Accelerator

More about the Roforco Accellerator

This is an overview of how the accelerator operates, including how funding works and what to expect during the program.

The problem

The Roblox gaming market has become more saturated and competitive than ever, making it increasingly difficult for small studios and teams to create successful games. To break into the front page and remain competitive, indie developers require more resources than ever before, but funding options are limited.

Furthermore, smaller studios lack the infrastructure and network of larger companies, leading to time-consuming distractions from important tasks such as marketing, hiring, and staying up-to-date with data and insights.

The solution

The Roforco accelerator is the missing piece for small game studios and teams. It provides developers with the skills, resources, and funding necessary to create successful games in a saturated and competitive market.

By joining the accelerator, developers can focus on creating fun and engaging games while we handle the logistics and infrastructure, from pre-production to marketing and LiveOps. Our goal is to empower talented developers and give them a real shot at reaching the front page, bringing a new wave of hits to the platform.

How does it work?

The 3-month remote program takes teams through various stages from ideation to release and liveOps. While working on your project, you will have a high degree of independence and will be responsible for managing your team’s day-to-day activities. However we do provide guidance on planning and milestones.

Weekly check-ins, meetings, and other batch activities are included throughout the program and our support is tailored to your stage of development. Your group partner will be your main contact to guide you and help you gain maximum value from the accelerator.

When is the first batch and how long does it last?

The application deadline marks the start of batch #1, which officially begins between June 12-19. and runs for approximately 3 months until the ceremonial end at RDC 2023 on September 8th.

Throughout this time, developers will have the opportunity to complete and polish their games through soft launch in preparation for growth before RDC. Underneath is a simplified general timeline of the first batch however keep in mind each game is different and will be at different stages at different times.

Applications open

Start development

Marketing and Growth

Batch #1 start,
Pre-Production

Soft-launch

Batch-end
RDC 2023

Autonomy and creative freedom

Teams in the accelerator work independently and with a high level of creative freedom. They have control over their game’s development and decide what to create. The accelerator mainly provides guidance and advice, with the only constraints being the budget, project timeline, and overall direction agreed upon beforehand.

Furthermore, teams have full control over their team, hiring and day-to-day operations, with a high degree of freedom in determining how they work, subject to our basic operations and technical standards.

However, with this independence also comes a high level of responsibility and self-management for the teams. If they are not able to achieve this, we may offer management support to help them stay on track and achieve their goals.

Funding

The funding for each team is determined on a case-by-case basis, depending on their specific needs. While we typically provide up to $30,000 per project, we may offer more in certain cases.

In return, we take a percentage of the game’s revenue. The exact percentage is determined based on our evaluation of the game’s potential for success and projected earnings. Our evaluation takes into account both human factors and data-driven analysis, ensuring a fair percentage for all parties involved.

We typically only take a minority stake (less than 50%) in the game.

The funding is split into three stages, which are based on milestone completion:

Prototyping & Pre-production – $1-5k (10%)
Development – $10-15k (50%)
Growth & Marketing – $10-15k (40%)

Note: Roforco’s percentage is directly proportional to the amount of funding provided.

In the unfortunate event that a game fails halfway through, Roforco will only retain a portion of the agreed percentage that corresponds to the funding disbursed up until that point. We believe in fair and equitable partnerships, ensuring that our interests are aligned with the success of your game.

Helping games every step of the way

The accelerator consists of 3 main stages and a bonus 4th stage, which are based on key milestones in a project’s timeline. The stages are not strict, and their timelines may vary depending on the game. They allow us to provide the appropriate support for games at different stages and group teams together based on their progress.

Studios can join the accelerator at any stage and continue from there. If a few requirements are lacking, they can be caught up on, and funding for the previous stages will be provided upfront.

Each stage is separated by an assessment (2 in total), and studios move through them by meeting specific criteria. These milestones are clearly defined, and there are no strict timelines. Teams can take as much time as they need to meet the criteria for each stage. Teams who fail to meet the criteria will not move onto the next stage.

1 week - 1 month

3 - 4 months

1 - 2 months

12 months and up

1 - Prototyping & Pre-production

We have made the application process more accessible by creating a dedicated stage for ideation, rather than requiring developers to have a fully formed idea, plan, and pitch in order to apply.

During this stage, developers receive a small amount of funding to prototype and iterate ideas until they find the one they want to pursue. We provide guidance on prototyping and iteration strategies, as well as use market data and insights to help validate and improve ideas.

We also assist with pre-production, including assisting in the creation of the GDD, timeline, budget, team lineups, and pitch templates to ensure all games are assessed on equal ground.

The stage concludes with an assessment, similar to a pitch, where developers present their ideas and plans for the game.

2 - Development & Soft-launch

During the second stage, teams will be fully focused on developing their game while we provide support and resources.

The main goal is to make the game “fun”, which involves two parts:

first, completing the game and soft-launching it;
second, optimizing its statistics during soft launch, with a focus on retention, stickiness, playtime, and monetization. Real player data and feedback are essential to prove that the game is “fun”.

While some pre-launch marketing activities take place, the majority of marketing efforts and growth strategies are reserved for stage 3.

This stage concludes with an assessment of the soft-launched game and its data. Once the game has been proven to be “fun”, all efforts will be made to get it into the hands of players in stage 3.

3 - Growth and marketing

During the 3rd stage, the primary focus is to maximize the game’s exposure to a wider audience through various marketing strategies, including influencer marketing, advertisements, and more. The majority of the marketing budget is allocated in this stage to help the game gain traction and popularity.

Additionally, the team will scale its efforts to match the increasing traffic and exposure by adding more team members and increasing development efforts.

Engaging with the community, superfans, and influencers is also crucial during this stage to create a lasting experience for everyone.

4 - Continuity and LiveOps

The final stage is a bonus stage for games that have achieved success. Once a game is successful, longevity and staying on the front page becomes a priority. Running live operations and scaling the studio accordingly is crucial to achieving this.

In this stage, we provide additional funding if needed and work more closely with you to help run live operations on the game, doing weekly updates, data analytics, and more to help you sustain the game long term.

If the founders decide to move on, we can handle the live operations and updates for them, allowing them to focus on new projects or other endeavors.

Additionally, we help unlock additional revenue sources by bringing in brand and advertising partners, franchising and toy lines, movies, TV series, and more.

Accelerator Details

Sound appealing? Applications close soon.

Days

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