Crowdfunding Confessions
23rd June2026
Barry & Rosco
8 mins
Despite speaking about the barren wasteland of Kickstarter previously, both Rosco and I have a problem with crowdfunding games – namely they never seem to arrive with any sense of consistency. There is the obvious caveat that comes with any crowdfunding platform isn’t really a shop or store – you’re funding the development of a project. When I reflect on them they never really seem like that – it feels somewhere between a crypto-bro has convinced me to buy that jpeg of a unhappy monkey and someone selling a monorail.
All that being said, for the cost of some of these there is the…not unreasonable expectation that if the project succeeds that you’ll get that product – though scope creep seems to be an endless problem for almost every single one that has crushed my dreams. And as the funder you somehow end up completely excised from managing the scope.
To the contrary, the scope seems to expand with more miniatures, or expansions or some other nebulous stuff that like that only makes the project seem all the more speculative.
So I thought about this blog to air out – hopefully finally – our Kickstarter shame. I guess I’ll go first…
Hel: The Last Saga
Their pitch:
“It's 999. The Christianization of the Scandinavian countries is underway, but some Vikings are stubborn and fighting to preserve their culture and beliefs. A new territory has been discovered, which could be the promised land they have always sought, where the gods walk alongside the worthy; a land of opulence, abundant harvests and the sweetness of life, the very idea of Valhalla.”
My rationale:
Developed by Mythic, the game was funded handily with reasonable stretch goals that included a premium game mat, dice, and a Viking themed chess set all for a reasonable price which was compelling. So I went in on the Berserk Pledge which included 111 miniatures, 572 cards, and…wooden blocks? I don’t remember what those were for – it all looked so cool.
Also at the time I had really been enjoying cooperative narrative games like Lord of the Rings Journeys through Middle Earth and Descent; and whilst looking for something different this fits the bill perfectly.
The reality:
Checking my email – because the transition to the GameFound obfuscates how long this has gone on – but I backed this thing on Kickstarter in… May 2020?! What in the nine hells (not a pun) is this? How?! I suppose even I need to revisit what the drawcard is (was?) in the first place just for this article.
The number of miniatures and components is completely overwhelming; how I would ever manage to paint any of these is simply beyond me when I haven’t yet finished painting any Star Wars Shatterpoint figures (still). Prior to Mythic going bust, they IP was sold to CMON in 2024 which kind of gave me more hope that this would still find a way into existence – even if the design philosophy between the two companies was likely very different.
But CMON themselves seem to have hit troubling times of late, with the Zombicide IP being sold and so there’s not way to know what’s going on with this.
So at $200USD pissed away - Hel is my peak shame. At least I still got my 6Siege out of Mythic eventually. Well some of it… Mythic was kind of a scam in the end.
Star Trek Ascendency: The Final Frontier
Their pitch:
“Star Trek Ascendancy: The Final Frontier is the ultimate collection of the most thematic 4x space game in the universe. Introducing brand new, Gamefound Exclusive, civilizations: The Gorn, The Tholians and The Terran Empire. Alongside two brand new ways to play with Campaign Mode, featuring unique Scenarios offering endless replayability, and Non-Player Civilizations, allowing you to play solo or add even more players to your odyssey across the stars. All contained in a stunning custom storage solution so that you can boldly go where no-one has gone before.”
My rationale:
Having bought into the core game when it first came out – and every expansion to come out since - I was always going to be interested in more of this game. Now I wasn’t going to buy the whole thing again; just the additional civilisations and a couple of pieces that for whatever reason I’ve found hard to pin down.
And it must be said, this game is amazing – but it’s a 4x game which means playing it seems like a massive investment in your time. We’ve had the most fun playing factions randomly assigned to us – though the Ferengi aka Intergalactic Starbucks – remains a favourite.
The reality:
Why this is a crowd-funded game is honestly beyond me since the core game is already available retail. My guess would be to re-introduce it to a new audience but to buy the entire thing out the gate was initially ~$1000. I’m not actually certain if that’s USD or not…either way it definitely made bank and was funded handily.
And despite all this, nothing is happening. Literally the last update was that they didn’t really have much to talk about. Which felt like the crowdfunding equivalent of a late night, “you up?”
…of freaking waiting…
Employee Disposal Program
Their pitch:
“Employee Disposal Program is a strategic fast paced game about improvising (with a dashing theme of modern corporate misery, because where else do we all fake competence for eight hours a day?).Endless (and pointless) meetings, office jargon, and passive-aggressive emails are now your strongest weapons. Use them wisely.
Inspired by life’s most unfortunate, soul-crushing phenomena: corporate life.”
My rationale:
There’s a couple of things that prompted me to get this like the theme, artwork and humour - I’m always looking for an entertaining card game for game nights and a few beers. Another is that the cost of this one didn’t seem completely absurd ,so I went in for the early bird package that gave three copies of the game that I could – in theory – gift two copies when it shows up.
Sucked right in…
I don’t want to give the impression that I’ve been constantly burnt by my inability to pick Kickstarters that don’t cause me personal anguish and now… public shame. I backed Uboot which was really exciting proposition for Rosco and I…but we haven’t played that yet.
Besides that one specific instance - every boardgame I’ve ever backed has come with some kind of grief. Other campaigns I’ve backed for things like Kingdom Come Deliverance went without any issue. I also never played that…Shit.
Maybe Rosco has some better results…
Alright, Rosco here. I think it’s my turn for a couple of Kickstarter stories, but for mine I want a mix of shame, success and a new hope… and of course, we’ll start with something warship related:
Leviathans: The Great War
Their pitch:
"Leviathans is a miniatures game of giant airships battling above an alternate-history First World War. Command dreadnought-sized flying battleships, escort craft and fighter squadrons as the great powers struggle for dominance of the skies." (Catalyst Games)
My rationale:
I don't think there has ever been a Kickstarter more specifically engineered to separate me from my money. Giant flying battleships, alternate history, naval warfare and miniatures all wrapped up in a package from Catalyst Games, a company with a long history in tabletop gaming with the very successful Battletech. It felt like a safe bet.
As the campaign progressed, I found myself adding ships, accessories and extras until I had somehow convinced myself (and Barry) that spending roughly AUD$525 on flying dreadnoughts was a perfectly reasonable decision.
The reality:
The campaign was funded in August 2022, and, at the time of writing, nearly four years later, we still don't have it.
Unlike some Kickstarter horror stories, the game itself appears to be real. People have played it. Reviews exist. Battle reports are online. Yet the product remains stuck somewhere between the factory and the rest of the world. International distribution continues to crawl forward, and, as if that weren't enough, some extras, such as the playmats, are now unavailable to non-US backers.
At this point, Leviathans has become less of a game and more of a recurring update email reminding me that giant flying battleships remain just over the horizon (pun intended).
Blade Runner: The Roleplaying Game
Their pitch:
"A neon-soaked roleplaying game set in the world of Blade Runner, combining investigation, corporate intrigue and difficult moral choices in a future where humanity itself is open to interpretation."
My rationale:
I've always loved Blade Runner, and Free League already had a strong reputation for producing excellent RPGs. The setting seemed perfect for roleplaying, and the publisher had a track record of actually delivering projects.
I backed the game, spent around AUD$220, and expected the usual Kickstarter process.
The reality:
The campaign launched in May 2022. It funded in May 2022. The game arrived in December 2022. The books looked fantastic. The production quality was excellent. The game was exactly what had been advertised.
That might not sound remarkable, but after spending years watching projects disappear into development limbo, Blade Runner felt almost revolutionary. The company presented a product, took people's money, made the product and then delivered it.
Which, surely, is how this whole thing is supposed to work. Wild.
Cyberpunk Legends: Into the Night
Their pitch:
"A cooperative card game set in the world of Cyberpunk, where players take on the role of legendary Edgerunners completing jobs, battling corporations and trying to survive the streets of Night City."
My rationale:
By the time this campaign launched, I already had enough evidence to know better. Leviathans was still undelivered. Other projects were drifting through various stages of crowdfunding purgatory. Then, some bastard announced a cooperative Cyberpunk card game, and apparently, all previous lessons were forgotten.
The setting was compelling, the concept looked fun, and unlike many crowdfunding projects, this was a card game that might actually make it to the table regularly. So I backed it for roughly AUD$230.
The reality:
The campaign was funded in October 2025, and so far, everything appears healthy. Updates are regular, development seems to be progressing, and the estimated delivery date remains sometime in mid-2026.
The problem is that Kickstarter veterans develop a certain level of trauma. Every update looks positive right up until the point it doesn't.
For now, Cyberpunk Legends sits somewhere between Blade Runner and Leviathans. It could become an example of crowdfunding done right, or it could spend the next four years teaching me about international logistics.
Only time will tell…
That’s how they get you
On reflection, I think every Kickstarter exists somewhere on a spectrum between Blade Runner and Leviathans. One funded, delivered and quietly became exactly what it promised to be. The other has spent almost four years proving that there is a significant difference between "successfully funded" and "actually received".
Cyberpunk Legends currently sits somewhere in the middle, suspended between hope and experience.
The uncomfortable truth is that if somebody launched another Kickstarter tomorrow featuring giant flying battleships, cyberpunk mercenaries, or some unholy combination of both, I would probably back it.
And that, dear reader, is why Kickstarter keeps winning.
- Barry & Rosco