I realised the need to explain what Crowdfunding is when my parents asked me about my business plan and I had a hard time trying to explain Crowdfunding to them. For those in the Board Game Industry, I think this term is pretty clear and widely used, but there are still a huge chunk of potential backers who have no idea what Crowdfunding really is.
What is Crowdfunding?
Crowdfunding is a method to raise money from a large number of people. You will then use this money to fund a new business venture or ideas. The people giving their money are called backers, and you can almost think of it as mini-investors to your project.
As a backer, you are essentially purchasing a promise made by a creator. That promise usually goes like this: I’ll use the money you’ve given me to create a product, and once completed, you’ll be given a reward. Usually that reward will be the said product.
Crowdfunding is usually moderated by a platform. The most popular one would be Kickstarter and this is what Stormbraver will be primarily using.
In Kickstarter, Crowdfunding is done through a campaign which will usually last for a certain period of time with a certain funding goal. During this time, you can pledge an amount of money to become backers. If the campaign succeeds—that is the funding goal is met—creators will take that sum of money ahead and use it to bring their projects to life. You will then receive your reward, based on the amount you pledge after the project is completed.
Why Crowdfunding?
Crowdfunding is a really strong method for an Indie creator like me. What Crowdfunding really does is eliminate gatekeepers and allow creators to interact directly with their audience / customers. That means mainly two things!
- Direct feedback from you! I’d know whether or not people like the products I’ve created. By backing my project, you are expressing that you like the project in the most tangible way. That is: by using your money.
- The entire Crowdfunding campaign can be fun! You get to see the process and the behind the scenes. You get to be a part of building… well my dream. And because there are no third parties involved, I can do my best to fit my games to cater to your wants.
The second reason would be: Crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter have somewhat transformed into a very streamlined Pre-Ordering system. It is very convenient especially for budding companies like Stormbraver. It’ll give us valuable information ahead of time: How much to produce? Where to ship to? Which product is popular and which isn’t? It just makes things easier to get the items distributed internationally.
~ Joshua Dharmawan, 21 November 2025