for giving substance to all of this.

We are thinking of our partners—those we call such for lack of a better word, because "partner" describes a contract but not the relationship. For their advice, for what they taught us by their side, for the moments they believed in the project even more than we perhaps deserved. We grew together, and that cannot be erased.

And of course, on a personal level, my thoughts are with the team. To the women and men who continued to believe, even when the headwind became exhausting. To their resilience in the face of invisible obstacles, to their total dedication. They have been extraordinary. I know that word can feel worn out, but here, it takes on its full meaning. Thank you to them for allowing this universe to exist, if only for a time.

As we write these lines, we quickly realize how much we lack the words to evoke all the positive emotions tied to these years by your side. There are a thousand memories to recall: encounters, smiles, events, and passionate discussions…”

“I know that the settling silence brings its share of questions: what will happen to your digital collections? To the future on Board Game Arena? To the legacy of this universe? We are not going to leave you in a vacuum. We simply need some time to digest this moment, to properly close this chapter, and to provide you with clear and respectful answers.

Thank you for every card played, for every smile exchanged, and for everything you put of yourselves into this adventure. It was an honor to imagine it with you.”

Régis Bonnessée, EQUINOX’s founder