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Stupid idea - gone awry

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Mon, 01/26/2015 - 21:14
questccg
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Hello All,

So I was thinking about one of the primary hurdles in the Tabletop Game industry: Sales & Marketing.

There are websites such as Board Game Geek that have over 70,000 games in their database (74,851 as of the moment of this post). And if you go to another well known website "The Game Crafter" you'll also find a LOAD of games you can buy...

The problem with all of this? TOO MANY GAMES.

What someone needs to design is an "eHarmony" for Tabletop Gamers... How would this work??? Instead of browsing countless profiles, you can fill out a short questionnaire that explains what you like. And the website will find the BEST game matches for you.

Wouldn't you be happy with a list of 10 games you really want to play (and that you will enjoy also)???

Somebody has to take it to the NEXT LEVEL - because TOO MANY games is what is the problem with today's Tabletop Industry...

Oh yeah - and your list of 10 games will be COMPLETELY DIFFERENT than your neighbors... Guaranteed.

How does this website make any MONEY? Well ALL YOU GET is 10 MATCHES. If you want MORE you actually need to BUY one (1) of the 10 game FROM THE WEBSITE. So of course the website makes money! You buy a game and then we give you another 5 games that will interest you.

I think this concept could WORK. Instead of everyone playing the same games - you get different games. The website generates REAL REVENUE and doesn't need to resort to ads. And Designers get a chance to sell more of their games... Because it's about matching gamers with the right style of game!

Anyways just some crazy ideas I had - seeing the 75,000 BGG database!

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Mon, 01/26/2015 - 21:18
#1
JewellGames
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I would love that but as a

I would love that but as a designer I especially want an eharmony for playtesters!

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Tue, 01/27/2015 - 00:08
#2
let-off studios
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@questccg: how long would it

@questccg: how long would it take before a publisher "sponsors" the website so that their games are conspicuously present on the seekers' lists more often?

... From what I've read and understood of your description, that would be my only issue with what you propose. Generally speaking, it seems to me that the more inefficient the game-review and game-selection process is, the better it is for the game designer community - particularly so for less-established designers and companies. By keeping marketing and promotions decentralized, they're able to at least have a toe-hold in the marketplace, somewhere, however small.

@Jewell Games: a matchmaking service for playtesting sessions would be super-cool. :)

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Tue, 01/27/2015 - 00:28
#3
Soulfinger
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questccg wrote:There are

questccg wrote:
There are websites such as Board Game Geek that have over 70,000 games in their database (74,851 as of the moment of this post). And if you go to another well known website "The Game Crafter" you'll also find a LOAD of games you can buy...The problem with all of this? TOO MANY GAMES.

70,000 games in a database. Hah! Try being an author. According to Bowker (the company that issues ISBN numbers), 316,480 new titles were produced in the United States in 2010 alone, which is up from 302,410 in 2009. That figure does not include the “non-traditional sector,” which includes the print-on-demand and self-published books, which had increased 169% from the previous year to 2,776,260 titles in 2010. That’s more titles issued in 2010 than there were people living in the United States.

Most markets are saturated with thousands of options for clothing, foods, etc. Fortunately, the increased number of releases for gaming goods reflects increased consumer interest. Out of those 70k titles, many are no longer in print and occupy a negligible market share. It also includes marginalized games, as well as mass market games targeting a mainstream audience. Added to that, the sub-markets don't necessarily overlap. Considering all of that, 70k seems like a very small number. That's more like a market figure for aquarium terrain.

The problem isn't too many games. Hefty release schedules are a sign of a healthy, growing industry with consumer demand. I think the problem you are addressing is that somebody already has made it to the "next level" -- many people, in fact. This isn't like the '70s when you could put out a microgame with relatively low production values and ride the zeitgeist. Production standards are the highest they've ever been with several established companies in dominant positions.

I really don't think that there's any flaw in the industry's infrastructure, so much as there being a general lack of sales and marketing experience among indy game designers. I really like the back pocket sports games that HPS74 is putting out because they have a great impulse buy presentation that works just as good at a sports store as a gaming store. He has opportunities for sales through pro shops, trophy shops, bowling alleys, exercise centers, etc. He has venues galore available to him.

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Tue, 01/27/2015 - 04:28
#4
Dagar
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As IT guy I'd rather wish for

As IT guy I'd rather wish for a really dense board game database. On BGG, there are lists for genres, game types. I'd like to filter for names, genres, player numbers and estimated play time simultaneously. This is not possible on BGG, at least as far as I know.

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Wed, 01/28/2015 - 01:14
#5
truekid games
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BGG advanced

BGG advanced search:
https://boardgamegeek.com/advsearch/boardgame

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Wed, 01/28/2015 - 03:53
#6
Dagar
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Wow, until now, I totally

Wow, until now, I totally missed that. Thank you! I'll check it out some time.

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Wed, 01/28/2015 - 19:48
#7
questccg
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*Smarter* than an advanced search

truekid games wrote:
BGG advanced search:
https://boardgamegeek.com/advsearch/boardgame

I was thinking about something *smarter*. If there are over 70,000 games there should be a fair share of playable game. The question is HOW MANY. Then there is reserving the space for "indie game developers". Sure the BGG list is probably the most popular games from the BIG GUYS. I would want to have some rules such as 4 BIG GUYS, 3 "indie games" and 2 games you might consider trying (outside your matching)...

Those 2 games could be reserved for "sponsor games" which means that they are part of your list because someone PAID for advertising these games. That of course doesn't mean that they are not a match... I just means that they are sponsored and "might" be a match.

Lastly because the website would make revenue SELLING games, there are no worries that the website would fall into the wrong hands and that global domination by some publisher would occur... Seriously.

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Wed, 01/28/2015 - 19:52
#8
truekid games
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I was more just pointing out

I was more just pointing out the feature to Dagar than trying to compare it to your concept.

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Wed, 01/28/2015 - 19:55
#9
questccg
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Ugh... books!

Soulfinger wrote:
Hah! Try being an author. According to Bowker (the company that issues ISBN numbers), 316,480 new titles were produced in the United States in 2010 alone, which is up from 302,410 in 2009. That figure does not include the “non-traditional sector,” which includes the print-on-demand and self-published books, which had increased 169% from the previous year to 2,776,260 titles in 2010. That’s more titles issued in 2010 than there were people living in the United States.

That's why I mostly read things for work - and not personally. I don't know what cr@p to buy and most certainly don't have time to read too many books. I spend 7.5 hours a day (excluding weekends) on a computer developing from home and then another 4 hours keeping up with BGDF, my personal projects, e-mails, etc.

Can't find the time to find books that would take up the little bit of time I have left for family...

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