Kickstarter launches in the UK today

Crowdfunding website Kickstarter today launches in the UK, allowing UK-based studios -- including game developers -- to create campaigns and ask for pledges towards their projects. Building a UK Kickstarter page is largely done in the same way as for U.S. projects, albeit it with minor differences in how payments are processed. UK-based campaigns will be displayed on the same website as U.S. projects, and listed alongside U.S. projects. As part of the move, Kickstarter introduced a new streamlined system for applying international shipping costs earlier this month. Developers usually have to add shipping cost details to specific reward tiers -- a new system helps to make shipping costs clearer to backers. UK trade body UKIE welcomed the move, with CEO Jo Twist stating, "Its launch in the UK is only to be welcomed as it will make it even easier for games businesses based in this country to make use of the platform."