Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeffrey Chin and Andrew Nerger.
Jeffrey, Andrew, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
We started R2i Games in October 2014. We began designing games in adolescence, inventing games to curb boredom and entertain friends, including a Hunger Games forum-based RPG, a live action Mario Party, and numerous party games. Eventually, we decided to share these gaming experiences with the world by self-publishing through Kickstarter.
We were pleased when our first two games, Road To Infamy and Cosmocracy, funded on Kickstarter and we were able to distribute the game to a few hundred backers while maintaining our full-time jobs. But now with the success of the Crypt campaign, we’re so excited to be able to really commit to our dream of being game designers.
Has it been a smooth road?
While Road To Infamy and Cosmocracy exceeded our expectations, our third campaign, Bowties, was a huge reality check. We had high hopes for this game, as it was always a big hit at parties. We thought it would be a real blockbuster hit. We organized multiple parties and promotional events with raffles and prizes and we sent out early release copies to spread the word. Andrew even quit his job to help promote and manage the campaign. But the game was not received well on Kickstarter and it quickly became clear that it would not fund.
While it was a major disappointment for us, we learned a lot about pricing and what kind of games work on Kickstarter. We spent a lot of time and resources marketing to people that don’t even use the Kickstarter platform. In retrospect, it was a very important experience for us as it allowed us to correct these mistakes and build a more successful model for the Crypt campaign.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
We create games with what we call “boiled-down” mechanics, where every rule, component, and graphic serves a very strategic and compelling purpose with no extra fluff. With the success of the Crypt campaign, we’re looking to focus on affordably priced small-box games.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Yes, Chicago is full of board game events and tabletop enthusiasts. We’ve met so many game designers in the Chicago area that are all willing to play and critique each others’ games. We attend weekly playtest events and started a designer playtest group.
There are amazingly supportive communities of gamers, especially Toggle Gaming at Durty Nellie’s in Palatine and the brand new Bonus Round Cafe in Lakeview. Chicago is undoubtedly the place to be for game design.
Contact Info:
- Website: RoadToInfamy.com
- Email: roadtoinfamy@gmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roadtoinfamy/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/RoadtoInfamy
- Other: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/roadtoinfamy/crypt-1
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