8 Board Game Business Success Stories [2024]
Creating your own board game can be fun, challenging, and rewarding. Games are an integral part of our culture and are played by people from all walks of life.
You can create a board game from scratch with basic programming knowledge or several hours of practice. Board games are easy to manufacture, can be made from home, and can become top-rated and profitable businesses.
Here are some real life success stories of starting a board game business:
1. The Board Game Design Lab ($120K/year)
Gabe Barrett, founder of the Board Game Design Lab, came up with the idea after struggling to find the game design information he needed. He started a podcast and website to provide a hub of information and resources for other game designers. Through consistent, quality content and a focus on building trust with his audience, Gabe has been able to generate around $10,000 per month in revenue and grow a community of 8,000 designers and publishers.
How much they make: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $300
Current team size: 1
A podcast and community creator who loves designing board games shares how he started the 'Board Game Design Lab', with his small niche community of around 8,000 people generating $10,000 per month in revenue through consistent quality content and customer focus, with plans to grow online courses and publications for game creators.
2. Good Look Gamer ($24K/year)
Dennis Michels came up with the idea for Good Look Gamer while recovering from an illness. He turned his love for board and card games into a business by taking pre-orders and selling off parts of his old collection to raise starting capital. Today, the business brings in about $1600 per month and continues to grow.
How much they make: $24K/year
Current team size: 1
Good Look Gamer is a successful online board game store that has generated $1,600 in turnover per month; founder Dennis Michels went through many trial and error proceses that formulated his successful marketing strategy, focusing heavily on being approachable and friendly to his client base.
So... can you actually make money with a board game business?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
3. Bingo Card Creator ($18K/year)
Beth K., a busy mother of 5 and former elementary school teacher, came up with the idea for BingoCardCreator.com while on maternity leave. She purchased the already established business through the online broker FE International, and has since learned the ins and outs of running a business through trial and error. The business earns an average of $1200 per month and provides Beth with flexibility and additional income for her family.
How much they make: $18K/year
Current team size: 0
This case study showcases an entrepreneur who purchased an established online business generating $1,200 per month, and provides insights into what it takes to grow and run a successful yet small business while improving skills in digital marketing.
4. Facade Games ($360K/year)
Travis Hancock, founder of Facade Games, came up with the idea for his business while playing board games that involved lying and backstabbing. After successfully raising over $100,000 on Kickstarter for his first game Salem 1692, he realized the potential of making more games and pursued his passion full time. With a total revenue of over $1 million and a growing customer base, Facade Games continues to thrive in the board game industry.
How much they make: $360K/year
Current team size: 2
Facade Games has raised over $1 million on Kickstarter and sold about 80,000 copies of their board games around the world, with the goal to publish one new game a year on Kickstarter and build on their line of games in books as well as a new party game line in the near future.
So... can you actually make money with a board game business?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
5. Hill Gaming Company ($24K/year)
Casey Hill, founder of Hill Gaming Company, was inspired to start his tabletop game business after growing up in a big family that bonded over board games. After finding success buying and selling Magic the Gathering trading cards, Casey decided to create his own card game and launched the highly interactive and strategically deep game called Arkon, which raised over $40,000 on Kickstarter.
How much they make: $24K/year
Current team size: 0
Hill Gaming Company's founder Casey Hill shares how he built a successful gaming company, achieving $2,000/month in sales and raising $40,000 with their first product launch on Kickstarter.
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- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
