FULL-STEAM-AHEAD KICKSTARTER FOR CHAOSIUM

Chaosium, known for iconic titles like Call of Cthulhu and RuneQuest, was re-entering the board game space after years of focusing primarily on tabletop role-playing games. Despite a strong IP, their initial announcement of Horror on the Orient Express did not generate significant buzz.

In a competitive year for board game Kickstarters, Chaosium needed to stand out and capture the attention of both board game enthusiasts and TTRPG fans. Our goal was to boost press coverage and build excitement within these communities ahead of their Kickstarter campaign.

We kicked off by re-announcing Horror on the Orient Express with stronger messaging and a focus on press familiar with Chaosium’s Call of Cthulhu brand. This helped reset the narrative and engage outlets with built-in awareness of the IP.

We pre-seeded the news with top-tier tabletop press and maintained steady momentum with key campaign updates. In parallel, we activated the community on Reddit and Facebook to encourage organic discussion and fan engagement.

Our outreach secured consistent press coverage from top-tier outlets, including Forbes, GamesRadar+, Comicbook.com, Bell of Lost Souls, and TechRaptor. At the same time, our community efforts sparked lively conversation in Reddit threads and tabletop-focused Facebook groups, helping build momentum from both media and fans.

The campaign reached its Kickstarter goal in just 10 minutes and ultimately drew support from over 13,000 backers, raising more than $1.6 million. As a result of the strategic messaging, media outreach, and Kickstarter success, the campaign firmly established Chaosium's return to board gaming and set Horror on the Orient Express on the right track for breakout success.