Game KastleFranchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Game Kastle franchise requires a total initial investment of $195K – $419K, including a $48K franchise fee and an ongoing 5.0% royalty[2]. Per the 2026 FDD, average unit revenue was $786K[2]. Verdict grade: A. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified June 18, 2026 · figures per the 2026 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $195K – $419K
- 21st pct Retail
- Avg gross sales
- $786K
- 10th pct Retail
- Royalty
- 5.0%
- 6th pct Retail
- Units
- 9
- 7th pct Retail
- SBA default
- 0.0%
- system-wide median varies by category
Quick verdict · Retail · color = vs category peers
Green = >15% above Retail avg · No shading = within ±15% · Red = >15% below avg · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
The system contracted 14% year-over-year. Investigate why units are closing.
Bottom line
- Total investment $195K – $419K including a $48K franchise fee, 5.0% ongoing royalty.
- Average unit revenue of $786K/year (median $751K).
- Verdict A (Top Quintile) with a risk score of 53/100.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
- Legal entity
- Game Kastle Universe, LLC
- Incorporated in
- CA
- HQ
- 2310 Homestead Rd., #C1216, Los Altos, CA 94024
- Auditor
- KMS Financial Consulting
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $345K
- vs $326K prior year
Overview
About
Game Kastle operates as a tabletop gaming retail and community hub, selling board games, trading cards, miniatures, and gaming accessories while hosting in-store tournaments and gaming events. Franchisees manage inventory, staff, customer service, and event coordination to drive foot traffic and repeat business. Operations center on creating a social gathering space that monetizes both retail sales and event participation fees.
- CEO
- Shaw J. Mead
- Headquarters
- CA
- Founded
- 2017
- FDD year
- 2026
- States available
- 6
FDD Item 7 · 2026 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $48K | $48K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $18K | $87K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $130K | $284K |
| Total initial investment | $195K | $419K |
Source: Game Kastle 2026 FDD, Items 5 and 7[2]. “Equipment, build-out, other” is computed as total minus disclosed line items above.
Single-unit · estimated
Returns at a glance
Indicative numbers using FDD Item 7 / Item 19 inputs and category-benchmarked cost ratios. Full single-unit, 25-unit portfolio, and LBO models (with every input editable to stress-test your own scenario) live on the financials page.
Store EBITDA · annual
$71K
9.0% margin
Unlevered ROIC
20%
EBITDA / total invested capital
Payback
5.1 yrs
cash-on-cash, unlevered
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $195K – $419K
- Better than avg vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $18K – $87K
- Better than avg vs category
- Franchise fee
- $48K
- Better than avg vs category
- Royalty
- 5.0%
- percentage_of_gross · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 1.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 6.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 5.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 1.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $250 |
| Transfer fee | $13K |
| Renewal fee | $20K |
| Total fee load | 6.0% of rev |
A 6.0% total fee load is unusually lean. More of each revenue dollar stays with the franchisee.
Financial Performance
- Avg gross sales
- $786K
- Per unit, per year
- Median gross sales
- $751K
- Item 19 type
- gross_sales
- Sample size
- 6 units
- vs category median 49 · small
- Range (low → high)
- $214K→$1.7M
- Cohort dispersion (min → max)
- Transparency
- 4 / 5
- vs category median 2 / 5 · above
Compared against 304 Retail brands
vs Retail averages
How Game Kastle Compares
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 9
- Opened
- 0
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 1
- Turnover rate
- 11.1%
- Company-owned
- 3
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 67%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (yr3)
- -14.3%
- Net unit change last year
- 3-yr CAGR
- +20.0%
- Compounded over last 3 years
3-year detail · Item 20
- Transfers (3yr)
- 0
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 13 states with active franchisees
The Territory Map
Derived from franchisee contact records. Shows states with at least one current operator. Not where the franchisor is registered to sell new units (that data is re-extracting in a future refresh).
States derived from franchisee contact records (FDD Item 20). Shows states with at least one current operator on file. Full state registration data (Item 12) will appear on a future FDD refresh.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA loan disclosures. This brand has only 1 7(a) loan on file; statistical reliability is limited below 10 loans.
- Total loans
- 1
- Loan volume
- $150K
- Median loan
- $150K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- 0.0%
- rates vary by category · see methodology
Historical SBA 7(a) lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
- Repayment rate (PIF)
- N/A
- 5-yr charge-off
- N/A
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 1
- Defaults
- 0
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
Premium insight
SBA Lending Report
Deep-dive into Game Kastle's SBA lending history: lender network, geographic footprint, interest rates, and more.
SBA Lending Report
- Principal loss rate and NAICS industry benchmark
- 1 lenders with concentration factor
- Per-state charge-off rates across 1 states
- Startup risk premium and job creation velocity
- 1-year lending trend
Instant access. No subscription.
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 5, 6, 12, 17
Risk & Legal
Contracting franchise system with regulatory compliance issues, zero profitability transparency, and high investment relative to disclosed financials presents elevated risk despite protected territory.
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · KMS Financial Consulting
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Score breakdown · what drove the 53 / 100 rating
- 01MEDUnit count declined 14.3% YoY (9 units) indicating system contraction and franchisee attrition
- 02MEDNet income not disclosed in FDD Item 19 despite $786k average revenue, preventing profitability analysis and ROI calculation
- 03MINOR2022 regulatory violation in Washington for selling unregistered franchise signals compliance gaps and potential exposure in other states
- 04MEDHigh initial investment ($194.9k-$418.8k) combined with undisclosed profitability creates misaligned risk-reward
- 05MINOR5% royalty on gross sales (not net) means franchisees pay regardless of profitability, exacerbating margin pressure
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
FDD Items 5, 6, 12, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 5 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 2 |
| Territory type | Radius or Population |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Online sales rights | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | California |
| Litigation count | 1 |
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 36 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 4 hrs
- POS system
- GKStore POS / Clover Flex
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: GKStore POS / Clover Flex
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
13 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
Game Kastle · FDD (2026) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Game Kastle franchise?
The total investment to open a Game Kastle franchise ranges from $195K – $419K, with an initial franchise fee of $48K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Game Kastle franchise owners earn?
According to Item 19 of the Game Kastle FDD, the average gross sales per unit is $786K. The median is $751K. Note: this is gross revenue, not profit. Actual owner earnings vary based on location, operating costs, and management.
What is Game Kastle's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Game Kastle (fewer than 10 loans on file). Charge-off rates are one way to gauge franchise risk, but not all franchise loans go through the SBA program. We recommend reviewing turnover and closure data in the FDD and speaking with current franchisees.
How many Game Kastle franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Game Kastle has 9 total units in the United States, including 7 franchised units and 3 company-owned units.
Is Game Kastle a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Game Kastle as a A-grade franchise with a risk score of 53 out of 100, based on our analysis of investment costs, revenue data, SBA loan performance, and growth trends. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
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Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.