A new Kickstarter head of games has been named. In an attempt to remain competitive with other crowdfunding platforms, Kickstarter's newest Head of Games is one with considerable experience in tabletop marketing, specifically the anarchic card game Exploding Kittens.
The New Kickstarter Head of Games
According to a report by Board Game Wire, the new Kickstarter head of games is Maggie Clayton, replacing Jon Ritter-Roderick. Clayton spent three years as the senior sales manager and North American sales manager for Exploding Kittens Inc.. The company behind a card game so popular it spawned an animated Netflix series, recalled goggles, and "printable NFTs".
Furthermore, Clayton spent four years in sales and marketing for tabletop publisher Greater Than Games. This is the studio behind the superhero deckbuilder Sentinels of the Multiverse and the award-winning cooperative strategy game Spirit Island.
Kickstarter's director of outreach, Nick Yulman, had this to say about Clayton's appointment.
“Maggie’s deep industry experience and respected standing make her an ideal leader for our games team. Her background in marketing and sales at Exploding Kittens, and her collaborations with indie creators at Greater Than Games, give her a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to bring games to life.
It’s striking how beloved she is in the industry – experienced creators and former colleagues have all sung her praises. I’m excited for her to bring a fresh vision to Games at Kickstarter, build on our success, and ensure that we remain the premier platform for launching games.”
The appointment of Clayton as the new Kickstarter head of games may be due to rising pressure from competing crowdfunding platforms. According to a Polygon report, tabletop projects on Kickstarter have been in decline since 2022. The platform also garnered controversy regarding its policies on generative AI and removing alleged NFT-grift Wonders of the First from the platform.
For contrast, two other tabletop crowdfunding platforms have come into their own with major success stories. Gamefound has hosted multiple successful campaigns such as Stalker The Board Game, A Song of Ice & Fire: Tactics, and The Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era.
The second platform is Backerkit. While having a lower market share than Kickstarter, the platform has hosted several high-profile projects from industry staples. These include Steve Jackson Games' Munchkin Big Box and a reprint campaign for Monte Cook Games' cosmic fantasy TTRPG Invisible Sun: Return of the Black Cube.
