9 Card Game Success Stories [2024]
If you love card games and have dreamed of starting your own business, why not consider starting a card game business? This can be a great way to bring people together and create a fun, social atmosphere while also making a profit.
To get started, you’ll need to decide what type of card game you want to focus on. Do you want to offer a variety of games like poker, blackjack, and baccarat, or do you want to specialize in a specific game like bridge or magic gathering? Once you’ve decided on the type of card game you want to offer, you’ll need to find a location to host your business. This could be a physical storefront or even an online platform.
Next, you’ll need to consider what types of services you want to offer. Some options could include hosting card game tournaments, offering lessons or classes for people interested in learning how to play or even selling card game supplies like decks, chips, and other accessories.
You'll need to advertise your business and create a strong online presence to attract customers. This could include creating a website, promoting your business on social media, and reaching out to local card game communities to spread the word about your business.
Overall, starting a card game business can be a rewarding and exciting venture. It allows you to share your love of card games with others while also building a successful business. You can turn your passion for card games into a thriving business with the right planning and dedication.
Here are some real life success stories of starting a card game:
1. Vertellis ($4.8M/year)
Bart and his partner came up with the idea for Vertellis after creating a handwritten question card game to connect with their families during the holiday season. The game sparked meaningful conversations and brought them closer together. They decided to launch the game through crowdfunding on Facebook, and it quickly gained traction, resulting in 25,000 pre-orders and the birth of their business.
How much they make: $4.8M/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
Current team size: 10
Co-founders of Vertellis, a mindfulness brand that sells card games, journals, and an online course, discuss their mission to bring people closer together and their business model which involves around 30% of sales on Amazon and a Facebook ad spend of $2.5 million in 2019, bringing in an average of $400K per month with peaks during Q4.
2. Online Solitaire ($180K/year)
Holger was excited to explore a new programming language and generate some passive income. He had come across the success story of the creator of Bingo Card Creator who earned passive income through their website. This inspired him to develop something similar, and he began working on an online solitaire game.
How much they make: $180K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
Current team size: 0
Designer-turned-developer creates Online Solitaire, an online gaming website that features popular solitaire games such as Klondike, Spider, and Freecell, earning about $1,500 each month from SEO and optimization tools like Moz and Firebase.
So... can you actually make money with a card game?
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. 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.
4. PEAR Cards ($228K/year)
Matthew Roberts, co-founder of PEAR Cards, came up with the idea for his business after using a set of "Positivity Cards" at a friend's party. Inspired by the meaningful and touching experience, Roberts realized the need for more moments like that in people's lives and set out to create PEAR Cards, a card-based tool/game that initiates positive conversations. With the help of his co-founder and friend, Roberts built the initial version of PEAR Cards, gathered feedback, and launched a successful Kickstarter campaign to fund their production. The brand has since grown through word of mouth, social media, and the support of influential partners like Ad Magic.
How much they make: $228K/year
Current team size: 1
PEAR Cards is a card-based tool/game that empowers players to open up and initiate positive conversations, and with the help of Ad Magic, their Kickstarter had an all-or-nothing fundraising goal, which they met with so much support the company is now growing through the power of Twitter and Instagram.
So... can you actually make money with a card game?
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. Wise Charlie LLC ($6K/year)
Mihir, a former coder, started Wise Charlie after being inspired by Charlie Munger's book. The project sells a deck of 100 mental model flashcards and has generated $15,000 in sales, gained 780 newsletter subscribers, and amassed 400 Instagram followers. The goal is to help customers improve critical thinking skills by sharing Munger's wisdom in a fun and digestible format.
How much they make: $6K/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
Current team size: 0
Wise Charlie's founder creates a deck of 100 mental model flashcards that generate $15,000 in sales in 12 months, targeting teachers, parents, and working professionals interested in improving their own thinking.
6. World of Card Games ($48K/year)
How much they make: $48K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
Current team size: 0
This case study article follows the journey of a designer-turned-programmer who acquired a multiplayer card game website, World of Card Games, and managed to increase its revenue to $4,000 per month within a year, sharing insights on building the product, launching the business, and attracting and retaining customers.
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- 4,818 founder case studies
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- 8,628 business ideas
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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
