One month before the release of Dwarf Fortress on Steam (and on Itch.io), the two brothers Zach and Tarn Adams had income $15.635, mostly from donations to free their software (freeware) that has been around for 16 years.
A month after the game's commercial debut, they won $7.230.123, or 462 times more than the amount they earned in the last 16 years.
Tarn Adams said of course that "a little less than half will go to taxes" and that many other people and various expenses will have to be paid.
But there will be enough left for the brothers who report that "we solved the basics problems pensions that are worrying for independents”. This means that Putnam, a long-time modder, writer, and community member, will also be able to continue his work on the Dwarf Fortress codex after being legally hired in December.
The problems healths/retirement” came to the two brothers in 2019 when Zach had to seek treatment for skin cancer. The $10.000 cost, covered by insurance provided by his wife's employer, made them realize the need for more money.
"You can't just run GoFundMes until you can't and you die in your 50s," Tarn told the Guardian. end of 2022. "It is not nice".
This realization pushed them into a relatively affordable commercial deal to release the game.
