Anyone here making a living from RPGs?

[Pelgrane]

Hi Thomas,

It is completely possible to make a living on game publishing still. Even only publishing RPGs if one were determined enough to do it only with RPGs.

Stupidly, the one person I should have asked directly and didn't was Monte Cook. His name-brand recognition massively helps, but I'd guess he's doing pretty well and deserves an article all to himself. I'm open to suggestion as to the next question to ask and answer - perhaps something with a bit more of an indie theme. Maybe this should be another thread, or email me off-forum.

Simon Rogers

[Luke]

I read Simon's article with great interest. I strongly disagree with the majority of the opinions -- especially that the rpg industry is dyinnnng -- and even Ben says a whole lotta not much. (Though I do agree with his focus on the play experience.)

But then I looked at what I do. I have a very popular small press game. My game does not sell in numbers that can support both me and it. It supports itself, and provides capital for further investment, but that's it. I can't live off of it (without killing it) -- and I spend all of my free time working on it.

I got the sense from the old timers in that article that back in the day, I could have actually made money from the moderate success of a game like Burning Wheel. I wonder if that's true? Seems unlikely, but that's because I can't imagine anyone actually making a living doing this!  :?

Anyway, I feel like the poster child for that article -- focused on play experience, selling great, not making a living.

-Luke

[cross-posted on nerdnyc.com]