I am a pretty massive backer of crowdfunding projects, backing dozens every year. Next year, I want to see that number under 12. The reasons are a bit varied, but also not really.

This could just as easily fit on either of the other facets of the "Dougiverse," but the fact that most Kickstarter-, Backerkit-, Gamefound-, and other crowdfunding-projects that I back have a gaming focus means it landed here.

tl;dr: I am largely removing myself from the backersphere for the whole of 2026 [and the end of 2025], possibly longer.

Why?

There are a lot of reasons why.

The first is simple: I have a lot of stuff, already. I am sitting in a house surrounding by stacks of books, games, and movies. Digital and physical. If I was to make an earnest effort to (re/)read, (re/)play, and (re/)watch every one of them, it would take longer than 2026 will have days before I made a true dent. It is a good time for me to take stock and be honest about my over-consumption in the best possible way: sit back, revisit old faves, make use of under-used media, and generally enjoy the stuff I already have.

The second is more complicated: I am not entirely sure of my future plans. While this is also true in a general, philosophical sense, I also mean it in a practical sense: Kaz and I are here for at least a couple more years. After that, I do not know. Stuff I can order and know when it will arrive means I can plan around it. Stuff I order and have to wait an indefinite time is harder to calculate.

To put this in perspective, since we moved to Belgium fourth months ago, around twenty-plus crowdfunded projects (some going back to around 2022 or so) have shipped. Some I managed to reroute, here. A lot went to our Alabama address. I have a nephew intercepting the majority of those, but there are some that seem simply lost into the vagaries of space-time. All those that were intercepted still have to either be shipped to me or stuck in some sort of storage to wait until some indefinite future that may or may not ever exist.

Stuff I back in 2025-2026 might still be brewing in 2028-2029 when we are looking at our next steps. I don't care to repeat the process.

The third is much more complicated and personal: I am generally wanting to get out of the gamification/FOMO style of transactions. Perhaps my most concise rant to date about this was was posted to Dickens of a Blog: "Just deleted most of my Patreon follows, including the free ones". The part where I start discussing #1 and #2 are not precisely about crowdfunding, but crowdfunding gets tangled up in that mindset.

While I appreciate the power of crowdfunding to impact the viability of indie creators, and (counterpoint) likewise appreciate that some publishers/creators have abused the mental model, I simply have very little interest in maintaining my part within it. I suffer from FOMO [fear of missing out] pretty strongly. I suffer from pack-rat-ism. I need to take care of myself and this is one way to do it. Besides, again, I have at least a year of material to actually use. Frankly, two-to-three-years is more likely.

Fourth, and the final reason for this post, very few projects have maintained my personal hype between the backing-process and the actual receiving of the product. This is not to say I have always been disappointed, though there have been plenty of disappointments, but there is a cycle where I hear about an upcoming project > I picture all the possibilities > I back the project [likely "all in"] > I wait for stuff to show up, but in the meantime new stuff is showing up that gets my hype > stuff shows up and I can only remember some of the reasons why I was hyped. 2022-Doug had different specific interests/plans than 2025-Doug.

Slowing down my participation will help to focus hype on a few key projects which improves their value.

There are exceptions to each of these elements, which brings me to my next point.

Exceptions (the "Brown Out" Principle)

I generally lean away from true blackouts. There are plenty of things I do not do [eat meat, engage with certain companies] but on the long principle I am more prone to engaging in "brownouts" that accept there will be exceptions. I am plant-based but will not refuse necessary medicines that are not themselves vegan [given enough time, I will find alternatives if possible]. I avoid certain companies but will do business with them some if there is cause.

In that light, this plan to move away from crowdfunding will be more of a brownout that a complete refusal to use crowdfunding. There a few creators that I particularly enjoy. A few projects I am interested in that may or may not show up, for instance:

  • I know that Steve Jackson Games is looking to release a Revised version of GURPS Fourth Edition. If that hits crowdfunding, I might back it, though I'm taking a wait and see approach since I am 95% ok with my current GURPS library.
  • If Two Little Mice do a follow-up to Outgunned: Superheroes, I am almost definitely going to back it. They are a fun company to back in the crowdfunding space. As of right now, I have no idea when the next Outgunned will show up.
  • Unlikely to happen, I'd wager, but I am at least going to be listening if The Arcane Library releases any official thing for ShadowDark.
  • Likewise, unsure of the likelihood, but if Monte Cook Games releases more materials [especially new materials] for their new Cypher system, I'd be willing to give it a think.
  • Finally, Arion Games could conceivably release something new for Advanced Fighting Fantasy.

If you are keeping score, that's one project that is "definite" but may not hit crowdfunding at all and four projects that might not exist until a year or two down the road [if ever]. How's that for an exception list?

Otherwise, the kind of things I am looking for would be:

  • Something of definite value for me where the value comes from backing the project instead of just waiting for traditional releases.
  • Something new, especially something that fits a precise niche.
  • Something from a trusted creator [Cezar Capacle, Philip Reed, for instance, to include new ones from above].
  • Something where will I maintain enough hype between the backing and the receiving to make it actually worthwhile.
  • Something I will use at least as much as my current stash. Especially something that improves and gives me more value for my current stash.
  • Something that sparks so much joy that I just can't resist.
  • Something that is unlikely to take more than one calendar year to release, and the priority will be on stuff needing less than six months.

The plan is to require any project backed to hit at least three or four of those. Otherwise, I'll just wait. Or skip entirely.

One exception that will not be in consideration will be if a project desperately needs support. There are a lot of those and I have backed several but that won't be a factor for a bit. 2026 will be a bit of a selfish year.

And please, no one release any really cool dice. I have too many. Dice might, for matters of pure survival, have to be an anti-exception. Fun dice might require me to avoid a project lest my dice collection achieve true sentience.

The Goal

The goal is back under an average of one project a month. Let's say around ten-total projects at the max.

Smaller numbers are entirely possible.

I am thinking of this in terms of total-projects rather than monetary value, by the way. The fewer projects should mean that I can back them to whatever degree I want. Get some extra stuff assuming the extra stuff is actually stuff I will use.

Keep in mind this contrasts me usually backing three-to-four-or-more per month.

Bundles likely also Being Included

One thing that is a bit different but kind of suffering from the same issue: I plan to also reduce buying bundles (Bundle of Holding, Humble Bundle, DriveThru/Itch Charity/Publisher Bundles) in the same general system.

I have gigabytes of files that I will probably never touch again.

There might be a few exceptions but I'll hold those to the same standard.

Will Possibly Still Promote Some

Even if I am removing myself overall from the space, or at least greatly reducing my participation, I might still promote some if I have good cause.