Official Announcement
We regret to announce that effective January 27th, 2016, Robot Peanut Studios, LLC, and its associated brands, Architects of War and Alien Dungeon have permanently closed their doors.
Our sales plummeted precipitously in the 3rd and 4th quarter of 2015 and never recovered across our online retail operations as well as hobby shop and distributor sales. We could not maintain our business under these conditions and despite a continuing series of sales and marketing efforts, we have been forced to file for bankruptcy. The case has been filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania at case number 16-20247. Please contact an attorney if you have any questions.
We set out six years ago to start a company providing exciting and entertaining intellectual property primarily in the analog gaming market. RPS began with miniature games with the intention of expanding to board and digital games. While the All Quiet Kickstarter project brought in significant sales for us, the cost of development, manufacturing, and shipping exceeded the sales numbers and we were relying on sales beyond the Kickstarter in the broader market to carry the costs and expand the game. These sales never materialized in sufficient quantities. It is just that simple - we sold stuff through the Kickstarter that essentially ended up just above cost and then paid for the shipping. All Quiet just didn’t generate enough money for its scale. In addition, our original cost estimates based on quotes and time frame from various vendors Pre-Kickstarter were exceeded, making the business model untenable without retail sales that never materialized.
We are very sorry that it has come to this. Certainly not the outcome we dreamed of when we started the company. To our investors, the Kickstarter supporters and our loyal customers, we’d like to thank you for your support. It has been difficult not communicating during this legal process, but we have had to go through a process and that has been well outside any of our previous experiences.
This will be our last communication. Customer service inquiries will not be answered and there will be no additional communication on Kickstarter. We do not know what the final disposition of All Quiet and or other product brands will be at this time. We have to forfeit our participation in such matters to the court.
Barb and I must move on and find employment and start putting our lives back together. To our friends, investors, vendors, and loyal customers, thank you for helping us try to fulfill our dream and we wish you the best possible future.
Yours Sincerely, Barb and Ernie
Eric on
That's overly harsh. Risk is part of kickstarter. There is risk for the backers, and risk for the developers. This was always going to be a niche game. With a game like this, its hard to predict if it will catch on with the general market. In this case it didn't.
The game looked interesting, and I was willing to take a chance on it. But I understood that I was taking a chance. If someone is considering being a backer, and the possibility of a project not working or a company folding bothers or angers them, then maybe the kickstarter experience is not for them.
Jim Roots on
Bankruptcy notice arrived in the mail yesterday for Robot Peanut LLC. Great idea, poorly executed. I wish no ill on anyone, but I suggest everyone at Robot Peanut consider another line of work. Too many of us will never back a project or support a business run by Ernie again.
Jedge on
I never had my pledge... :( :( :(
I gave +100USD for nothing.... :( :( :(
David Haraldson on
I'm very sorry to read that this has happened. Good luck for the future!
Weyl on
it really f.u that they produce lim sculps for the retail but don`t produce the sculps for the expansive addons
Alex Herbert
Superbacker
on
It was a beautiful idea and it's left us with a good game. I got most of my Stuff, but still gutted by what I missed. Best luck for the future.
Andrew P on
I received 90% of my pledge so am not too upset. I hope once I have assembled everything I can get a few friendly games. I might come up with house rule of the miniatures not included in the original rulebook. Anyone tried the ospray tripod rules? They look interesting.
Timothy Roller on
Ego and pride in the way of success. With all the offers of help from the community, there is absolutely no reason things had to end this way. Hopefully it will be picked up by someone that understands this.
Josh Orth on
Any Australian backers who want to offload their collection, drop me a line
0402239249
Don Hawthorne on
Ernie, I don't know if you'll see this or not, but I wanted to let you know I am truly saddened to hear this.
I see a lot of people saying a lot of harsh stuff, but I want to weigh in and say that whether I received everything or not, I feel I got much more than my money's worth from this product. I enjoyed every conversation we had and I absolutely love the figures. This project alone got me to invest in 15mm, after forty-three years of gaming, and I do not regret a dime spent.
I wish you and your family all the best in your future endeavors. Please accept my condolences and sincere best wishes for future success.
Don Hawthorne
Dave Vader on
Said it before, but will say it again, disappointed with the way this whole business was handled, all that talk of vouchers for the large resins that we had outstanding, the piecemeal nature of how other miniatures were sent out, some received this one while others didn't. As a community I would have thought that some would have contributed towards extra shipping, I know I would have if it meant that things could be kept going.
Managed to pick up a large BEF force earlier this week from a guy on eBay with the intention of rewriting the rules and making better use of all those turret options from the tank sprue. Watch this space...
SableFox
Superbacker
on
Well not the best news I've ever heard, but not unexpected either.
I am personally sure Ernie did his best to deliver; but sometimes things just don't work out as hoped.
Quendil on
For the fan based forum to continue the game http://aqmf.freeforums.net
CAY on
Sorry to hear that. Good luck for what's next.
Shawn Reis on
Anyone have an Ironclad that they want to part with?
Berto on
It would be nice if the forum was unlocked now.
Christian Nisius on
I am very sorry to hear this. But we all knew that backing a project on kickstarter could turn out in a way noone expects. I wish you all the luck you need to start over. I loved this kickstartercampaign. I loved the concept. I dont regret backing you. The campaign was a blast. I just wish it would have ended better. Dont loose hope. There will be sunny days coming your way i am sure.
Greetings
Christian
S Buntenbach
Superbacker
on
Risiken und Herausforderungen
There are always risks and challenges when you undertake a project of this size but our past experience and industry connections reduce that risk considerably. We have two rulebooks under our belt and in the marketplace, Fanticide (a Kickstarter funded project) and the American Uncivil War (released under our sister company, Architects of War). Alessio Cavatore and the Riverhorse team (a well known resource for many companies such as Mantic, Warlord Games, Fantasy Flight and more) took on both of those projects with their normal professionalism. Rick Priestley and Alessio Cavatore as well as Ernie Baker will complete the All Quiet rulebook to the same high standard. The Assault Tripods, all computer designed, are ready for tooling for production in hard plastic. Many of the miniatures and vehicles are tooled and ready for production, about 70%, while others are still in the prototype stage. The key risk is on time delivery. We have deliberately chosen a date that we think we can beat, but its important to make sure we get these products right and of the quality standard we want to strive for going forward. We will give it our all!
orginal from frontpage
David Stafford on
I'm very sad to see this come to pass. Having been down a similar road myself, I can understand the horror of losing a business. While I am chafing at the lies told I am also grateful the game was created. The design was, for the vast majority of models, wonderful. The game is good, just needing some tweaks.
I'm hoping we'll see AQ rise again someday. In the meantime there are tripods to build and games to be played.
S Buntenbach
Superbacker
on
with all your sales and promise about wave 3 i feel me riped up - your comunication was very terrible and i lost private money i worked hard for
William on
Very sorry to here what has happened. Best of luck sorting yourselves out. Best of luck.
William Lalum on
Well... Nuts. I wonder how much I could buy the Martian front IP, molds etc for? :) I'm actually kind of serious I liked the whole concept.
MidnightBlue
Superbacker
on
I'm very sorry it came down to this. I've seen a lot of businesses give it their all and fold despite their best efforts in my 19 years at this desk. It's a sad reality in every case, especially when you get to, or at least feel you get to, know the names and faces behind the "faceless company".
I do appreciate the closure that this statement provides and hope the people behind the company are able to rebuild their lives in time.
Thank you for the great AQMF, Fanticide, and Uncivil War products that you made available to me and that I'll be enjoying for some time to come.
UncleDredd on
Need to figure out the best way to offload my stuff.
Charlie St Clair
Superbacker
on
Thanks for ripping me off and lying to me Ernie. You owe me a great deal of product or money. Kiss off.
Chris Burton on
So as a backer do I just cut my losses on the undelivered items or what? I have never backed a kickstarter project before this & never backed one since that has failed to deliver. So unfamiliar territory to me. Anyone on here got any knowledge they can share?
Eric on
So sorry to hear about this - wishing Ernie, Barb and everyone else at AD the best in the future
Steven Ivan Walk on
You *looked me in the eye* at Dan's, and told me you guys were on top of it. I went in heavy on this KS based on the fact that we are both GW vets. It's less the money Ernie, and more that you flat out lied to me.
"You are no longer my brother marine, for you have walked the path of Horace."
nick_simmerson on
So sorry to hear this news confirmed... Ernie, you know where I am if you ever need a chat? ;-)
Adam Carriere on
Good luck
Shawn Reis on
That sucks on many levels.