Last weekend we attended the Special Edition Comic Con in New York City, where we sat in on a panel about Kickstarting projects. Though the presentation was primarily about comic books, the same tactics can be applied to videogame projects. The hour long panel was hosted by Craig Engler and Jamie Tanner from Kickstarter, who have both launched successful projects of their own and now share their experiences to anyone who ask.
The panel went over the basics of starting a new project on the site and how you can use Kickstarter to fund any potential future project if you start with a good idea and market yourself. Craig and Jamie then went into an extensive presentation on the numbers behind successful projects, and what a creator should expect from a campaign.
Kickstarter is an online crowd-funding platform where creators are able to pitch ideas to the public for pledges to fund. The process highlights the fact that creators are able to retain creative control of their projects, and donors are able to become part of the project through not only a monetary investment, but by forming a personal connection. Kickstarting a project will let your potential fan base take part in the process and hopefully they’ll assist in advertising your project through funding and beyond.
The most common pledge for any project is $25, but the average is much higher at $70 when you factor in large pledges from single donors. The average project that has been successful is $4,500, with some of the larger projects approaching close to a million dollars and higher. Most projects that hit %30 percent of their funding goal will hit their total goal, and it is important to note that should a project fail to meet its goal no money will be exchanged. Furthermore, most pledges will come in at the launch of a project and towards the end, with a valley inbetween, and it is advised that projects last around 30 days to capitalize on this statistic.
Jamie went on to give some sound advice to creators about their projects,
“Ask for what you absolutely need to get off the ground and start a project and not for what you want. If you ask for what you need you’ll find that you will get what you want through over pledging.”
As we mentioned before, Kickstarting your project is about establishing and creating connections through social media to build up an audience of invested fans. There is already an active community on the site looking for new projects to take part in, with many donors pledging to multiple projects. While coming into a new project with an established fan base isn’t a necessity it will help you in the long run, creators should plan to be active in the online community and outreach. The more visible you are in your advertising the easier it will be to hit a project goal and sustain growth through the campaign.
Craig had some good advice when it comes to using social media,
“When using social media don’t ask for retweets and likes as those are passive actions. Instead ask for support which will engage your potential donors and lead to a higher pledge rate.”
Many donors pledge to new projects because they enjoy being part of the development process and will follow regular updates accordingly. Sharing small details about what you’ve been working on for the last week will go a long way to cement your base and help word spread on social media. The more active and up front you are about your project the better it will be in the long run should any problems arise during development. Developer diaries and live Q&A sessions can also help reach a new audience after a campaign has been completed.
When starting a new project you should of course plan your funding out very carefully and factor in rewards and shipping cost should they apply. Rewards should also be manageable as they can quickly overwhelm a small team should they get out of hand, and do not offer up something that potentially will have to do a thousand times. So don’t over pledge private dinners or custom made artwork if you don’t want to spend all your time completing those rewards.
For shipping packages it is best to go to the post office and weigh out a package that fits your potential reward, and test shipping rates to Japan, Australia and the United States. Always plan on adding about 10% extra money to this metric and factor it accordingly for your goals. Many project creators use an accountant when helping to determine their projected funding needs and it is usually a one cost deal that shouldn’t take too long. And always plan for more time than you think you’ll need, as many projects miss their deadline.
Your Kickstarter page should be thought out and well written with a as much of a focus on you the creator as you put on your project. The metrics show that the more creators talk about their passion for their project and why they are creating it have a higher success rate than those who just list out project details. Fans want to know that you are passionate about what you are doing and that you really want this to happen. Your page should always feature a video lasting approximately two or three minutes in length, and should highlight you and your team.
The best advice the panel had to offer was that you should mirror what a successful Kickstarter project looks like and take their lessons learned for your project. It is openly encouraged to contact the team for advice and pointers should you be looking to start a project as they are there to help and support you. Take advantage of those who have come before you and those around you and should your project fail you can always learn from your mistakes and re-launch. Many restarted projects have an 80% higher chance of success than other projects.
It was a very informative panel and we were glad we could attend it and bring the information to you, and maybe this will help you make the leap to starting your own project if you’re thinking about making a game or anything else. Both Craig and Jamie said that there is a fear in starting a new project when there really shouldn’t be; Kickstarter should be fun and a great tool for you to use in the creative process. As long as you are open with your audience, and upfront with any delays, there shouldn’t be any problems - and remember that most, if not all, projects will ship late.
Good luck, potential creators - and use the community to your benefit.
Brian Kale
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