What is Success in the RPG Industry?

[Jahydin]

Of course, money is nice, but I wouldn't use that to define success. Personally, I'd like to think it's knowing there are people out there that love what you made.

I get warm-fuzzies just being the person that recommends a great game to someone. I can only imagine the pride that comes from knowing you were one of the people that made it!

 

[Jared Earle]

Based on the GoFundMes to cover the medical costs of RPG legends, I would think not.

There's plenty of threads bemoaning the low pay in the industry.

American legends. This isn’t an industry issue; this is a specifically American issue.

I count our company as a success, with salaried creatives and an ennie to our name, and being European, we will be able to retire without issues.

 

[Dyson Logos]

to justify it's continued supplementation and retention in print, for a period exceeding 3 years

I would go with OR instead of AND for this. The last thing I want for most of my RPGs is supplements.

 

[MGibster]

There's plenty of threads bemoaning the low pay in the industry.

There's that joke:

Q: How do you make $1,000,000 in the RPG industry?
A: Start with $2,000,000!

We have had many threads over the years bemonaing the low pay in the industry. From what I can gather, you're going to have to be a publisher if you expect to make role playing games a viable career. So in that context, what does success look like? And honestly, success looks like having a day job that brings in enough income for you to help support yourself and family with a decent lifestyle while this part-time RPG work gives you the warm & fuzzies and maybe a little extra scratch from time-to-time.

 

[Breaking Star Games]

For me personally, its to just have my game completed and I can enjoy it with friends. And MAYBE even get to be a player in it.

 

[Blue Orange]

Not really. I retired very comfortably. People who pay attention to retirement planning early in their working career seldom have problems.

You really have to generate enough money on the front end, though. Most people these days don't have enough left over to put toward a retirement account.

 

[Jd Smith1]

That is not a reflection I would think, on what people would hope the wages of today would be.

There's countless threads on this very site bemoaning the current low pay in the industry.

 

[Jd Smith1]

You really have to generate enough money on the front end, though. Most people these days don't have enough left over to put toward a retirement account.

You just have to choose a career in which retirement planning is part of the benefits package.

 

[Autumnal]

You just have to choose a career in which retirement planning is part of the benefits package.

Millions of people in the US did, only to have management renege on the agreement with various excuses and anti-labor administrations and courts cut off means of recourse. Someone who started working in the last couple of decades scarcely has the chance to make that choice. This is cruel advice, unless you know of something that modern workers have any sort of actual shot at.

 

[Squared]

Millions of people in the US did, only to have management renege on the agreement with various excuses and anti-labor administrations and courts cut off means of recourse. Someone who started working in the last couple of decades scarcely has the chance to make that choice. This is cruel advice, unless you know of something that modern workers have any sort of actual shot at.

Pensions are extremely dangerous for employers, tying the employer to massive debt for decades to come. The employee also has to hope that their former employer is in the same financial situation in the future and is able to continue making those payments.

Matching 401k contributions is the new standard and is common in the US. My employer offers 6 percent of my salary matching contribution, but 5% is pretty standard. Many small businesses do not offer this, but the larger ones that previously offered pensions now do this.

It is hardly cruel advice, one thing to look at when choosing an employer is what their benefits package looks like. The lack of a matching 401k would be a red flag to me.

^2