Thursday, February 7, 2013

Kickstarter vs. Retailer Rant

I love going down to my FLGS, actually any of them in town. I support them by making sure they're listed on the blog, so if someone is looking for Gamestores in San Diego, they can find them easily.

I love Kickstarter, because I am a Gamer. 60% of my life has been involved with gaming. Even when I don't have a group to play with, when I don't have time to play, I still have my books, I still like to sit down and read one occasionally. 

Some retail stores have an issue with Kickstarters, especially with Role-playing Games Kickstarters. They like to support miniature games. I've read to angry letters from retailers about how Kickstarter is destroying their business. Man you guys really don't know how to deal with your customers, gamers are impulse and speculation buyers, they are collectors, and completionists. If people aren't excited to play a game, then no one is going to buy a new game, but if you carry it, and pimp it, it will expand. Take the cue from Pathfinder, the ultimate underdog, the David that slew Goliath. Good material eventually sells.

Most Kickstarters have a Retailer option. The FATE CORE KS only had 43 retail backers out of 10,000 backers. I'm positive that this book will continue selling. As will the Fate Accelerated Edition. This is the Core book, with some extras, but it's being published under a Creative Commons license, which means, people will be able to publish all sorts of extra stuff.

KICKSTARTERS ARE SAVING A DYING INDUSTRY! New material is BEING published because of them. New ideas are being published, lines expanded because of Kickstarter.

Numenera, Deadlands Noir and FATE Core are all successful Kickstarters that might never have seen the light of day if it weren't for crowdfunding. If people are excited to play these games, the hobby expands, you will sell more of them.

OK Rant over!

2 comments:

  1. Sorry, but you are dead wrong. Kickstarter (like a hidden cancer), is going to destroy the hobby distribution & retail industry. It's impact has already started the deathspiral.
    Think long term, not short term...

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  2. Well Mr/Mrs/Ms. Anonymous, if you would like to send some documentation my way I will gladly review it and post on the blog.

    I don't necessarily agree with the BIG publishers offering lots of EXCLUSIVE goodies. I also don't agree with KSers who offer to sell retainers books at almost nothing off.

    This is a digital age, retailers must adapt, just like booksellers need to adapt. The funny thing about gamers is they are creatures of spontaneity, and many are collectors. Kickstarters only sell ONE time. If retailers get people in their stores to RUN the games, then more copies will sell. Yes there were 10,000 backers for FATE core. But there could easily end up being over 100,000 people who play that game.

    I run games, the retailers around me KNOW I run games, but none has asked me to come down and run anything, I have to ask them.

    At several conventions now I have gotten people to want to go buy both Paranoia and Traveller/Judge Dredd...

    I await your rebuttal.

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