Kinda Funny Perspective
What I want this story to do is to put into perspective how much money it costs to get to that point. There is no huge flood of cash here, this is four people working very hard to make a very decent livable wage in content. That $408,000 a year is a workable budget for a four-person media company, but it’s far from obscene. It’s a realistic budget for the work they’re going to be doing.
It’s also very possible that in terms of hours worked and money cleared on a per-person basis they’re making less than they made at IGN. What they’re earning is the possibility of greater success, and that success will be owned by them free and clear. That’s an amazing feeling.
A colleague of mine and I discussed many of these points moments after the news broke, of which I posted here:
As an employee of a large tech firm, I deeply understand the desire to freely speak about the industry you are a part of and the prohibitions instated. The benefit Kinda Funny Games has over other would-be media personalities is an established fanbase; however, that makes it no easier to cast aside benefits, workplace friendships, and security.
It’s scary that Kuchera felt the need to write this piece. Hard to believe that most didn’t run these numbers themselves, if just to flirt with the idea of starting their own Patreon. (Then again, Kuchera is more privy to the zeitgeist of games media than myself.)
Without a doubt, Kinda Funny will be a challenging venture; however, the opportunity to break-even creating and owning what you love is a challenge worth taking.