Guild Ball Update 2: Building a Business Case Together

Welcome back, sports fans! (We’re still getting used to writing that again.)

As promised in the Q&A livestream, Mat Hart is here to share some insight into the business case for Guild Ball. This article does go into some of the dryer topics, like metrics and measurements, but if you’re looking for a view into what’s going on internally at Steamforged (when we’re doing the boring day job part, at least), this is where you’ll find it. 

The reception so far has been way better than we could have hoped, and very encouraging. The Q&A livestream was a lot of fun to do with so many familiar faces in the chat. 

One of the things we discussed in that stream, and the very reason I’m writing this, is how we’d measure success going forward, and what that could mean for the future. 

Before we continue, I want to make it really clear that the below doesn’t impact Guild Ball being available to order from our website in its current form. It also doesn’t impact us working with the GBCP to release the updated errata. Our intention was to give Guild Ball a place to live on and provide a way for new players to get into the game. That hasn’t changed, and the things we’ve already committed to—such as releasing the Minor Guild crossover models in April—aren’t going to change, either. 

The below is purely to give you some insight into our strategy for assessing Guild Ball’s future, and what kinds of data we’ll be looking at when it comes to making bigger decisions in the long term. We’re still taking things one step at a time, but the below should give you some idea of what we’re using to guide us when deciding what those next steps will be.

What We’re Measuring

We’ve boiled this down into six key areas:

• Community feedback, reviews, and overall sentiment 
• Social engagement, including likes, shares, and comments (sentiment analysis will be crucial here, too)
• Traffic and engagement on Guild Ball pages, our website, and on Discord
• Miniature order numbers
• Retailer and distributor feedback
• Overall market trends

What Does Success Look Like?

Success for Guild Ball is hard to define purely using numbers on a spreadsheet. It’s the sound of dice rolling in clubs and gaming stores, the buzz of tournament excitement, and the community spirit that turns gamers into friends. Still, we know now that sustainable success hinges on clear, measurable outcomes, which is why we’ve highlighted the key metrics we’ll be monitoring above. 

In addition, Toby Davies, our Commercial Director, will be working with other key stakeholders across the team to build a sales forecast for Guild Ball. This will then be measured against the projected cost to Steamforged to support this line. If this number is positive, we’re in a good spot! And if not, then we work out when the lines will cross, and build towards that instead!

With all of the above in mind, here’s what we’ll be looking for when measuring success:

Strong engagement inside community spaces 

Active online community spaces, like Discord, are a key indicator of community engagement. Places where newcomers and veterans alike share strategies, stories, and their passion for Guild Ball. Engagement is a two-way street, and we’re active ourselves daily in our Guild Ball channel in the SFG Discord. 

In-person events are another key indicator of community engagement, and it’s been fantastic to see the explosion in Guild Ball events over the last month. There are already three times as many registered events on Longshanks so far in the first half of this year than the first half of last year. We're in the very early stages of exploring ways to offer a central events calendar resource so players can easily see what’s happening in their local area, and we’re aiming to have this live by May.

Growing digital footprint outside community spaces

We’re into some of the dryer realms of coverage metrics and sentiment analysis here, but in essence this covers areas such as social media buzz, website traffic, and industry press articles. This will help gauge wider interest and just how hot of a topic Guild Ball is in minis gaming.

Positive sales

This is probably the most obvious metric for any business case: is there consistent demand for the Guild Ball range now it’s available again? There isn’t a hard and fast sales figure which needs to be met, just whether we’re seeing a healthy appetite and a positive sales trajectory for Guild Ball. 

Distribution and retail

We’re fortunate to have built strong relationships with a wide variety of distributors and retailers, and discussing the future of Guild Ball and how it fits with current market trends will help determine exactly through which channels Guild Ball is available. This will provide us with crucial context for any business case. The conversations here will start very soon when we travel to the GAMA trade show next month, and I’ll be discussing Guild Ball in person with many of them.

To sum up the above, success is being able to tell the story of a thriving Guild Ball ecosystem sustained by a vibrant, welcoming community. If we can point to the above and show it’s a game being actively played, talked about, and loved, that’s our business case for Guild Ball.

Your Voice

Your feedback and engagement are crucial in this process, and we encourage you to share your thoughts and ideas with us in the Discord. The community voice will be a guiding force in shaping the future of Guild Ball. 

Your engagement will not only help us in making our business case; you can help make the case with us. Every event you organise or attend, every time you post your latest game or newly painted minis, and every bit of enthusiasm you have for Guild Ball that shows others what a great game it is and what a great community it has, will only help strengthen every single metric.

Looking Ahead

We’re optimistic about what the future holds for Guild Ball. We do believe we can chart a course that revitalises the game in a way that respects its legacy and looks forward to new and exciting developments, with you along each step of the way.

Thank you for being an integral part of the Guild Ball community. Your support and enthusiasm make this journey worthwhile.