Post-Apocalyptic LARP Break-Even: $51K Monthly Revenue

Fixed costs $39.5K/mo Base monthly overhead

Contribution margin 78% After variable costs

Break-even revenue $50.7K/mo Monthly target

Break-even timing Month 13 First profit month

Break-even calculator

Test whether monthly revenue can cover variable expenses and the fixed cost base, then see how far you are from break-even.

Lean Base Full

Monthly revenue Revenue drives the margin that has to cover fixed costs. $ Low sales High sales Variable expenses Direct event and selling costs rise with revenue. $ Low costs High costs

Money available to cover fixed costs $97,942 $121,667 revenue - $23,725 variable expenses

Margin ratio

81%

Covers fixed costs

Yes

Fixed monthly costs This is the monthly overhead the contribution margin must cover. $ Lean setup Scaled team

Break-even chart Revenue Total costs

Which expenses are fixed, and which move with ticket sales for a post-apocalyptic LARP event business?

Cost classification

Break-even is only useful if player-linked costs are not buried as fixed overhead. In the first operating year, revenue is $655,000, so catering, actors, ad spend, and ticketing fees must reduce contribution before fixed costs are tested.

Expense	Cost	Break-Even Treatment	Common Mistake
Warehouse and Prop Storage Rent	Fixed	Include $4,500 per month before testing ticket volume.	Spreading rent across players and missing the monthly cash floor.
Event Liability Insurance	Fixed	Include $2,200 per month as a required operating expense.	Leaving insurance out until events are scheduled.
Equipment Maintenance and Repair	Semi-fixed	Start with $1,500 per month, then step up when event count or gear load grows.	Treating repairs as flat even when more events wear down props.
Event Direct Materials and Catering	Variable	Model at 6.5% of first-year revenue; it rises with attendance.	Treating catering and consumables as fixed once a venue is booked.
Contracted Actors and Stunt Staff	Semi-variable	Model at 8.5% of first-year revenue, with staffing tied to player count and event frequency.	Calling actors fixed when larger groups need more coverage.
Digital Marketing and Ad Spend	Variable	Model at 4.0% of first-year revenue before contribution margin.	Holding ad spend flat while ticket volume depends on paid demand.
Transaction and Ticketing Fees	Variable	Model at 3.0% of first-year revenue for every paid sale.	Counting gross ticket revenue and ignoring processing drag.

How does break-even change from a lean one-day game to a full multi-day event?

Scenario table

The mix shifts from more Standard Survivor tickets in lean runs to more Hardened Veteran and Faction Leader tickets in larger events. Month 13 is the break-even signal in the model.

Planning assumptions only; actual attendance, event mix, and staffing needs can move the numbers.

Scenario	Monthly Revenue	Variable Costs	Fixed Costs	CM Ratio	Operating Profit	Break-Even Signal
Lean one-day survivor run	$54.6k	$12.0k	$39.5k	78%	-$1.2k	Still tight near Month 13, so sell-through matters.
Base weekend survivor campaign	$121.7k	$23.7k	$45.2k	80.5%	$45.3k	Past Month 13, with a workable cushion if costs stay in line.
Full multi-day immersion	$207.1k	$35.2k	$58.9k	83%	$99.0k	Well past break-even, but staffing and logistics must scale cleanly.

What breaks the break-even plan if turnout slips or costs run hot?

Stress test

Year 1 clears break-even, but the cushion is only about $46.7k. A 10% sales miss or small cost creep can erase it fast, so presales, staffing, and repair control matter more than the top-line target.

Stress Case	Changed Assumption	Break-Even Revenue	Revenue Gap	Risk Signal
Current plan	No change.	$608,300	$46,700 cushion	The plan clears break-even, but not by much.
Revenue shortfall	Year 1 revenue falls 10% to $589,500.	$608,300	$14,700 gap	Weak presales can flip the year into a loss.
Fixed-cost pressure	Fixed costs and payroll rise 10%.	$669,200	$14,200 gap	Insurance, rent, or staff quotes can push break-even up fast.
Margin pressure	Variable expenses rise from 22% to 27%.	$650,000	$5,000 cushion	Catering, actor staffing, and prop repairs eat the margin.
Combined pressure	Revenue falls 10%, fixed costs rise 10%, and variable expenses rise to 27%.	$715,000	$91,600 gap	Small misses in turnout and production cost stack into a large loss.

Can this post-apocalyptic LARP break even before you lock the venue and prop build?

Founder checklist

Yes, but only if Year 1 ticket demand and add-on sales show up before you commit to the build. Here’s the quick math: about $39.5k a month in fixed burn, 22% variable cost, and a $529k cash floor still point to Month 13 break-even.

1Ticket Demand1,700 tickets

Verify paid demand before you lock the venue and build, because Year 1 assumes 1,200 standard, 400 veteran, and 100 faction leader tickets.

2Cash Floor$529K

Keep at least $529k of cash through the opening month, because the model does not break even until Month 13 and Year 1 EBITDA is still negative $14k.

3Fixed Burn$39.5K/mo

Confirm the monthly fixed load from rent, insurance, hosting, admin, maintenance, legal, and core payroll is about $39.5k, because that burn sets the survival target.

4Cost Mix22% variable

Hold direct materials, actor and stunt costs, marketing, and ticketing fees near 22% of sales, because every point above plan pushes the break-even date out.

5Staffing Ramp4.5 FTE

Check that the opening team can run on 4.5 core FTE and contractor coverage, because operations, narrative, and prop support all ramp harder later.

6Build Gate$190K

Do not phase the $45k costume build, $25k armor set, and $120k environment build until the $95k Year 1 merch, lodging, and rental plan is real, because capex comes before payback.