I think you are 100% correct. They got all this money and there was no one to really manage it which led to them being unable to fulfill these Kickstarters which eventually leads to closure. In terms of Kickstarter I'm about done with them. I've supported a few projects (board game and other ventures) and while only one of those completely collapsed and was never realized there have been several that have taken months and sometimes years to actually come to fruition. The most recent example being a Christmas themed game I backed in the spring of 2023 with a planned release of Holiday 2023. Here we are at the end of 2024 (past Christmas) and it still has not shipped. Now expected in Q1 of 2025. It's a card game with a few bits, it's nothing extravagant with dozens of different minis. I just don't like shelling out money for something that I won't see for months or years.
@@FilmAppreciationSociety i feel the publishers are either lying to us or are too stupid. Not to anticipate all these delays. There is no third option for why these games. It takes so long to be fulfilled.
A big one recently Matt has been Funko Games, they've announced they're no longer making games, which considering some of their games are some of my favourite modern games, it's a real loss. Now... I worded that sentence very carefully. I said "some" of their games. Because a good number of their games I would also rate fair to middling from what I've played. Their whole model was built on IP and brand recognition. E.T, Back To The Future, Goonies, Disney, you already have a built in audience for that. And I think that Funko over saturated themselves, they took on too many IPs and brands that the time spent in development and quality control simply wasn't there anymore. The quality of gameplay suffered (I won't say anything about component quality because their art and materials have always been consistently good). Gamers are commutative hobbyists. If a game is great, we'll sing its praises, if a game is bad, we'll critique it. If a company is consistently putting out bad games, well, it begins to look bad in all aspects. I think in the story of Funko and possibly what you were saying in the video is a matter of trying to do too much with too little. Gamers don't want a glut of ok games, they want quality for the money they lay down. Look at company like Leder Games, who's catalogue is quite short but time and again they release excellent games, taking the time to R&D them, years of play testing, refinement and innovation. It's not enough anymore for companies to just bank on IPs and their own previous track record. In the modern age, gamers are informed quickly if game plays well or not. The whole "covid happened" argument doesn't hold water. We were all stuck inside for 3-4 months. People played board games. If anything, covid was one of the best things that happened to the industry, it introduced thousands of new players to the hobby, I've seen a huge growth in the number of games out there and the size of games con since lockdown. It brought new customers to the fold. If companies can't make a profit or get games out to a growing market, that definitely speaks more to their own incompetency than anything else
Nailed it here Luke. 100% agree. Funko went for quick cash to sell IP's to non-gamers and gamers alike but dropped their quality along the way. If you make the game thematic (like Back to the Future) you can build a fanbase. But too many IP's without careful consideration on how to craft each one to honor its namesake is where they started cutting corners and it hurt them in the end it seems.
@@kidcardco Back To The Future still holds up remarkably well and it's because it's deeply tied with the story, locations, beats and characters of the film. The people designing that game clearly cared about making it right. Something changed along the way with Funko. With games costing anywhere from £25 all the way up to way over £100 these days... I can't blame gamers for wanting to buy something that is quality. Game designers, manufacturers, publishers all build their reputation on the games they put their name to. A series of successes will mean a loyal following and will bring other in on the hype and excitement for a new game. Not every game is going to suit every gamer, and every gamers specific play styles and I understand that, thankfully we have plenty of options out there. But I think BBGs forums, people's feedback on games and prototype games is very telling. I also think that people are less inclined to give a start up company on kickstarter the chance simply because they've yet to prove themselves. It's... it's a tough market, I won't dispute that. But globally, the purse strings are a little tighter for everyone, no-one wants to waste their money a bad game, I think most gamers these days watch reviews, read opinion pieces, critiques to form their own opinions. It's what I do at least. With the case of Funko, sad as it may be, perhaps the geniuses at Prospero Hall will be given a break with a new publisher, hopefully one that allows them the time to refine and perfect their games.
Board Game "leaders" are terrible at business and while talking about growing the hobby and being inclusive actually like to shrink the hobby and run people out, terrible business model. Board Game companies need to remember what Jordan told Nike about air Jordans....."republicans buy sneakers too"....when top game designers and reps from big game companies brag on X about how many people they blocked that is simply bad business and contributed to why companies are closing and not making money.
People getting games for free creating a FOMO bubble with hype videos
I think you are 100% correct. They got all this money and there was no one to really manage it which led to them being unable to fulfill these Kickstarters which eventually leads to closure. In terms of Kickstarter I'm about done with them. I've supported a few projects (board game and other ventures) and while only one of those completely collapsed and was never realized there have been several that have taken months and sometimes years to actually come to fruition. The most recent example being a Christmas themed game I backed in the spring of 2023 with a planned release of Holiday 2023. Here we are at the end of 2024 (past Christmas) and it still has not shipped. Now expected in Q1 of 2025. It's a card game with a few bits, it's nothing extravagant with dozens of different minis. I just don't like shelling out money for something that I won't see for months or years.
@@FilmAppreciationSociety i feel the publishers are either lying to us or are too stupid. Not to anticipate all these delays. There is no third option for why these games. It takes so long to be fulfilled.
I got screwed on return to dark tower
@@jayvalentine2046 Restoration games is not a company I would give my money to
A big one recently Matt has been Funko Games, they've announced they're no longer making games, which considering some of their games are some of my favourite modern games, it's a real loss.
Now... I worded that sentence very carefully. I said "some" of their games. Because a good number of their games I would also rate fair to middling from what I've played. Their whole model was built on IP and brand recognition. E.T, Back To The Future, Goonies, Disney, you already have a built in audience for that. And I think that Funko over saturated themselves, they took on too many IPs and brands that the time spent in development and quality control simply wasn't there anymore. The quality of gameplay suffered (I won't say anything about component quality because their art and materials have always been consistently good).
Gamers are commutative hobbyists. If a game is great, we'll sing its praises, if a game is bad, we'll critique it. If a company is consistently putting out bad games, well, it begins to look bad in all aspects. I think in the story of Funko and possibly what you were saying in the video is a matter of trying to do too much with too little. Gamers don't want a glut of ok games, they want quality for the money they lay down.
Look at company like Leder Games, who's catalogue is quite short but time and again they release excellent games, taking the time to R&D them, years of play testing, refinement and innovation. It's not enough anymore for companies to just bank on IPs and their own previous track record. In the modern age, gamers are informed quickly if game plays well or not.
The whole "covid happened" argument doesn't hold water. We were all stuck inside for 3-4 months. People played board games. If anything, covid was one of the best things that happened to the industry, it introduced thousands of new players to the hobby, I've seen a huge growth in the number of games out there and the size of games con since lockdown. It brought new customers to the fold. If companies can't make a profit or get games out to a growing market, that definitely speaks more to their own incompetency than anything else
Nailed it here Luke. 100% agree. Funko went for quick cash to sell IP's to non-gamers and gamers alike but dropped their quality along the way.
If you make the game thematic (like Back to the Future) you can build a fanbase. But too many IP's without careful consideration on how to craft each one to honor its namesake is where they started cutting corners and it hurt them in the end it seems.
@@kidcardco Back To The Future still holds up remarkably well and it's because it's deeply tied with the story, locations, beats and characters of the film. The people designing that game clearly cared about making it right. Something changed along the way with Funko.
With games costing anywhere from £25 all the way up to way over £100 these days... I can't blame gamers for wanting to buy something that is quality. Game designers, manufacturers, publishers all build their reputation on the games they put their name to. A series of successes will mean a loyal following and will bring other in on the hype and excitement for a new game. Not every game is going to suit every gamer, and every gamers specific play styles and I understand that, thankfully we have plenty of options out there. But I think BBGs forums, people's feedback on games and prototype games is very telling. I also think that people are less inclined to give a start up company on kickstarter the chance simply because they've yet to prove themselves. It's... it's a tough market, I won't dispute that. But globally, the purse strings are a little tighter for everyone, no-one wants to waste their money a bad game, I think most gamers these days watch reviews, read opinion pieces, critiques to form their own opinions. It's what I do at least.
With the case of Funko, sad as it may be, perhaps the geniuses at Prospero Hall will be given a break with a new publisher, hopefully one that allows them the time to refine and perfect their games.
Pan am was very good
Board Game "leaders" are terrible at business and while talking about growing the hobby and being inclusive actually like to shrink the hobby and run people out, terrible business model. Board Game companies need to remember what Jordan told Nike about air Jordans....."republicans buy sneakers too"....when top game designers and reps from big game companies brag on X about how many people they blocked that is simply bad business and contributed to why companies are closing and not making money.