With the increase in the number of crowdfunding sites and crowdfunding alternatives as well as global corporations creating their own crowdfunding sites, it was only a matter of time before the idea to internalize crowdfunding reached the tabletop RPG publisher level. After experiments like Owen KC Stephens’ 52-in-52 and Con of Champions crowdfunding via Tabletop.Events as well as many other ventures both large and small, 2022 will present the beginning of a new direction for established gaming companies. Especially in light of Kickstarters’ controversial move to blockchain technology, Gallant Knight Games’ crowdfunding announcement feels like the inevitable growth of the market. Alan Bahr of Gallant Knight Games agreed to answer my questions about their announcement and how it will alter their direction.
EGG EMBRY (EGG): Alan, thank you for talking with me. At the tail end of 2021, Gallant Knight Games made a major announcement regarding your crowdfunding future. Can you share an overview of GallantFunding?
ALAN BAHR (ALAN): Gallant Knight Games (GKG) is rolling out a process through the GKG webstore that will allow GKG and GKG partners to recreate the crowdfunding experience (in a limited sense). We’ll be able to host an “elevated preorder” more akin to crowdfunding Kickstarter or GMT’s P500 than a standard preorder.
EGG: Is this only for Gallant Knight Games projects or will other creators be invited to share their projects through Gallantfunding?
ALAN: The process is limited to GKG and GKG partners (like Old Skull Publishing, Christopher Grey Games, etc.) Obviously we’d love to support as many indie publishers as possible, but as a small business, we’re focused on shoring up the core of our business. On a personal level, I’d happily walk anyone through how to set this up on their webstores and some of the stuff GKG is doing (especially after I get through the process a few times.)
EGG: It’s offers like that which make GKG an RPG community builder. Along that same thought process, can you walk us through how the process will work for backers?
ALAN: Sure! So the customer would simply go to the listing in our webstore (we’ll have a special GallantFunding category that shows all the projects), select the option they want (PDF, Print, Print+PDF, any special bundles or options) and checks out. At the time of check out, they’ll be charged the full cost + shipping (charged immediately akin to a preorder), and project updates will be posted on a reoccurring post on our site, as well as updated on that page (and in our mailing list). If the project does not fund, we’ll either find an alternate fulfillment solution to product it with what was raised (which we view as the most likely solution), or we’ll simply issue full refunds. Our goal is to have each GallantFunded project out in six months to a year, with a goal on going faster.
EGG: Kickstarter, GameFound, GameOnTabletop, Indiegogo, and Itchfunding already exist. With so many options on the market already, why move into crowdfunding?
ALAN: On a very real level, GKG already relies on crowdfunding for our big projects. We’re just moving that crowdfunding we already do to a platform we control more fully in order to create a better experience (in our opinion). We’re not creating a new core business or venture.
EGG: You’ve created 24 Kickstarters. Does this mean GKG is leaving Kickstarter behind?
ALAN: Our hope at this time is to be able to support GKG’s slate of projects through GallantFunding.
EGG: I know the answer to this before I ask, but to reassure fans, will this impact delivery of any existing Kickstarters you’ve already run?
ALAN: Absolutely not. We’ve almost cleared our backlog of Kickstarters (including partner Kickstarters), so we’re focused on finishing those and going forward.
EGG: Structurally, is this a separate business than GKG? Will this be a separate website or will it be part of GKG’s site?
ALAN: It will be part of our webstore for simplicity’s sake. Our goal isn’t to complicate everything, but instead make it as easy as possible to support GKG and our future slate of games.
EGG: Can you share the first project you’re planning to create through GallantFunding?
ALAN: We’re going to be leading off with Diogo Nogueira’s WAR OF THE MAGI, an expansion for DARK STREETS & DARKER SECRETS. This project is print ready, fully edited, art complete, and laid out, so we just need to print it and deliver it! [AUTHOR’S NOTE: I reviewed the DARK STREETS & DARKER SECRETS core rulebook at d20 Radio.]
EGG: Beyond this project, what else is on the horizon for GKG in 2022?
ALAN: We’ve got more TinyD6 (both GKG, as well as partner games), more non-TinyD6 GKG Games (Carrion Lands will finally get a finished edition), more licensed games (D6 System), and more partner games!
EGG: Thanks for talking with me. Where can fans learn more about GKG and GallantFunding?
ALAN: The best site is [our website] and our mailing list, which you can find here.
EDIT 2022-01-13: War of the Magi is live and GallantFunding until January 21, 2022 02:19 (Central Standard America).
Egg Embry participates in the OneBookShelf Affiliate Program, Noble Knight Games’ Affiliate Program, and is an Amazon Associate. These programs provide advertising fees by linking to DriveThruRPG, Noble Knight Games, and Amazon.
EGG EMBRY (EGG): Alan, thank you for talking with me. At the tail end of 2021, Gallant Knight Games made a major announcement regarding your crowdfunding future. Can you share an overview of GallantFunding?
ALAN BAHR (ALAN): Gallant Knight Games (GKG) is rolling out a process through the GKG webstore that will allow GKG and GKG partners to recreate the crowdfunding experience (in a limited sense). We’ll be able to host an “elevated preorder” more akin to crowdfunding Kickstarter or GMT’s P500 than a standard preorder.
EGG: Is this only for Gallant Knight Games projects or will other creators be invited to share their projects through Gallantfunding?
ALAN: The process is limited to GKG and GKG partners (like Old Skull Publishing, Christopher Grey Games, etc.) Obviously we’d love to support as many indie publishers as possible, but as a small business, we’re focused on shoring up the core of our business. On a personal level, I’d happily walk anyone through how to set this up on their webstores and some of the stuff GKG is doing (especially after I get through the process a few times.)
EGG: It’s offers like that which make GKG an RPG community builder. Along that same thought process, can you walk us through how the process will work for backers?
ALAN: Sure! So the customer would simply go to the listing in our webstore (we’ll have a special GallantFunding category that shows all the projects), select the option they want (PDF, Print, Print+PDF, any special bundles or options) and checks out. At the time of check out, they’ll be charged the full cost + shipping (charged immediately akin to a preorder), and project updates will be posted on a reoccurring post on our site, as well as updated on that page (and in our mailing list). If the project does not fund, we’ll either find an alternate fulfillment solution to product it with what was raised (which we view as the most likely solution), or we’ll simply issue full refunds. Our goal is to have each GallantFunded project out in six months to a year, with a goal on going faster.
EGG: Kickstarter, GameFound, GameOnTabletop, Indiegogo, and Itchfunding already exist. With so many options on the market already, why move into crowdfunding?
ALAN: On a very real level, GKG already relies on crowdfunding for our big projects. We’re just moving that crowdfunding we already do to a platform we control more fully in order to create a better experience (in our opinion). We’re not creating a new core business or venture.
EGG: You’ve created 24 Kickstarters. Does this mean GKG is leaving Kickstarter behind?
ALAN: Our hope at this time is to be able to support GKG’s slate of projects through GallantFunding.
EGG: I know the answer to this before I ask, but to reassure fans, will this impact delivery of any existing Kickstarters you’ve already run?
ALAN: Absolutely not. We’ve almost cleared our backlog of Kickstarters (including partner Kickstarters), so we’re focused on finishing those and going forward.
EGG: Structurally, is this a separate business than GKG? Will this be a separate website or will it be part of GKG’s site?
ALAN: It will be part of our webstore for simplicity’s sake. Our goal isn’t to complicate everything, but instead make it as easy as possible to support GKG and our future slate of games.
EGG: Can you share the first project you’re planning to create through GallantFunding?
ALAN: We’re going to be leading off with Diogo Nogueira’s WAR OF THE MAGI, an expansion for DARK STREETS & DARKER SECRETS. This project is print ready, fully edited, art complete, and laid out, so we just need to print it and deliver it! [AUTHOR’S NOTE: I reviewed the DARK STREETS & DARKER SECRETS core rulebook at d20 Radio.]
EGG: Beyond this project, what else is on the horizon for GKG in 2022?
ALAN: We’ve got more TinyD6 (both GKG, as well as partner games), more non-TinyD6 GKG Games (Carrion Lands will finally get a finished edition), more licensed games (D6 System), and more partner games!
EGG: Thanks for talking with me. Where can fans learn more about GKG and GallantFunding?
ALAN: The best site is [our website] and our mailing list, which you can find here.
EDIT 2022-01-13: War of the Magi is live and GallantFunding until January 21, 2022 02:19 (Central Standard America).
Egg Embry participates in the OneBookShelf Affiliate Program, Noble Knight Games’ Affiliate Program, and is an Amazon Associate. These programs provide advertising fees by linking to DriveThruRPG, Noble Knight Games, and Amazon.
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