This isn’t an article about the dictionary definition of crowdfunding, but about what it actually means to run one: the risks involved, the reality behind the numbers, and why it’s not always the most obvious solution for getting a project off the ground.
At the end of every campaign, I find myself sorting through new thoughts, perspectives, and realizations. That’s why I decided to share them with you, not as an industry professional, but as a worker. This is my personal experience (specifically within the RPG world), and I hope it gives you something to reflect on, especially if you’re thinking about launching a project yourself.
Crowdfunding: a meaning that’s been twisted
So what is crowdfunding? In theory, it’s a process where we present an idea (in this case, a game) to the public, asking for their support to make it real. Depending on how much they pledge, backers receive rewards. You might think: “the game.” Not necessarily.
Offering the game as part of the reward has become the norm, but it makes campaigns feel like a store or a preorder system. The truth is that crowdfunding is supposed to be about funding a game, not buying it. Over time though, the whole process has shifted, and anyone who wants to launch a game this way has no choice but to adapt.
Crowdfunding: math, not miracles
Seeing the results of a campaign can look miraculous: huge numbers, projects celebrated for originality and visuals. That’s partly true, but not the whole story.
Success is the sum of many factors, and aesthetics or mechanics are rarely the most decisive. Every campaign comes down to calculated elements: paid advertising, targeted audiences, carefully chosen words and images, and a strong community.
Crowdfunding isn’t a magic well: it’s math. Surprises happen, but they rarely change the outcome in a significant way.
Crowdfunding: the trap
There are million-dollar campaigns that never delivered, projects released years late, products that changed completely mid-course, or companies that collapsed after raising astronomical amounts.
Why? Because those numbers, as impressive as they look, don’t reveal transparency, product quality, or company stability. They can even be “built up” or skewed. And yet, they remain powerful: they fuel backer confidence and give creators something concrete to show.
The problem is, in chasing those numbers, many creators make promises they can’t be sure they’ll keep, or add rewards that eat into production costs. That’s when a campaign stops being a springboard and starts becoming a guillotine.
Crowdfunding: the pressure
Running a crowdfunding campaign comes with constant stress and pressure. Backers aren’t buying: they’re supporting. They’re giving money for something that doesn’t exist yet.
That means they need (and deserve) security, transparency, and honesty. For the creator, that translates into clarity, quick responses to doubts, and the ability to manage expectations, all while hoping to hit the funding goal.
And that’s for almost a month of campaigning, not counting the prep work beforehand.
Crowdfunding: still the best path?
Yes and no. In the last 3–4 years the landscape has shifted dramatically: crowdfunding has lost its original meaning, costs have doubled (sometimes tripled), trust has dropped, and saturation is obvious.
Still, for now, it remains an almost necessary showcase for companies that need visibility beyond their own online store or conventions. But it’s also riskier than ever for anyone approaching it lightly or without enough funds to invest in proper marketing.
Crowdfunding: my mistakes
I’ve made mistakes with crowdfunding and I’ll keep making them, but the important thing is that they’re never the same ones twice.
I’ve made promises that, while I did eventually deliver, were harder to fulfill than I expected.
I’ve also given timelines I couldn’t keep, even if it only meant a delay of a few months and nothing that compromised the project’s final outcome.
That’s not just because I’ve gotten better at handling setbacks, but because I know how far I can stretch my promises and, above all, because I’ve always had, and always will have, a deep respect for backers.
If you’ve got a project in the works and you’re ready to take on this kind of risk without getting caught in one of crowdfunding’s many traps, then by all means, weigh its feasibility.
If not, do yourself, your followers, and your peace of mind a favor: choose another path. One that fits you, and your project, better.
Thanks for reading this far.
– Simone