Crowdfunding Makes Macedonian Board Game an International Hit · Global Voices
“Cavern Tavern” characters. Art by <PERSON>. Used with permission of Final Frontier Games.
How does a group of young people in a small impoverished country fulfill its dream of selling a board game on the international market? For at least two Macedonian start-ups, the answer in 2016 was the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter.
Archona Games raised more than 33,000 Australian dollars (USD $25,300) to manufacture its sci-fi-themed board game “Small Star Empires,” and Final Frontier Games collected more than USD $107,000 to release its fantasy-themed game “Cavern Tavern.” Both companies beat their fundraising goals considerably.
“Top Theme on Your Side,” a leading Macedonian TV show featuring debates and reporting, aired a story about Final Frontier Games, following its smashing success on Kickstarter. Below, you can find the story with English subtitles.
<PERSON>, one of Final Frontier Games’ four co-founders, also spoke to Global Voices about the project, describing the time and resources his team invested into preparing the Kickstarter campaign, including hiring top Macedonian illustrator <PERSON>.
When launching their Kickstarter, Final Frontier Games set up four pledge levels. At level one, supporters could donate USD $1. 260
At the second level, donations rose to USD $5, and contributors were invited to download a “PnP” (print-and-play) version of the game. At the third level, people pledging USD $44 dollars received a physical copy of the game. Fourth-level pledges, limited to just 42 entries at USD $119 at piece, provided buyers with both a physical copy of the game and opportunity to name one of the “cocktail” cards within the game.
Cavern Tavern cards. Art by <PERSON>. Used with permission of Final Frontier Games.
GV: Who supported your game on Kickstarter? How did these pledge levels function?
Војкан Крстевски (ВК): Преку ова, поддржувачите се чувствуваа инволвирани во самиот дивелопмент на играта, ја чувствуваа како своја, а со тоа беа и екстремно мотивирано самата кампања да биде успешна. Нашите поддржувачи станаа и најголемите промотори на кампањата. 278