Last year was pretty huge for the upstart crowdfunding platform Gamefound. Looking to take Kickstarter’s lively board and tabletop game section head-on, Gamefound has taken just three years to establish itself as not just a challenger but, in many regards, a peer.
From 2022 to 2024, earnings from pledges on initial campaigns shot up from $28.3 million to $85 million. Of course, Kickstarter is way out in front in this regard, reportedly in the region of $220 million, but the growth shows the increase in players, backers, and creators looking to Gamefound to get the next huge tabletop hit going.
So, what is it about Gamefound for the players and the creators that’s allowed it to muscle-in on Kickstarter’s turf so swiftly?
What the Players and Backers See in Gamefound
Looking at the Gamefound vs Kickstarter battle more generally, you can say that tabletop players gravitate to Gamefound because of its niche. There are many tabletop projects on Kickstarter, but the site is very general. Those who’re committed to the tabletop niche can go to Gamefound to exclusively see relevant projects.
Knowing the importance of getting the word out and keeping interest, Gamefound has also encouraged its project creators to follow in the footsteps of a very popular digital gaming trend. Before even getting into the gaming on online platforms of games or even when it comes to video game pre-orders, bonuses and extras are offered.
You can see it in the form of the slots welcome bonus, which offers hundreds of free spins to new players who sign up and make a deposit. In this case, not only do players get to use their deposit to play whatever games they fancy, but they’ll also get 200 free spins on the popular Fire Blaze: Blue Wizard Megaways game.
With video game pre-orders, you see a similar approach with pre-order bonus DLCs, like additional outfits for characters or quick access to key items. With Gamefound, as demonstrated by the Tekken: The Board Game pre-campaign, those who follow the preview get a free Angel Jin exclusive gift if they then back the project.
A Specialized Experience for Creators
Something that’s been quite striking for the rise of Gamefound is just how many big-name projects have emerged from the platform, both in the form of novel success stories and licensed games from hit IPs. The upcoming Tekken one was mentioned above, but the Batman: Gotham City Chronicles RPG earned £680,000, God of War: The Board Game clocked in at £640,000, and Conan: The Hyborian Age – The RPG collected £525,000.
All-in, 2024’s top ten tabletop campaigns were comprised of six from Gamefound. Among those were Cthulhu: Death May Die – Forbidden Reaches for $3.9 million and Lands of Evershade at $7.4 million. Then, there’s the colossal hit Nemesis and its many expansions. So, what’s pulling in the creators?
Last year, Gamefound made some big improvements, offering new analytics for creators, expanding local payment options, adding PayPal, and implementing a testing mode to preview campaigns as creators. Localizing has been a big selling point for many, with the Finnish creator of Lands of Galzyr noting that to launch on Kickstarter, they’d need to use a third party.
Throw in the automatic stretch goals function, the integrated pledge manager, and the project page design options being tailored for tabletop games in particular, and you can see the grand appeal of Gamefound for creators. When creators love a platform, the players will follow.