From Kickstarter Failure to Successfully Shipping Shujinkou – Insights from Julian Rice of Rice Games Inc. :
As indie game development continues to evolve, the road from concept to launch is rarely straightforward. In a recent IndieGameBusiness® podcast, Jay Powell, CEO and Founder of The Powell Group and IndieGameBusiness®, sat down with Julian Rice, Founder and CEO of Rice Games Inc., to discuss how a failed Kickstarter campaign transformed into the successful release of Shujinkou. Their conversation dives deep into resilience, team management, and how one ambitious JRPG came to life against the odds
Starting Out – A Student with a Big Idea :
Julian Rice began working on Shujinkou while still a student at UCLA, balancing studies, part-time jobs, and game development. Initially tackling art and design alone, he quickly realized he needed a team to bring his vision to life. Using small savings and freelance income, he hired artists and programmers while keeping expenses minimal—sometimes surviving on a diet of bread, milk, broccoli, and dumplings to funnel nearly all resources into the game.
Summary: From humble beginnings and personal sacrifices, Rice laid the foundation for what would become a multi-year project.
The Kickstarter Setback :
Like many indie developers, Rice turned to Kickstarter for funding. He hoped early showings of Shujinkou at the Tokyo Game Show would fuel momentum. However, the campaign fell short. At just 19 years old, Rice admitted he underestimated the preparation needed for crowdfunding. He learned that success requires more than enthusiasm—it demands a pre-built community, marketing strategy, and clear proof of progress.
Summary: The failed Kickstarter was less a defeat and more a crash course in marketing, planning, and realistic goal-setting.
Pivoting to RPG Development :
Originally envisioned as a platformer, Shujinkou shifted into a first-person dungeon crawler after the crowdfunding setback. Rice and his team drew inspiration from titles like Etrian Odyssey, Persona, and Fire Emblem. This pivot played to the team’s strengths and allowed the game to stand out in a crowded indie market.
Summary: Adapting to setbacks and focusing on team strengths proved critical to Shujinkou’s transformation.
Personal Challenges Along the Way :
The journey was not only professional but deeply personal. During development, Rice’s mother was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer. He balanced hospital visits, caregiving, a full-time software engineering job, and leadership of a globally distributed development team. Ultimately, he dedicated the game’s release to her memory, a reflection of the personal resilience woven into the project.
Summary: Life’s hardships shaped both the game’s journey and the developer’s determination.
Building and Managing a Global Team :
Rice Games grew into a 20-person team spread across seven time zones. Contractors, interns, and QA testers collaborated through structured Sunday meetings, often requiring Rice to wake before dawn while living in Tokyo. Despite limited resources, he implemented professional workflows like detailed documentation, QA testing, and bug tracking—systems rarely seen in small indie studios.
Summary: Professional project management practices helped keep a distributed indie team aligned and productive.
Getting on Consoles – Negotiations with Nintendo and Sony :
One of Rice’s standout achievements was securing development kits from both Nintendo and Sony—an unusual feat for a first-time developer. After repeated rejections from Nintendo of America, he successfully negotiated in Japanese with representatives in Kyoto, highlighting the educational potential of Shujinkou. Sony, meanwhile, approved the project after reviewing a detailed game design document, marking a major step toward multi-platform release.
Summary: Determination, language skills, and persistence opened doors with major console publishers.
Marketing Struggles and Media Lessons :
Marketing proved to be one of the toughest hurdles. Rice personally handled outreach, manually sending dozens of emails to press and influencers. While Shujinkou received praise, its length (200+ hours of gameplay) made it difficult for reviewers to cover thoroughly. Some outlets published reviews after playing only a fraction of the game, prompting Rice to push back using in-game analytics to track reviewer playtime.
Summary: Marketing and media relations were as challenging as development, especially for a long, complex RPG.
Blending Language Learning with Gameplay :
A unique feature of Shujinkou is its integration of Japanese language learning into combat and exploration. By fighting enemies and revealing characters in their names, players gradually pick up hiragana, katakana, and basic grammar rules. Yet, players uninterested in language study can disable the feature and experience Shujinkou purely as a JRPG.
Summary: Innovative mechanics balance educational value with accessibility, appealing to both language learners and traditional RPG fans.
Post-Launch Content and Community Feedback :
Following launch, Rice Games prioritized quality-of-life updates, bug fixes, and requested features like quick travel. While day-one DLC stirred controversy among PC players, Rice emphasized that Shujinkou shipped with hundreds of hours of core content, with extras like costumes offered as optional additions.
Summary: Continuous updates and transparent communication reinforced Rice’s commitment to players.
Looking Ahead – What’s Next for Rice Games :
Shujinkou was always envisioned as a trilogy covering six nations. The current release covers the first two, with sequels planned to expand the story. Beyond that, Rice hopes to branch into anime, manga collaborations, and potentially mobile spin-offs to introduce new players to the series. His ultimate goal is to grow the IP while staying true to the creative vision.
Summary: The future of Shujinkou lies in sequels, cross-media opportunities, and continued passion for storytelling.
Anecdotes and Reflections :
Julian Rice’s journey from a failed Kickstarter to a successful multi-platform launch exemplifies the perseverance needed in indie game development. Shujinkou is not just a JRPG—it’s a testament to dedication, adaptability, and the power of turning setbacks into stepping stones. For aspiring developers, Rice’s story is both a cautionary tale and an inspiring roadmap.
Want more insights like this? :
Watch the full episode on YouTube or hop into the IndieGameBusiness® Discord to connect with Julian, and other industry pros.
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