Battalion 1944 Announces Surprising Move: Granting Full Refunds to All Its Kickstarter Backers!

Bulkhead Interactive will provide refunds to all Kickstarter backers who supported its Battalion 1944 campaign. In 2016, over 10,000 backers contributed to the campaign, raising funds exceeding £300,000. Although the funds allowed Bulkhead to release Battalion 1944 on PC in early 2019, its popularity declined rapidly, and console ports were never completed. Recently, Bulkhead was acquired by Splash Damage, leading to the decision to issue refunds for Kickstarter backers.

Battalion 1944, as its name suggests, is a multiplayer first-person shooter set in World War 2. It draws heavy inspiration from early multiplayer first-person WW2 shooters like Medal of Honor and Call of Duty. The game features various modes, including classic Search & Destroy with 5v5 team-based action, Team Deathmatch, and Rifles Only. Despite its initial success, Battalion 1944's popularity has significantly diminished. As a result, Bulkhead has ceased support and production for Battalion 1944, instead making it available for free as Battalion: Legacy.

Bulkhead has announced through a Twitter video that it will be refunding all pledges made during its 2016 Kickstarter campaign for Battalion 1944. Regardless of the platform or contribution tier, refunds will be offered to all who contributed. Kickstarter backers are required to claim their refund, which will be provided through the email address associated with their account.

Bulkhead expressed apologies for overpromising and underdelivering, describing the situation as "flying too close to the sun." It appears that Bulkhead failed to complete the console versions of Battalion 1944. However, they acknowledge the need to accept when something isn't right and move forward. While it is suggested that Bulkhead had been setting aside funds for refunds, it was their acquisition by Splash Damage that made these refunds possible.

Bulkhead would like to express its deep appreciation to everyone who not only supported the Battalion 1944 Kickstarter, but also stood by the game throughout the years. Although the plans for Battalion 1944 did not go as anticipated, it allowed Bulkhead to make progress. The refunding of Kickstarter backers is Bulkhead's effort to restore any lost trust and move forward with a focus on the future.

Currently, Bulkhead has not yet revealed any new projects following the release of Killrun in 2022, despite its collaboration with Splash Damage on Transformers Reactivate. However, there are hints suggesting that an announcement could be imminent. Just last week, a tweet mentioned that there are exciting developments on the horizon from the team. Battalion 1944 is merely one chapter that Bulkhead intends to put behind it, aiming for a fresh start.

Battalion Legacy is available now on PC.