I created this poll over on Reddit:
https://www.reddit.com/r/rpg/comments/1i0jlsg/does_it_matter_to_you_if_an_rpg_kickstarter/

I buy a few RPGs each year but, a good number of them are from Kickstarters. I suspect at least some potential backers have strong enough feelings about China that, if they knew for certain that a game was going to be made in China, they might not participate in it. Or, they may be more inclined to participate if manufacturing wasn't in China. I have noticed a few that manufacture locally (in their own country) or in some others where their manufacturing dollars get a bit more (like manufacturing in Poland).

What do you think?

I know Chinese production is a mark against products for me, and one of several reasons I've backed off from Savage Worlds in the past couple of years. It's not a dealbreaker in and of itself, but it definitely tilts the balance against participation.

I'd prefer if it wasn't but it's not a dealbreaker for me personally.   The same goes for AI art.

I mean, most of this stuff is made in China. Most of your books are printed there, most of your clothing made there, if you start being a China-vegan, your life will become sparse pretty quick.

With me, it's less of foreign production being a penalty, and more of domestic production being a bonus - especially if the item is produced in my state, and still more if it's produced in my municipality.

I wouldn't mind the product being a little extra if it was made domestically instead of in china, if it was something I was interested in. It's not really something that draws me in or puts me off of something that I'd have no interest in otherwise.

I do feel like too many manufacturing/industrial capacity has moved to china compared to the rest of the world, with the fear being that, the mentality of the leaders of china is that they should be the only world superpower, so I wouldn't put it past them to switch from being friendly to leveraging their advantage against other countries as soon as they thing they're able to become the "global leaders"

I work for Walmart, almost literally everything we sell is made in China, with the exception of Yankee Candles which are made in Vietnam amusingly enough, and our clothes which are from Malaysia/Indonesia. Also something from Myanmar, I want to say rifle bags.

So eh

In principle I'd prefer not to contribute to the Chicoms' bottom line too, or reinforce their status as manufacturing monopolizer, and I understand people not wanting to do that. In practice, I expect the amount of profit China makes from printing and shipping RPGs to the West doesn't come close even to the level of what their policymakers consider "negligible", and punishing startup RPG companies for using what may be their only economically viable production resource seems a bit too much like cutting off one's nose to spite one's face.

If we want to inflict a more significant boycott penalty on China, refusing to upgrade our MacBooks and iPhones, or even switching to PC platforms and non-Apple phones, will probably have more effect, and one can back a Kickstarter while still only buying the PDF once the product comes out.

I wouldn't participate in any kickstarter. This is the way it works in capitalism:

1. make product
2. sell product

In that order. Not the other way around.

Quote from: Kyle Aaron on January 13, 2025, 06:02:14 PMI wouldn't participate in any kickstarter. This is the way it works in capitalism:

1. make product
2. sell product

In that order. Not the other way around.

Yep.  I did a kickstarter and it took 10 years to fulfill.   No more kickstarters.  If it's out then I buy it

Quote from: GhostNinja on January 13, 2025, 07:21:57 PM

Quote from: Kyle Aaron on January 13, 2025, 06:02:14 PMI wouldn't participate in any kickstarter. This is the way it works in capitalism:

1. make product
2. sell product

In that order. Not the other way around.

Yep.  I did a kickstarter and it took 10 years to fulfill.   No more kickstarters.  If it's out then I buy it

Only 10 years?     I'm still waiting on my wave 2 of Robotech Tactics RPG by Palladium Books and, given that they publicly washed their hands of it after gambling our money on retail stock for their own years ago, I'll be waiting 100 more if I live that long (spoiler: I won't!).   That was my first and only real KS experience.   I've only backed projects for a princely sum of $1.00 since just to get access to backer only updates and the comments section.   I agree with your sentiment obviously.

I'm done with crowdfunding.  I have had too many crowdfunding projects take my money and never deliver.

I don't do Kickstarter.  I'd even rather buy from China.

If the hardcover book full of color illustrations costs us $40 to $50, if printed in China; vs $65 to $75, if printed in the U.S.

Will you pay the difference in cost, without complaining?

I haven't found myself, willing to pay $75 for a book.  That's the problem.  I want the nice books, made in the U.S.  But then there are games, where I'd like to own 3 or more of their books.  The price per book is an obstacle.  I'd never have bought in, if each book was $75.  It's a complicated issue.

The choice is easy: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4ZQNfp24tRQ