Making it big in the board game industry is no easy feat, as an Okotoks home-based board game publisher knows all too well. However, one of the company’s projects recently benefited from online crowd funding and broke a couple of records in the process.
Over the past few years, Valley Games has published 26 board games, but has endured challenges trying to succeed in a tough industry, explained vice-president Torben Sherwood.
Sherwood and partner Rik Falch had to take out second mortgages against their homes to publish their first board game and had to throw out thousands of copies of their early titles produced in China that arrived wet and mouldy.
Now they primarily rely on investors to help launch their projects, but getting a return on an investment can take anywhere from 13 months to five years, Sherwood explained.
Christmas came early for the two after they decided to try an online funding site, called Kickstarter, where people contribute to creative projects to help them off the ground in exchange for project-related products or experiences.
Kickstarter helped give Valley Games a financial boost for their D-Day Dice game. Created by a Montreal designer, the Second World War co-operative game has players working as a unit to storm Germans in bunkers on the beaches of Normandy.
It was their first time using the website and they set a goal of $13,000. Not only did they raise 10 times their goal, they broke the site’s record for most raised for a board or video game.
“This was a surprise, a huge surprise,” said Sherwood. “We were scrambling to try and find rewards for people.”
People who donated received board games and extra rewards based on their contributions such as enhanced dice and messenger satchels.
“It’s our thank you for them helping because at the end of it, the money goes towards the project not to the bank account,” Sherwood explained. “The whole idea is for us to use this funding to produce this game as best as possible.”
Sherwood said he thinks so many people donated because of the quality and value of their rewards relative to their contribution and because a dollar from every pledge will be donated to the Royal Canadian Legion.
He said it gave them the chance to produce a game that is funded before its production, instead of an investment situation where they would be waiting for a return.
Monkey Mountain Toys and Games in Okotoks regularly carry Valley Games’ products. Owner Aileen Lamontagne said they sell well and customers enjoy them.
“It’s neat that they’re made in Okotoks,” she said. “You can say, ‘Yes, these guys here in town design these games’ so that’s always a unique selling feature and they’re different so people like that as well.”
Valley Games would like to break into the European market, but face challenges such as a bit of a language barrier and the European publishers, explained Sherwood. There were also more than 700 new hobby board games introduced to the industry this year alone.
“For a small North American company to break in, we need to really find something special,” he said.
Board games are more popular in European markets, where there is more of an emphasis on families staying home and playing board games together than in North America, he explained.
Back home, they would like to branch out to larger retailers such as Wal-mart and Target and already have a couple of games at Barnes & Noble. However, it has its challenges as retailers often pick products based on popularity with the goal to sell as many as possible, not a product they hope will do well, even if they are interested, Sherwood said.
“There’s opportunities, it’s just trying to get that exposure and show them that the products that we have are worthwhile. But like anything and everything, those guys get shown lots of different things everyday and every month.”
Sherwood said board games can make great gifts as they can be replayed over and over again. Children often receive many toys or other Christmas presents that briefly capture their interest, he explained.
“There might be something that’s really hot for a brief period of time, but board games are almost timeless because they have a story that’s told, they’re played different every time because there’s never a set strategy.”
