Q.U.B.E. recoups Indie Fund investment after 4 days

In 2010, a group of indie superstars set up their own development fund, the Indie Fund, to give the next generation of inventive indies a leg-up. Evidently, they've got a good eye for indies. The first IF-backed game, Q.U.B.E. by Toxic Games, earned enough to recoup the investment within only four days following its release through Steam on January 6.

The $15 first-person puzzler has sold over 12,000 copies on Steam, the Indie Fund revealed yesterday, which means sales of at least $179,880--not counting Valve's cut, mind.

The Fund covered Q.U.B.E.'s development entirely, paying out $89,500 in total. Toxic Games originally estimated it'd cost $42,000 to make, but the Indie Fund extended that when it became clear Q.U.B.E. would run over-budget.

"Our goal is to help developers get and stay independent and it will take some time to see if we've achieved it," Indie Fund said. "With the investment already paid off and discussions in progress about bringing Q.U.B.E beyond PC, we're feeling pretty hopeful."

The Indie Fund has a few more likely hits up its sleeve. Dear Esther and Faraway are both finalists in the 2012 Independent Games Festival, while Monaco lifted the IGF Grand Prize in 2010. The experimental narrative game Dear Esther should be the next Fund-backed release, arriving on Steam on Valentine's Day at $10.