Washington state files lawsuit against Kickstarter game developer

The state of Washington has filed a lawsuit against Altius Management, the company behind the successfully-Kickstarted Asylum Playing Cards. Despite exceeding its initial goal of $15,000 by more than $10,000 in October 2012, rewards have allegedly failed to reach backers’ hands. The suit seeks restitution for backers, the state’s cost and attorney’s fees, and $2,000 per violation of the Consumer Protection Act in civil penalties. 

The Washington State Office of the Attorney General announced yesterday that it has filed what it believes to be America’s first consumer protection lawsuit involving crowdfunding — specifically, a Kickstarter campaign for a game. The suit alleges that Edward J. Polchlepek III (aka Ed Nash) and his company, Altius Management, failed to make good on a successful Kickstarter campaign for Asylum Playing Cards. The project beat its original $15,000 goal to raise $25,146 by the time it ended in October 2012. The Attorney General’s office alleges Polchlepek and Altius collected the money and neglected to deliver either the cards or the various backer rewards. Some of those backers live in the state of Washington, which allows the state’s legal team to get involved.