The Board Game Billionaire: From a $10k Kickstarter to $100M/Year Business

April 21, 2025 by Hubspot Media

"Games should not be entertaining. Games should make the people you're playing with entertaining."

"This is a no; I must be asking the wrong question."

"If you want to win this game, you've got to figure out what the rules are, invent your own where you need to and get to that finish line before anybody else."

In this episode, Alon Lee shares his remarkable journey from the world of video games at Xbox to becoming the co-creator of the wildly successful card game Exploding Kittens. The episode kicks off with a discussion about the surprising success of their Kickstarter campaign, which aimed to raise just $10,000 but quickly skyrocketed to $2 million in just 48 hours, thanks largely to a single post from his collaborator, Matthew Inman from The Oatmeal.

Alon delves into his personal motivations behind creating games, reflecting on how his love for relationship-building games influenced his design philosophy. He believes that games should not merely entertain but should instead make players entertaining together. This philosophy guided his approach to game design, leading to the creation of games that foster connections and laughter among players.

The conversation touches on his unconventional marketing strategies, including a creative urinal advertisement campaign and a quirky vending machine that dispensed random items, which captured public attention and generated significant interest without traditional advertising costs. Alon emphasizes the need for entrepreneurs to embrace creativity and think outside the box when facing challenges.

Alon’s passion for games shines through as he discusses his creative process, encouraging listeners to identify problems and set parameters for success rather than relying solely on traditional brainstorming techniques. He reinforces the idea that innovation often stems from frustrations and inquiries into how existing norms can be improved.

As the episode concludes, Alon shares his current endeavors, including his efforts to educate others on game design through social media, demonstrating his commitment to sharing knowledge and fostering creativity in the next generation of game makers.

Key Takeaways

Success often stems from unconventional approaches and creative problem-solving.
Engagement with the community can be more effective than traditional marketing.
Games should aim to foster connections and make players the source of entertainment.
Constraints can drive creativity and lead to innovative solutions.
Identifying problems and setting clear parameters for success are crucial in design.