Valve: Let fans fund game development

[Schlup]

Have you ever thought it’d be a good idea for the fans and community to fund the development of major titles? Valve seems to think that may be a great idea. Gabe Newell has said, instead of having publishers decide what to have in games, let the fans decide. How will you be able to do this?
“What I think would be much better would be if the community could finance the games. In other words, ‘Hey, I really like this idea you have. I'll be an early investor in that and, as a result, at a later point I may make a return on that product, but I'll also get a copy of that game.'
So move financing from something that occurs between a publisher and a developer… Instead have it be something where funding is coming out of community for games and game concepts they really like.”