Tasty Minstrel Games is currently on MicroVentures raising capital in exchange for equity in the business. For those who aren’t familiar with the term, this means that you can invest in the company in exchange for owning a portion of the company, often referred to as becoming an “angel investor”. Companies using MicroVentures have the ability to set their own investment levels (think pledges on Kickstarter) and they have investment goals at both the minimum and maximum range, allowing the company using the platform to dictate their investment terms and maintain their desired stock ratios. Fans of Tasty Minstrel Games might find this to be a new way they can support a company they care about.
For the cost of a Kickstarter board game, you have an opportunity to own equity in a gaming company. Tasty Minstrel Games is a privately-owned games company that published its first games in 2009. Since then, they’ve published a ton of great games including Eminent Domain and Dungeon Roll, as well as raising $2.5 million on Kickstarter over their 26 projects. It’s an impressive resumé. Investment levels start at $150 and go all the way up to $25,000. Each investment level earns you a stake of equity in the company as well as perks from Tasty Minstrel Games themselves. These perks range from a Certificate of Stock Ownership all the way to an Executive Producer Credit on 3 future board games of your choosing and every past and future (for the next 3 years) release from the company. Considering that someone spent $35,000 to buy the patrol car from Super Troopers 2, $25,000 to get a cool executive producer credit and a room full of board games is a pretty sweet deal.
To get an idea of how your investment in TMG will likely be used, TMG Founder & CEO, Michael Mindes had this to say when talking about profits, “I have continually chosen to reinvest the gross profits into the business in the forms of expanding our capabilities (labor, software, rent), game catalog, game pipeline, and our audience (marketing, travel, advertising). I have only done this when I believe that TMG would grow from the continued investment… So when those profits are invested in the future growth of TMG, then the business does not show profits.”
Finally, keep in mind that investing in a business is a long-term endeavour, as Michael points out, “Investing only makes sense if you are willing to part with the money for 5+ years (and potentially never see a return) and believe in our process (products, audience, growing distributive reach, testing games in the marketplace, listening to people and the data, and so forth).” TMG’s approach of (strategically) reinvesting profits into the business is a healthy one for ensuring the future success of the company. An investment in TMG isn’t a get rich quick scheme, instead, it is an investment in a company that you personally believe in.
Thanks to the internet, the current climate of fandoms and games is incredibly unique. In addition to this opportunity on MicroVentures, crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter give you a chance to back specific products that excite you, indirectly supporting the company that makes them, while sites like Patreon allow you to support your favourite content creators independently. Depending on the company you want to support, there are even publicly traded companies on the stock market like Hasbro (who owns Wizards of the Coast, makers of D&D and Magic: The Gathering), Games Workshop (known for Age of Sigmar and Warhammer 40K), or Cool Mini Or Not (publishers of Zombicide and Blood Rage).
How do you support your favourites in the games industry? Let us know in the comments!
Image Credits: Tasty Minstrel Games