We all know this logo! | Kickstarter.com
Since Kickstarter burst onto the scene 12 years ago, many new gaming releases have been almost exclusively using the platform to get the capital needed to roll out projects with a lot of what I would call “high-risk, high-reward” associated with them. Many of us have backed our share of them, even me. For this blog, I’m going to discuss two test cases and dive a little into whether Kickstarter is here to stay or if it’s just a fad that has had its day in the sun.
The cases we are discussing will not be historical gaming projects per se, but they don’t really need to be. We’re simply looking at the lessons that can be applied from their success or failure, which can be instructive to all of us in the industry. No matter what we’re peddling and, ultimately, what crowdfunding platform one uses, there are lessons that can be applied to all such crowdfunding efforts. Not only that, but I think we in the historical side of the house have been slower to embrace crowdfunding as an idea. I’m not saying we haven’t dipped our feet in, as Compass Games is putting the re-release of Joe Blakowski’s St. Lo up on Kickstarter and May ’40 Miniatures put their German Fallschirmjager project up on Kickstarter as well.
But that said, 80-90% of the projects you see on Kickstarter are on the fantasy/science fiction side of the house. I think Kickstarter has opportunities, but it has pitfalls as well. So, let’s look at two case studies, and see what went right and what went wrong and what’s perhaps good ways to avoid the pitfalls.
So, with that said, let’s get started.
Robotech Tactics – A Cautionary Tale
Front cover of the Robotech Tactics box set | Robotech.fandom.com
Robotech Tactics was once the poster child for gaming and Kickstarter. It seemed to be a triumphant rebirth by Palladium Games of their Robotech Roleplaying Game license based on the popular 80s anime show of the same name. The line hadn’t been doing all that much, and Palladium Games had been putting most of its attention to its other game lines. However, partnered with Ninja Division, which had a good pedigree of its own developing miniatures games, the project seemed like a great project with plenty of growth potential.
What happened was a disaster to the tune of $1.4 million.
It started off well enough. The Kickstarter campaign broke just about every record there was in 2013, and it put the idea of a Kickstarter-based release on the map. The stretch goals were abundant, each goal sounding cooler than the last. But Palladium failed at the one measure that mattered. They didn’t deliver past the initial “Wave 1” items. Gamers had literally dumped massive amounts of money to fund what they thought were promised “Wave 2” items, and by 2018, patience on the part of the 5,000+ backers was wearing thin.
Worse, the actual game rules were not as good as they should have been, and the models themselves were almost impossible to assemble. Many felt the Kickstarter had been “phoned in.”
Exacerbating the issue, Harmony Gold, the US license holder for all things Robotech, refused to renew Palladium’s license to make Robotech games, and some suspect this was because of the bad press all the Kickstarter issues was generating. In February 2018, Palladium finally lost the license and later admitted they’d burned through the $1.4 million raised in the Kickstarter three years before all of this came to pass. They offered backers compensation in product (no cash refunds) and said they had until the 20th of March to select what they wanted. But, Palladium didn’t even have enough items in stock to meet the demand of the Kickstarter backers.
What followed were dark accusations of malfeasance, a case where one of the designers tried to kill themselves, and the usual threats of lawsuits. It’s unclear whether or not the lawsuit is ongoing, as my own research has yet to yield any information about this, but as a case study, it’s important to take away quite a few takeaways here.
- It’s Not Your Money – Game companies should always see Kickstarters as someone buying stock in a company. You play games with company stock, you tend to get in trouble. Never ever spend the money intended for the project on other things. And if you have a schedule, stick to it the best you can. And if things go bust and you need to offer refunds? That builds a lot more goodwill than pulling your pockets out and saying, “I don’t got it.”
- Keep it Doable – Don’t promise more than you can deliver. If you can’t do it, don’t promise it. Don’t even mention it.
- Communicate, Communicate, Communicate – And when you have bad news, fess up to it early and often. Better to be honest. Even if the fans are pissed and acting up, it’s your job to face them, not shut them down. If you’re wondering why, refer to Rule 1.
Battletech, A Success Story
The Battletech Clan Invasion Box Set | Kickstarter
Battletech is a known property in the gaming industry. It’s weathered 35 plus years through three companies, a slew of changes in the storyline, and keeps managing to keep its loyal fanbase happy. Catalyst Games Labs (CGL) was gearing up for something big, as the Battletech fans soon realized, with the leaks of information coming from various social media.
But when the dam broke on the 2019 campaign, it too broke a lot of records. First, the game was funded in seven minutes. The campaign went on to collect $2.5 million and was one of the highest-grossing game-related Kickstarters at the time.
Were there issues? Yes. Early issues with the pledge manager forced a change to another one, as well as coordinating all the choices available to people as part of the stretch goals and add-ons. But the CGL and CrowdOx staff made it happen. Did deadlines get missed? Yes. But unlike the Palladium Robotetch Tactics fiasco, there was a lot less nervousness, as CGL did an excellent job putting the word out and making themselves available to their fans (It helps many of the developers are fans of their game). There was also an issue with the quality of the faction dice. CGL immediately put out a survey and asked people what they thought! Communication in action.
The fact is, Wave 1 of the releases was only really delayed by issues related to COVID, and Wave 2, while slightly late, has gone out as of this writing. CGL had a plan, executed it, and kept up on any hiccups, regardless of how minor they were.
So, what went right here?
- Quality, Quality, Quality – CGL made a commitment to quality and stuck with it. If they weren’t happy with something, it didn’t go out. Yet, they made sure they were mindful of Rules 1 and 3 under the “Cautionary Tale” section.
- Have a Plan – CGL had a plan, and they stuck to it, making sure that plan was doable and that they had the resources to do it.
- Stuff Happens – While Rule 2 matters, it’s not iron-clad. Things are going to happen, and when they do, it’s best to remain flexible and roll with the punches. It may sound like this is contradicting Rule 2, but it’s not. As a smart man once said, “Chance favors the prepared mind.”
Conclusion
I know what you’re all thinking. How do two giant robot games affect me and my Kickstarter release? Simple, have a plan, communicate it well, and keep the goals doable is scalable to any size release. I’m glad to see Compass Games kept the St. Lo re-release small and manageable. You don’t need to make big splashes if you don’t have to.
Kickstarters should be the size you need them to be, and no more. And stretch goals should be used for “nice to have,” not “must-haves,” and always remember, it’s “not your money.”
As always, Good Gaming, Everyone.
At Epoch XP, we specialize in creating compelling narratives and provide research to give your game the kind of details that engage your players and create a resonant world they want to spend time in. If you are interested in learning more about our gaming research services, you can browse Epoch XP’s service on our parent site, SJR Research.
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(This article is credited to Jason Weiser. Jason is a long-time wargamer with published works in the Journal of the Society of Twentieth Century Wargamers; Miniature Wargames Magazine; and Wargames, Strategy, and Soldier.)