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Q&A with Corey Le Mesurier

vivarium
Image by Michael Roberts

In 2016 Corey Le Mesurier used Kickstarter to help him fund his board game Vivarium.Vivarium is a board game where each player assumes the role of a species and has to guide that species to survival in a new environment. Since it’s inception, it’s been delivered to 30 countries and the success of the game has almost seen it sell out of its first print run. I talk to Corey about his experience funding his venture through Kickstarter.

 

Q: Could you tell me about your game concept?

A: Vivarium is set in a hypothetical future where the world starts to collapse due to environmental misuse and humanity creates an ark to seal off remaining populations of animals, including some humans, to basically start life again without technology, while the planet outside continues to degrade. You play as one of eight species within the ark, also known as a vivarium, and you have to gather resources, reproduce and basically stake your claim in this new environment.

Q: What steps did you have to go through to make this game?

A: I did a lot of research on nature and various species, to try and translate natural phenomenon into game mechanics, also a lot of iterations and play testing. Once I had a solid concept it was just more testing, refinement, hiring artists, communicating with manufacturers and fulfilment companies and creating the Kickstarter page. Once everything was lined up and the game was 95% done, I pushed go on Kickstarter and entered the next phase of the project, which was securing funding to produce and distribute it.

Q: Were there many challenges in getting your project funded?

A: All the steps leading up to it were quite time consuming and challenging, but once the project was live, it’s mostly just directing people to the page, maintaining momentum and making sure that when the campaign ends you’re ready to mobilise as soon as possible.

Q: How important was marketing and promotions during this process?

A: Well, I was in a unique situation, having worked in a board game store for 5 years, I had a lot of industry knowledge and an audience of friends and family who play board games as a hobby. To succeed on Kickstarter you want an array of people ready to throw some money down on day one and through a bit of advertising, pre-existing relationships and convention attendance I was able to build a strong audience. Without this audience, the project wouldn’t have succeeded.

Q: Do you have any advice for people who are keen to get their own project funded?

A: Be sincere, ask for help, don’t be afraid to push your product or service. You can’t just make something and expect people to flock to it, you need to get out there and get it in front of people. I also think transparency is important, make sure you’re up front about your intentions and where you’re taking the project. As far as shipping and fulfilment goes, under promise and over deliver. Nobody likes a late project or broken promises.

 

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