Teaser, Preorder, or Launch: Our Three Announcement Methods

With yesterday’s announcement of Rolling Realms Redux–a standalone game with the same rules as Rolling Realms but with 12 new realms completely unique to Redux, along with new dice and a box designed to fit all Rolling Realms stuff–we officially debuted a new method for announcing products (with the previous methods being “preorder” and “launch”).

Technically this is a method we tried last year with the Nesting Box and Wingspan Asia, but it’s official this time: For each of our products moving forward, we will announce them either as a teaser, a preorder, or a launch product. Here’s the difference:

• Teaser: These are products that we’re still developing; they have not gone to print, so we may seek feedback from the public about them. They will often be related to existing Stonemaier brands, or they may be high-stakes products that we want to build momentum for over time. We’ll share the name, some basic details, and a box image, followed by monthly updates for those who subscribe. The number of subscriptions will impact the size of the first printing (or, in rare cases, a decision not to print the product at all). No money will exchange hands for teaser announcements, as they will often be made around a year before the product releases.
• Preorder: These are products that have just barely entered production; there is certainty regarding when they will be available (4-5 months later), and we have an early final copy to showcase in photos and videos. Preorders will be on our webstore when announced, just like we did with Expeditions. However, it will be too early to have reviews of the final game, so we will primarily use this method when (a) the brand is already established and (b) when there’s a wide range in our demand forecasting: We don’t want to leave out customers who want the first printing, but we also don’t want to make tens of thousands of copies more than we need. Preorders also invite a small window of time to hear customer feedback about the rulebook (and potentially other components).
• Launch: These are products that we have already made and shipped to fulfillment centers. Over the span of a few weeks, we will reveal details about the product (including reviews), accept orders, and start shipping to customers. This is our default way of announcing products, as it allows us to pair our excitement (and yours) with something tangible right away while still giving you the information you need to make a purchase decision (i.e., advance reviews of the final product). Of course, the risk on Stonemaier is the highest with these products, as we’ve already made the investment and can’t turn back. There’s also the possibility that we’ve greatly underestimated demand…but we can always make more, and we will if the interest is there. Our other big game of 2023 will use the launch method in a few months.

The big breakthrough for us in creating these categories is realizing that there isn’t a single best method for every product. We’ll determine the best method and timing for each product, always with the intent of best serving the potential customers for the product.

Why isn’t crowdfunding on this list? For us, I think the above methods–when done well–check the same boxes as crowdfunding while providing the product in a relatively short amount of time after receiving customer payments. Even for the preorder method, it’s only a few months: We opened the Expeditions preorder in early February, and now we’re shipping it in early June. I delve into other reasons in this article.

If you like these methods and want to participate in the process (and make sure you don’t miss out on the first run of a product), I invite you to subscribe to our monthly newsletter or sign up for updates about Rolling Realms Redux specifically.

What do you think about these methods? Do they serve you well?

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Also read:

• Eager Mechs: Exploring the Expeditions Surprise
• Why We Started Teasing Wingspan Asia Now
• The Great Nesting Box Debate

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