<script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>To launch Fire Noodle Eating Champs: The Dice Game! Me and Wombok Games created a public launch event which turned into a Noodle Party Game Night!

The event was a great success! We had a dice game tournament, food-themed games, noodles and sponsored giveaways and brew! According to our raffle tickets, over 50 people came through and played games all night.

I’ve put on many gaming events in the past including an unofficial Catan tournament and KLASK Club. This was one of the most successful events I’ve run. We turned this event around in a month on a budget of less than $100. Many people asked me how I was able to get sponsors and put on a gaming event. Here is some advice from the lessons I learned putting on gaming events over the years.

Begin with a Game Plan.

It’s important to come in with a plan. It doesn’t need to be the most detailed plan but having some framework and understanding of what the event is and what you are doing will help set expectations. This is also useful to help sell and promote the event later on as well as to build a plan for sponsorship.

General outline:

• How many people do you expect?
• What is the goal of the event?
• Where is it held?
• What equipment do you need?
• General marketing plan?
• Bump in / Bump out

Here is the plan we used.

MVP: Start Small and Build Up.

Create an MVP of the most basic event to make it happen.

For this event, if I can get 10 - 20 people to come and play FNEC the board game and videogame with some drinks and noodles, I would be happy!

From then you can build up and turn it into something bigger and better.

The event grew into a food-themed game night where we showcased not only FNEC but also a variety of food-themed games from other publishers.

Sponsors: Just Ask.

I reached out to sponsors and was blessed to have such a great response!

I reached out Heaps Normal and they gave us cases of brews. I reached out to game publishers that were the right fit and they gave me games to play and giveaway.

A lot of people asked me how I got all these sponsors.

In the words of my hero, Nardwuar the Human Serviette. “Just ask'“

Some tips when writing:

• Keep it concise
• Write what your event is about
• How many people do you expect
• Be clear on what you want from them
• Explain why it makes sense for them to support the event.
• Provide them with what you can do to help promote their brand (Shoutouts on socials, deliverables at the event etc)

Just reach out, the worst they can say is no or not respond.

Event Design: Not Everyone Wants to Play Your Game.

At uni, I took a curatorial practice class. One of the biggest lessons I learned was how to design exhibition spaces and the importance of seat placement. You are designing space for people to feel comfortable not just to enjoy art.

A similar ethos is what I take to all my events. Not everyone is there to play the game. Some people are happy to watch. Others don’t care about the game and just want to talk to friends. Creating space for people to enjoy is just as important as the game itself.

Pro tip: Create other ways to interact with the event/game. For this event, I also created posters encouraging people to write and promote other Asian creators and places.

Getting a Venue: They Want You There.

I was lucky to have the support of the Sabby Gallery who were able to provide free space and they were the perfect fit as they frequently put on gaming events.

In the past, I’ve hosted free events at other spaces like pubs and clubs for free. Just like finding sponsors, just ask! The worst they can say is no. I find that pubs and clubs are more than happy to provide you with free space. At the end of the day, you're bringing people into their venue.

Promoting: No One Cares About Your Games.

First thing first. No one cares about your event. You have to make people care. Don’t be afraid to post and post frequently through the week and month leading up to it.

For this event, I spend $0 on ads. We posted online on social media, discords and from our connection. I was fortunate that Sara and I had connections to the video and board game community that helped raise awareness about our event. Getting people to repost and retweet, finding sponsors and the right venue also helped as they too can help push promotional materials to their audience.

Once the event is over the promotion doesn’t stop. Show the end of the event and thank everyone for coming and update them on what’s next.

More Pictures from the Launch Event!

4 Takeaways

1. Plan. It doesn’t have to be the most detailed plan so long as you have one.
2. MVP. Understand what the MVP for the event is and build up from there.
3. Ask. Don't be afraid to ask sponsors and venues. The worst they can say is no.
4. Promote. None cares about the event. You need to make them care.

What’s Next

Fire Noodle Eating Champs: The Dice Game has launched but the development doesn’t stop! I had a great response from the public at the launch event and at conventions. I plan to continue working on the game and would love to do a run of games. Whether it’s through a publisher or self-published.

This is a repost from my blog. Please subscribe and join me on the journey!