“Kickstarter is Evolving” – Popular Crowdfunding Site Rolls Out Big New Changes
Kickstarter, the unexpected extra backbone of the ttrpg industry, announced expansive new changes today, saying “Kickstarter is evolving.”
Of the many things that have driven the explosive growth of tabletop roleplaying games in the last decade plus, Kickstarter often goes underlooked. Crowdfunding literally changed the game for most folks. These days, it’s almost a standard part of the industry to take your book to Kickstarter to crowdfund for a print run, or to launch your book with a bang bringing in expansive goodies like 3d printed miniatures and dice.
And that’s just roleplaying games. Once you include board games, video games, and all the other stuff we tend to cover here at BoLS, and Kickstarter’s shadow looms large. Which is a good thing. Its stated goal of bringing creative projects to life is an awesome one. Not without its problems. Kickstarter scammers are a thing. But. By and large, the platform has reshaped things.
Which is why today will likely have lasting ripples. Saying “Kickstarter is evolving” the crowdfunding platform announced new tools and services for creators, including increased marketing and late pledges. We’ll have to see how this affects creators, but, for now, here’s a look at what they announced.
Kickstarter is Evolving – New Tools, New Services
Per their announcement, the team hopes to move beyond just helping creators raise funds. One of the biggest goals is offering services like performance marketing, late pledges for all creators globally, improved backer surveys, and more.
But those three are the big ones, and the ones coming soonest. Starting with Late Pledges for all:
Late Pledges is now available to all Kickstarter Creators globally. Now, every Creator that successfully meets their funding goal has the opportunity to keep the momentum going, keeping the door open for more support, more Backers, and more success post-campaign.
If you’re thinking “wait but aren’t late pledges already a thing?” Then you’re thinking of third-party services or other crowdfunding platforms like Backerkit. But as of today, that same feature is integrated directly into Kickstarter.
The one that’s the vaguest is the “performance marketing” service, which according to Kickstarter is a “dedicated performance marketing unit.” They are there to provide support “every step of the way” but the only detail revealed is that they will “support Creators’ marketing needs.” Which is corporate speak for “we do thing, shrug emoji”.
Finally, improved Backer Surveys are there to help make fulfillment easier. Maybe this is a tool to help cut down on projects whose stretch goals take them well into the “it’s been a year or more since we Kickstarted and we’re still waiting on things”.
We’ll be seeing just how these changes impact the industry over the next year(s), so keep an eye out.
