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"Need for Speed: Shift developer Slightly Mad Studios has raised over &amp;euro;500,000 ($663,750) for its crowd-funded game Project CARS. The studio is using the World of Mass Development (WMD) platform, with Slightly Mad CEO Ian Bell noting that it's \"great to see\" the project \"performing well.\" He praised WMD, stating that \"it allows developers to make the game they want to make, without undue publisher pressure.\" Checking the WMD project page, the current member contributions actually total &amp;euro;545,120 ($723,646).As we've previously reported, the WMD platform is particularly intriguing because it provides funders with frequent early builds of the game, offering a chance to both enjoy the game before release and provide feedback on its development.Show full PR text   Crowd Funding Development Platform \"World Of Mass Development\" Successfully Underway    More than half a million Euros raised for racing project C.A.R.S. since launch in October 2011    London, March 23, 2012: Slightly Mad Studios today announced that its innovative crowd funded development platform \"World Of Mass Development\" is running successfully. The first title, with a working title of Project C.A.R.S., has raised already more than half a million Euros since launch in October 2011.    The WMD platform, hosted at www.wmdportal.com, enables gamers to contribute directly to the development of upcoming titles, as well as giving them an in depth appreciation of the game creation process. As well as enjoying the game as it is being built, they are also rewarded for their contribution by earning a share of any profit each game makes.    More than forty thousand members have already signed up for Project C.A.R.S. at WMD, becoming part of the game development process and helping to make it the best racing simulation ever created.    \"It's great to see our WMP portal performing well. It's nothing less than a revolutionary new approach to game development and funding. It allows developers to make the game they want to make, without undue publisher pressure. The concept of WMD allows developers to submit design ideas to an active gaming community, raise the funds needed to develop them, and get continual feedback from community team members that test work-in-progress builds. They can also use the WMD Portal to promote their project, get help from other developers, and ultimately successfully launch their game,\" said Ian Bell, CEO of Slightly Mad Studios.    SMS Development Director Andy Garton continued: \"The new platform allows players to browse available projects and join those they are interested in. They then get to download and play regular builds of each game, as well as participating in game design discussions and the decision making process. They speak directly to the developers, and eventually earn financial rewards for their contribution when the game is released. WMD is therefore a unique prospect for both developers looking to raise funds for their projects and gamers that want to get involved in the exciting process of game development.\"    -Ends-      About Slightly Mad Studios Ltd  Slightly Mad Studios is an independent, award-winning developer known most recently for its work on Electronic Arts' Need For Speed franchise with the successful SHIFT series. The company has a core studio located near Tower Bridge, London but predominantly uses a unique distributed development system that allows the team to attract worldwide talent, be cost-effective and ultra-efficient.  Slightly Mad Studios has also recently launched a sister company Gamagio that focuses on social/mobile titles with a number of new technologies and games in development and releasing soon.  For more information about Slightly Mad Studios or Gamagio, please visit the relevant website: www.slightlymadstudios.com and www.gamagio.com  Follow us on Twitter @slightlymadteam and @gamagiogaming"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/26/slightly-mad-raises-over-660-000-for-project-cars/>