Maybe so, I have had and express my frustrations often enough. Granted 5 times in 6 years and 1000+ videos . . . idk. Seems reasonable.

There is a joke about the preacher who kept preaching the same sermon 4 straight weeks. When asked why, the preacher stated that he didn't need another one if people didn't get the one he kept preaching.

So there have been a handful of games that I have backed based on Quackalope videos, some by Jesse and some by West. Some of these I have played and loved (Oros, I’m looking at you) and others I have yet to table (such as the more recently arrived An Age Contrived). Given that, I hear what you are saying. But I also think there are levels/types of “roles in FOMO,” to quote you. I see “creating FOMO” as a deliberate attempt to manipulate people into backing. That sounds more malicious than I mean it to sound, although it can be malicious and deceitful. But I see that as different from “contributing to FOMO,” this is my phrasing/category, not yours. Contributing to FOMO occurs when a content creator gushes about a game that they believe in and are often backing; it occurs when the content creator is often also feeling the FOMO. I cannot think of an instance where I have felt that Quackalope created FOMO, although I have felt that they felt they were feeling FOMO and their feeling was infectious. Bottom line, creating FOMO is different from spreading/contributing to FOMO. I’m sometimes bothered by the first, never the second. IMHO, Quackalope has done the second, which is shared their enthusiasm, not the former. YMMV, respect.

We had our personal lines established and have continued to refine and adapt them as time has gone on. Early on we refused to charge first time / small publishers. We did not and don't feel right taking money from someone who is risking it all just trying to make a dream come true. We have chosen who we have worked with carefully with as much information as possible (we could have done this better certainly - but no one foresaw the last few years in our space). We have turned down thousands of dollars on multiple occasions because we could not determine a worthwhile audience for a game. While we have seen other creators happily charge and promote what I would consider bad games at best and scams at worst. We have continued to promote indi publishers and have had an open door policy for creators to visit and join us on camera. Despite the impact low views from smaller games has on the channel as a whole. Comparatively, Quackalope over the years has been one of the largest voices for smaller creators and publishers. We are now shifting our focus back to evergreen games. In print games. Fun. I started full time job outside of the industry this month so we can do that ^^^ Sure, we have used some click-bait style titles . . . KZfaq's whole system is built on getting someone to click. I have addressed where we overstepped in the past and we will continue to figure it out. The reality is, I would rather be riding that line and crossing it sometimes, over being dead in the water as a channel with no views, no engagement, and no ability to continue making content. We are doing our best. I am not going to apologize for our free content or for our attempts to grow and find a voice in this space. This last year - I have done enough "let's talk about the past" videos.

Cysmic is so great. Aaron, I hope if it makes sense for you that you do back it. It's a true passion project.

@@sethwinslow This is a really well thought nuanced perspective. I'm here for it

@@DennisLHubbard Ty

Hey Richard, go bother someone else. I’m just a dude with a camera who has been in love with and obsessed with this hobby for the last 5 years. I put 80+ hours a week into making the best content possible for 5 years straight. I slept on a pullout couch in my dad’s house so I could film in my bedroom. I’m not perfect - I’m also not a shill. I have turned down thousands of dollars because games were bad when others took the contracts. I didn’t and don’t charge small publishers because I think it’s wrong to take from those who are struggling already. You don’t see that. You don’t know that. You just see and listen to everything Reddit says. So go nash your teeth somewhere else and find kid dancing on tic tok to bully. Just because your life sucks - doesn’t mean you need to share it with me.

@@Quackalope so the previous humility when called out for shilling turns out to have been an act all along ….

@@ViscountCharles For sure. Since online text based communication is the best way to know someone.

That’s what the consumer thinks and feels - however, it’s not how the publishers are often using it.

Not the case! As Jesse pointed out, unfortunately that's just the stereotype that Kickstarter is getting nowadays because of the small minority of massive games that take up most of the conversations across social media. For every massive game that could have been pre-ordered off Kickstarter, there are hundreds of smaller self-published games that would never exist without help from KS backers.

It is easy to look at it this way - but the platform operates very differently from a pre-order.

@@Quackalope I don't disagree, but it's what creators are using it for, square peg and round hole stuff.

@@Quackalope Jesse, I agree completely. We have ZERO consumer protection from pre-ordering on a crowdfunding platform. Not even CMON's The Dead Keep offered consumer protection for pre-orders (not that CMON consumers need it (knock on wood)). You can do a charge back on your credit card if you pre-order something and have a fail to delivery in the retail market space. This is a HUGE difference.

Maybe, maybe not - What small pub games have you backed?

See, I have been a back everything addicted kickstarter . . . So many times

@@Quackalope Come join the "retail only" crew! Things are a lot more casual and relaxed here. 😎😅

Gloomhaven player dashboard by TowerRex

@@Quackalope Thank you!

Go ahead and get a set for me while you are it . . . XD they are so beautifull!

Awesome! Thank you! We have too many games XD

That’s all I’m complaining about . . . Absolutely :) you got it! Good on you! Keep it up!

Nope, please inform me?

@@Quackalope They said they would deliver in 2023, then said they’d deliver before summer 2023, then they said that some backers may be on vacation during the summer so they would not deliver in summer 2023, then they said they’d deliver in fall 2023, then they said they’d deliver in waves in 2024 including one large wave in which North American backers in January 2024. Their final update was November 2024. This is the update they said the game would deliver in waves, and the US backers would get the game in January. There has been no update since November 2023. They said they’d only post updates in the official KS update section, but repeatedly posted in the comments section where their comments would get buried amongst the comments: Their only communications employee left the company on April 15, 2024. They have not updated any of their social media sites since April 16. They have not responded to anyone on KS since November 2023. The CEO did an interview with Boardgamewire about a month ago and called backers fantastical. boardgamewire.com/index.php/2024/05/10/three-years-late-and-months-without-an-update-funforge-ceo-expresses-frustration-that-monumental-kickstarter-is-still-not-ready-to-deliver/ In the interview, the CEO said that Funforge would update backers any the end of May, but that never happened. It would seem that Funforge took the money from the Monumental KS and used it to pay to deliver Namiji and they fund other aspects of their business. This is what the CEO calls fantasy, but Namiji didn’t deliver until well after Monumental’s campaign. And, to run salt into the wound, Funforge announced they are releasing Monumental Duel, a new game, and it would seem that it may very well release before anyone gets the KS version of Monumental: And, lastly, Funforge promised they would not be releasing Monumental into retail, which is why so many people backed the project. They went back on their word, and released it into retail. The game has available in retail for over half a year now, and has been discounted at times by 60%. The only content creator or person in the industry that has reported on this mess is Boardgamewire. Some, including me, reached out to Alex Radcliffe and he mentioned it in a video, but really, there is little to no pressure on Funforge to fulfill the project that raised over half a million dollars.

I have a pile of them that will probably never show up. :)

The market is new and the "boom" we have seen in the space is new. So, even well intentioned actions will lead to a lot of damage.

It’s been a system that has worked - but with more and more companies failing to deliver and using backhanded tactics to “keep the ship afloat” the ones who do it legitimately . . . Are going to pull the short straw sooner or later.

Haha “leader” see long winded response by me bellow. How about an excited fan who has ebbed and flowed right alongside the community. I have backed 200 projects, lost on some, spent 6 years filming and obsessing over the industry - but sure . . . FMO leader am I ;)

Yep, totally makes sense :) this is not about pushing Rove it’s about supporting the small and indi pubs who invest everything in our space - and often get burned up and pushed out in spite of it.

@@Quackalope I think the issue is people just have lost faith in Kickstarter as a platform. I know I have. They just don't care once they get their cut of the pie. So, if a project is funded it just becomes a slog to get your game. As the other issue is many designers are coming to the platform with less than half baked ideas that they are asking for money for and then basically taking the funds they get to send prototypes out to content creators to beta test ideas and push hype. Then and only then will they move the game to development. So, we are paying them to develop the game. I've backed out of two games in recent years because of changes on the "fly". One more major and the other to include solo play. This is why I've moved to more of a retail strategy. There are plenty of great games out there and I don't need to fund these Crowdfunding platforms. Yes, this might hurt the small indie dev's (though this is kind of a hard term to define as many game companies are small) but I've just been burned too many times. I mean Garfield Games is basically two guys. But I'm sure they are not considered indie.

That’s a good record and some smart backing :) I think I’m on game 6or7 that looks like it will never arrive to me.

@@Quackalope I had one game, Manhattan Energy Empire , where the creator died right after then end of the Kickstarter. I was sure it was dead but the estate sold the Ip and $ to a publisher who finished production and delivered the game to backers

Dwellings is a funny one but that’s a different conversation. It’s been completely bungled at the finish line with no reprint insight and a painful delivery.

@@Quackalope hmmm I was part of the first release and don’t recall any significant problems. But it’s been years. I got my game and it was amazing (and still is)

The game is amazing :) that is accurate. It's the post KS handling thats been a bit of a mess.

Happy to see I'm not alone in the CMON disdain!

@@Quackalope Weird, I haven't had any problems at all.

I think the platform(s) should do more policing of the big guys in the space. The mythic debacle could have been predicted and avoided if anyone at KS saw their books.

Haha she is working and sleeping :)