Fortress’ Post

I have posted a new update on Kickstarter where you can read a new installment of the Kiro's Chronicles series! In this one I talk a bit more in-depth about the creative process behind TIES: Soul Link, specifically on the art. What things inspired me for the game's identifying artstyle, and how I work and the tools I use to make it a reality. Hope you like it! 💪 You can read the full update here: https://lnkd.in/dpnpeg9Q

“If you want to know what the future of fandom looks like, a smart place to start is with how fans have always behaved.” Excited to share Chapter 2 (of 4) of our 'Future of Sport' series that we're doing in collaboration with Backslash. In this chapter, we explore how and why expressions of fandom are evolving. But before we look at the innovations that are changing fandom, we must first understand the human behaviours that won’t change: a sense of shared fiction, reverence for athletic heroes, and the need for social identity.   Download the report at https://lnkd.in/eqs-DU7i to learn why future strategies should be rooted in these fundamental motives of fandom to have true staying power.

Here's a piece I finished recently for Untold Destiny, "a fully reimagined roleplaying system, designed with character immersion and collaboration in mind." The Kickstarter is live now, and it's getting nowhere near the attention it deserves. Make sure to check it out today! Link in comments. #ttrpg

🔮✨ Imagine Harry Potter's invisibility cloak, but make it techy! 🎩💻 Welcome to the real world's version: the Invisibility Shield 2.0, now kickin' it on Kickstarter. This ain't your average magic trick — it's a shield stuffed with lenses that bend light to hide literally anything behind it. 🛡️👀 Poof! Gone. And because we know you're all about that on-the-go life, this bad boy rolls up into a tube for easy transport. Setup? Faster than you can say "Accio invisibility!" — under 15 mins tops. 🚀  #MagicMeetsTech #InvisibilityShield #kickstarter 

Spent the weekend at Comic Con, surrounded by fellow geeks, cosplayers, and fans of all things wonderfully weird. And it got me thinking: the “nerd economy” is growing faster than ever, and it’s not just about comic books and collectibles anymore—it’s a powerful cultural and economic force. 💥 From niche board games like How Am I Weird? to entire industries catering to fans of sci-fi, anime, and fantasy, the nerd economy is booming. It’s a space where being yourself—no matter how quirky—adds value. It’s where “weird” becomes a badge of honour, and where embracing what makes you different isn’t just accepted—it’s celebrated! 🦸♀️🤓 💡 Here’s why this matters: 1️⃣ Community is Currency: Nerd culture thrives on connection—Comic Con itself is proof that communities rally around shared passions. With over 130,000 attendees at the latest San Diego Comic-Con and similar numbers globally, it’s clear that fandoms have serious power. 🧠💬 Beyond conventions, online platforms like Discord have exploded to over 150 million active users, many of whom are centred around niche fandoms and communities. 2️⃣ Niche is the New Mainstream: What used to be niche interests now have massive followings (and buying power). The global anime market, for example, is expected to reach $48 billion by 2030, and tabletop gaming grew 15% in 2023, bringing in $14 billion. 🎲📈 Meanwhile, eSports is projected to become a $6.75 billion market by 2030, with events like League of Legends World Championship attracting over 100 million viewers—rivaling traditional sports. 3️⃣ Weird is the Way Forward: Embracing what makes you unique—be it in your product, branding, or approach—can be the key differentiator. As they say, “Being weird is empowering. Being weird is what makes us human. Being weird is fun!” Brands that lean into quirky and niche cultures, like Critical Role with $11.3 million raised on Kickstarter for their animated series, are proving that audiences crave authenticity. #NerdEconomy #BeWeird #ComicCon #CommunityBuilding #Growth #StatsThatMatter

Fun Friday read: The Business of Pretending… In 2018, I made the visual below for the wall of my office in an attempt to bring the ideas of 'The Playful Corporation' [1] to life for me and my team. So it’s great to see that Martin Reeves has built on the thinking of the original article and his book 'The Imagination Machine' in a new article with co-authors Julia Dhar & Philip Jameson. 'The Business of Pretending: How to Play More Adventurous Games' [2] If I had the time, I'd love to add to the original poster with the content from the 'Levelling up your games' section of the article: - non-routine games (e.g. random agenda order by dice roll) - unconstrained games (e.g. what if we tripled the budget?) - counterfactual games (e.g. intentionally boring idea generation) - explicit game-playing (e.g. let's play the disrupt our business strategy game) And this bit particularly resonated: "Across the literature, the consensus is this: Playing games gives organizations inexpensive, rapid feedback on hard questions, allowing them to learn and adapt quickly. It’s a capability that has never been more important... The use of games can be a powerful differentiator for companies pursuing sustained competitive advantage."

Leveling My Business Journey My first t-shirt venture? A complete disaster. Designs ruined before they could dry. A scamming friend who took 50k for a website.Packaging materials torn apart during delivery.Every step felt like a boss-level challenge. My relatives said, "Give up. These are signs to stop." But just like Sung Jinwoo, I saw every failure as an experience point, not a game over. I didn't just survive. I leveled up. 12 days. 100 t-shirts sold. Not because I was the strongest from the start, but because I refused to be defined by my initial weaknesses. In business, like in anime, your greatest power comes from how you respond to challenges. What's your "level up" moment? Share below 👇 Let’s make a difference. #anime #personalbranding

Recently, Rita van Eck introduced me to the world of Wordle game (by The New York Times), and now every morning we try to solve the same puzzle and share our results. Many times we managed to guess the right word with the same number of steps. However, our steps were very different. It's a lot of fun and makes your brain work hard. If you haven't tried it, I really recommend it - I’ll share a link to it in a comment below. 💡 Now, here’s an insight I’ve gained from playing Wordle. Beyond the fun, this game constantly reminds me of the multitude of solutions that exist for any given problem. Let's be honest: we often choose the beaten path because it seems easier and less risky. If someone has done it before, it should work for us too, right? Maybe for some steps, but not for the entire journey. When we try to replicate someone's path to success, we, on the one hand, tend to overlook our unique Point A - where we are starting from. And on the other hand, we limit our creativity, missing countless opportunities to create something absolutely outstanding. I see this all the time in the startup and overall business world - so many attempts to replicate what worked for someone else, leading to wasted time, resources, and potential. Instead, I believe in embracing your own unique journey, learning from both your own failures and successes, big and small, as well as those of others. In the end, even the word S-U-C-C-E-S-S will hold a special, unique meaning for each of us. 😉 #passionatefailure #dontwasteyourfailures #embraceyourjourney

Can you imagine creating a game that is so beloved, it is still selling after 40 years? In 1982, Ken Johnson created the card game Phase 10 in his apartment. Four decades and 80-90 million units sold later, he is STILL getting paid for his creativity! Why? Because he maintained the rights to his intellectual property, including copyright and trademark. You see, Ken did something very important. Every time he licensed Phase10, he made sure ownership of the associated IP remained with him. Put another way, he never assigned it to anyone else. (Today the game is licensed to Mattel.) You never know what’s going to happen with a company, he points out. You have more control this way than having the rights assigned back to you. “I always tell people, if you can hold onto the intellectual property, you should,” says Ken. He hasn’t stopped creating — and that’s exactly what Andrew Krauss and I are excited to interview him about next Wednesday during the Inventors Groups of America monthly meeting on Zoom. For example: — Line extensions of the game are launching this fall in Target and more are planned for next year.  — The Phase 10 app continues to do extremely well worldwide.  — Phase10 ‘Flip’ is a recent spinoff that is succeeding. — Phase10 ‘Express’ is a simpler, lower-cost version available at dollar stores. Our conversation will focus on finding creative ways to explore new markets. Please bring your questions for Ken! This event is free — like all IGA events are — and everyone is welcome. Plus, stick around for small group conversations in Breakout Rooms after. #Entrepreneurship #IntellectualProperty #Licensing #IGA

Hey Rifties! It’s not over! While we didn’t reach our campaign goal this time, we’ve gained valuable insights and are inspired to keep moving forward. Our backers saw a game they wanted to play and backed us, many without ever experiencing it. That’s a powerful testament to the potential of Rift Zone: Contact and motivates us as we plan for the future. We are going to learn from this experience and move forward. A lot went very right. Feedback from playtesters continues to be fantastic and we expect it to only get better. Development continues. There are new features every week!. You can expect future updates as we refine the game and share it more broadly at conventions and through playtesting. If you could take a look at this survey and let us know your thoughts on Rift Zone: Contact, the Boosted Reality team would really appreciate the feedback! https://lnkd.in/gUna5x3K #crowdfund #kickstarter #improvement