Greetings Adventurers!

Hope you are all doing well! Art should be finished with the week and is looking amazing!

This was the last step before production so at this point we are just waiting for a tariff update that is a signed deal or at least 120 days.

Our prototype dice have also arrived!
Loving them but not sure on visibility for the green ones.

If you guys have any ideas on the best color for visibility let me know please! 

I will keep updating as we go and once soon as we have some clear way moving forward with production you will be the first to know! 

As always thanks so much for the support and input! 

Aric

Hey everyone, Aric here with a difficult but necessary update regarding Duelgeon production.

Unfortunately, we've hit a significant and unexpected roadblock due to sudden, drastic changes in US trade policy. While we had planned and budgeted for potential tariffs, the recently imposed rates on goods from our manufacturing partners (as high as 145%+) are far beyond anything anticipated or sustainable for a small business like ours.

To put it bluntly, this isn't a matter of losing margins; tariffs at these levels make importing the physical game financially impossible. My original $7k manufacturing quote, for example, could balloon to $18k or more just to get the games through customs. This is simply not feasible, and I wouldn't ask you to bear that astronomical cost increase.

The situation is also incredibly volatile, with rates changing unpredictably. Placing an order now carries a huge risk that tariffs could surge even higher by the time the games are ready to ship and reach the US port (a 3-6 month process).

So, what are we doing?

Right now, work is still continuing on finalizing the artwork and the rule book, So if you were an Art Connoisseur please reach to me with whatever reference you want for the game!

 However, we are pausing placing the actual manufacturing order until we have more clarity. We're actively exploring a few potential paths forward and desperately need your feedback:

 Wait & Hope: We can hold off on manufacturing for now, hoping the tariff situation stabilizes or improves through negotiations. The risk here is continued uncertainty and potential further negative changes.

 Explore Other Manufacturing: We are researching alternative manufacturing options in different countries, but realistically, finding partners with the right quality and cost outside the established hubs (like Vietnam) is challenging and may not avoid tariffs entirely.

Shift to Digital: We could pivot focus to creating a polished digital version of Duelgeon for platforms like Steam. This avoids the tariff issue entirely and ensures everyone gets a version of the game, albeit different from the initial physical plan. This would still take development time.

Your Feedback is Crucial, so please let me know what you think the best option is in the discord  https://discord.gg/29MJ6FeSaa or with a comment here.

I understand this is frustrating news. My commitment is to deliver something of value to you, my backers. Please let me know your thoughts and preferences on these options, either here in the comments or over on our Discord channel. What path forward would you be most comfortable with under these difficult circumstances?

I also would like to address refunds. Because the funds raised have already been significantly invested in crucial development aspects like artwork, graphic design, prototyping, 3d modeling, and other essential pre-production costs, we unfortunately cannot offer refunds at this time. I know this isn't ideal, but those funds have been spent in good faith towards creating Duelgeon. My focus now is finding the best possible solution to deliver the game in some form despite these external challenges.

I've paused all future projects to dedicate my full attention to resolving this. Thank you so much for your understanding, patience, and support as we navigate this unexpected storm. I'll keep you updated as the situation evolves as best I can, once we have a clear path or enough of you guys have shared how you would like to proceed!

Also here is some of the Art coming in, cant wait to show off more as it comes in!

I hope this gets tariff situation gets resolved in a timely manner but either way ill make sure you guys get your money worth! 

Thanks, Aric

Wow, Adventurers! The Pocketopia event has officially closed, and thanks to you, the Duelgeon campaign was a massive success! I am absolutely blown away by your support and enthusiasm. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

The Next Chapter: Production! Now, the real adventure begins – bringing Duelgeon to life! Over the coming weeks and months, we'll be diving headfirst into: 

Pledge Manager Incoming! Keep an eye on your email inbox! You'll receive an invitation to the BackerKit Pledge Manager. This is crucial for: 

Please complete it promptly so we can lock in production counts!

Want to Help Polish the Rules? As we finalize everything, we'll be putting the polish on the rule book. We'd love to get some extra eyes on it to ensure it's crystal clear! If you're interested in volunteering to proofread the digital version please reach out directly to me on Discord Your feedback will be invaluable!

Stay Tuned! Remember, we'll be posting updates on our progress roughly every two weeks right here on BackerKit. Seriously, from the bottom of my hearts, thank you for making Duelgeon a reality. I couldn't have done it without this incredible community!

Best regards, Aric

Greetings Adventurers!

We're heading into the final hours of the Duelgeon campaign within the Pocketopia event! There are less than 24 hours left before it all wraps up on April 3rd! Thank you all so much for your incredible help and support during this amazing event!

Stretch Goal UNLOCKED! Amazing news – thanks to you, we just smashed through our 3rd Stretch Goal! This officially locks in the custom insert for the game! This fantastic upgrade will keep all your components safe and sound inside the box and help make setup and storage a breeze. This has been an incredible journey during Pocketopia, and we truly couldn't have reached this point without each and every one of you. 

                                                     More of the monster art coming in! 

What's Next? (Pledge Manager) Keep an eye on your email after the Pocketopia event concludes on April 3rd. We'll be using BackerKit for pledge management, and you'll receive a survey link via email to finalize your pledge, add-ons, and shipping details. It's important to fill this out so we can get you your game!

Staying Updated We're committed to keeping you in the loop! Expect updates here on BackerKit roughly every two weeks as we move into production. You can also follow our day-to-day progress and chat with the community here: 

Thank you again for everything – your support, your feedback, and your enthusiasm have been fantastic. You are all the real legends! Best, Aric

Greetings Adventurers!
We're heading into the final week of the Pocketopia crowdfunding event on BackerKit! Thank you all for your incredible support for Duelgeon as part of this celebration of portable games. We are a mere $250 from the Next goal and I'm positive we will hit it this weekend at the con!

Heading to WonderCon? If you're attending WonderCon in Anaheim this weekend (March 28-30), be sure to find us! We'll be running non-stop Duelgeon demos to spread the word and share the fun. We'd love to see you there, you can find us in the Game Demo areas for all active hours!

Project Progress & Art Sneak Peek Duelgeon development is continuing smoothly! To give you a glimpse of the ongoing art creation, check out this fantastic new monster illustration:  Here's a look at some of the creatures lurking in the ruins!

Attention Art Connoisseur Tier Backers! A special heads-up for those who backed Duelgeon at the Art Connoisseur tier: We will contact you immediately after the Pocketopia event concludes on April 3rd. Our goal is to finalize the remaining custom art pieces with your input as quickly as possible to keep production on schedule. Please keep an eye on your inbox and respond promptly so we can get Duelgeon to you faster!

Explore Pocketopia While you're on BackerKit, consider checking out some of the other amazing portable games featured in Pocketopia before it ends on April 3rd!

Questions? Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns about Duelgeon. Let's finish strong! 

Best regards,
Aric