An nameless reader shares a report from Ars Technica:
The month earlier than Dwarf Fortress was launched on Steam (and Itch.io), the brothers Zach and Tarn Adams made $15,635 in income, largely from donations for his or her 16-year freeware venture. The month after the sport’s business debut, they made $7,230,123, or 462 occasions that quantity….
Tarn Adams famous that “rather less than half will go to taxes,” and that different folks and bills should be paid. However sufficient of it would attain the brothers themselves that “we have solved the primary problems with well being/retirement which can be troubling for unbiased folks.” It additionally signifies that Putnam, a longtime modder and scripter and group member, can proceed their work on the Dwarf Fortress code base, having been employed in December.
The “problems with well being/retirement” grew to become very actual to the brothers in 2019 when Zach needed to search remedy for pores and skin most cancers. The $10,000 value, largely coated by his spouse’s employer-provided insurance coverage, made them notice the necessity for extra sturdy sustainability. “You are not simply going to run GoFundMes till you may’t after which die if you’re 50,” Tarn informed The Guardian in late 2022. “That isn’t cool.” This realization pushed them towards a (comparatively) extra accessible business launch with conventional graphics, music, and tutorials.