Axiom Verge’s publisher is donating 75% of their profit share to healthcare for the developer’s son

If you’ve bought Axiom Verge, more of the sale went directly to the developer than usual, because of a generous offer from the game’s publisher.

Axiom Verge, a widely liked Metroidvania that is available on most modern consoles (PC, PS4, Vita, Xbox One, Wii U, Switch), has done well for itself. The reviews were strong, its reputation is solid, and, as of today (in the US, at least), a physical version is available at retail.

Now, in a post outlining the game’s physical release, developer Tom Happ has revealed a detail about the game’s success that has warmed our hearts somewhat.

The blog post, which shows off the new Axiom Verge boxes (which are available for the Switch, PS4, and Vita versions of the game). In the same post, Happ gives a shout out to his publisher, Badland Games, for the unique deal they struck with him – one that allows him to stay on top of his young son’s medical expenses.

Happ’s son, Alastair, suffers from kernicterus, a neurological condition that affects motor control and hearing. This condition means that Alastair will need constant medical attention throughout his life. When BadLand Games agreed to publish Axiom Verge, they also offered to funnel 75% of their profits from the game into a special fund they had set up to pay for Alastair’s health care. This means that the publisher only takes one quarter of their usual take, and that Happ has been better able to afford his son’s care.

“They didn’t want to publicize it, since none of us wanted to be seen as trying to use my son’s suffering as a marketing tool for the game”, Happ writes. “I hope this doesn’t come off that way. I just wanted to thank them for their generosity in offering that up, since it was definitely something they didn’t have to do.”

The ‘Multiverse’ boxed edition of the game also comes with a behind-the-scenes documentary, an art book, and a poster. The Switch version includes a CD soundtrack to make up for the higher cost (those cartridges don’t come cheap).

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