This technical achievement has earned Poots a notable reputation, leading to a surge of sculptors entering the scene, and he currently offers several dozen figurines under his name. In 2010, he transitioned to full-time work and partnered with a European production house to create limited runs of his figures in resin. "My production partner is based in France, and we rely on Google Translate for communication. From what I gather, he’s a peculiar master of his craft, managing everything from a small village," he shares. As his product line expanded, so did his income, with Poots remarking, "I earn significantly more selling small plastic figures than I did designing websites."
Over two years, his business steadily grew and received several industry accolades along the way (there’s even an equivalent of the Academy Awards for miniatures). However, Poots still aspired to develop a full-fledged game. His vision for gameplay evolved alongside his figure line. "I wanted the game to be playable without a dungeon master, where the system itself could take on that role," he explains. "I aimed for the game world to convey a harsh reality, allowing players to immerse themselves through the miniatures."
Poots describes his design approach as an evolution of his previous experience. "Game design is quite similar to website or app design; there needs to be a logical and mechanical flow. I always consider, ‘What will the experience be like the first time someone opens the box? What happens during subsequent plays?’"
He launched a Kickstarter campaign to secure funds for production, aiming to transition his limited edition resin miniatures into mass-producible, injection-molded game pieces. Despite many game companies finding success on Kickstarter, Poots admits he’s somewhat surprised by the positive reception of his offerings on the crowdfunding platform. "Most successful products on Kickstarter tend to be technology or trendy gadgets; my products are rooted in timeless concepts."
Even with six-figure funding on the horizon, Poots maintains his independence, steering clear of partners and investors. "I’m a one-man operation, though my girlfriend supports me tremendously and has spent many nights helping me package items." He is collaborating with a publisher named "Cool Mini Or Not," which has also seen success on Kickstarter, to assist with fulfillment.
According to data from Kicktraq, the Kingdom Death project is now averaging $28,000 in daily pledges. Poots shares, "It’s generating over a thousand dollars an hour—I’ll go to bed for eight hours and wake up with an additional ten thousand." Thus, a good night’s rest can yield as much as his initial investment. While he’s uncertain about the game’s fate post-campaign, he’s inclined to bypass traditional distribution methods in favor of directly serving his fans. Kingdom Death was designed to instill fear in players, but with such overwhelming success, it may be traditional game companies that should be concerned.
Photos: Adam Poots