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Devil Pig Games is facing serious difficulties due to recent unforeseen and brutal events beyond our control.
We are making every effort to find a long-term solution, but until this has been fixed we are stopping all operations.
As soon as these troubles cease we will resume our activity and inform you.
From the most recent Kickstarter comments (in french) it appears that’s the company was closed down legally on 7 March, they then launched a new Kickstarter on the 24th March when they were already officially closed down.
Most recent Kickstarter update was 8th September when they were asking for people to complete pledge manager and encouraging late pledges.
The Kickstarter was for Heroes of the Pacific. So far as I can tell, their previous Kickstarter - add-ons for Heroes of Normandy - went off without a hitch, and product has been delivered. There has also been mention that a new Kickstarter for Heroes of Stalingrad was in the works, but not announced yet Needless to say, this news is rather sudden. It doesn't help that there's no word on what happened.
Compounding the confusion is mention of a second company, Pigs From Hell, that may have effectively been acting as DPG for a while now.
Unfortunately, I don't speak French, so I can't contribute more info than that.
BrookM wrote: Weren't they in trouble in the past, when they did a 40K game?
I wasn't paying attention to them then, so I can't say. The only thing I know is that they weren't happy with the chunk that licensing took out of their profits.
I was sad when they basically abandoned the 40k game because they're profit margin wasn't high enough (something they should have realized before acquiring the license). There was a lot of potential there.
And yes, they've had to rob peter to pay paul to stay open a few times.
Best Painted (2015 Adepticon 40k Champs)
They Shall Know Fear - Adepticon 40k TT Champion (2012 & 2013) & 40k TT Best Sport (2014), 40k TT Best Tactician (2015 & 2016)
Hulksmash wrote: I was sad when they basically abandoned the 40k game because they're profit margin wasn't high enough (something they should have realized before acquiring the license). There was a lot of potential there.
I'd imagine that they just didn't get the sales number they'd planned for which would have made the lower profit margin ok
It looks like they had an issue with the pledge manager on the latest Kickstarter and all PayPal payments got returned to the backers. Good news for the backers who may no longer lose the funds but may have been the finishing blow if the company were reliant upon those funds.
Never a good thing when a smaller game company goes under. I've still got a couple copies (for more army building options) of their neat sci-fi battle game "Frontiers: Liberty or Death". It's the off-grid predecessor and origin of the mechanics for most of their other board wargames.
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/29078/frontiers-liberty-or-death I really do hope to play it someday, but on the few times that I actually sit down to play a board wargame, I end up getting out Battlelore 2nd edition which is superb and has minis.
I've likewise been tempted by "Heroes of Black Reach" a few times also, but have held back as between Battlelore and One Page Wargames, it'd likely never get played.
I wonder how strong the real demand for their games was if they weren't able to stay afloat publishing games that don't have costly plastic components. Cardboard printing isn't free, but surely their production costs and schedules are more manageable than companies who have to contend with miniature production.
This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 2023/10/17 16:12:47
I do not have a stake in this, but reading some of the forum posts at Boardgame Geek suggests Devil Pig Games have not been honest with their dealings with some of their Kickstarter backers. If the allegations are true, then much of this is a problem of their own making.
Yeah, I got in on Stalingrad and I recall that being delayed long enough I was worried it wasn't going to get fulfilled. I saw the writing on the wall and though I like the game, decided I'd not get in on any other kickstarter because it felt like they were too close to the edge on going under. They had a definite vibe of robbing Peter to pay Paul.
Then, like a fool, I pledged with Mythic for Monsterpocalypse...
Stormonu wrote: Yeah, I got in on Stalingrad and I recall that being delayed long enough I was worried it wasn't going to get fulfilled. I saw the writing on the wall and though I like the game, decided I'd not get in on any other kickstarter because it felt like they were too close to the edge on going under. They had a definite vibe of robbing Peter to pay Paul.
Then, like a fool, I pledged with Mythic for Monsterpocalypse...
I dodged Kickstarter disaster for too long, so Monsterpocalypse was my bill coming due. I went in for like $600 and still feel sick over it.
It became obvious very fast it was turning into a gak show so I bailed a.s.a.p. and got a refund.
I've seen a few other mentions of Heroes of Stalingrad's Kickstarter being a mess. On the other hand, the subsequent Heroes of Normandy: Big Red One Kickstarter apparently went off without a hitch.
A part of me wonders if the PayPal screw-ups cost them, and was the direct cause of whatever's going on. On the other hand, Pigs From Hell, the successor company for a while now, is apparently a subsidiary of another company, so I would have thought they had a buffer for something like that
Edit - Here's what a Discord mod posted yesterday -
For the moment I honestly don't know anything, we should have some answers on October 26th, until then I don't know what more to tell you than the previous message...
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2023/10/19 14:21:10
so many companies in financial trouble spend the tax money on other things then are surprised when the bill comes due..... but they might be able to argue for an extension if the tax people think the business is viable which it might be if the KS bills are paid and it's just a question of waiting for manufacturing to happen
schoon wrote: I would guess there may a bankruptcy court involved at this point.
From the looks of it there was one involved back in July as there was a judgement for liquidation of assets back then. They had been de-registered as a company in March of 2023.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2023/10/20 15:30:17
Amidst the mists and coldest frosts he thrusts his fists against the posts and still insists he sees the ghosts.
A statement has just been posted by the on facebook by the original folk behind the company
Good day to you all.
First of all, please forgive us for this long silence. We had to take the time to think about the best way to react to the situation and to check with our legal advisers what we could or couldn't say.
It is with a heavy heart and not without some anger that we write these lines. As you may have noticed, the Pledge Manager as well as the Devil Pig Games website and shop have been closed. You have to know that we learned of this at the same time as you did, as no one from "Management" saw fit to warn us.
But what management are we talking about?
Let's take a step back...
Following problems encountered by DPG a few years ago, the company had to close its doors. Its business was later taken over by another company called The Board Game Strategist, run and owned by Arnaud Charpentier, who did everything in their power to honor what DPG had pledged to deliver.
The Board Game Strategist and Arnaud Charpentier are at the helm of several companies, including Pig From Hell Games (formerly DPG), Surfin' Meeple, and above all Matagot. De facto, since this takeover, management has been in his hands, and he is in charge rather than Yann and Clem. The "Heroes of..." trademarks no longer belong to us, all administrative and financial decisions are taken by The Board Game Strategist (including fulfillment contractors), only editorial choices remain the prerogative of the two authors of Heroes of Normandie.
During the Kickstarter campaign for Heroes of the Pacific (March-April 2023), Arnaud Charpentier shared with us his concerns about Pig From Hell's financial health.
Arnaud asked Clem to suggest that Basile resign. Clem refused to do the dirty work, of course, but agreed to terminate his own contract at the end of November 2023 to ease the financial burden and allow the business to continue.
Basile nevertheless left the company during the summer.
Meanwhile, a serious disagreement between Yann and Arnaud led to Yann's dismissal from Pig From Hell. He was ready to finalize the project, but discussions with Arnaud soon proved impossible, and he finally decided to take the situation into his own hands, suing the company and ending his collaboration after having delivered everything he had to for Heroes of the Pacific.
In our eyes, this situation wasn't perfect, but it allowed us to keep our commitments to our community. With these three salaries saved, it seemed to us that the company's financial situation would allow the delivery of Heroes of the Pacific and a light follow-up of the ranges. That's why Jules and Clem didn't slam the door and kept on working, encouraged by Arnaud, to deliver the files on time, which they managed to do at the end of the summer, just one month behind schedule.
Once this task had been completed, Arnaud insisted that we start preparing a Kickstarter campaign for Heroes of Stalingrad V.2. It was also decided that we should simultaneously carry out graphics and editing work for a 3rd party game, published by Matagot. This situation lasted throughout September.
Arnaud then asked us to stop working on Heroes of Stalingrad, and on September 29, 2023, he announced that Pig From Hell's credit card had been hacked. He told us no more, but a few days later, the Pledge Manager was shut down without warning. When we asked, by mail, the person in charge of the Pledge Manager to explain the situation, he replied that he has been instructed not to communicate on the subject.
At the end of September, we did not receive our salaries. Arnaud explained that he would be able to tell us more on October 26...
On October 3, we were astonished to find that orders placed on our website were not being delivered. We asked, via Discord, what was going on, and were told by an employee of the company responsible for deliveries (also owned by The Board Game Strategist) that they too had been instructed to stop handling orders placed with Pig From Hell. We noted, therefore, that the website was still accepting orders even though it had been decided to stop deliveries. We don't know whether they will be honored.
A few days later, on October 11, the website finally closed its doors, again without warning, depriving the community of its forum. We asked management for at least a press release, and this message was published without our agreement:
« Devil Pig Games is facing serious difficulties due to recent unforeseen and brutal events beyond our control. We are making every effort to find a long-term solution, but until this has been fixed we are stopping all operations. As soon as these troubles cease we will resume our activity and inform you. »
We asked Arnaud for more information, but the only reply we got was: "I can't tell you anything before October 26th. By the way, can you deliver the files for that 3rd party game?" "We refused to comply...that was quite an ask when they left us unpaid and scrambling in the dark."
Well, that's that.
So we don't know what the situation is, and we're truly dismayed.
Yann has had to leave the team, and Clem should do so soon. It has been made clear to us that Heroes of the Pacific will only be delivered if Pig From Hell is bought out by a third party, and that royalties will not be paid. Employees haven't been paid for over a month, we lost control of the "Heroes of..." trademarks, the website and newsletter passwords have been changed, no one is telling us anything, and we feel like we're being treated like dirt...
We'll wait until October 26 to tell you more, but we're not confident about the future. We've worked hard to deliver all our previous projects, despite the difficulties, and we've even put ourselves in financial jeopardy at times. But we have always chosen to make every effort not to abandon the community that has supported us for ten years.
At this stage, we are unfortunately no longer in control of events and cannot make any decisions.
We're blind, distraught, angry, sad... and waiting to see what the future holds.
The Devil Pigs (Yann and Clem and Jules)
I'm soooo glad I walked away from this company after Stalingrad. It really looks like it was the right thing to do.
I feel sorry for the folks who got scammed with the recent kickstarter or who ordered off the website recently. This company appears to be truly despicable.
I saw the kickstarter for the Pacific game and thought it looked great, but had no one to play it with.
Shame that these behind the scenes shenanigans are being found out more and more recently.
2025: Games Played:8/Models Bought:162/Sold:169/Painted:125
2024: Games Played:6/Models Bought:393/Sold:519/Painted: 207
2023: Games Played:0/Models Bought:287/Sold:0/Painted: 203
2020-2022: Games Played:42/Models Bought:1271/Sold:631/Painted:442
2016-19: Games Played:369/Models Bought:772/Sold:378/ Painted:268
2012-15: Games Played:412/Models Bought: 1163/Sold:730/Painted:436
The 26th has come, and I believe the business day is over now in France. Despite a promise of an update today, there's been no word from Pigs From Hell or one of its representatives on the English Discord channel.
Stormonu wrote: Yeah, I got in on Stalingrad and I recall that being delayed long enough I was worried it wasn't going to get fulfilled. I saw the writing on the wall and though I like the game, decided I'd not get in on any other kickstarter because it felt like they were too close to the edge on going under. They had a definite vibe of robbing Peter to pay Paul.
Then, like a fool, I pledged with Mythic for Monsterpocalypse...
I dodged Kickstarter disaster for too long, so Monsterpocalypse was my bill coming due. I went in for like $600 and still feel sick over it.
Big same, im not in for as much as you but still in for more than I would prefer losing.
This seems like a very sad situation for the people working on the "Heroes of" series. I always liked the design of them and was tempted to get Black Reach but like many others with no one to play with I ultimately decided not to.
Hope this gets sorted out for the people working for the company and allegedly not getting paid.
It's the 28th and we're bringing you the latest information we have.
Arnaud Charpentier sent us this email yesterday:
Gentlemen,
I would like to inform you that by judgment dated October 25, 2023, the Commercial Court of BORDEAUX has pronounced the opening of judicial liquidation proceedings against the company PIG FROM HELL GAMES. As a result, the company ceases all operations as of today.
The Court has also appointed SELARL PHILAE as liquidator. The latter will contact you in order to proceed with your dismissals on the one hand, and to request payment, by the wage guarantee agency, of your wages due on the other.
I wanted to inform you of this.
Kind regards,
Arnaud Charpentier
We can only imagine the "courage" it took for him to tell us in this way, with such humanity and compassion... Not to mention the lack of respect for the community he showed by not communicating with you about the situation.
Everything was done behind our backs, without keeping us informed.
But we weren't surprised. Opacity and lies have been his way of running this company from the start.
During the summer, Arnaud asked Jules and Clem to hurry up and provide the files to launch production of Heroes of the Pacific as quickly as possible. They sent the files to the factory and never heard from them again.
During August and September, Arnaud had them work on a Kickstarter campaign for the re-release of Heroes of Stalingrad, then stopped everything.
The rest you know...
Overall, it looks like some clear bad behavior with regards to the store, and likely the HotP KS. The one odd item is the extremely late request for new Heroes of Stalingrad material, given there was no way that a new HoS product was going to release at that point. In any case, barring the sale of the company to someone who wants to relaunch the product, it looks like this game system is dead. And anyone who spent money on the KS can forget about it.
Also note that there has still been no official communication regarding the KS, telling the backers that they won't be getting their product. Seems pretty gutless to me.
From the above thread: Arnaud Charpentier is involved with Matagot Games, Kolossal Games, Surfin Meeple and Pig From Hell Games.
Boardgame Strategist is his holding company. One may want to make a note of that should a company he is involved with offer yet another kickstarter.
Got a feeling the company very much was a case of "Wargamers without much business sense setting up a company". The designers being passionate about their product, but not having the business sense to keep the company afloat - and then it being passed on to someone *really* crummy who just wanted to use the name to run the company into the ground and take off with what money they could.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2023/11/03 15:21:28
11527pts Total (7400pts painted)
4980pts Total (4980pts painted)
3730 Total (210pts painted) 
4000+