Avatar Legends leads the pack in an exclusive club -- Kickstarters for tabletop roleplaying game products which have broken the $1M barrier! It is currently the most successful TTRPG Kickstarter in history with a funding total of nearly $10M, and over 80,000 backers.
[UPDATE--Backerkit started crowdfunding services in 2022, with their first million dollar campaign in July 2023. Backerkit is now included, so general references to 'Kickstarters' can now be assumed to mean 'Crowdfunders'.]
28 TTRPG campaigns have ever achieved $1M; 9 TTRPG campaigns have done so without offering miniatures, and only 9 which aren't D&D-related. I myself nearly did it, but fell slightly short with a mere $950,000!
This list comprises Kickstarters specifically for tabletop roleplaying games or supplements which have exceeded $1M. It does not include Kickstarters for miniatures, software, dice, or other accessories.
$1M+ TTRPG Kickstarters: The Official TTRPG $1M Kickstarter Club
*Licensed or based on an existing IP (movie, novel, video game, board game, comic book, previous game edition, etc.)
**Merch means pins, shirts, dice trays, etc. Stuff which isn't the actual game.
***First day figures represent first calendar day, not first 24 hours, and are taken from Kicktraq's daily funding stats for Kickstarter or Backer Tracker for Backerkit.
Some unusual patterns can be seen above. Most Kickstarters follow the traditional 'U' shaped curved, with a large portion of the funding taking place in the first few and last few days of the campaign, and comparatively slower progress in the middle.
What Does A Million Dollar Campaign Look Like?
Look at the above campaigns, we can paint a picture of a million dollar TTRPG campaign.
[UPDATE--Backerkit started crowdfunding services in 2022, with their first million dollar campaign in July 2023. Backerkit is now included, so general references to 'Kickstarters' can now be assumed to mean 'Crowdfunders'.]
28 TTRPG campaigns have ever achieved $1M; 9 TTRPG campaigns have done so without offering miniatures, and only 9 which aren't D&D-related. I myself nearly did it, but fell slightly short with a mere $950,000!
This list comprises Kickstarters specifically for tabletop roleplaying games or supplements which have exceeded $1M. It does not include Kickstarters for miniatures, software, dice, or other accessories.
- The first TTRPG Kickstarter to break $1M was 7th Sea: Second Edition (2016) by John Wick.
- The first to break $2M was Strongholds & Streaming (2018) by Matt Colville.
- The first to break $9M was Avatar Legends (2021) from Magpie Games.
- The first to break $1M on its first day was Avatar Legends (2021) from Magpie Games.
- The first to break $1M without physical merch addons (minis, dice, shirts, pins, etc.) is Coyote & Crow the Roleplaying Game (2021) from Connor Alexander. The only other campaign to do this so far is Shadowdark (2023).
- The average pledge level for a million-dollar campaign is about $100. This is usually reached by including add-ons and merchandizing. The lowest average pledge level is $66 (Coyote & Crow with just the game itself) and the highest is $223 (Tanares with numerous miniatures packs).
- Most entries are Hit Point Press with 3 campaigns over $1M and contributor on two more; and Matt Colville with 3 campaigns over $1M.
- Ghostfire Gaming has one million-dollar campaign of their own, and is listed as contributor to three others; Hit Point Press has three million-dollar campaigns, and is listed as a contributor on two more.
- Gloomhaven Grand Festival included an RPG, but was also a Kickstarter for a boardgame and 600+ miniatures.
# | Kickstarter | Platform | D&D 5E | IP* | Additions** | Creator | Date Ended | Backers | Amount | First Day*** | Average Pledge | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game | KS | Yes | Merch, Dice | Magpie Games | September 2021 | 81,549 | $9,533,258 | $1,150,566 (12%) | $117 | ||||
2 | Gloomhaven Grand Festival | BK | Yes | Minis, Merch | Cephalofair | July 2023 | 34,691 | $5,053380 | $1,339,942 (27%)(14%) | $146 | ||||
3 | Steinhardt's Guide to the Eldritch Hunt: A 5e Supplement | KS | Yes | Merch, Dice | MonkeyDM | August 2022 | 19,723 | $2,692,698 | $411,135 (15%) | $137 | ||||
4 | KS | Yes | Merch, Dice | 1985 Games | August 2023 | 23,416 | $2,610,869 | $380,679 (15%) | $111 | |||||
5 | Fool's Gold: Into the Bellowing Wilds | KS | Yes | Minis, Merch, Dice | Hit Point Press | November 2021 | 16,929 | $2,479,888 | $349,884 (14%) | $147 | ||||
6 | Strongholds & Streaming | KS | Yes | Minis, Merch | Matt Colville | March 2018 | 28,918 | $2,121,465 | $591,556 (28%) | $73 | ||||
7 | Tanares RPG - 5e | KS | Yes | Minis, Merch, Dice | Dragori Games | October 2021 | 9,403 | $2,100,242 | $993,228 (47%) | $223 | ||||
8 | Old Gods of Appalachia Roleplaying Game | KS | Yes | Merch, Dice | Monte Cook Games | May 2022 | 15,061 | $2,097,715 | $679,748 (32%) | $139 | ||||
9 | "Flee, Mortals!" - The MCDM Monster Book for 5e | KS | Yes | Minis, Merch | Matt Colville | May 2022 | 27,009 | $2,084,117 | $788,976 (38%) | $77 | ||||
10 | The Magnus Archives Roleplaying Game | BK | Yes | Merch, Dice | Monte Cook Games | September 2023 | 11,622 | $2,027,997 | $794,798 (39%) | $174 | ||||
11 | The One Ring Roleplaying Game, Second Edition | KS | Yes | Merch, Dice | Free League | March 2021 | 16,591 | $2,025,288 | $521,908 (26%) | $122 | ||||
12 | Monty Python's Cocurricular Mediaeval Reenactment Programme | KS | Yes | Minis, Merch, Dice | Exalted Funeral | November 2022 | 15,018 | $1,933,426 | $792,724 (41%) | $129 | ||||
13 | Heliana's Guide to Monster Hunting | KS | Yes | Merch, Dice | Loot Tavern (Hit Point Press) | July 2021 | 18,082 | $1,845,422 | $259,382 (14%) | $102 | ||||
14 | BLADE RUNNER - The Roleplaying Game | KS | Yes | Merch, Dice | Free League | May 2022 | 15,323 | $1,673,567 | $833,263 (49%) | $109 | ||||
15 | The Seeker's Guide to Twisted Taverns | KS | Yes | Merch, Dice | Eldermancy (Ghostfire Gaming) | March 2021 | 17,921 | $1,650,076 | $211,563 (13%) | $92 | ||||
16 | Mothership Sci-Fi Horror RPG 1st Edition Boxed Set | KS | Merch, Dice | Alan Gerding | December 2021 | 15,699 | $1,405,569 | $529,134 (38%) | $90 | |||||
17 | Dolmenwood Tabletop RPG | KS | Minis, Merch, Dice | Exalted Funeral | September 2023 | 10,862 | $1,389,313 | $639,002 (46%) | $128 | |||||
18 | Kingdoms, Warfare & More Minis! | KS | Yes | Minis | Matt Colville | November 2019 | 19,033 | $1,372,685 | $594,330 (43%) | $72 | ||||
| 19 | Shadowdark RPG: Old School Gaming, Modernized | KS | - | The Arcane Library | March 2023 | 13,249 | $1,365,923 | $299,898 (22%) | $103 | |||||
| 20 | Grim Hollow: The Monster Grimoire | KS | Yes | Minis, Merch, Dice | Ghostfire Gaming | May 2021 | 15,530 | $1,348,160 | $258,640 (19%) | $87 | ||||
21 | 7th Sea: Second Edition | KS | Yes | Merch, Dice | John Wick | March 2016 | 11,483 | $1,316,813 | $286,290 (22%) | $115 | ||||
| 22 | The Deck of Many Animated Spells, Tarot and More for 5e | KS | Yes | Merch | Hit Point Press | June 2020 | 9,871 | $1,310,509 | $218,381 (16%) | $133 | ||||
| 23 | Dungeons of Drakkenheim | KS | Yes | Minis, Merch, Dice | Dungeon Dudes (Ghostfire Gaming) | August 2021 | 13,376 | $1,279,240 | $370,638 (29%) | $96 | ||||
| 24 | Auroboros: Coils of the Serpent | KS | Yes | Minis, Merch, Dice | Warchief Gaming | May 2021 | 10,218 | $1,260,863 | $493,947 (39%) | $123 | ||||
| 25 | The Griffon's Saddlebag: Book 2 | KS | Yes | Merch, Dice | Griffin Macaulay (Hit Point Press) | April 2022 | 11,710 | $1,237,197 | $297,192 (24%) | $106 | ||||
26 | Moria - Through the Doors of Durin for The One Ring RPG | KS | Yes | Yes | Merch | Free League | September 2023 | 13,009 | $1,198,575 | $619,890 (52%) | $92 | |||
| 27 | KS | Yes | Dice |
|
| 10,057 | $1,151,914 |
| $115 | |||||
28 | Coyote & Crow the Roleplaying Game | KS | - | Connor Alexander | April 2021 | 16,269 | $1,073,453 | $106,515 (10%) | $66 | |||||
29 | Sebastian Crowe's Guide to Drakkenheim | KS | Yes | Minis, Merch, Dice | Dungeon Dudes (Ghostfire Gaming) | September 2022 | 8,963 | $1,025,330 | $422,376 (41%) | $114 | ||||
| 30 | Humblewood Campaign Setting for 5e | KS | Yes | Minis, Merch, Dice | Hit Point Press | April 2019 | 14,604 | $1,001,085 | $58,985 (6%) | $69 | ||||
| - | Ryoko's Guide to the Yokai Realms - A 5e Tome | KS | Yes | Minis, Merch, Dice | DnD Shorts | October 2023 | TBA | TBA | $712,290 | TBA |
*Licensed or based on an existing IP (movie, novel, video game, board game, comic book, previous game edition, etc.)
**Merch means pins, shirts, dice trays, etc. Stuff which isn't the actual game.
***First day figures represent first calendar day, not first 24 hours, and are taken from Kicktraq's daily funding stats for Kickstarter or Backer Tracker for Backerkit.
- Tanares RPG did nearly $1M in its first day, but then support dropped off for the remaining month. This was due to a high-value giveaway to first-day backers.
- Humblewood started off slow and then got a big boost in the last 4 days. It's not clear what caused that, but an aggressive final marketing push is a good candidate--they have multiple marketing entries in their collaborators list.
What Does A Million Dollar Campaign Look Like?
Look at the above campaigns, we can paint a picture of a million dollar TTRPG campaign.
- 14/31 include minis
- 29/31 include merchandise (pins, t-shirts, dice trays, etc.)
- 23/31 include dice
- 19/31 are D&D 5E related and a further 8/31 are based on an existing IP, leaving only 4/31 which are completely original games
- The average pledge level is in the region of $115
- The average campaign does 26% of its funding in the first day unless there are early bird rewards in which case it can be in the mid-40%s
- The average campaign has 18.5K backers, with the lowest about about 9K backers
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