The Level Up Strategy
The Level Up Game Plan
Moving forward, we have a new strategy for our game releases. It’s a gameplan we’re dubbing the “Level Up” strategy!
What’s the Level Up strategy?
It's simple.
The Game Crafter: Set the game up on The Game Crafter, with print on demand capabilities
Kickstarter Goal: Set the Kickstarter goal to be much lower (in some cases 5,000% or more than what it would otherwise be)
Momentum: Build faster, better momentum
Guarantee: A soft guarantee we’ll hit our goal
Level Up: Room to “level up”
Step 1: The Game Crafter
Setting up our game with The Game Crafter is great for a few reasons. First and foremost, we’ve had a good relationship built with them over the years. Their quality and customer service is consistent and great. And they’ve been reliable and in an ever-shifting world, which is very important to us.
Step 2: Kickstarter Goal
One HUGE benefit to using a print on demand model is that we’re able to lower the goal. The downside? We will have less inventory on our end, and less options for customizing certain physical features of the game that we’d otherwise want. While these are two important factors that we don’t take lightly, having a lower goal will ensure we get our games made and into your hands!
Step 3: Momentum
Lower Goal -> Quicker Funding -> Better Search Results -> More Funding -> More Success
Step 4: Guarantee
Nothing is guaranteed other than death and taxes, but this will give us what I’m calling a “soft guarantee,” which means that for all intents and purposes, we should be able to hit any comparatively low goal that we put out there. This means we can get games into your hands sooner, and begin working on creating even more games!
Step 5: Level Up
The idea of “leveling up” is to say that the more funding we reach, the more it will directly translate to adding component upgrades, sturdier cardstock, custom sized boxes, magnetic closing, etc.
Keep in mind that if anything is necessary to enjoying a game we’re releasing, then we’ll work to ensure that it is in the game, regardless of how much it “levels up.”
But with extra funding, why shouldn’t things be improved?
In most cases, the first level up is “going big” by having Print Ninja manufacture our project.
We actually did this with our Ghoullotine game, which has allowed us to sell many more copies of Ghoullotine and share it at conventions!
So really, this plan has actually been done before in many ways. It just took us experimenting with Heartseeker and seeing how “starting big” would work out for us.
It turns out, it just highlighted how well Ghoullotine was set up, and how we can improve on that system instead of radically changing it.
That’s All, Folks!
Not sure why I’m Bugs Bunny all of a sudden, but hopefully you enjoyed the read and the game plan!
You can expect Heartseeker to return in February 2023. The funding goal will be noticeably lower. The default box size will be the size of our prototype copy, which is 8.5 x 4.94 x 1.5 in,
216 x 125 x 38 mm.
There may be some other small changes, but the gameplay you expect and love will remain the same!
Until then, stay tuned for our next Kickstarter, which we’ll be announcing when our promotional image is complete!
The Kickstarter will be launching in October and will be a lighthearted, rules-light, narrative driven tabletop RPG with an anime aesthetic! Great for fans of Soul Eater, Konosuba, and Overlord! The game is focused on “Hunters” that are trained to slay evil monsters!
Stay awesome!
Vincent