The core issue here imo is the mix up of professional vs hobbyist media creators and the blurred lines in between the two. (to add confusion, I'm a professional board games industry-side writer, but I've never taken money to do a review. I've been offered but I turn it down)
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One big part of the appeal of board games as an INDUSTRY is that nearly anyone can jump in and create, without the kinds of barriers that video games have. The same appeal exists on the MEDIA side of things where a phone camera or a twitch stream lets people share their passions
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We've now gotten to the point where some MEDIA outlets are pros, who have rates, get hired by big publishers to do teaching videos, show off their shiny new kickstarters. (we'll leave aside the conversation of being paid to do 'reviews' of games, completely separate talk.)
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but not all MEDIA people are pros yet. And not all INDUSTRY people are pros either. Vast majority of indie publishers/designers are 1/2 person 'studios' just trying to make some cool stuff. And having the same expectations on a tiny indie as a big publishing house is unrealistic
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Mostly, a one/two person kickstarter project CANNOT AFFORD media rates, esp because these have to be paid BEFORE the campaign makes any $ and the sunk cost is not something anyone can just shell out.
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(adjacent conversation board games has been having: 'why do all KS projects have to be so slick? what happened to anyone with a dream can make it?') hmm.jpg
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So what's an indie INDUSTRY company to do? contact other little indie MEDIA people and try to get them to help out. If not with a video, then maybe a testimonial off a tabletop simulator session. Some word of mouth marketing. Mention us to your fans!
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What do they get in return? A copy of the game, some exposure, links to their socials/channel. Is this a fair trade? Only the parties involved can say it is. I think the 'NEVER WORK FOR FREE' mindset has honestly edged out the 'if the other party is making $ off you' part.
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'Profit' on an indie kickstarter is laughable. If $ was the motive you'd be better off doing almost literally anything else. I am not saying that passion projects can exploit other passionate people for free work. All I am saying is 'everyone starts somewhere.'
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Again, parallel/opposite-facing conversations. 'Everyone needs to eat' vs 'capitalism has forced us to monetize everything' vs 'don't exploit people' vs 'sometimes the only thing we can offer is X' If you lock off media to only big publishers, guess what happens to indies?
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I am not saying media people who take $ need to start working for free. But you can be flexible in your quoting, for example. And smaller media people just starting out may need the opportunities, and working for free or a reduced rate can be what they need to get started.
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Like, I'm telling you flat out. Several kickstarters I have worked on had 0 budget for media. 0. Everything was word of mouth through friends and networking. They cannot magic the money out of thin air.
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Some media people don't want to work for free. Some might. And matching those media who are ok with a copy of the game and some airtime on the KS page with the indie industry creators who need a boost helps everyone.
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ok long rambling thread over. TLDR: Please try not to flatten nuance in your thinking. I see this a lot in a lot of different conversations. The world is too complicated for 1:1 monodimensional thinking.
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to add one thing, just in case people aren't aware of the kinds of numbers we're talking about on the industry side of things Gloomhaven, massive kickstarter success story, biggest campaign ever. 40000 copies sold. raw profit per copy: $20. for thousands of hours of work.
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Your indie game that has 500 backers and a print run of 750 copies is never gonna crack a profit. It's not going to happen.
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most 'big' board game publishers are happy to have 5000 unit sales on a game, or omg we can order a reprint if they have a big splash at a convention. A lot of games get sold as leftover inventory for years or pulped.
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End of conversation
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