Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere RPG leads the pack in an exclusive club -- crowdfunders for tabletop roleplaying game products which have broken the $1M barrier! It is currently the most successful TTRPG crowdfunder in history with a funding total of over $10M, and over 30,000 backers (and also the third biggest crowdfunded of any kind!)
[Update--Kickstarter integrated 'late pledges' in May 2024. The totals on this table are the totals at the time the campaign officially ended.]
This list comprises crowdfunders specifically for tabletop roleplaying games or supplements which have exceeded $1M. It does not include crowdfunders which are primarily for miniatures, software, dice, or other accessories.
$1M+ TTRPG Crowdfunders: The Official TTRPG $1M Crowdfunder Club
Miniatures |
Merchandise |
Dice |
Kickstarter |
Backerkit |
D&D 5E
*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 crowdfunders 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.
The following creators have two or more entries in the chart. These 6 creators comprise nearly 50% of the chart with a total of 18 entries.
Some creators are also listed as contributors to other projects.
[Update--Kickstarter integrated 'late pledges' in May 2024. The totals on this table are the totals at the time the campaign officially ended.]
This list comprises crowdfunders specifically for tabletop roleplaying games or supplements which have exceeded $1M. It does not include crowdfunders which are primarily for miniatures, software, dice, or other accessories.
- The first TTRPG crowdfunder 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 $10M was Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere RPG (2024) from Brotherwise Games.
- The first to break $1M on its first day was Avatar Legends (2021) from Magpie Games with a first-day total of $1,150,566.
- The highest ever first-day total was Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere RPG (2024) from Brotherwise Games, with a first-day total of $4,380,024.
- 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 $294 (Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere RPG).
- Gloomhaven Grand Festival included an RPG, but was also a Kickstarter for a boardgame and 600+ miniatures.
# | Project | Platform | D&D 5E | Additions** | Creator | Date Ended | Backers | Amount | First Day*** | Average Pledge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | - | Brotherwise Games | August 2024 | 52,652 | $14,557,439 | $4,380,024 (30%) | $276 | |||
2 | Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game | - | September 2021 | 81,549 | $9,533,258 | $1,150,566 (12%) | $117 | |||
3 | Gloomhaven Grand Festival | - | July 2023 | 34,691 | $5,053,380 | $1,339,942 (27%) | $146 | |||
4 | The MCDM RPG | - | MCDM Productions (Matt Colville) | January 2024 | 30,177 | $4,600,529 | $1,985,398 (43%) | )$152 | ||
5 | The Crooked Moon: Folk Horror in 5E by Legends of Aavantris | Legends of Avantris | November 2023 | 21,793 | $4,020,234 | $1,225,460 (30%) | $184 | |||
6 | Ryoko's Guide to the Yokai Realms - A 5e Tome | DnD Shorts (Loot Tavern) | October 2023 | 26,376 | $3,327,204 | $712,290 (21%) | $126 | |||
7 | Steinhardt's Guide to the Eldritch Hunt: A 5e Supplement | MonkeyDM (Loot Tavern) | August 2022 | 19,723 | $2,692,698 | $411,135 (15%) | $137 | |||
8 | Obojima Tales From The Tall Grass: A 5E Campaign Setting | 1985 Games | August 2023 | 23,416 | $2,610,869 | $380,679 (15%) | $111 | |||
9 | Fool's Gold: Into the Bellowing Wilds | Hit Point Press | November 2021 | 16,929 | $2,479,888 | $349,884 (14%) | $147 | |||
10 | DC20 | - | The Dungeon Coach | July 2024 | 20,685 | $2,245,231 | $415,127 (19%) | $108 | ||
11 | Strongholds & Streaming | Matt Colville | March 2018 | 28,918 | $2,121,465 | $591,556 (28%) | $73 | |||
12 | Tanares RPG - 5e | Dragori Games | October 2021 | 9,403 | $2,100,242 | $993,228 (47%) | $223 | |||
13 | Old Gods of Appalachia Roleplaying Game | - | May 2022 | 15,061 | $2,097,715 | $679,748 (32%) | $679,748 (32%) | |||
14 | "Flee, Mortals!" - The MCDM Monster Book for 5e | Matt Colville | May 2022 | 27,009 | $2,084,117 | $788,976 (38%) | $77 | |||
15 | The Magnus Archives Roleplaying Game | - | September 2023 | 11,622 | $2,027,997 | $794,798 (39%) | $174 | |||
16 | The One Ring Roleplaying Game, Second Edition | - | March 2021 | 16,591 | $2,025,288 | $521,908 (26%) | $122 | |||
17 | Monty Python's Cocurricular Mediaeval Reenactment Programme | - | November 2022 | 15,018 | $1,933,426 | $792,724 (41%) | $129 | |||
18 | Heliana's Guide to Monster Hunting | Loot Tavern (Hit Point Press) | July 2021 | 18,082 | $1,845,422 | $259,382 (14%) | $102 | |||
19 | BLADE RUNNER - The Roleplaying Game | - | May 2022 | 15,323 | $1,673,567 | $833,263 (49%) | $109 | |||
20 | The Seeker's Guide to Twisted Taverns | Eldermancy (Ghostfire Gaming) | March 2021 | 17,921 | $1,650,076 | $211,563 (13%) | $92 | |||
21 | Adventure Time: The Roleplaying Game | May 2024 | 7,334 | $1,568,387 | $238,556 (15%) | $214 | ||||
22 | Mothership Sci-Fi Horror RPG 1st Edition Boxed Set | - | Alan Gerding | December 2021 | 15,699 | $1,405,569 | $529,134 (38%) | $90 | ||
23 | Dolmenwood Tabletop RPG | - | Exalted Funeral | September 2023 | 10,862 | $1,389,313 | $639,002 (46%) | $128 | ||
24 | Kingdoms, Warfare & More Minis! | Matt Colville | November 2019 | 19,033 | $1,372,685 | $594,330 (43%) | $72 | |||
| 25 | Shadowdark RPG: Old School Gaming, Modernized | - | - | The Arcane Library | March 2023 | 13,249 | $1,365,923 | $299,898 (22%) | $103 | |
| 26 | Grim Hollow: The Monster Grimoire | Ghostfire Gaming | May 2021 | 15,530 | $1,348,160 | $258,640 (19%) | $87 | |||
27 | 7th Sea: Second Edition | John Wick (Chaosium) | March 2016 | 11,483 | $1,316,813 | $286,290 (22%) | $115 | |||
| 28 | The Deck of Many Animated Spells, Tarot and More for 5e | Hit Point Press | June 2020 | 9,871 | $1,310,509 | $218,381 (16%) | $133 | |||
| 29 | Dungeons of Drakkenheim | Dungeon Dudes (Ghostfire Gaming) | August 2021 | 13,376 | $1,279,240 | $370,638 (29%) | $96 | |||
30 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Other Strangeness | - | Palladium Books | November 2023 | 8,383 | $1,277,498 | $359,895 (28%) | $152 | ||
| 31 | Auroboros: Coils of the Serpent | Warchief Gaming | May 2021 | 10,218 | $1,260,863 | $493,947 (39%) | $123 | |||
| 32 | The Griffon's Saddlebag: Book 2 | Griffin Macaulay (Hit Point Press) | April 2022 | 11,710 | $1,237,197 | $297,192 (24%) | $106 | |||
| 33 | Erevan's Guide to Death and Beyond - A 5e Tome | Archvillain Games | June 2024 | 6,826 | $1,236,738 | $336,253 (27%) | $181 | |||
34 | Moria - Through the Doors of Durin for The One Ring RPG | September 2023 | 13,009 | $1,198,575 | $619,890 (52%) | $92 | ||||
35 | Tales of the Valiant RPG: Launching Black Flag Roleplaying | Kobold Press | June 2023 | 10,057 | $1,151,914 | $487,329 (42%) | $115 | |||
36 | The Field Guide to Floral Dragons | Hit Point Press | May 2024 | 12,532 | $1,110,056 | $297,687 (27%) | $89 | |||
37 | Coyote & Crow the Roleplaying Game | - | - | Connor Alexander | April 2021 | 16,269 | $1,073,453 | $106,515 (10%) | $66 | |
| 38 | Monsters of Drakkenheim - 5E Monsters with Lores Lairs & Loot | Dungeon Dudes (Ghostfire Gaming) | April 2024 | 8,078 | $1,065,710 | $459,295 (43%) | $132 | |||
39 | Sebastian Crowe's Guide to Drakkenheim | Dungeon Dudes (Ghostfire Gaming) | September 2022 | 8,963 | $1,025,330 | $422,376 (41%) | $114 | |||
| 40 | Humblewood Campaign Setting for 5e | Hit Point Press | April 2019 | 14,604 | $1,001,085 | $58,985 (6%) | $69 |
*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.
- 22/40 include minis
- 36/40 include merchandise (pins, t-shirts, dice trays, etc.)
- 31/40 include dice
- 25/40 are D&D 5E related--but the top 4 are all non-D&D.
- 12/40 are based on an existing IP (movie, book, older game edition, etc.)
- 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 9K backers
The following creators have two or more entries in the chart. These 6 creators comprise nearly 50% of the chart with a total of 18 entries.
| Creator | Entries |
|---|---|
| MCDM Productions / Matt Colville | 4 |
| Hit Point Press | 4 |
| Dungeon Dudes | 3 |
| Free League | 3 |
| Monte Cook Games | 2 |
| Exalted Funeral | 2 |
Some creators are also listed as contributors to other projects.
- Loot Tavern (1 entry) is also listed as contributor to DnD Shorts and MonkeyDM.
- Hit Point Press (4 entries) is also listed as contributor to Loot Tavern and Griffin Macaulay.
- Ghostfire Gaming (1 entry) is also listed as contributor to Eldermancy and Dungeon Dudes (x3).
