At the inception of Dragonmeet stood Modiphius Entertainment, today one of the most prolific and influential tabletop game publishers and distributors around. CEO Chris Birch has always demonstrated not only a true understanding of the hobby, but also a genuine passion for it, and so we come to him to get an update on how Modiphius has been doing at the convention Chris originally built from the ground up.
LifeBytes Magazine: So Chris, I also wanted to interview some other people here, but they're all project managers who only know about their stuff. So it seems you're the only person who actually knows what's up with Modiphius as a whole!
Chris Birch: Well, there are others, thankfully! We've got a lot of new stuff. We've got the Dreams and Machines role-playing game line here, which includes the Player's Guide, the Gamemaster’s Guide, and a beautiful slipcase. We've got more coming out soon. The solo role-playing game for Star Trek has been a huge hit since we launched it a couple of months ago as well.
Solo role-playing seems to be quite a thing right now.
Yes, a lot of people don't have time to meet with their group as often. Solo role-playing games are great for those whose troupes meet only once a week or once a month. It gives you control over your storyline. As people get older and have families, life gets busy. You don't often have a whole night to roleplay; you might have just an hour.
You just told me that you're doing a solo version of every role-playing game you'll be publishing. Is that something that's in the works?
We're working on it. Solo games have been a huge hit for us. We've got more on the way. We already have a lot of solo stuff, like our wargames. We've got a solo game for Cohors Cthulhu as well.
You were so excited about that last year. How's it going?
We just finished the Kickstarter, and it did amazingly well.
That's really good, especially for a brand new IP that not many people know about.
Yes, it was. It's another story that complements our Achtung! Cthulhu gaming line. We've got the wargame version coming up in the spring, which is another Kickstarter. It will include lots of monsters and miniatures, and you'll be using other companies' Roman soldiers along with ours.
We've got a new edition, a new 5th Edition supplement with a standalone book that includes an alien hunting bug hunt game. We also have new stuff like a map pack for Fallout, the Settler's Guide Book for the Fallout role-playing game, and we'll see the TV series coming soon.
There's a huge interest in Fallout.
Yes, and we work with the people doing the TV series as well, so it's all canon for the universe.
That's amazing.
Yes, and there's lots of stuff still coming out for the Fallout miniatures game and the The Elder Scrolls: Call to Arms miniatures game. There's always too much to talk about. There are so many games.
Let's talk about the industry as a whole. It seems to be expanding ever since a lot of people thought it would slow down after the COVID lockdowns, but it doesn't seem to have lost momentum.
It has in some ways. What people don't realize is that a lot of big companies, distributors, and retailers have stock mountains – wa too much stock that they're trying to sell off. Everyone probably bought too much stock during the COVID burst. In hindsight, of course, it wasn't going to last. There's a lot of it, so things have slowed down in terms of distributors and retailers buying stock. Online sales are still healthy, but a lot of companies are going bust. I know of six companies that have gone under in the last few months. They can't fulfill their Kickstarters or they're losing money. It's very sad.
There are a lot of stock issues. Web sales are very healthy, though. People are still buying, but prices are going up. We launched something recently, and it felt relatively expensive until you compare it to similar products. For example, a map pack is 37 pounds now, but map packs were like 30 pounds 10 years ago. Costs have gone up for everything: shipping, printing, paper. Still, book prices haven't gone up by 30%, even though the cost of paper has. We try to absorb a lot of the price rises because we know people can't afford a huge jump.
Is there anything we can do to help the industry?
Buy more books. We all want to pay artists more and offer better wages, but it's tough if you're only selling a few thousand books. There isn't much margin. If you sell a million copies, it's easier to spread the cost, but if you only sell a few thousand, you're barely making money. Kickstarter has been great for gauging interest and ensuring minimum print runs. Even big companies use crowdfunding to offer cool extras and fund their projects.
It sounds like it's important for the industry to stay creative to keep attracting people.
Yes, because there's no easy money in this industry. People come into it because they love it, not to get rich. You have to be creative and passionate.
I always tell people about Fashion Week. Designers there are usually not very humble. They think their designs will change the world. But in the gaming industry, people seem more grounded.
Yes, gaming people are real. We're in it because we love games, not for the money. Even in fashion, unless you're really big, you don't make much money.
I noticed you're still hiring.
Yes, we are. We recently hired a PR manager and a customer service person.
Are these jobs based in the UK?
Yes, on UK time.
So, what's next on the horizon for you and your team?
We're always looking at new projects and ideas. We've got some exciting new IPs in the works and expansions for our existing lines. We're also exploring more digital integrations to enhance the gaming experience. It's all about keeping things fresh and engaging for our players.
How do you stay inspired to keep creating new content?
Inspiration comes from everywhere – books, movies, other games, and even conversations with fans. We listen to what our community wants and try to deliver on that. Our team is passionate about gaming, so there's always a flow of new ideas and creativity.
Speaking of community, how important is fan feedback to your development process?
It's crucial. Our fans are the lifeblood of our games. We rely on their feedback to make improvements and guide future developments. Platforms like Kickstarter and social media have made it easier than ever to connect with our audience and get real-time input.
Any final thoughts or messages for our readers?
Just a big thank you to everyone who supports us. Whether you're buying our games, participating in our Kickstarters, or just spreading the word, it all means a lot to us. We're excited about what's to come and can't wait to share more with you all.
Thank you so much for your time, Chris. It's been great talking with you.
Thank you! It’s been a pleasure.
Dirk Vandereyken
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