If I am trying to recruit players for an home brew/little known system, does making the game adult help or hurt recruitment?

Little of column A, Little of column B.

Some players won't play in games that are not adult.

Many players here do not care for adult games.

Some players are not of age for adult games.

Depends upon the crowd, and just because someone is an adult: doesn't mean much else.

I'm guessing that making it an adult game will add a complication you don't want, especially if you're using a home-brewed system.

Also, everybody can take a look at a non-adult game, but an adult game designation limits your player pool.

If you have any inclination to change the game to adult later, be sure to get the proper age statement with the RtJ, even if it's not adult now.

I'd agree that homebrew probably attracts more players if it's not adult, but lesser known systems can be hit and miss.  Different games will have different fan bases.  If it's an older game, especially, you're likely to find more PCs willing to go the adult route.  Similarly, if the content of the system heavily lends itself to an adult rating, you almost can't run it without doing so (for instance, if you underwent a bout of insanity and decided to run a game of FATAL).

As others have said, making a game Adult restricts your possible player base, which will already be smaller if using a little known or homebrew system.

My advice? Set the game as Mature to start, and take age statements in the RTJ as though it were an adult game. That way, if you need to bump it up to adult, you can. If you don't get those age statements, though, you have to kick everyone and make them do a new RTJ if you change the game to Adult.

To me, the decision as to making a game adult should be based on game content.  Doing so for some other purpose may likely bring in people with the wrong expectations that take things off story and into deprivation.

My experience with adult games is relatively limited...

However, a significant percentage of the ones I've participated in are home-brew or freeform games.  Aside from the aforementioned aspect of it limiting the people who can participate in the game, I don't think there's that much of an impact on recruiting options.  I long ago stopped worrying about the question of 'is this an Adult game or not?'  If the system is new or unfamiliar to me, then it becomes all about the setting.

If your setting is something that's supposed to be gritty and harsh, a lot of the people who will be interested will want the option to really get into it...which necessitates an Adult rating for the game (not because the characters are going to sneak off into the bushes every five minutes to get frisky...but an Adult rating on a game allows more latitude in characters' use of language, in how graphic descriptions can get, etc...there are a lot of players out there who don't feel comfortable trying to play a gritty game without that latitude available.)

In the end, going Adult or not should, I feel, be resolved by consideration of what you want the tone of the game to be, and not whether or not it will improve or decrease your chances of recruiting players.

The main reason (other than teh secks) for adult games is to keep out the kiddies...which some GMs prefer to do due to the general theme of their game.

That being said, making the game adult will attract folks that are interested in writing out love scenes as often as not, so you need to go in with your eyes open.

Don't forget the option for Mature, a nice middle ground. Doesn't exclude the younger folk, still might interest people who want a little edge, I would suggest it as the place to start.

Just personal opinion here, but the only kids that adult will filter out are the good ones.  The ones who won't listen, follow direction, and don't work well with others will have no trouble lying about their age.

Which is where the moderators, and the ban-hammer, come in.