Heart of Neon Kickstarter Launches: Jeff Minter Documentary Now Live for Backers

Heart of Neon Kickstarter Launches: Jeff Minter Documentary Now Live for Backers The long-anticipated documentary chronicling the unique career of Jeff Minter, founder of Llamasoft and a legendary figure in game development, is finally available for fans to support.

Heart of Neon launched its Kickstarter campaign on May 22nd, 2025, inviting the gaming community to back a project that delves deep into the legacy of one of the industry’s most eccentric and influential developers. The Heart of Neon documentary, directed by Paul Docherty—whose professional background straddles both film and video game industries—offers viewers an intimate exploration of Minter’s decades-long journey.

From pioneering arcade-style games in the early 1980s to redefining the indie development space with hits on modern platforms like the Nintendo Switch, Minter has carved out a unique place for himself among industry giants like Microsoft, Sony, and Atari.

Through exclusive interviews and archival material, Heart of Neon aims to shed light on Minter’s unwavering commitment to independent, creative game design. The Heart of Neon crowdfunding campaign provides several ways for enthusiasts to get involved.

Early backers can secure a digital copy of the documentary for $21, with standard digital tiers priced up to $25.

For collectors, a Blu-Ray edition is available at $37 for early birds and $45 for later supporters.

Additional rewards include exclusive merchandise such as posters, t-shirts, and other Llamasoft-themed swag, making it a must-have for fans of Jeff Minter’s iconic work. According to the filmmakers, Heart of Neon is more than just a timeline of game releases—it explores the personal connections Jeff Minter has fostered throughout his career, including in-depth interviews with his close collaborator Ivan Zorzin (also known as Giles Goat), industry veterans, and prominent executives from Microsoft, Sony, and Atari.

Paul Docherty describes the documentary as “an extraordinary opportunity to witness the evolution of the video game industry through the eyes of an independent trailblazer who never backed down.” Importantly, some of the exclusive interview footage collected for Heart of Neon has previously been featured in Digital Eclipse’s interactive documentary release, Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story, which hit platforms including the Nintendo Switch in 2024.

However, as editorial director Chris Kohler explained in past interviews, the content included there represents only a small portion of Docherty’s work.

Kohler emphasized that Heart of Neon is less about a game-by-game breakdown and more about exploring Minter’s enduring relationship with fans and the greater gaming community. After several years in development, Heart of Neon is poised to become a seminal work in the preservation of video game history.

For those passionate about the story of Llamasoft, innovative indie design, or the evolution of the gaming industry at large, Heart of Neon promises a rare behind-the-scenes perspective.

Fans interested in supporting the project—and securing their own copy of this collector’s documentary—can visit the official Kickstarter page to select from available tiers and receive updates as the campaign progresses.

Kickstarter Jeff Minter Llamasoft Heart of Neon Paul Docherty Digital Eclipse Chris Kohler Microsoft Sony Atari Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story Ivan Zorzin