Touhou Project creator updates fan game guideline, asks indie creators to refrain from crowdfunding  

Indie developer ZUN announced changes to the derivative works guideline for the Touhou Project series on May 31. The update includes notes on crowdfunding and platforms on which derivative works (such as fan games) may be distributed. 

According to Touhou Yomoyama News and the announcement by ZUN (seen below), creators of derivative Touhou works are asked to refrain from crowdfunding their projects, especially without permission. In addition, the guideline notes that the publisher cannot be held responsible for any problems arising from crowdfunding. 

Until now, the distribution of Touhou fan games has been limited to in-person sales events and “digital stores where the original games are sold.” However, the new update adds “indie game sites” to the list of greenlit platforms. This means fan game developers can distribute their work on platforms where the original Touhou Project games are not listed, such as itch.io.