To Kickstart or not to Kickstart?

I'm wrapping up work on my TTRPG—it's nearly ready to head to editing and layout. The current plan is to release the core rules as a free PDF, and then offer a premium print version that includes setting content and an adventure (POD and Premium PDF)

I’ve been going back and forth on whether to run a Kickstarter and wanted to ask for advice from those of you who’ve been down this road.

Right now, I’m leaning against running a Kickstarter, and here’s why:

  1. Time, Pressure & Deliverables I’ve self-published before on my schedule and budget, and I really value that freedom. While Kickstarter can help with marketing and generate some hype, I worry about the added pressure of timelines, stretch goals, and community expectations.
  2. POD vs. Offset Printing My plan is to use POD (DriveThruRPG and Amazon). I know the margins are lower, and offset printing looks way better, but the upfront cost (and financial risk) of offset printing is a major barrier. I can fund this project (art, editing, layout, cover) if I take the POD route.
  3. Fulfillment Logistics I live in Portugal and don’t want to get bogged down mailing physical books myself (the costs is just too great as well as time). If I were to Kickstart, I’d need to figure out fulfillment, which is a road I have never been down.
  4. Add-Ons & Extras I have no interest in creating dice, GM screens, pins, etc. I just want to focus on the game itself—the rules, the setting, the adventure. I’m worried extras would eat up too much time, money and energy.

That said, I’m open to the idea of doing a Kickstarter down the road—maybe for a limited edition print run (off-set), if the game picks up traction post-launch. For now, POD feels like a lower-risk option with more flexibility.

I’d really love to hear your thoughts—especially if you’ve gone through this process yourself.

What worked?

What would you do differently?

Any pitfalls I should watch out for?

The goal is to release the game in fall/winter, and I want to make the best choices now to avoid regrets later.

Notes:
I have a decent size mailing list (10,000+), a fledging YouTube channel (5k+), and over 2k supporters. So I think I can make back my sunk cost with POD. I know my risks with POD and my goal will be to break-even.