Getting Into RPGs as a Business? You Need To Know How You're Making Money

Since shut downs and social distancing started, a lot of folks have decided to throw their hats in the RPG ring. Some people have used their systems and settings as a kind of pandemic project, taking all the time they now have to get their games ship-shape and market ready. Others are just looking for an outlet, or to build up a side hustle they can work from home. Some aren't really sure what they're doing yet, but they've always wanted to turn their hobby into their job.

And to all these game creators out there, both those who never thought they'd be here and those who've been hemming and hawing about taking the plunge for years; welcome. It's a rough gig, and sometimes it can feel like it's literally a roll of the dice whether you sink or swim. However, I wanted to point out something I've seen from a lot of creators, old and new alike.

In short, if you don't have a plan for how you're going to turn a profit, you need to stop what you're doing right this second. Go back to the drawing board, and do not resume work until you know exactly how this thing you're making is going to not just pay for itself, but put money in your bank account.

 

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Step One: Create Content, Step Two: ???, Step Three: Profit!

It's a Fun Job, But It's Still a Job

I've talked about this before on my sister blog The Literary Mercenary, but today I want to address RPGs specifically. Because there's a lot of numbers involved in this game, and a lot of the folks who are getting into it right now don't know what they're looking at, or what they should expect.

So I'm going to do my best to break it down for you.

Because as with any game, it's all about the numbers.

First things first; you need to understand that you are creating a product. That is your job as an RPG creator. Maybe you're assembling map packs, or you're writing blog entries to help GMs run better games, or you're going the distance and creating a full RPG of your own; end of the day, you are making a product. For you to actually turn a profit, that product has to in some way earn you money.

For example, say you've got a bunch of files you've created for really cool cavern maps you've used in a home game. It's your art, so you can do whatever you want with it! So you put them together into a pack, and you toss it up on Drive Thru RPG for a couple of bucks. Whenever someone buys a map pack, part of the profit goes to the website as the host, and the rest of it goes right into your pocket.

Pretty simple so far, right?

The problem that a lot of folks I've spoken to recently is they're starting from scratch. They don't have any art assets, they don't have any modules they've been tinkering with, and they've got no supplements (or anything else) for them to put out there to try to start some money flowing to them. Alternatively, someone might have a little bit of cash flow, but they want to do something big and ambitious; like set up an entire online platform for game masters, or put together a full campaign that's going to be 4-6 books of content by the time it's done.

I don't want to be the bearer of bad news... but it is highly unlikely that you'll be able to sell enough copies of something that big in order to break even, much less turn a profit. Also it can take a long time to complete something like that... and if you're using that time to create, your profits need to cover your future expenses, as well as pay your bills for the time being.

Making enough to pay one month's rent doesn't do you a lot of good if it took you 6 months to make the thing, if you see what I mean?

Time, Effort, and Keeping The Lights On

I talked about this in Writing a Book is an Investment, as Well as a Gamble, but creating a product takes time. Whether it's a relatively small and straightforward supplement like 100 Merchants to Encounter, or a module like Ghosts of Sorrow Marsh, or something bigger like a core rulebook for a unique game, or a full-sized campaign, everything takes time.

As an example, my turnaround time on a simple supplement like the merchant list above? It's at least a few weeks. Once I have it written and edited, it has to go through proofreading, it needs to be properly formatted, given art and a cover, priced, etc., etc. I don't handle those aspects of the publishing, but those things still need to be done.

Minimum turnaround time on something like that? Two to three weeks if you're thorough, but if it's the only thing on your to-do list you might be able to get it done faster. So let's say, nose to the grindstone, you put out 2 small supplements a month. You might be able to do more, but that's a realistic estimation of time, energy, and progress.

And then money, yes?

So, let's say you busted your butt during that month, and you got your supplements polished up and looking pretty. The art pops, the text is tight, and you do a big fanfare for release. Great, you got it done!

Most RPG products that go up on the market, though, don't even sell 50 copies (hitting Copper status on Drive Thru RPG). So a "good" debut of 50 copies each might net you... anywhere between $50 and $100 depending on your pricing, and how much of that cost actually ends up in your pockets. Even if you produced that supplement, module, whatever for no cost, using only software you had, free-to-use art, writing and editing the text all on your own, chances are good that your monthly expenses for food, rent, etc. are a lot more than a C-note.

And that's if you did well. If you don't already have an existing audience, or you don't manage to catch the eye of passing traffic, it's entirely possible that you could bust your hump all month, sweating and straining to get these products out there, and then sell exactly 0 copies, making no profit whatsoever.

 

The good thing is that once you complete something and get it up, it stays up. So it's possible that something that has a slow debut may build steam over time. Something that starts popular may even stay popular, selling steadily as time goes on. But realistically, you need to build up an archive of products/work; making a big profit off of your first two or three offerings is basically buying a random scratch-off and hitting the $24 million prize out of sheer, stupid luck.

Mercenaries Aren't The Answer To Your Problem, Either

 

A lot of new creators on the scene try to shorten their design time by hiring folks like me to help turn their ideas into reality. The problem you're going to run into there is that mercenaries need to get paid. While rates for RPGs are criminally low (half a cent per-word on the laughable end and 3 cents per word from more reputable companies), even low rates are very quickly going to dig you into a hole if your sales don't keep pace with what you're paying out. And the more text, art, etc. you want to get from freelancers to shorten your development time, the more copies you're going to have to sell in order to turn a profit when all is said and done.

Not only that, but freelancers get paid up-front. So if you shell out a couple hundred bucks to get your writing or art done by someone else, and then you only sell a handful of copies once your product has released, you're firmly in the red when it comes time to try to make and market the next thing. Again, you might make it back over time, but if you don't have any cushion then that's not very comforting.

You don't want to be halfway through your jump before realizing you miscalculated.

This doesn't just apply to full RPG products, either. A lot of folks try to maintain blogs, hoping to draw fresh eyes to their sites so they can get a larger audience for their future content. If you need content, the cheapest most writers are going to go is $20 for an article. Unless you have ads, or a Patreon page, or some way for your blog to pay you, there's no WAY you're going to make that back off of content that is, essentially, free for your audience to view.

For reference, It would take me about 3,500 reads on articles in my Vocal archive to earn back that much money. So unless you have sponsored content, affiliate sales links (more about those in If You're An Author, You REALLY Need an Affiliate Marketing Account), a crowd funding audience, or some other way to make back the investment you're paying out to other folks, you're basically throwing your money into a hole in terms of generating profits so you can keep making more stuff in the future.

Kickstarter Isn't a One-Size-Fits All Solution, Either

This one is for all the folks out there who think that crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter (and Patreon to a lesser degree) are going to swoop in and save you. I can tell you from experience that getting Patreon patrons is a bitch and a half, and that keeping them around is even harder. For a Kickstarter, you should really have a majority of the work done before you try to fund it, as well, thus ensuring minimal chances of failure, and showing your audience you're a reliable investment in the future.

You also need to market whatever it is you're creating. And you need to figure out how to raise your voice above every other Joe Schmo with an idea for a new, fast-paced RPG, board game, deck builder, etc. who's up on their own soap box, cane slapping and voice raised to try to get folks into the tent.

By all means, roll the dice... but know you're taking a risk.

In a lot of ways this is the creative equivalent of, "Hell with it, I'll just become a stripper!" It takes a lot of work to make something so intensive (between makeup, physical exertion, performing skill, customer service chops, persona creation, etc.) look effortless. Selling a game is the same way.

Just because you hear one success story of someone hitting it big with a patron landslide, or a huge Kickstarter campaign, keep in mind that you're not hearing about the dozens (or more realistically hundreds) of people who aren't getting any traction on the platform at all.

With All of That Said, You Should Still Do The Thing!

It might feel like I've just been tossing out doom and gloom this whole time, but you are far more likely to succeed if you set yourself realistic goals, and keep attainable expectations. And though RPGs are possibly bigger than they've been since the hobby began, it's important to remember this is still a pretty niche market.

However, with that said, you should still do your best to make your mark. So whether you want to start a blog writing reviews, make a new game, put out modules and supplements, or just make maps and cool gaming art, do that thing! Because making games matters, and if you don't take your shot then you're never going to get anywhere.

But remember, if you're doing this either as a side hustle or with the intention of making it your job, you've got to treat it as such. You're not just making a pet project for yourself and your friends, or messing around creatively for fun... you're creating a product. And you need to find (and entice) an audience who wants or needs the thing you're making if you want to stay in business.

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