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

The co-founder describes Multiverse as a mix of Dungeons & Dragons and Roblox: an online visual space to play tabletop role-playing games with friends. The company is building a marketplace for user-created content while also making its own game and content.

The co-founder says games differ from many tech products because they are entertainment, can take time to launch, and may not solve a conventional problem. A game needs a compelling point of view, which requires foundational creative decisions before audience reactions can be tested. For companies where entertainment is central, the team needs people with strong creative instincts.

Sarah describes moving from work for Marvel, Star Wars, and comics into game development, where art shapes promotion and the player experience. She says illustrators often run businesses, build audiences, and work across disciplines. She points to comic-con sales of $10,000 to $40,000 and small artist teams raising millions through Kickstarter.

Sarah says joining a startup involved learning startup terminology and adapting from independent work to fast timelines and team decisions. Artists can help teams test audience interest early with illustrations and trailers, before investing in more costly product development. She also says tech roles can offer higher pay than independent illustration work.

The founders say strong art helped Multiverse attract investors and produce high-production-value content. Sarah recommends finding artists where they build audiences, including Twitter, ArtStation, Twitch, and YouTube, and searching hashtags such as #PortfolioDay, #WomenArtists, and #POCinPlay. She argues that recruiting one illustrator can connect a company with a wider creative community.