It's Not You, Kickstarter, It's Me

It's easy to claim that I just don't have the funds to put up front for Kickstarter projects, or even that a project doesn't appeal to me enough to contribute. For me, though, I feel it's deeper than that. I'm not sure what to say, other than I've grown out of Kickstarter. Or moreso, grown out of its marketing scheme.

Routine

While everyone markets their KS projects differently, the format remains the same - a funding goal, a set time period, different pledge levels, and 48 hrs until the project ends. I don't even quantify stretch goals to be included in that list because a) not everyone does it, and b) the people that do do it in varying degrees of success. It's this format that I generally view most KS projects now; I pop into a KS page, quickly glance at the goal and time span, scan the pledge levels, and mark it with a reminder if I'm interested.

I'll admit, the first time I found out about Kickstarter, I wanted to back everything I saw, especially those that remotely hinted at the notion that some of their content will be exclusive to backers. Of course, I had to keep reminding myself that funding any of these is still just that - in no way would this be confused with retail purchases at all. Plus, you have to endure the longest wait cycles for any of these products to be released, moreso when most tend to shoot past their expected release dates. This is nothing new to me, since I've written about them before here and here.

But now? Now I'm just looking for the purely unique, something that truly stands out and will make me want it. Games like Trickerion, The Gallerist, and Bottom of the Ninth did that for me and (with funds permitting) got me to back the moment I could. I even threw in support for games I didn't really want, but still support with a small donation, like the Siblings Trouble.

My Kickstarter in 2016 Thus Far...

How's this year shaping up?

So far in 2016, I've funded 2 KS projects. The year before that, I funded 16 KS projects.

That's not to say I don't browse Kickstarter anymore. But instead of instantly funding, my go-to action is to click the "remind me" star. It satisfies the urge, and gives me a commitment-like feel towards a project I may potentially back, if I'm so inclined. Or just to keep tabs on. There's still 9 more months to go, though...

Like A Faint Breeze

All the tweets of others promoting KS projects, all the BGG banners that advertise their games, all the preview videos that are made...it just doesn't resonate with me anymore. The urge is gone, the glint dulled out long ago. Games that I've passed on Kickstarter are appearing in stores, and rarely one stirs any possible regret I had for not backing at the start.

All Kickstarter projects do is drum up attention. They thirst for it, and people give it to them. It's all about marketing, and that's all fine. I'm just one that's tired from getting all uppity and giddy over it. In the end, if I'm not drawn to it, then it's not for me, no matter how often it gets thrown in my face.