Exposing The NEW Board Game Marketing FOMO Tactic

[@MrKidtendo64]

What bothers me with this approach, as you touched on, is that charging $1 is how it starts. There will be day where a project with try it +$20 pre-launch bonus, if they feel they can get away with it. I still remember there was when there were Campaigns attempting charging $5 for people to get access to certain Pledge Manager, which I found off-putting as well.

[@Linnir]

Those dollar pre-payments are a classic marketing tactic as it creates emotional attachment. The dollar is the decision to buy, the rest is follow through. Cruise ships uses this a lot

[@andyreichert499]

I’ll sign up for a newsletter. But asking for money up front turns me off. I’m not committing without a details, and I don’t want all the risk and upfront cost of crowdfunding knowing that I’m not getting something because I didn’t commit that dollar. But really when it comes to it, by the time shipping comes in, it’s cheaper to wait until retail and grabbing it then if I still want it. No more board game crowd funding for me.

[@SebastianCathyBachConnell]

I think the prelaunch marketing is the worst. In point of fact I will never put a deposit on an un launched game. In fact once one launches I’m less likely to back. After all once it launches its now overpriced right?

[@ylein6508]

100% agree, kelp and bear mountain camp KS did this I was so passed refused to back

[@devonhickey3302]

Gaia Games is doing this with Ninjas Unleashed. The $1 was for 25% off the kickstarter. But THEN they wanted $20 to put your own card in the game and it hasn't even launched yet and I got uncomfortable so I turned down that 'offer' and it has left a bad taste in my mouth for crowd-funded games.

[@AmstradHero]

Yeah, I saw commentary for one of these where someone said "nope, I'm out" and the creators were saying "what can we do to win you back?" The answer, and I agree, is "Nothing". This kind of pre-launch exclusive is a hugely predatory practice. This is a bridge too far for stoking FOMO and count me out of it. I'm already against the "follow our campaign beforehand and get something", because what if people don't find out about it? But asking for non-refundable money beforehand? That if the campaign doesn't fund they'll never get back? This is unacceptable and the only way is to not engage, and to not support campaigns that do it. This is the only way to stop this kind of behaviour. Stop it by proving it *hurts* the campaigns rather than helps them.

[@1978sanatoriumsnide]

Ive only seen ones with a refundable option, unsure how its predatory

[@SebastianCathyBachConnell]

I mostly agree. The follow before launch for a free gift is fine by me. Strangely enough I hate the early bird. If I see it I typically back it and then cancel. If I miss the EB I feel I’m overpaying. And this pay to EB is ridiculous. However, I’m torn on who to blame. Absolutely the marketing companies who advise the creators to allow it. To a degree the creators for allowing thier project to become predatory (sorry Brian). And also the backers who spend those extra dollars for a Sunday morning coupon on a mystery kickstarter

[@ScytheNoire]

Crowdfunding campaigns have been turning me off of backing more and more.

[@iansutton7416]

Pre-launch updates (as introduced by Gamefound) feel absolutely fine. Especially where that's a means to initiate the engagement, rather than a way to drive hype. Turning it into a 'pledge money upfront and get exclusives' and I'm definitely in agreement with you. It comes across as just another 'early bird' and I'm firmly against that concept.

[@joeferreti9442]

I backed a lot less games last year. Too expensive, too big, too many boxes, too many games, too complicated to order, too bad of a game, too slow delivery, ...

[@matt_stowball]

I just knew this would have been about this pre-launch marketing by Explorers of Navoria. I actually did take them up on the offer, but only after I first watched reviews of the original printing of the game and am sure I will like it and thinking that it will improve the experience somewhat. Being in Australia, it will probably be harder for me to pick up at retail, so backing some Kickstarters is a better choice anyway. I was a bit unsure about it being non-refundable though (especially as they only hinted at the price to start with), but I have seen others that will refund the pre-launch spend if you decide not to back the campaign.

[@kirillkrymskiy1739]

I too hate this type of marketing. Won't even back campaign that has early bird. I want to only associate with creators who are straightforward. Look at The Old King Crown - no early birds, no stretch goals, PM prices are the same, and how well they've done! I guess partly because of what kinda people are behind the game and campaign.

[@gpioski]

I've seen numerous campaigns offer this pre-prepurchase. I say "F-That". I will NOT pay money in advance of a campaign launching. If the company wants to see who is "interested", then they should pay for some advertising, launch their campaign and see who joins. I'm a superbacker and I often do a $1 pledge during the campaign. Sometimes I go for an actual pledge later if the game looks good and would be a good fit for me, and other times I just leave it at $1 dollar to follow and maybe increase during the pledge mgr. I don't care if I would need to pay a couple extra bucks. I want to see what I'm putting my money on first- rules, artwork, rules, an actual game and maybe some rules? No. Way.

[@haxan6663]

I have had a few games that I have clicked to show interest and then been contacted to 'guarantee' my support. I haven't fallen for it.

[@ronjapoes]

I don't think you're making to big of a deal of this. I don't like it at all too. I have to admit I did the $1,50 pre-order of the Deluxe Resources for Explorers of Navoria. I was almost certain I didn't want to back, but I knew that if I didn't do this pre-order, not backing the campaign was a certainty (I knew I couldn't stomach having missed out on a possible discount). Campaign is live now, and I'm not backing. This doesn't really feel good. And I'm also worried where this trend is going. How far will they take it? I'll try to be more cautious/ realistic in the future. Thanks for talking about this ❤

[@snethss]

I actually approve of projecs that give a little bonus for simply following. No money is transacted.

[@Mepper.]

I've noticed the tactic being used 3 times so far. I don't like it. If they told me all the upcoming crowdfunding pledge levels & shipping costs and made the rule book available then it wouldn't be as bad. There have been many campaigns/games that looked great to me but I still skipped them because I thought the prices were too high.

[@JonathanNation]

Few things. 1. you are spot on about the marketing and psychology - trip wire in ecommerce and online has been common for decades. 2. there is another element that is good ... getting people to go from 0 to 1 is hard ... easier within a crowdfunding campaign, but those who cancel their pledge before the campaign is over ... the contact info is probably not shared. What this does is gets your contact info to the publisher earlier and that is valuable for the relationship. P.S. If it were not for the 5+6 player expansion of The Fox Experiment we would not have got the game ... when you have 3 kids who all play board games with the two parents, having that 5 player minimum rule really helps weed down to the games that work for your family.

[@Aelak_Arc]

Everytime i want to buy some board games i watched your vids for me to remind myself i have to save money. Hehe.. Helped me a lot. Thanks Chris!😁

[@kyle88740]

I appreciate you doing these videos getting people to think harder about whether they want to spend money. My biggest FOMO was Mythic Mischief last year and it was the one that made me stop actively looking at crowdfunding. While it is a game that I'll enjoy, i spent way too much on that campaign and I kind of regret it now.

[@th1ngo]

This is why I watch & _listen_ to your videos!

[@fy8798]

Heh, that's a way to immediately count me out. I already hate losing out on day one exclusives, this sort of BS will help me skip even more campaigns from the start. That said, its unfortunately smart, as Liege says. That's why so many mobile games have these super cheap 1$ packages to entice you to buy once. Once you do, you likely will again and again. I've worked on games like that a decade ago, and my hate still seethes over the way people at those companies talk about their users.

[@gtb_pete]

I saw like three campaigns like that and all from targeted ads on Facebook. All automatic skips for me now

[@rossglenn7600]

Great video. Latest practitioners of this one: Last Light, and Kinfire Council (Kinfire Chronicles). I will automatically not back any campaign that does this, no matter how good it looks.

[@jhowd78]

I understand it.. I'll do it for companies I know very well or have had good track records.. I hate it.. There's so much more to this topic than you're talking about. I've been doing a lot of research.

[@SebastianCathyBachConnell]

What else have you found? I don’t think I want to do it even for companies I ‘trust’. Even my favorites have games I skip. Also companies are technically in business to make money NOT to make friends.

[@bassmeo3937]

(Un)popular opinion? Most campaigns don't increase cost in the pledge manager because you aren't getting a deal during the campaign anyway.

[@normstewart546]

Yeh, we are surrounded by marketing. I've learned to ignore most of it, while being alert to truly good deals. I pretty much assume any offer is a rip-off, until they want to sell more than I want to buy.

[@sirtrevis]

You made a very good point about the psychological manipulation done by the advertising industry. It all goes back to Edward Bernays and his programming of the American consumer.

[@Trogdor_Strongbraid]

I've spent thousands less backing games at $1. I back and wait for PM (It also helps me say, I've helped the indie publisher). Then in PM check if I'm still interested. And shipping. Go from there.

[@JonathanNation]

yes ... I see my $1 pledges as both donations and help me track stuff that I want to know about in the future. I also know that my pledge helps spread the word at least on KS because it emails my friends who have linked their FB account and all. The $1 strategy has been good for me. One game in particular Canvas ... I went to a gaming convention with my kids had them play, then for months they ask when it was coming in. Just backing in PM often has less communications.

[@merccc1]

Just makes me less likely to back the project. It requires a project I am already confident and VERY likely to get anyways for me to go along with it. I will be getting it anyways, so it just makes it cheaper to get what I was already getting. Otherwise I literally just feel like the game is being over priced then, even though it is sometimes at a loss to a degree to get more investment quickly. Still gives me the wrong impression, but I am sure there are plenty of suckers that don't have that mindset and instead just see a great deal.

[@mandorrandom117]

Great tactic - to convince people not to back. Easy skip when I see something like this.

[@nipzie]

You're not blowing this out of proportion. The problem is, as younger people grow up with this and think this is normal, it allows greater and greater grievances against their purchasing power. People seem to have forgotten that your money is more powerful than the company. Just stick to your guns and they'll deliver something you want

[@SebastianCathyBachConnell]

They will?? Look at Posion Studios, Flyos, and other companies that fail to deliver after paying. I agree that not letting them rape our wallets is good. However to just stick to your guns and they will deliver is not realistic. I think you mean keep your money in your wallet and wait for the right game. Can’t fix something’s. ⚡️

[@bluedevil3d104]

I'm curious who the gurus are that are pushing this. I appreciate you not calling them out, but I still want to know. Fields of Eternia had an even worse pre-marketing ploy: they sold special mounted heroes, but were sold out well before campaign launch, and in some cases sold to countries where they could not ship the game.

[@kevinalexander4946]

The first game I ever saw “offer” an exclusive reward for prelaunch deposits was Bear Mountain Camping Adventure, and it single-handedly made me decide not to back because it was so manipulative. Then Kelp did it, and it had already gotten so much buzz online from convention previews that I went ahead and paid my dollar. I don’t regret it, but I also know that if it weren’t for that $1 expansion (and the early bird dice tray) I might well have waited for retail and been happy. Now it seems more projects advertised on social media are asking for pre-launch deposits than aren’t. I can’t claim that I will *never* put down an early deposit on a game, but I need to have a *lot* of faith in the design to let myself be manipulated like that, because I know the sunk cost fallacy will kick in. If they *don’t* hook me with their $1 FOMO, I’m almost guaranteed not to back the project later if I know I’m missing out over my desire to wait for more information.

[@JeremyStratton]

I'm 49 yrs old and I guess just by virtue of my age and life, I've become much more immune (?) To everything. Example: I literally have no feelings about having faster shipping via Amazon. Sure, getting stuff faster is nice. But whatever. I'll wait 2 more days and save 7 dollars. Part of it is the world you're born into. I'd order a cassette or NES game and wait months. I'd never be upset or mad about it. It's more like Christmas. Most don't get mad or negative feelings having to wait for Christmas. It's more about anticipation.

[@sedlonarime1]

Hey, Chris, I'd like to hear your thoughts about "launch products," like the Vantage coins being offered by SM right now. I hadn't heard about them until today, and I wondered if you thought they fall into the same category as prelaunch purchases.

[@tobyr21]

Sounds to me like a clever marketing idea. It’s an idea that we can easily be aware of I think.-Toby

[@S.L.INK.13]

You could not be a kickstarter guru, Chris. You actually care about the consumer. The whole point of this position is to show "nice" people how to be more greedy and suck more money from the "suckers" online. And theres a lot of those people on crowdfunding platforms.

[@yogibbear]

That's why you don't let anyone into your home and scare them all off with a scary guard dog and a crazy nan with her 12 gauge.

[@ItsNanino]

I decided to not fund The Call of Duty Boardgame in the Pledge Manager just because I saw, that they charged 5$ to access the pledge manager, only to let me access it for free after the campaign ended. There are a lot of little scummy things that make me just flat out not support a campaign. From everything now being Tax excluded, over Pre-Launch deposits, to shipping being very generously portrayed during the campaign, only to charge me double that estimate during the pledge manager. Instant refund for me. Never want anything to do with that publisher again. (Yes I haven't bought CMON in a long time)

[@arthurdent9281]

I didn't see that campaign, but was watching a video a while back that talked about some campaigns charging $1-$5 for access to the pledge manager, but you got the same prices as during the campaign. Late backers could get access, but paid higher prices.

[@ItsNanino]

@@arthurdent9281 Yeah some do that, and while I still think that's not perfect, for this particular campaign I would have gotten the same prices and extras, as everyone else who backed 5$. They most likely wouldn't have done that if the campaign was more of a success, but I just think it's scummy either way. If the campaign has so little impact anymore, and it's really just a vehicle to pre-order (which the mutation of the pledge manager we have today kinda shows), let everyone join in for free. Maybe lock a small little free add-on behind a pay wall to "punish" the late pledgers and make a couple bucks extra. (With in my case probably would make me not back too, but that's just me.) Make someone pay a bit extra after instead of locking in their money before.

[@sidneyleejohnson]

Last Light... lol. Can't help thinking about a certain off duty ninja from Fishers, IN when you mentioned crowdfunding marketing guru. that said what really sold me on Last Light was a promise to offer updates and fixes to the first edition(printing) in the new campaign. I really like oems that provide us ways to cheaply update our game without having to repurchase the whole thing. Who shouldn't want to buy a fix to Last Light if they are going to address issues that the wider gaming community discovered after it was released? I know you were trying to generalize but it rung a pretty strong bell as I just tossed my $1 their way after looking at this request in bewilderment for a couple weeks. So I hear ya. What I'm more worried about is being defrauded by not getting anything fulfilled like say Madeira Collector's Edition and/or Manchukuo/Onimaru. Both were teasing backers with all sorts of progress reports and then going radio silent leaving them at the alter. Will backers ever see any of these without some kind of angel 3rd parties buying out the IP and making it happen? Did they even bother to ask backers for a 2nd wave of funding to help it along like Mythic. Nothing. Just crickets. We have way bigger concerns. Yes I can't stand CMON's cross selling CDMD products in their comics or other board games. Where are my free comics in my all-in CMON campaigns that I can trade the comic collectors for my exclusive board game content that they get. I have to buy a PHYSICAL COMIC not digital to get CDMD content and pay HUGE relative shipping costs for it to boot. CRAZY. Think about the "Lost Scenario numbering in the CDMD Comic Vol 2 offering. Think about when people notice they are missing a number and go what happened to it? All in CDMD backers in KS campaigns should have had access to ALL CDMD products but they won't. They missed Comic Vol 1, Vol 2, and now the Dark Providence Mon-Friday characters. And how many more to come. Then what are the 3rd party organizer companies supposed to do? Do they design their INCREDIBLE fancy expensive inserts to cover this obscure material? Generally I think they haven't. Perhaps that should be the big clue to skip those cross selling opportunities. But what if the 3rd party inserts do offer space for these extras, are you going to want to look at that blank space pondering what its for and cough up blood money for the Comic Vol 1 stuff to put there? UGH

[@HerVoiceRemains]

As the age-old adage goes, “A fool and his money are soon parted.” 😂

[@SebastianCathyBachConnell]

Is that why my money goes so fast?

[@johnweibel1128]

And.... a certain percentage of those $1 pre campaign money won't be redeemed. Just like gift cards. Just like Kohl's Cash..... that is all free money.

[@SebastianCathyBachConnell]

I don’t think they are looking for a few hundred or even thousand of bucks. It’s to emotionally attach you to pledge when it hits and to build false hype. But I may be wrong now. It’s a jungle out there.

[@JonathanNation]

that's not what is important ... you have a warm lead, someone who has given you money, so you can contact them with more offers.

[@SebastianCathyBachConnell]

@@JonathanNation I agree. And since I am the target for those offers I have no issue with giving me email. It’s more the dollar. Just seems unseemly. And it’s a dollar now. When does it jump to five?

[@argy8141]

Pity the fool. I'm sorry, I'd sign up for a "freebie", I'd sign up to see an Early Bird. But sign up and paying a deposit for some unseen stuff, no. If you are that desperate for my money, I think I should automatically pass. The other sales technique is the first price is the price you negotiate from. Right you have my dollar/ euro/ pound, now negotiate from there. It won't last long.

[@SebastianCathyBachConnell]

I hope it doesn’t but the sleepy marketing guys are pushing like oxi in a trailer park. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can always hire the liege team!!

[@IronSalamander8]

Yeah, a deposit on a crowdfunding campaign? No thanks. That's too much like modern AAA pre-order video game garbage. It's the main reason I didn't back Kelp. It's only a dollar, but it's only a dollar today, and may get much worse. I loathe the idea of pre-paying anything, much less crowdfunding.

[@Asakuray0h]

Yes it's FOMO but that's how marketing work... I know of what you talk and since the game (the one I think) has shipped and delivered, I think here is different that if it was a game no body has ever seen.

[@dryuhyitadza-nl5zh]

Crispy chicken skin is like deluxified exclusive of exclusive Chris 😆

[@lit_wick]

Cmon almost got me with Metal Gear Solid. Cheaper price and exclusive mini if you got it on pre-order. I like the designer, I love the IP, Id love having a giant mini (lol) of metal gear Rex. But overall, the game looked like something I wouldn't like. I passed on it and I have no regrets.

[@morgaknightgames]

I'm still interested in Metal Gear, But I will absolutely be able to get it cheaper at retail later. I don't need the comic book in the mini bonus bad enough to justify the extra costs. Also, I want to see some actual reviews before picking games up anymore. Learned my lesson the hard way.

[@BrotherMingGames]

Oh damn I have seen this and thought it was crazy lol

[@BrotherMingGames]

Re ks vs late pledge, yeah 100%, pretty much no difference Financially, only thing u miss is early bird rewards but u woulda missed those after the first x time on the ks anyways The other major thing is votes. If u care about voting to affect direction or unlocks or stuff like that.

[@jljl640]

FOMO = Sign up for a Psy-op

[@stephendavis7327]

Be an Outlier! ❤

[@tedharrington5432]

Skin is the bad part? You are a horrible dad!! LOL

[@BrotherMingGames]

I clicked on this video as a tutorial

[@shannimarmen8201]

>9k 🗣

[@adrienp9086]

Who is doing that?

[@HerVoiceRemains]

Great question. Chris, anybody - any specific examples?

[@DrQuaalude]

@@HerVoiceRemains I commented this on another video they did that for a mini expansion with kelp. I ended up backing Ascendency which also did that for an alternate mini (but the creator eventually caved, gave everyone the mini and gave dollar downers a little shipping discount). Explorers of Navoria also just did this last week giving a discount if you put down a dollar for some addon, which is why this a new hot issue.

[@Luke_L]

Among Cultists, Last Light reprint, and a new Kinfire game are all doing this.

[@HerVoiceRemains]

I just saw Off The Page Games is doing this for thier upcoming “Corps of Discovery” game. *Sigh*

[@ronjapoes]

Mythwind (Open Owl Studios) is doing this for their reprint + expansion KS campaign in March. $1,- Non-refundable for the "Secret Lives of Sprites" expansion that will cost $10 during the campaign.

[@sirtrevis]

It is more fun to be in the campaign.

[@tyrroo]

Great vid as always. But dude, you are talking sooooooo sssslllllooooowwwwllllyyyy omfg, I'm at 1.5x speed and could go comfortably up to 1.75

[@benhsu42]

laughing at your story about "the Bad Parts" -- wait till your 3 year old learns about gribenes -- deep fried bad parts

[@terriblegames]

TBH - I don't really like this take at all, reads as lite fearmongering. The conceit here is that publishers are implementing "scary" psychological tactics and FOMO without providing substantial information and are using the sunk cost fallacy of $1 to swindle people out of their money - that is what I'm getting from this video. If that's not your intent, afraid you missed the mark. But then at the same time, hobbyists/consumers who are in the hobby enough to be watching this channel (anyone watching sub 30K content creators in the board game hobby are in DEEP) don't have enough agency and discernment to make good buying choices in this marketplace. Sorry - I don't buy it. This is in my opinion a rather clickbait adjacent "hot take" that doesn't offer a ton of positivity to the hobby, nor carry enough concern to be something people need to the worried about. TBH - this is another chapter in a moderately concerning string of videos coming from you and others where the media sphere of the boardgame hobby harp on the very infrequent pitfalls of the crowdsourcing space despite thousands of campaigns that are run well by honest people looking to share their artwork and (god forbid) maybe get paid for it.