Unpacking Arvis Games' Kickstarter Journey

May 6, 2021: Arvis Games' Kickstarter for Board Royal was completed with 3,419 backers and $312,450 in funds. At this point, everything was going well for Arvis Games. On October 25, 2023, Arvis Games announced that compensations and fulfillment were finally coming to an end. Two and a half years to fulfillment.

Did everyone get what they purchased? Was every backer satisfied? What went so wrong?

It was not Arvis' first Kickstarter. In October 2019, the first printing of Board Royal-The Island was completed with 3,442 backers and $253,395 in funds. These are very similar numbers to the second printing. 

According to the comments and updates posted, the game was successful and fulfilled. They were only a few months behind schedule, which is expected for any Kickstarter.

I had not taken part in their first Kickstarter. I did back the second printing, though; that is where things went wonky.

According to the comments, I assumed my game would be ugly or unplayable. I had yet to receive my game, so I could not verify what others said. I began writing this article thinking that it would be an admonishment of poor practices and incompetence, but on January 30, 2024, I received my game. I had to do an unboxing video! Proof of the quality I received. 

I can not attest to what other backers received from the first shipping, nor what they received from compensation/replacement, but here is what others say was wrong and what I received.

Comments: The game was shipped in a plastic bag, and the contents were destroyed.

Mine: The package came in a heavy-weight box with newspaper and packing peanuts inside. The contents were unmolested.

Comments: The cards were printed off-center or slanted. Some are so bad as to be unplayable.

Mine: The cards were centered without any slant. The thickness of the cards was cheap but adequate. One card had a corner that was smashed.

Comments: All the cards, or just some, were missing their linen finish.

Mine: All the cards had a linen finish.

Comments: Missing cards from the base game and expansions. Some stated that large amounts were missing.

Mine: The base game and expansion packs I received were not missing any cards.

Was I lucky to receive a good set? I think so. Here are some things I recommend that Arvis Games can fix.

1. Update Regularly. Arvis would go two or three months without an update. Once they went over four months. I checked their log-in activity regularly, which matched their updates, meaning they were not even checking in on comments. It is essential to check in at least once a month to keep your backer's confidence, even if you have yet to make any new progress to report. Just a "Hey, we are working on this and have not forgotten you" type of update. 

2. Respond to comments and emails ASAP. I posted comments and wrote to Arvis multiple times. I did not receive answers for every comment or email, and the answers I did get came months later. Not receiving answers to valid questions from your backers creates hateful comments.

3. Verify home addresses. With fulfillment continuing over a year from the survey closing, some people will have moved. I did and submitted my address change to Arvis over a year ago. They responded but did not change it in their system. Someone at my old address got a free copy of the game. Arvis did send me a copy after I showed them the emails where I changed my address. Thank you, Arvis.

4. Only start a second campaign after you have fulfilled the current one. I did not back USC: Reach because I had lost trust in Arvis over how they handled Board Royal. I am sure they were looking for money to complete what they had started, but it only dug their hole deeper.

In the end, I received what I had backed, and I am thankful to Arvis for not giving up and completing the campaign. I know they had bad luck with their printers and I hope they will receive compensation for their troubles. 

I would hesitate to back another project from them even though I received the game I wanted. Based solely on their need for more communication. Kickstarter backers are understanding and know how hard it can be to create a board game. We all know and accept the risk that many parts of the process are out of the creator's hands. But to keep our trust, a creator must keep us informed.

I am curious to know how Arvis Games can rebuild your trust. Do you know how they could? Let us know in the comments below.