Desining from Day One: Artists as Founders: Multiverse (S20) - YC Gaming Tech Talks 2020

Multiverse Core Business and Strategy

• Multiverse is building a next-generation tabletop RPG platform that functions as a hybrid of Dungeons & Dragons (narrative depth) and Roblox (visual, online interactivity).
• The platform aims to digitize tabletop RPGs into a visual, streamable, and collaborative online video game experience.
• Multiverse is operating as both a game developer and a platform creator, establishing a marketplace for user-generated content while simultaneously producing the first proprietary content.
• The company participated in Y Combinator's Winter 2020 cohort (January–March 2020), launching prior to the global pandemic.
• The founding team consists of two MIT engineers (founders) and Sara, a professional illustrator and Creative Director, emphasizing a cross-disciplinary founder structure.

Founder Dynamics and Entertainment Philosophy

• The founders argue that while tech startups often prioritize problem-solving and rapid customer testing, entertainment products require a compelling point of view and intuitive decision-making before market validation is possible.
• The team posits that successful entertainment companies (unlike platforms like Twitch) must function as media companies where high-quality art and narrative are foundational to success.
• Sara was recruited immediately due to her established reputation and entrepreneurial instincts, which the founders deemed essential for navigating the uncertainty of game development without immediate customer feedback.
• The team highlights the "growing pains" inherent in merging freelance creative workflows with startup demands, including distinct vocabularies (e.g., B2B SaaS terminology) and differing views on speed versus creative iteration.

Sara's Transition and Artistic Value Proposition

• Sara's background includes professional illustration work for Marvel and Star Wars, with a transition strategy focused on applying storytelling and visual identity skills directly to game development.
• The team asserts that illustrators possess founder-level skills, including business acumen, audience building, and the ability to generate recurring revenue through platforms like Patreon, Kickstarter, and Twitch.
• Recurrent revenue models in the art world (Kickstarter millions, $10k–$40k earnings at comic cons) demonstrate that top artists already operate as successful entrepreneurs.
• Sara notes that artists transitioning to tech startups face benefits including significantly higher budgets and pay compared to independent freelance rates.
• High-production-value art allows startups to test market fit quickly and cheaply by creating trailers and illustrations rather than fully developing a product first.
• Investors were reportedly impressed by the visual assets immediately, with some investors prioritizing the trailer's quality over the standard pitch deck.

Recruitment Strategies and Industry Trends

• The company advises against fixating on artists from AAA studios (e.g., Riot, Blizzard), arguing that entrepreneurs from the "scrappier" indie side (Twitch, YouTube, Instagram) are better suited for startup agility.
• Multiverse found that recruiting a single illustrator often opens access to a wider network of talent within the established art community.
• The team recommends recruiting talent where they currently build audiences (Twitter, ArtStation, Twitch, YouTube) rather than via traditional channels like LinkedIn.
• Multiverse actively utilizes popular hashtags such as #PortfolioDay, #WomenArtists, and #POCinPlay to source diverse talent and build momentum.
• The company advocates for including artists in the cap table, treating their equity stakes as a recognition of their equal foundational role in the business.