Crowdfunding allows indie game developers to obtain funding for their projects through collecting small contributions from many backers. Some benefits include obtaining funding to complete development, validating the game idea, and maintaining creative control and ownership. However, there are also risks like not reaching the funding goal and having to cancel the project. Successful crowdfunding requires a good prototype, realistic budget, attractive rewards for backers, and an effective marketing campaign to promote the project.

1. Crowdfunding
Funding For Indie Games

3. ¿CrowdFunding?
Collection of small amounts of capital
from many individuals to achieve a goal.
Campaign lasts a certain amount of time.
The "investor" gets a reward for their
money.

4. Benefits of Crowdfunding
Pre-ordering your game, obtain money to
complete development.
Validate your game idea.
Control your actions.
Creative independence.
Earn more recognition.

5. DarkSide of Crowdfunding
Not reach your goal and having to stop
your project.
Say goodbye to publishers.
Demand much time and labor out of you
spend developing the game.
Not adequately plan may complicate
legally.
Don’t pay attention to Trolls!

6. Not so new
Year: 1885
Pedestal Statue of
Liberty
Pulitzer
$102,000
120,000 backers
During 5 months

7. ¿and the indie developer?
It is the individual or company that is
developing a video game without external
financing.
Is not backed by a publisher.

8. Braid

9. Cart Life

10. Journey

11. To Leave

12. Amnesia: Dark Descent

13. Son of Nor

14. Benefits of being indie
Creative freedom.
Owning your IP (intellectual property).
Larger % of profit from sales.
Manage your own time.

15. x 0
Can’t pay for talent
Losing motivation on
the way
Not able to afford
advertising and marketing
Reject publisher
support
Disadvantages
High costs of publishing,
legal stuff and software
licences

16. Team
Realistic
Prototype
Presentation
Budget
Rewards
Stretch Goals
Marketing
Campaign Checklist

17. Presentation
Record a good quality video.
Show the product.
Gather a community that will help the
cause.
Be clear and transparent.

18. Be realistic if
you plan to do this

19. Realista
It’s like trying to make
Avengers with your 3 friends

20. You will not be able to do it.
AAA games cost 50 million dollars.
3-5 years of development.
1000 people working (actors,
programmers, artists, designers,
marketing)
Realistic

21. Ideas are worthless.
What matters is execution.
Execution is the multiplier.
Idea vs. Prototype

22. Ideas are a nightmare
An idea is not a video game.
A game design document is not a game.
A drawing cannot be played.
A video game can be played.

23. Awesome game never seen before where
mages that live in the dessert have to use
their terraforming powers to survive.
Idea Example

24. Prototype Example
Gameplay Trailer Son of Nor
http://youtu.be/3kaT8wVjp3s

25. Budget
Calculate the time needed to complete the
development.
Resources for the team.
Salaries for your team or payment for external
developers (concept artists, music & sound).
Cost of crowdfunding rewards.
Licensing and publishing fees.
Crowdfunding platform commission.

26. Artists
Programmers
Designers
Marketing
Audio & Music
Game Designers
Gather the Team

27. Rewards
A reward could be a digital download game.
(usually $10-$25)
Being in the game credits.
Participate giving ideas for development in
exclusive forums.
Concept Art Books.
Merchandising of the game.

28. 100% Funded

29. Stretch Goals

30. When you pass the original goal you can
offer to your backers new goals to achieve
in exchange of new features for the game
like New Game Plus or achievements.
Stretch Goals

31. Marketing
Create a community before launch the
campaign.

32. Marketing
Social tools: Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, etc..

33. Marketing
Frequent Updates of the development during
the campaign.

34. Marketing
Email to bloggers, journalists from different
game sites.

35. Cases which exceeded the original goal.
Divinity: Original Sin $400.000 -> $579,610
Double Fine Adventures $400.000 -> $3,336,371
Shovel Knight $75000 -> $311,502
Torment: Tides of Numenera $900.000 ->
$4,188,927
Ominious $500 -> $1,171
Telepath Tactics $15.000 -> $41,259

36. Distribution

37. Crowdfunding sites

38. Largest crowdfunding site.
All or nothing. You have to reach the goal in a
given time.
15% commission
Exclusive for USA & UK.
Kickitforward Initiative
kickstarter.com

39. Not as big as Kickstarter.
Open to all countries.
5% commission
No need to reach the goal.
indiegogo.com

40. No need to reach the goal.
Hispanic audience.
There isn’t much
competition with other
projects.
lanzanos.com

41. Time is now
Haz el juego que quieras jugar.
Ser feliz con lo que haces.
Indie gaming is growing.
Tools available to everyone.
You can start learning on your own.
Funding made possible by crowdfunding.
Make the game you want to play.
Be happy and love what you do.

42. @CarlosOporto
@LionInnGames
lioninngames.com
facebook.com/stillaliveStudios
@SonofNor
http://kck.st/ZT8VUu