Pro-GM Finder Site StartPlaying Raises $6.5M Funding

StartPlaying, which bills itself as "the largest site for connecting players with professional and hobbyist Game Masters to play any game system on any virtual tabletop" has reportedly raised $6.5M in funding from venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. This new funding is intended to scale up the business, including marketing and doubling its team size.

"Beyond growing a user base, this is about community. Whether it's helping Game Masters and players find each other or collaborating with industry partners, we're proud to have the opportunity to bring people together through the power of games. The tabletop role-playing community is at its best when it's inclusive. We want StartPlaying to continue breaking down barriers for new players.

-Devon Chulick, StartPlaying"​

​

StartPlaying launched in September 2020 and has over 1,000 professional GMs on its books, having hosted over 100,000 games.

 

[MGibster]

The best thing about the English language is that a word can not only mean so many different things, but it might even be used as a noun or an adjective! A professional might be a person engaged in a profession. Okay, what's a profession? Typically an occupation that requires a strict adherence to a code of ethical conduct, membership in some sort of governing body or associate organization, and, perhaps most importantly, a limit on the number of people who can practice the profession (i.e. a way to keep people out). We also more commonly use professional to describe someone who makes their living doing something most people do for fun, such as a professional actor, athlete, or musician for example (we don't typically refer to people as professional mechanics, plumbers, or hair stylist). So I guess a professional DM would be in the same category as a professional athlete or actor.

 

[John Dallman]

The thing that looks doubtful to me is the scale of the funding. They've facilitated 100,000 sessions in 2.5 years. Estimating in multiples of ten, I'd guess that those sessions cost maybe $100 each, for a total cashflow of $10M. If their take is 10%, they've had income of about $1M over that time. That allows a functioning business, but how far are they going to be able to scale it up? Are there enough potential customers to allow paying back that $6.5M in a few years?

One tactic for making the scaling easier would be to start producing adventure material on a large scale. That makes it easier to recruit GMs, by reducing their workload, and justifies an increased percentage for the company.

 

[MNblockhead]

The best thing about the English language is that a word can not only mean so many different things, but it might even be used as a noun or an adjective! A professional might be a person engaged in a profession. Okay, what's a profession? Typically an occupation that requires a strict adherence to a code of ethical conduct, membership in some sort of governing body or associate organization, and, perhaps most importantly, a limit on the number of people who can practice the profession (i.e. a way to keep people out). We also more commonly use professional to describe someone who makes their living doing something most people do for fun, such as a professional actor, athlete, or musician for example (we don't typically refer to people as professional mechanics, plumbers, or hair stylist). So I guess a professional DM would be in the same category as a professional athlete or actor.

True. Originally, to be a "professional" required taking a vow. It was a public profession of a calling, originally for those entering religious orders. For a long time theology, law, and medicine were known at the professions. There are still some who don't like the term to be used outside of those fields--which strikes me as pretentious and anachronistic.

 

[Committed Hero]

Dude, if I'm a licensed professional DM, you're paying more than $5/hour for my time.

I assume there is a cost to acquiring a license - which, unlike the cost for the VTT or D&D Beyond access, you wouldn't be paying if you were DMing for friends - and some prep time that you can't bill for, in addition to you DMing for that period.