Backerkit Announces Crowd Funding Platform

At a time where both creators and backers are expressing reservations about Kickstarter, with issues surrounding adoption of blockchain technology, slow approval times for new campaigns, frustrating or boilerplate responses from staff, lack of safety tools for creators, and creator tools which don't match up to those of other crowdfunding platforms, no competitor has yet managed to compete well (at least in the tabletop gaming space) due to Kickstarter's large market share of that industry.

Companies like IndieGoGo, Gamefound, Game On Tabletop, and others do provide similar services but Kickstarter still reigns supreme in terms of dollars earned, making it hard for creators to jump ship. Other companies have experimented with building crowdfunding functionality into their own online stores.

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The latest crowdfunding platform comes from Backerkit, a company whose pledge fulfillment services many creators and backers will be familiar with. And they've already got a whole bunch of companies on board for their next campaigns -- including TTRPG companies like Monte Cook Games, and baordgame companies like Greater Than Games.

Whether Backerkit has the oomph to compete with Kickstarter remains to be seen, but given that a large percentage of Kickstarter creators and backers already use Backerkit for pledge fulfillment and are already part of its ecosystem (we at ENP use its 'Backerkit Launch' feature for every campaign), they might have a chance. And competition is good for the customer who, in this case, are both the creators and the backers.

Backerkit already offers launch, pledge management, pre-order, and marketing functionality which Kickstarter doesn't, and is used by many campaigns for those services. The only part of that they don't currently do is the actual crowdfunding phase. Having that tie directly into the other services means that a creator can use one company for the whole process.

They're not launching new campaigns yet (although they have that long list of creators they've already talked to and have invited a small number to come on board early), but they plan to open up 'more broadly' in early 2023. Right now there is a site with six projects running from Publishing Goblin, Westley Coleman, Anthony Qualkinbush, Jason Furie, Roll & Play Press, and Corviforms, and over 20 upcoming projects including The Weird by Monte Cook Games.

 
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Ryujin

Legend
Not sure how I feel about this. They were well positioned as a service provider for crowdfunding campaigns on the back end, but what does that mean for the other platforms? We might find that they try to do what Backerkit was, previously, and poorly with Backerkit perhaps not doing the funding end well.
 

Von Ether

Legend
In a way, this is not much different than when Piazo's online store went retail. They don't advertise it much, but you can get WotC products. from their website.
 



Staffan

Legend
Not sure how I feel about this. They were well positioned as a service provider for crowdfunding campaigns on the back end, but what does that mean for the other platforms? We might find that they try to do what Backerkit was, previously, and poorly with Backerkit perhaps not doing the funding end well.
Given some of Kickstarter's dubious decisions lately (like trying to use blockchain technology), I'm glad they're getting some more competition.
 

Ath-kethin

Elder Thing
I'm interested.

As I disagree with many of Kickstarter's recent decisions/revelations, I'd be happy to move on to another platform. But given the frequency with which sites are hacked and personal information stolen, I'm always very hesitant to sign up for new services/websites.

Of course, I'm already signed up for Backerkit. If they can get good projects going there, I'm in.
 

Morrus

Well, that was fun
Staff member
I'm interested.

As I disagree with many of Kickstarter's recent decisions/revelations, I'd be happy to move on to another platform. But given the frequency with which sites are hacked and personal information stolen, I'm always very hesitant to sign up for new services/websites.

Of course, I'm already signed up for Backerkit. If they can get good projects going there, I'm in.
For me it’s more the way every other platform is better than Kickstarter in every measurable way… except they don’t make money. Our IndieGoGo campaign is currently on track to make 1/45th of a similar Kickstarter (yup, a nearly 50x difference). I really want to see real competition.
 

Ryujin

Legend
For me it’s more the way every other platform is better than Kickstarter in every measurable way… except they don’t make money. Our IndieGoGo campaign is currently on track to make 1/45th of a similar Kickstarter (yup, a nearly 50x difference). I really want to see real competition.
Yeah, Kickstarter just has the biggest brand recognition. As you said they certainly aren't objectively better than others, but they're your best chance for success. Something like Seed&Spark is objectively better from the standpoint of an indie film production, for example, but hardly anyone knows about it. I know some folks who have a pretty good following of dedicated supporters, so much so that they had created a Patreon equivalent before Patreon existed, in order to support their production company between tentpole films. They tried using one of those 'secondary' crowdfunding sites for one of their smaller productions and had to cancel the fundraiser, then reopen it on Kickstarter, because it was getting almost no play.
 

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