Nine-year-old Mackenzie Wilson is a third grader who loves gaming, especially RPGs. She has started a Kickstarter (partnered with her mom, Susan) to attend a camp that will teach her RPG game design with RPG maker. She wants to make a game that is age-appropriate for her peers, but also not “stupid or silly.” Another goal that she wants to achieve with the campaign is to raise awareness/garner interest in girls to go into the STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) professions. She really wants to be a role model for young girls.
One of the concepts the game will be governed by.
Mackenzie’s initial goal was only $829 – just enough to cover the cost of the camp. As I write this, $21,874 has been raised. Specific stretch goals have not been specified, but Mackenzie REALLY wants a new laptop, and maybe even to go to camp for longer than a week.
The other concept the game will be governed by.
Unfortunately, the project has had its detractors – people who don’t believe the story and are being jerks or even threatening Mackenzie and Susan. I believe that this is even more of a reason to support this project…I don’t know what kind of person wants to crush a little girl’s dreams, let alone threaten her. In the updates, Susan discusses what she and Mackenzie’s goals were, and what Kickstarter has suggested that they do. They are currently exploring possible options.
You can contribute to Mackenzie’s project here!
Rewards include:
- $5 – Your name in the special thanks section of the credits
- $10 – The game when it comes out in July 2013
- $15 – Drink Koozie – “I drink like a girl…keep up!” AND the game
- $25 – Mousepad AND the game
- $30 – Two-sided printed white t-shirt AND the game
- $40 – Two-sided women’s fitted white t-shirt AND the game
- $50 – “Keep up!” hat AND the game
- $75 – “Keep up” white hoodie AND the game
- $100 – Name a character in the game AND the game
- $250 – Be a producer with your name listed in the credits as Producer AND the game AND a personal thank you letter from Mackenzie
- $300 – Name an NPC in the game AND the game
- $500 – Signed cover art, personalized thank you letter from Mackenzie, name listed as Executive Producer in the credits, AND the game
- $10,000 – Everything from previous levels, personal apology from her brothers, and “the satisfaction of knowing that you’ve not only started a career, you’ve also helped to fund future courses in computer programming for her along with more (and better) games!”
Nerdy But Flirty 
I have to admit though, reading her interviews I may have misjudged her. Do I still support her KS? Never did, even when I read about it before it became a hit.
I always felt this was something so common these days (a young kid trying to make a videogame is pretty standard stuff).
And yes, it did get out of hand as is often the case with the internet, with that said, there is quite a lot about this KS I still dislike.
I’m really happy about how civil that debate was ^ 😛
Me too! 🙂
Just co clarify a point, when I said “(along with almost every other article I’ve read)” I meant along with every other article I’ve read on this subject, not this website specifically.
As I’ve said before, as always the internet took it too far.
My issue however is that you simply decided to label all detractors as ‘jerks’ without again, explaining WHY there are detractors in the first place, ironically, your article is about on the same level as the cnet article, where the writer simply picks a side instead of exposing both sides reasoning and worst of all, he claims the internet ‘trolls’ are loosing despite the fact that monetary support for said kickstarter has decreased sharply since:
http://www.kicktraq.com/projects/susanwilson/9-year-old-building-an-rpg-to-prove-her-brothers-w/#chart-daily
The mere fact you seem to bundle its detractors with those who took it far is pretty insulting as well.
“And I think threatening to rape and murder a little girl and her mother is fairly misogynistic, personally.”
I believe you should read the kickstarter’s comment section yourself:
Notice how the torrent of “you are misogynistic” insults began well before said threats to both the mother and the daughter, but once again, you simply assumed I was speaking on behalf of those who threatened them (spoiler: I’m not).
I sometimes read your website, but I found this article (along with almost every other article I’ve read) extremely bias, where either you’re labelled a misogynist for opposing the kickstarter or an idiot for supporting it
Jack,
The main point of this article (and series of articles; we do many Kickstarter spotlights) was to highlight the project itself. I addressed the controversy briefly, but decided that the focus should mirror that of previous articles. Perhaps I should have devoted more to it. The more I read of the opposing side’s reasoning, the more it falls apart – the mom is not a millionaire, etc, etc. I understand that you don’t speak on behalf of those who threatened them; however, they are the most vocal detractors. The easiest way to oppose a Kickstarter is to not contribute to it.
I just think it’s cool that this little girl wants to make an RPG badly enough to go to camp for it.
I appreciate your civility.
You know, I hate the fact that people asked for refunds merely because the mother is rich. I find it quite admirable that this little girl wants to start something on her own instead of relying on her parents. My Dad raised me to believe that we make our own wealth. If our parents are rich, that doesn’t mean we are too. I would be all up in arms if this kid was some spoiled brat who wanted to go to RPG camp just because. Yet, that’s not the case. This little girl wants to stand up to her brothers!
Now, I fear that trolls online have taken the vigor out of her.
First off, I’d like to point out I found this news report pretty biased, simply calling detractors as “jerks” instead of pointing out WHY there are detractors in the first place (it almost feels like I’m reading a fox news article).
with that said:
@cdrbedlam: I think there’s two major problems with your argument, the first is that we never actually see or hear anything about the girl itself, for all we know all of this was created by the mother, secondly, the fact that her mother outright vilanizes her sons on the internet is irresponsible at best and potentially emotionally scarring at worst, maybe the brothers were jerks, maybe they weren’t (if a 9 year old approached your 14 year old self saying they could create the next Final Fantasy would you really have believed the child?), regardless, outright placing her two sons as villains on the internet is something that should just not sit right with any responsible parent.
With that said, as always, the internet took it too far, when you threaten anyone’s life: you take it too far.
Though, to be honest, reading the comments section, it seemed there were some users who accused some detractors of being misogynist when no misogynist remarks were made from said users. So this is really a he said-she said war.
Jack,
I think that anyone who bullies a nine-year-old girl is worthy of being called a jerk. Most of the attacks seem to be blind, knee-jerk reactions.
We hadn’t heard much from Mackenzie because Susan wanted to protect her (as noted on the Kickstarter page). However, a video has been recorded by Mackenzie, one of many upcoming, that is able to be accessed by backers. The sons are supportive of the project now and are willing to participate in the final reward tier.
And I think threatening to rape and murder a little girl and her mother is fairly misogynistic, personally. She wanted to raise the money without her parents just giving it to her; shouldn’t that be commended?
Here are some links for further reading:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57576417/a-9-year-olds-kickstarter-project-stirs-emotional-debate/
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57576194-1/trolls-take-on-9-year-old-girls-kickstarter-project…and-lose/?part=rss&subj=news&tag=title
http://kotaku.com/internet-rallies-against-kickstarter-for-nine-year-old-459542190
http://beefjack.com/features/the-best-and-worst-of-kickstarter-an-interview-with-susan-wilson/
Thank you for reading.