If you’ve been on the Internet for a long time, you may have watched the transformation of College Humor. From College Humor came Dropout, which launched in 2018 as an independent streaming service dedicated to improv and unscripted humor for subscribers. Over the years, Dropout has seen huge success, with a dedicated and enthusiastic fanbase to match!
On May 5, 2026, Dropout launched a Kickstarter campaign for Game Changer: Home Edition with a goal of $40,000. Seemed perfectly attainable!
And it was! They actually hit it in under 12 hours. By the end of the first day, backers had pledged over $1.5 million. Virtually unheard of for a board game!
This didn’t happen because of a great Kickstarter page or huge ad campaign. The success of their Kickstarter campaign is directly tied to the years they spent actually listening to the people who show up for them.
Community by Design
Dropout’s flagship show, Game Changer, has racked up millions of views on YouTube and even earned Emmy consideration. From the start, viewers were locked in. They clipped it, shared it, quoted it, and were sitting and waiting for whatever Dropout made next.
That kind of investment comes from a brand that actually participates in the communities it creates. Sam Reich, the CEO, as well as the cast, regularly communicate with fans through live events and direct Q&As. When Dropout closed its official Discord server in 2024, fan communities filled the gap on their own, running subreddits, organizing watch parties, and hosting live episode discussions. Dropout leaned into that rather than trying to control it.
Dropout trusted their community to grow on its own terms while staying present within it. The result is a fandom that feels less like an audience and more like people who are genuinely in on something together.
What the Kickstarter Really Was
Rather than just asking fans to back the campaign and wait, Dropout turned it into an extension of Game Changer itself. Backers could complete missions, leave comments about ferrets, and take photos with a cardboard cutout of Sam Reich to unlock rewards for everyone. The campaign kept the spirit of the show alive in the act of supporting it.
That only works if you know your audience. Dropout knew their fans would lean into the absurdity because they had been in real conversation with them for years. They trusted the relationship, and their community responded with $1.5 million.
What This Means for Your Brand
You don’t need a hit game show to build this kind of loyalty. You just need to be present, consistent, and genuinely interested in the people you serve.
Be in the room where it happens. Show up in comments, at events, and in the spaces your audience already occupies. Let your community take some ownership. Give people something worth being part of, and they’ll carry it further than you expect.
At Online Optimism, we call this building on trust, and it’s the first value we operate by for a reason. The brands people root for are the ones that treat their audience like people. When you do that consistently, your community might just surprise you.
Want to start building that kind of connection? Get in touch with an Optimist.
