The J. Burden Show The Culture War on Table Top w/ Incel Riot Studios: The J. Burden Show Ep. 396
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Dec 26, 2025 William Dalebout, board game designer and illustrator behind Incel Riot Studios, dives into the provocative world of indie tabletop gaming. He shares his journey from commercial illustration to self-publishing, highlighting how political shifts have influenced gaming culture. With a focus on crowdfunding, he discusses the challenges of building trust with an audience on platforms like Kickstarter. William also explores the psychology behind player interactions in games, the impact of AI on art, and how millennial aesthetics are shaping the future of design.
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Career Collapse After Early Trump Support
- William Dalebout told how his commercial illustration career collapsed after early public support for Donald Trump during the 2012–2016 election era.
- He lost clients and exposure, which forced him to pivot toward board game design to find a new audience.
Skills Transferred From Illustration To Games
- William repurposed printing and manufacturing skills from commercial illustration into board game production and supply-chain know-how.
- That background let him produce games without relying on traditional industry gatekeepers.
Build Your Own Backer List First
- Build a direct audience via repeat customers and an email list before crowdfunding to reduce reliance on platform discoverability.
- William credits his ~3,000-person mailing list for reliable repeat backers during campaigns.