The Entrepreneur Forum | Financial Freedom | Starting a Business | Motivation | Money | Success

Welcome to the only entrepreneur forum dedicated to building life-changing wealth.

Build a Fastlane business. Earn real financial freedom. Join free.

Join over 80,000 entrepreneurs who have rejected the paradigm of mediocrity and said "NO!" to underpaid jobs, ascetic frugality, and suffocating savings rituals— learn how to build a Fastlane business that pays both freedom and lifestyle affluence.

Free registration at the forum removes this block.

Gaming (Video, Board, etc)

ItsAJackal

Bronze Contributor
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
120%
Oct 16, 2018
177
213
Just a thought. Why aren't there more lucrative side business opportunities in the gaming industry? It's a billion dollar industry spread out across video and board games, and there is even more of a push for the board game side to "get away from technology" and spend more time with people instead of on your phone/in front of a TV.

Most of the businesses around them though are either small developers that are being way overworked, "Let's Play" youtubers/streamers that just let people watch them play, or the hundreds of video game review sites that are a dime a dozen.

There has to be more to it, I'm just not sure what that would be.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

reedracer

Silver Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
172%
Jun 2, 2019
371
638
63
Kansas City
It's still the wild west stage in the gaming industry.

Some of the areas already being exploited are hardware, software, furniture, installation and updates. (There's plenty of room in each of these areas for more businesses and ideas).

Here are some ideas for businesses (maybe):

Esports is the monster in the room. Look to Football, Baseball and Soccer for inspiration.
Talent management, social media management
Esports cafes, lounges, and bars. Traveling supply and setup at venues, mobile esports trailers for parties or competition.
Sportswear, logo creation, esports leagues, training, coaching, communications, newsletters, podcasts, etc
Records management or systems, rental gear, spectator services (ways to watch the tournaments)

I've been thinking about this as I look for ideas to create a business my son might want to work in.
 

Tourmaline

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
120%
Jun 4, 2019
898
1,082
Texas
Given that Fortnite alone made $2.4 billion last year, I'd say it's far more than a billion dollar industry! :rofl:

I have been looking into what sort of game to make, it seems extremely profitable if done right.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

JAJT

Legendary Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
549%
Aug 7, 2012
2,970
16,306
Ontario, Canada
Who says there isn't?

Yeah, that's pretty much my opinion as well.

Video games are already a gigantic industry and you can find a great number of solo entrepreneurs as well as multi million (billion?) dollar corporations. You have small apps and large apps and small games and large games and indie games and everything in between. The industry is just enormous.

For board games, well that industry has literally never been more popular. As an avid board gamer myself my biggest problem is actually choice. There are SO MANY great games out there that I will literally never get a chance to play them all. Kickstarter REGULARLY funds 6+ figure board game projects from indie and not so indie developers every damn week.

Where's the lack of opportunity or interest that you're speaking of?
 

ItsAJackal

Bronze Contributor
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
120%
Oct 16, 2018
177
213
Where's the lack of opportunity or interest that you're speaking of?

I guess I'm thinking more along the lines that only the main content creators (Actually make the game) have a shot at being successful. Of course plenty streamers are successful, but that's highly against most of CENTS. Time = Money, and if Twitch/Youtube shut down tomorrow then that would sink people.

The one idea I had in terms of board games was a way for non-gamers to learn about games in a non-nerdy way. I am a board gamer, but my wife pretty much rolls her eyes at it. When I find a game I like that she might be interested in, I don't want to send her a 30 minute "how to play" video with the typical nerdy board gaming dude.

Also, I have tried to figure out a way for someone standing in the board game aisle at Target or Walmart to figure out what they want to purchase. If my wife wanted to buy a game for our daughter, she would have no clue what to get without calling me.
 

eldelnacho

New Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
146%
Apr 22, 2019
13
19
There's a bar/restaurant in my city focused entirely on gaming - I assure you that place gets crowded every freaking day, they have consoles from every generation (except older than NES), NES, SNES, PS1, PS2, current gen, etc. You can get a table with a console and just hang out with your friends while you get some drinks and eat a really nice hamburger.

Very friendly for the local gaming community which are usually nerdy introverts. They've also got board games among many other stuff.

It started out a small bar then it expanded as a brand, I believe they have 2 restaurants now.

It is located in Santiago, Chile.

26908
269092691026911
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

JAJT

Legendary Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
549%
Aug 7, 2012
2,970
16,306
Ontario, Canada
I don't want to send her a 30 minute "how to play" video with the typical nerdy board gaming dude.

There is actually a huge need for this in the market. Nobody has fulfilled it in any great way, yet.

Most "how to play" videos are skeletons of the rulesets at best. Enough to make the video interesting and follow along but not good enough to actually start playing from.

If you can spend the time and resources developing a proper "how to play" series of videos that is extremely effective - you WILL get followers and become a household name for board gamers.

The problem with teaching rules (as someone who is the dedicated rule teacher in our group), is that different people learn differently and it's hard for most people to absorb even a fraction of the rules before you start. It's a fluid process that ebbs and flows throughout a game. Making this succinct, yet comprehensive, is THE challenge.

Now, keep in mind that youtube tutorials is hardly fastlane. But what you CAN do, after you've built a reputation, is work on merchandise, co-branding, your own line of products (dice towers, dice, tables, etc..) or even a chain of retail locations. I believe Dice Tower on youtube has done a decent job of scaling things up this way (although I have no idea about their revenue).
 

ItsAJackal

Bronze Contributor
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
120%
Oct 16, 2018
177
213
There is actually a huge need for this in the market. Nobody has fulfilled it in any great way, yet.

Most "how to play" videos are skeletons of the rulesets at best. Enough to make the video interesting and follow along but not good enough to actually start playing from.

So that's the area I think could better. We don't need another "how to play." She just wants to know if a game is going to be fun. Almost like movie trailers for board games?

Hmm, maybe I should revisit this idea.

I even think D&D could make a comeback (especially because of Stranger Things) if it's pitched in a non-nerdy way. Would be a great way for a family to sit around a table and play an imaginative game without a screen in front of them.

I've also had friends that want to have "game nights" but have no idea of anything outside of the basics. I end up bringing a few party game and people are amazed because they have never heard of any of them.
 

Hadrian

QUEST MASTER
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
145%
Oct 8, 2017
475
688
Dublin, Ireland
Some great info in a previous thread on this:

I'm going to make a prototype Board game myself based on the Ancient Celts in Q1/Q2 2020... but will structure it in 3-5 formats... i.e. 1) will be a simple version like Risk.. 2) a little more complex like LOTR Risk with Magic Sites, etc.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Ninjakid

Platinum Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
217%
Jun 23, 2014
1,936
4,206
Buddy Guy Eh
Dude, in 1995 Windows 95 was the second most installed software on computers.

You know what was the first? Doom.

The gaming industry has grown dramatically since then, so I assure you there are many lucrative options in gaming.
 

BellaPippin

B is for Beast
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
275%
Jul 16, 2015
1,430
3,928
34
Chicago, IL
Make a YouTube series of @BellaPippin roasting Monopoly victims nonstop.

Episode #1 - The Silent Killers

-"Ohhhh no..... you fell on my 4th railroad AGAIN...."

giphy.gif


*Switch to interview mode, sitting on a chair*

source.gif
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Tourmaline

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
120%
Jun 4, 2019
898
1,082
Texas
D&D's popularity has had a surge over the last couple of years. Something about nerds and money.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Abrodos

Bronze Contributor
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
139%
Sep 25, 2019
193
268
34
Barcelona, Spain
Hi everyone!
Just wanted to say hi in this thread, as the CENTS-based project I'm developing is centered around this niche market.
I'll make a thread explaining everything, but basically I'm sculpting a series of scenery pieces for miniature wargaming (warhammer and so). I'll work especially on organic, flowing pieces (sci-fi elven castles and walls), as these shapes are difficult to produce by amateur sculptors (high entry barrier). I plan to sell both the physical product (60% of the clients prefer it) and the 3D files for printing.
I want to launch several Kickstarters, one after the other, creating "expansions" for those sets. As my market is very niche (Bad strategy!! I found out after having started that there are about 1M people in the world playing wargames atm and about 70k space-elf players), and they won't be spending a huge amount at once (they're hobbyists), I need to create smaller, recursive sales from these clients, so that's why I'm aiming to create a "collection" of modular buildings, all combinable with one another, the next bigger and more complex than the former.


So @Hadrian, if you need help with the visual aspect of your game, maybe designing and sculpting the miniatures, you can contact me! My e-mail is david_abrodos@hotmail.com.
 

Hadrian

QUEST MASTER
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
145%
Oct 8, 2017
475
688
Dublin, Ireland
So @Hadrian, if you need help with the visual aspect of your game, maybe designing and sculpting the miniatures, you can contact me! My e-mail is david_abrodos@hotmail.com.
[/QUOTE]

Super thanks David. My Graphic Designer is in Italy and I'm based in Ireland! :praise:
 

foodiepersecond

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
129%
Aug 2, 2019
219
282
Atlanta, Georgia
Hasan Minaj Did a great bit on the bad side of the video game industry on is show Patriot Act. I still think you can use CENTS and a product-centered approach to video games that is not a big corporation. Look at the video game Undertale. Massive game and even more massive following. Mainly done by one person with the exception of a few designs and songs. Has the shittiest graphics ever, but Toby decided to make it product centered as far as story and mass appeal to the gaming community. I don't recall much advertising for this game either. It was primarily word of mouth and it grew immensely.

Not a big board game person, but there are some games so simple in concept, but either through marketing or it being product centered, it was successful. I look at Cards Against Humanity and Secret Hitler as examples. The whole barcade scene is relatively new and a great concept for those who caught the rise of gaming culture. There is certainly a niche that hasn't been touched. You just gotta find.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Post New Topic

Please SEARCH before posting.
Please select the BEST category.

Post new topic

Guest post submissions offered HERE.

Latest Posts

New Topics

Fastlane Insiders

View the forum AD FREE.
Private, unindexed content
Detailed process/execution threads
Ideas needing execution, more!

Join Fastlane Insiders.

Top