Kickstarter has been transformative and problematic for board gaming in roughly equal measure. The positives are real: small publishers like Leder Games and Stonemaier Games got started through crowdfunding, games that would never have been commercially viable through traditional distribution have found audiences, and the direct relationship between designer and backer has created games shaped by community feedback.

The problems are also real: delayed fulfillment is now expected rather than exceptional, Kickstarter-exclusive content fragments communities, the campaign hype cycle creates expectations that finished products cannot meet, and the churn of new campaigns makes sustained attention on any one project difficult.

My approach: back games from publishers with track records, be skeptical of campaigns from first-time designers regardless of production quality, and wait for retail whenever possible. The FOMO around exclusives is manufactured. Good games appear at retail eventually.