Tabletop crowdfunding is in trouble

As a long-time board game enthusiast and crowdfunding backer, I have witnessed the evolution of the tabletop gaming industry over the past decade with great enthusiasm and excitement. The board game business on Kickstarter has been a relatively safe bet compared to other sectors, resulting in some of the best games of the past few years. However, lately, I’ve noticed a shift in this trend that leaves me feeling disillusioned and concerned.

Over the past decade, I’ve been impressed by the board game crowdfunding sector compared to other tech and video game campaigns. Contrary to the uncertainty and long waits experienced in those fields, pledging my support for tabletop games has generally paid off with crisp new boxes of cardboard and plastic within a few years. This consistent approach has led to some of the best board games I’ve played and significantly enhanced the industry by raising production values and expanding creativity. Notably, companies like CMON Games (Zombicide, Marvel United), Stonemaier Games (Wingspan, Scythe), and Awaken Realms (Nemesis, Tainted Grail) have grown from humble Kickstarter beginnings to become industry giants.

Lately, I’ve noticed a shift in this once-thrilling approach to game development. Things aren’t what they used to be, and the results have become less appealing. Projects are no longer as alluring for consumers, with heightened risks, escalating costs, and supposedly exclusive content that ultimately fails to live up to expectations.

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The pandemic’s economic effect on publishers is the primary reason for this industry’s decline. Publishers are under immense strain due to disrupted supply chains and escalating material costs, which already have thin profit margins. China’s frequent lockdowns and economic instability have created a complex logistics situation that demands more work and expertise from publishers. Furthermore, production profits continue to shrink while consumers have also been negatively affected.

Looking at the shipping cost for a CMON campaign is enough to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. I recall when CMON’s initial Kickstarter campaign for Zombicide was launched in 2015. It’s surprising now, but shipping was free back then. The campaign took off like wildfire, generating almost $800,000 and producing a wealth of exclusive content that would never be offered again. Backers reaped significant rewards, receiving 43 extra miniatures, 12 additional cards, an intricately linked campaign of scenarios, an online scenario editor, six glow-in-the-dark dice, and a T-shirt as added bonuses alongside the core game. This became CMON’s trademark: a massive collection of exclusive content not available later at retail stores, resulting in substantial benefits for both consumers and producers. The trend spread to other companies such as Awaken Realms and Monolith, soon becoming the norm for crowdfunding campaigns featuring an abundance of miniatures.

In the past, the cost for games like Zombicide was $100 with included shipping. However, in CMON’s latest DCeased campaign, the price has risen to $130 for similar content and shipping is estimated at an additional $40. Although it’s understandable that companies need to increase prices to stay afloat, this development significantly decreases the benefits for consumers in the crowdfunding model. Even some exclusive perks, which previously added value during quick-selling campaigns, can now be purchased at retail stores. These items frequently reappear in subsequent campaigns, such as Dune: War for Arrakis, which returned to crowdfunding a second time. This practice of launching multiple campaigns emphasizes that these projects serve as pre-orders rather than the original concept of crowdfunding.

As a long-time backer of crowdfunded projects, I’ve seen my fair share of ups and downs. But recently, the number of high-profile failures has been overwhelming. Before the pandemic hit, there were occasional cases of companies going under, like Atlantic City (The Doom That Came to Atlantic City). However, the news cycle has been flooded with stories of companies struggling to deliver on their promises.

Mythic Games is just one example. Golden Bell Studios stiffed thousands of backers by only partially fulfilling its dungeon crawling card game Unbroken, yet the company continues to appear regularly at conventions to sell a retail version of that game. Funforge raised more than half a million dollars to reprint its hit civilization game Monumental, but over 4,000 backers who supported the project are still waiting four years later, with nothing yet delivered. Meanwhile, a lower-profile version of the game has already appeared at retail for anyone to purchase. These are the big failures, but there are dozens of smaller cases scattered about. I personally have been waiting for the solitaire expansion for Academy Games’ Agents of Mayhem board game, which was promised as part of a crowdfunding project in 2019. These packs of cards sat in a warehouse since October 2023 and have only just begun shipping to backers.

Although some may feel disillusioned, I’d like to stress that not everything about crowdfunding is lost. There are still numerous successful projects being launched on these platforms. For instance, the game “Dune: War for Arrakis” raised over $1.33 million and has been praised by many. Smaller companies, such as Leder Games, continue to excel in this space. New indie developers emerge regularly, even if they struggle to gain attention amidst the larger players.

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2024-07-19 17:19