I don’t think they took the money and ran at all, and it’s unfair to say so.

I think anyone who backs a Kickstarter without accepting the risk is really of questionable wisdom..... there is now years of evidence that kickstarters fail through lack of skill/competence/experience. Failure does not equate to fraud.

A Kickstarter outcome is NOT a guarantee, so when it fails, shrug and move on rather than behaving entitled and angry. And if you’re capable only of being angry about failed Kickstarter outcomes, we’ll just don’t back risky ventures that may lose money.

"We are taking a break, but NOT ending the project."

Apparently you didn't read the very update you linked to.

Nor did they take the money and run; they just wasted it through mismanagement and unrealistic goals. They deserve plenty of criticism, but just because you're pissed off at them doesn't excuse blatant lying and misrepresentation.

More specificaly, they've wasted it preparing publisher pitches instead of delivering what they asked people's money in the first place.

That's a pretty disingenuous way to present what was said:

> I have put the team on a hiatus while we reassess our path so that we can return to our vision. We are taking a break, but NOT ending the project. Please accept my personal assurance that we will be back and stronger than ever. System Shock is going to be completed and all of our promises fulfilled.

Honestly, I read that statement as "we're finished, but if some angel comes down from heaven with a barrel full of cash we would be more than happy to deliver the game."

The spirit is willing, but the flesh is flat ass broke.

> I have put the team on a hiatus while we reassess our path so that we can return to our vision. We are taking a break, but NOT ending the project.

Unless he's flat out lying, they're not shutting down.