Following up on our last update, we are excited to share that our March factory meetings have been incredibly productive.
But first, we owe you a sincere apology for the recent lack of updates. After the campaign ended, we encountered unexpected delays and obstacles regarding the project's fund settlement, and we did not receive the full funds until late January.
As we shared in our last update, we were not idle during this silent period and kept working on refining the game's details. In addition to that, we also spent time conducting on-site factory visits, negotiating, and carefully comparing multiple top-tier manufacturers. Since receiving the full funds in late January, we have been able to officially push things forward and make substantial progress with our factory partners. Moving forward, we will update you much more frequently so you always know exactly where the project stands.
We know that the absolute best way to repay your trust and patience is to deliver a high-quality game without a single compromise. That is our ultimate priority, and here is our next big step toward that goal.
Our Intended Manufacturing Partner After extensive comparisons and physical sample reviews, we are thrilled to announce our intended manufacturing partners: Gameland and their newly established Vietnam branch, Khai Minh.
Gameland is a highly respected board game manufacturer that has been operating since 2006. Over the past 17 years, they have grown into an industry powerhouse. We chose to partner with them for a few key reasons:
A Proven Track Record: They are the manufacturing force behind massive, highly-rated games with premium components, like The Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era and Too Many Bones.
Exceptional Quality Control: Gameland operates with internal inspection standards that are stricter than the industry's baseline, holding major international compliance certifications like FSC and BSCI.
The Vietnam Advantage: Their Vietnam branch, Khai Minh, is a 12,000-square-meter facility specializing in premium paper goods and packaging. By utilizing a dual-hub approach (core manufacturing in China, packaging/export via Vietnam), we can heavily optimize our supply chain, navigate global shipping tariffs more efficiently, and ensure a smoother international delivery process for you.
Note: We are currently finalizing the very last contract details regarding exact volume and pricing, but both sides are fully committed to moving forward.
Production & Delivery Timeline With our funds secured and our manufacturing partner lined up, we are pushing full-steam ahead into mass production. Based on our latest discussions and the factory's schedule, we are optimistic that mass production will be completed in May.
We recognize that this shifts our delivery later than our original estimate. However, taking the time to thoroughly vet and partner with a factory of this caliber is the right choice to ensure Crown arrives exactly as envisioned.
Thank you for standing by us. We are putting everything we have into crossing the finish line, and we look forward to sharing more production milestones with you soon!
Factory Snapshot
Here is a quick look at Gameland’s facilities and their past work:
Factory Facilities
Trusted Partners
Manufactured Games on BGG
Quality Control Process
Best, All of us at BinaryStar Studio & Bifrost Games
First and foremost, we want to sincerely apologize for the lack of updates over the past few months. We know that silence can be frustrating, and we deeply appreciate your patience. While we haven't been posting updates, please rest assured that we have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to make Crown: The Succession War the best game it can possibly be.
We want to give you a transparent look at exactly what we’ve been doing during this time, where we currently stand, and our next steps. 🛠️ What We’ve Been Working On
To ensure the highest quality for the final product, we have been laser-focused on finalizing every single detail before mass production kicks off. Here is a breakdown of our recent progress:
1. Gameplay & Rulebook Polish
Rulebook Adjustments: We’ve been making final tweaks to the rulebook for maximum clarity and flow.
Language & Skill Verification: We conducted multiple rounds of rigorous language proofreading and double-checked all in-game skill descriptions to guarantee a smooth and balanced gameplay experience.
2. Miniature & Component Optimization
Sculpting & Details: We have been in deep communication with our manufacturers to adjust and refine the intricate engraving details on the miniatures.
Material Stability: We've been testing and confirming the material stability of the models to ensure they are both durable and highly detailed.
Final Accessory Checks: We are doing the final confirmations on all game accessories and components.
3. Print Readiness & Logistics
Die-lines & Layouts: We’ve gone through extensive back-and-forth with the factory regarding their feedback on die-lines and have finalized the various printing layouts.
Contracts & Warehousing: On the administrative side, we are locking in our final manufacturing contracts and confirming our warehousing and fulfillment partnerships to ensure smooth shipping later on. 📸 Sneak Peek: Sample Photos!
Sample
Testing the custom plastic inserts to ensure all components fit securely!
🏭 Current Production Status & Timeline
Currently, our team and our manufacturing partners are observing the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) holiday. Because of this, factory operations are temporarily paused.
What happens next? As soon as the holiday concludes, we have meetings scheduled with the factory in March to officially sign off on the final production details mentioned above. Once these March meetings wrap up, mass production will officially begin.
Fulfillment Timeline: Because we are finalizing the manufacturing contracts next month, we will provide a concrete, updated fulfillment timeline in our very next update in March.
Pledge Manager Status: Our Pledge Manager is currently being set up. We will notify everyone and send out the surveys as soon as our fulfillment timeline is finalized next month.
Thank you once again for your incredible support and understanding. We are putting our hearts into this game, and we can't wait to share more exciting news with you next month once the factory reopens!
The campaign has successfully concluded, and we are so excited to move forward with production!
However, we’ve noticed that some pledges have encountered payment issues and could not be processed successfully.
Please check your inbox (and spam folder) for an email from BackerKit with the subject line: "Your payment has failed; please update."
If you received this notification, it means your card was declined (potentially due to insufficient funds or bank security checks). It is crucial that you update your payment information as soon as possible to secure your pledge and keep your special campaign pricing and rewards.
The campaign has officially come to a close, and we are overwhelmed with gratitude.
We want to say a massive THANK YOU to the 555 Backers who pledged their support to bring the Forest Kingdom to life. We also want to extend our thanks to the 2,496 Followers who watched our journey and to every single person, partner, and friend who helped us along the way.
Even after the official countdown hit zero, the excitement didn't stop. We watched in awe as the "Backer Train" on BackerKit kept the momentum going long past the deadline! Our team was glued to the screen, welcoming every new person who jumped aboard at the last second. Watching that timer reset again and again was an unforgettable experience for us.
Please know that every single one of you has made an indelible contribution to making CROWN: The Succession War a reality. This journey with you is a treasure that our team will cherish forever.
What Happens Next?
Now, we shift gears from campaigning to creating. Here is the plan:
Production: We are moving into the production phase as soon as possible.
Updates: We will post regular updates to keep you synchronized with our progress. We promise to keep the communication lines open.
Shipping & Pledge Manager: Shipping fees will be calculated and collected via the Pledge Manager closer to the time of fulfillment. We will notify you well in advance before we are ready to ship.
Thank you for trusting us with your support. The war for the Crown has just begun!
We are officially down to the final 3 hours of the campaign!
Seeing the incredible support during this final sprint has been truly moving for our team. Whether you’ve been with us since day one or just joined the Succession War in the last few minutes, THANK YOU. Your enthusiasm is what brings the Forest Kingdom to life.
As we approach the finish line, we wanted to quickly address a couple of common questions we've received to help you make your final decisions:
1. Pledge Manager & Pricing Some of you have asked about waiting for the Pledge Manager. We want to be transparent: The prices in the Pledge Manager will be slightly higher. The pledge levels you see right now on the campaign page are the lowest prices that will ever be available. If you want to secure the best possible deal for CROWN, backing now is the way to go!
2. Retailers, Publishers & Group Buys Are you a retailer, a publisher interested in localization, or a group of friends looking to save on shipping? We’d love to work with you!
Retailers & Group Buys: If you are looking to purchase multiple copies (bulk orders), please email us at [email protected]. We are happy to offer a discount for bulk orders!
Why this helps everyone: larger orders help us increase our total print run volume. A larger print run helps us negotiate better manufacturing costs and potentially optimize shipping logistics for everyone.
Thank you for helping us bring this game to more players around the world.
