We’re excited to share that every single reward from this campaign has now been packed and shipped out to backers around the world! 🎉
If you haven’t yet received your tracking link or your package, don’t worry, just send me an email at [email protected] and I’ll personally guide you through the next steps. Whether it’s a missing tracking number, a delivery delay, or a problem in your package, I’m here to help make sure your order finds its way to you.
Your patience and support have meant the world to me throughout this process. Thank you for being part of this project and for making it possible to bring these rewards to life.
Dropping in for an update on Greeting Games! As with previous updates, there are more details in my Dev Log (schedule, more on the survey mishap, etc), and below is a more concise summary.
Surveys are out! And mishap fixed!
First, the surveys have been out for about 2 weeks... but several required a reset due to some issues with a shipping calculation and a page that was added to the survey.
I appreciate both folks reporting concerns so I can know something needed fixing AND the patience with working through them.
Larger order holiday cards timing
I did get a question about when larger orders (25 of one kind), to make sure they'll arrive in time for folks using them for holiday cards.
These will be ordered in September, along with the other cards, and they'll likely arrive in late September to very early October. There's a good chance these will arrive before the other orders since they're shipping straight from the printer (which is why there's free US shipping).
If anyone wants to add a large box of cards to their order, there's an add-on option for US-located backers that can be added to the survey, and adding this won't increase your shipping cost if you're in the US.
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If you have any questions about the surveys, the quickest way to resolve is to email me at [email protected] since it goes straight to my inbox instead of waiting for it to shake hands with Backerkit to email me a comments summary. I'm just getting back into the swing of things from GenCon, so I will be going through all emails and my spam box today to make sure I'm not missing any.
We hope you're doing well and enjoying your summer adventures. We have a few important updates to share regarding production progress, pledge management, and upcoming conventions!
🛠️ Production Update
We recently received the Eproofs from our manufacturer and discovered a few issues that needed to be corrected. While delays are never fun, quality is our top priority, and we’re committed to making sure Hercules and the 12 Labors looks and feels as epic as the story it's based on.
✅ The good news: We’ve corrected the problems and are now waiting on new physical proofs for one final round of approval before full production begins.
We know this pushes our timeline back a bit, and we really appreciate your patience. Rest assured, we want this game to be something truly special, and that means getting it right.
💳 Locking Orders & Credit Card Charge Dates
We’ve been getting a few questions about when credit cards will be charged, so here’s the full breakdown of our current plan:
🔒 Lock Orders: BackerKit orders will be locked on August 25th. You’ll receive a notice beforehand, giving you time to make any final changes or add-ons.
💳 Card Charges: Credit cards will be charged on August 29th.
🕒 Late Pledges: If you joined late, your order will also be locked on August 25th.
And yes, we’re still getting new pledges daily. Welcome to all our newest backers!
🎲 Gen Con: Come Say Hi!
We'll be at Gen Con this year, running demos and showcasing Hercules and the 12 Labors at Booth 2659! Even more exciting, our manufacturer will be hand delivering the latest physical proofs to us at the show. If you're attending, swing by and be among the first to see the newest version of the game up close!
Thank you again for your continued support and enthusiasm. We’re so excited to bring this mythological adventure to life, and we couldn’t do it without you.
Since your amazing support helped us to create the Deck of Many Insults, this cheeky card deck has been bringing smiles to the faces of thousands of RPGers! And we keep getting asked for more.
And of course there is much more! Because the Deck of Many Insults has already inspired something very fun to bring a smile to your RPG -
What if there was a party game you play during D&D? Well there is! Dumb Dares and Silly Side Quests is the In Character Game for your RPG Party. Officially releasing at Gen Con 2025, this is the game you play in character during your RPG session. While you can grab the core box now (its at Gen Con and pre orders on our websites are shipping now so you'll get it asap), it will also be available as an add on during this campaign, and in some pledge levels so you can get the whole range in one place.
There will of course be much more available in the campaign which we will reveal as we go live next month, in the meantime be sure to follow so you get notified when we launch!
You don't want to miss this epic campaign and all the extra fun we have planned :)
We're moving into the final phase of getting ArchRavels: Magic Socks into your hands and on your tables.
As you're aware, this project has encountered some unexpected delays in manufacturing and freight, and we’re incredibly grateful for your patience and continued support. Your backing has kept this project moving forward, and we’re almost there.
🚢 Where Things Stand with Shipping The full shipment is expected to be loaded onto the boat within the next week. Once it departs, delivery is typically 60–90 days away, depending on freight transit time, customs clearance, and final fulfillment.
That means most backers should expect to receive their games sometime this fall.
Within a few weeks here we will be updating again with details regarding the shipping & Tariff/VAT costs depending on where you live.
Since we’re passing through these costs, we’ve got two gates to get through before we can verify these numbers:
Confirming our tariff charges on the full shipment
Locking & confirming backer addresses
With that in mind, once we have confirmation that our shipment is on the water, we will start the clock on updating addresses. Once that window closes, you can expect clarity on fulfillment costs shortly afterward.
🎟️ But—If You're Going to Gen Con... We’re offering a pickup option at Gen Con 2025 for backers who want to get their games a little earlier.
Due to newly imposed U.S.–China tariffs, our shipping costs have increased significantly. To help offset this and keep XYZ Game Labs financially sustainable, we’ve made the difficult decision to bring limited inventory to sell at Gen Con. This includes ArchRavels: Magic Socks and the three theme packs.
We understand that selling at conventions before backer fulfillment isn’t ideal in crowdfunding—and we really didn’t want to be in that situation. But offering pickup for backers first is our way of honoring your support while also doing what we need to survive the current logistics climate.
✅ Gen Con Pickup Details
What’s Available for Pickup:
ArchRavels: Magic Socks
Theme Packs: Cuddles, Cryptids, and Dinos
If your pledge includes other items—such as expansions or bundle exclusives—those will still be shipped to you later when they arrive.
What You’ll Need to Pick Up:
Your Name used for the pledge
Your email address used for the pledge
Your Backer Number for the pledge
A Photo ID
Pickup Fee: There will be a $5 per-item fee to cover tariffs and handling (e.g., 1 Magic Socks Expansion + 3 theme packs = $20 total).
Thanks again for sticking with us through this long journey. We can’t wait for you to finally experience Magic Socks. Whether it’s at Gen Con or a few weeks later, it’s almost time to get crafty again!
Exciting news! The card games have officially arrived and they look fantastic. We’re so thrilled to finally have them in hand and we can’t wait to get them to you.
To ensure smooth delivery, we’ll be locking shipping addresses in 48 hours. Please take a moment to review and confirm your address through BackerKit before the deadline.
If you’ve recently moved or expect to move soon, make sure your address is up to date so your rewards reach you safely.
Thank you once again for your amazing support and patience. Fulfillment is almost here and we can’t wait for you to enjoy the game.
Each day, there will be two match-ups, and only backers will be able to vote. Voting will be open for approximately 24 hours for each match-up, with the winners announced once per day.
All backers will get the FREE FOIL PROMO CARD of the winning hero!!! Who do you want to win?
Visit the Hero Bracket page to vote on all open polls! Once the poll is closed, it is closed and the next round begins. DO NOT MISS OUT!
