Now, I’ve been writing a lot about crowdfunding for new people to the world of Kickstarter and Gamefound. But this one I think is probably good for a lot of different people, not just new people to crowdfunding. Granted, it’ll be good for them as well because there are a lot of things that show up as exclusives when it comes to crowdfunding. And they can often give you a lot of FOMO which I talked about yesterday.

The Idea of A Crowdfunding Exclusive

So the reason that companies do this is so that you have FOMO. It is something you can only get on the Kickstarter or Gamefound campaign. If it goes to retail, that piece won’t be available. Sometimes it is truly exclusive to the campaign, sometimes it just won’t end up at retail locations and the company might sell the extras themselves.

But yes, the whole point of an exclusive is to entice you into backing the game now because you can’t get it later. Simply, it is FOMO and honestly, one of the worse parts of Kickstarter and Gamefound. Because it makes you spend more than you really meant to spend. Or backed something you might not have backed. Again, see yesterday’s article.

Now, it’s not always a negative. Sometimes it is something that’s exclusive because you helped support them. So it’s extra value to your pledge. This happens pretty often in CMON campaigns. You get some extra miniatures, characters to play, that won’t be available after the fact. Stuff like that holds it value more and is worth it, as long as it’s not driving up the price with what you pay.

The Bad

Game Play Exclusives

These suck and should not be done. You have a gameplay exclusive that adds playable content to the base game, there’s a decent chance I won’t back your campaign. Why, because if I don’t add on that piece, and often it is going to cost me more, now I don’t know if I have a full game. I might just have part of a game that is okay, and I need that piece to get a really good game.

An example of this could have been Marvel Zombies by CMON. The base box you play as the zombies which is awesome and fun. But what if I wanted to play as heroes fighting after hero zombies. Well, you need to get the X-Men box. So you need both of them to get the full experience. If they had made that X-Men box Kickstarter Exclusive, there likely would have ben riots. Why, because that means you need to back that Kickstarter and pay more to get the full game.

Add-ons Galore

Now, this one CMON is definitely guilty of on Marvel Zombies. The idea that there is just an add-on after add-on for the game that drives up the price. And it’s more game play content, and that’s what normally gets me. I don’t mind if it’s something like added minis or metal coins, generally don’t need them. And really I don’t need all the add-ons either. But if it’s something like game play, or a character for Marvel Zombies I really want, I’m likely going to add it on. And that is driving up the price on what I back. So that can take a $100 game to a $500 game with enough of them.

The Good

Free Exclusives

Now, this seems obvious, you want an exclusive to be part of what you pledge, You don’t need to add anything for it and you get something cool. Often times these will be the stretch goals that are unlocked as you go along that might be only for the Kickstarter backers.

Cosmetic Exclusives

Now, we also see exclusives that don’t add to game play, and I’m much more fine with those. Why, because even if they are an add-on, I determine if I want that extra. Do I want the minis, maybe if they look awesome. For example, I chose to get the minis for ISS Vanguard, at least the ones that came with a pledge level. I didn’t get some of the other minis that were even more cosmetic for the game.

I decide if I want extra dice for my Marvel Zombies game or not, it’s not like I’m being forced to get it, or it’s being bundled with some level of game play and adding to that that cost. As long as it’s an add-on and I can choose, I like those cosmetic ones, and sometimes I’ll pick them up but I can pick my favorites.

Final Thoughts on Crowdfunding Exclusives

These, I think are generally something that are well done. I don’t think too often companies go too crazy with exclusives, and a lot of the time they are the cosmetic add-ons. But sometimes, that is enough to drive me away. Especially if it seems like part of the core game that you need to have fun it behind that crowdfunding exclusive wall.

On the flip side, when you get something free, that feels great. So exclusives, while it could seem negative aren’t a bad thing. It is something that can get you really excited about the game and that is fun as well.

What are some of the best crowdfunding exclusives that you’ve seen?

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