How to Make Money from Your Game Design Hobby with Joe Slack
Oct 25, 2023
auto_awesome
Exploring strategies for sustaining a career in board game design by diversifying income streams, balancing financial stability with creative passion, navigating business realities, diversifying opportunities, effective planning and time management strategies, and discussing entrepreneurial accountability and project management in the gaming industry.
Diversifying income sources is crucial for sustained success in game design industry.
Financial planning and stability are vital before transitioning to full-time game design.
Adapting, marketing, and learning from failures are essential for success in board game design.
Deep dives
Diversifying Opportunities in the Board Game Industry
Making a living solely from designing board games is challenging due to market dynamics. The podcast emphasizes diversifying income sources by not just designing games, but also considering avenues like publishing, consulting, and development. By exploring multiple angles such as writing books, courses, or engaging in crowdfunding, professionals can increase their chances of sustained income.
Transitioning to Full-Time Board Game Design
Transitioning from a stable healthcare career to full-time board game design involves careful financial planning. The importance of diversifying income streams before relying on game design as a sole income source is highlighted. The speaker's personal journey underscores the need for stability and financial security when venturing into game design full time.
Navigating Challenges and Pivot Opportunities in Board Game Design
Challenges in board game design include time spent on non-design tasks, unexpected computer-based work, and pivoting from less successful ideas to more marketable ones. The podcast delves into the necessity of marketing, reaching wider audiences, and being willing to adapt and learn from failures to achieve success in the industry.
Differentiating from Traditional Courses
The podcast discusses the concept of offering skill sessions instead of traditional courses for game design and publishing. The speaker emphasizes the need to provide unique offerings in the market to cater to a different group of people. By focusing on skill development rather than formal courses, the aim is to assist individuals in enhancing specific skills related to game design and publishing. The podcast highlights the importance of diversity in the gaming space and suggests that there is ample room for innovation and new approaches.
Hybrid Approach to Game Publishing
The podcast explores the hybrid approach to game publishing, which involves working with publishers as well as self-publishing through platforms like Kickstarter. By evaluating the type of game and matching it with suitable publishers, creators can optimize their game releases. The speaker emphasizes the significance of aligning games with the appropriate publishers based on brand fit and target audience. Additionally, the discussion delves into the value of experimenting with various publishing methods to determine the most effective strategy for each game release.
In this episode, Joe Slack and I talk about how we’ve both been able to piece together lots of different revenue streams in the gaming industry to be able to make a full-time living from game design.
