Chained Echoes Developer Sues Publisher First Press Games Over Undelivered Kickstarter Physical Editions
TL;DR
- Matthias Linda, the solo developer behind acclaimed RPG Chained Echoes, has announced he is terminating his relationship with physical publisher First Press Games and preparing a lawsuit after physical Kickstarter editions promised to backers have gone undelivered for over two years.
- Linda is now seeking an alternate publisher to fulfill physical copies for backers who originally pledged in 2019, with refunds available immediately for those who don't want to wait further, though new physical versions may not be producible until the lawsuit concludes.
There's a particular kind of frustration that builds when you back a Kickstarter, wait years for a physical collector's edition, and then watch the silence stretch from months into years with no delivery in sight. That's exactly what Chained Echoes backers have been living through since 2019, and now the game's developer has had enough.
Matthias Linda, the one-person team behind an indie RPG has publicly announced he's cutting ties with physical publisher First Press Games and taking legal action.
What Linda Said, Word for Word
The developer posted directly to backers.
"It's been a bit over two years since the physical copies were supposed to be released by First Press Games, and so far in 2026, nothing has arrived except the regular PlayStation 4 edition. Because of that, I had to make a decision," Linda wrote.
That decision: "I am terminating my business relationship with FPG, and I am preparing a lawsuit. This decision wasn't easy and came after careful consideration. Please understand that for legal reasons I can not go into further details."
The Backer Situation: Two Options, One Uncomfortable Reality
For the people who pledged money back in 2019 believing they'd receive physical copies of a game the current situation offers two paths and neither is ideal.
Option one: wait for new physical editions through an alternate publisher. Linda was honest about what that means. "If you decide to choose the first option, you may have to wait again," he warned. "It is possible that new versions can only be produced once the lawsuit is over but we are looking into that option."
Option two: get a refund now. "You can get your refund anytime though. Rest assured," Linda confirmed.
First Press Games and the Physical Publishing Problem
First Press Games is a German publisher specialising in physical video game editions, particularly for indie titles that wouldn't otherwise receive retail releases. They've handled physical distribution for a range of games over the years, and the Chained Echoes situation isn't the first time the company has faced criticism over delayed fulfillment.
What makes the Chained Echoes situation particularly pointed is who's on the other side of the publisher relationship. Matthias Linda built the entire game alone. Chained Echoes launched in December 2022 to extraordinary critical reception, routinely landing on best-of-year lists and drawing comparisons to the 16-bit RPG classics it was clearly inspired by. It was a genuine one-person achievement in a genre that typically requires teams of dozens.
Why This Matters Beyond One Game
Kickstarter physical tiers are a specific and recurring problem in the gaming space. Backers who pledge for physical editions are typically paying a premium over the digital price, trusting that the tangible reward will eventually arrive. When publishers fail to deliver, the developer often bears the reputational damage even when the failure isn't theirs.
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