Board Game Business Podcast
100 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 3 years ago - ★★★★★ - 33 ratingsOn The Board Game Business Podcast, we discuss the business side of the tabletop gaming industry. We don't review games or tell you which ones we like, but instead focus on how to price, distribute, design, develop, and market your game. Richard New hosts and sits alongside Jeremy Commandeur, a game designer, and Brian Henk, a game designer and publisher with Overworld Games.
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Episodes
Going Full Time as a Game Developer with John Brieger - Ep. 92
June 13, 2021 23:40 - 37 minutes - 35 MBJohn Brieger talks about some of the biggest mistakes he's made during the development process so we can all learn from them. References: Brieger Creative - https://www.briegercreative.com/ John Brieger on Twitter - https://twitter.com/DasBrieger
Going Full Time as a Game Developer with John Brieger - Ep. 91
April 26, 2021 02:08 - 34 minutes - 30.2 MBLearn why your game needs development help with professional developer, John Brieger. References: Brieger Creative - https://www.briegercreative.com/ John Brieger on Twitter - https://twitter.com/DasBrieger
Top 5 Rough Edges on a Kickstarter Game - Ep. 90
January 02, 2021 21:12 - 23 minutes - 26.4 MBWe discuss the top 5 most common rough edges on a Kickstarter game so you can avoid them on yours! Dustin Schwartz Rules Editing: https://twitter.com/dustinbschwartz The Game Crafter Sanity Test: https://help.thegamecrafter.com/article/145-sanity-tests
Top 5 Places to Find Prototype Art - Ep. 89
October 04, 2020 20:51 - 27 minutes - 31.8 MBIn this episode, we re-visit our list of top places to find art for your prototype. Links: The Noun Project: http://www.thenounproject.com Nasa: https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/index.html National Gallery of Art: https://www.nga.gov/collection/collection-search.html Public Domain Smithsonian: https://www.si.edu/search/ Public Domain New York Public Libraries: https://digitalcollections.nypl.org https://www.nypl.org/research/collections/digital-collections/publi...
Top 5 Predicted Impacts of COVID-19 on the Board Game Industry - Ep. 88
May 11, 2020 14:39 - 26 minutes - 29.9 MBJeremy and Brian discuss how we think the board game industry will be impacted by COVID-19. This was recorded in early April of 2020. Resources: Good Cop Bad Cop Online - https://gcbc.arantius.com/ Tabletopia - https://tabletopia.com/ Tabletop Simulator - https://www.tabletopsimulator.com/ Board Game Arena - BoardGameArena.com Roll20 - https://roll20.net/ BoardSpace - boardspace.net
Top 5 Time Savers for Game Designers - Ep. 87
September 22, 2019 17:12 - 24 minutes - 28.4 MBIn this episode, we are going to cover a bunch of tips for you game designers to SAVE YOU TIME. Resources Mentioned Google Drive - https://docs.google.com Dropbox - https://www.dropbox.com Card Creatr - https://cardcreatr.sffc.xyz/ Component.Studio - https://component.studio/ Paperize - https://beta.editor.paperize.io/#/ Multideck - https://semicolon.com/multideck/multideck.html Pages - https://www.apple.com/pages/ The Game Crafter Art Store - https://www.thegamecrafter.com/...
Top 5 Tips for Advertising Your Board Game - Ep. 86
July 20, 2019 16:37 - 24 minutes - 27.8 MBWe give you our top 5 tips for advertising your board game and how to learn which sources are best for you and your game. This is a little more focused on ads for a Kickstarter campaign, but is applicable to any type of advertising for a board game. References: Bitly Link Shortener - https://bitly.com/ Google Link Shortener - https://goo.gl/ Google Analytics - https://analytics.google.com/ Facebook Ads - https://www.facebook.com/business/ads
Mailbag on US Manufacturing, Recovering from Disaster, and Component Cost Considerations - Ep. 85
June 29, 2019 14:46 - 32 minutes - 36.9 MBToday we dig into the Patreon mailbag and answer these questions: How do you recover from being punched in the gut? What is a unique enough selling point for a game? What are some component cost considerations to take when manufacturing your game? Should I fulfill my Kickstarter campaign myself? Is it possible to manufacture games in the US? Thanks to Mark Edwards for editing this!
Top 5 Biggest Changes in the Board Game Industry in the Last 5 Years - Ep. 84
June 08, 2019 21:00 - 32 minutes - 37.2 MBHow has the board game industry changed in the last 5 years? Brian co-founded Overworld Games about 6 years before this was recorded so it's also a view of how things have changed between when he started publishing games and now. Here is the top 5 list: 5) More games in big box retailers 4) It's easier to make games 3) Kickstarter explosion 2) Growth of games at conventions 1) Distribution is harder
Top 5 Ways to Deal with Scope Creep - Ep. 83
May 25, 2019 00:04 - 23 minutes - 26.8 MBPatron Andrew van Ingen suggested this episode on how to deal with scope creep. Here's the list we go through! 5. If some people don’t hate it, you are doing it wrong. 4. Don't let experiments linger. 3. Determine the scale, audience (learning time), price point and play time of your game. 2. Have an "always pruning" mindset. Always be thinking about the parts that aren't SUPER DUPER fun. 1. Understands that hobby gamers (and many designers) will ALWAYS ask for more.
Top 5 Ways to Build a Crowd for Your Game - Ep. 82
April 19, 2019 22:14 - 28 minutes - 32.8 MBWhen you're trying to build up a crowd for your game before Kickstarter or to build your resume for selling your game to a publisher, there are a lot of places to put your time and money, but some are better than others. 5. Create a Facebook page or group 4. Build/support your local gaming community 3. Use other's crowds by getting your game to reviewers and other influencers 2. Send infrequent newsletters 1. Create a landing page and funnel people to it through flyers, ads, social med...
Top 5 Tips for Managing Your Day Job and Hobby Board Game Business - Ep. 81
March 30, 2019 18:16 - 29 minutes - 21.8 MBJeremy and Brian give some tips for how you can better manage your day job and hobby board game business. Resources: Multideck - https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/multideck/id1193399487?mt=12 Compononent.Studio - https://component.studio/ Paperize - https://beta.editor.paperize.io/#/ Asana - https://app.asana.com/ Trello - https://trello.com/en Jira - https://www.atlassian.com/software/jira Noun Project - https://thenounproject.com/ Card Creatr - https://cardcreatr.sffc.xyz/ ...
Top 5 Things That Are Probably Wrong with Your Game Pitch - Ep. 80
March 17, 2019 22:29 - 22 minutes - 25.5 MBJeremy and Brian cover the top 5 things that are most commonly wrong with a pitch a game designer gives to a publisher. If you're a designer, you'll probably find something in here that you can use to improve your next pitch.
Signs It Is Time to Give up on a Design - Ep. 79
February 26, 2019 14:15 - 19 minutes - 10.7 MBWhen you've been working on a design for a while and you're not sure if there's enough there to keep going with it, we have some signs that it might be time to give up on it. If you want a spoiler, the signs are: 5) No market opportunity 4) Design colleagues don't ask about the status or encourage you to keep working on it 3) Too long to play/too long to explain the rules 2) Not fun enough (playtesters don't ask to play again) 1) No hook or the hook is not good enough
Reasons to Theme Your Prototype - Ep. 78
February 11, 2019 14:35 - 18 minutes - 10.5 MBWe go over the top 5 reasons to theme your prototype and some discussion around them. If you want to have them spoiled, here are some of our notes on each one: 5) Theme makes it easier to learn your game. It drives cohesion, direction, and rules comprehension. 4) Some publishers really care about theme (like Brian) so you'll get more opportunities if your game has one. You'll get in the door. Theme sells better than math. Games are an experience, and theme tells your story. 3) A themed...
Getting Your Prototype Played at Smaller Conventions - Ep. 77
January 21, 2019 17:42 - 19 minutes - 15.5 MBTop 5 Tips for Getting Your Prototype Played at Small Conventions 5) Teach games and then ask if they want to try your own game afterwards. (know your audience and be respectful of time) 4) Setup in open gaming and grab drive bys and/or have good signage. 3) Setup an event with local designers there through meetup/facebook so you can all play each other games. (then anyone who is interested can go out to lunch/dinner afterwards) 2) Setup official events and offer prizes/bribes. (...
Going to Conventions Without Going to Conventions - Ep. 76
January 05, 2019 18:26 - 19 minutes - 9.97 MBToday Brian interviews Erik Dahlman of Albino Dragon about the convention services he offers where his team will demo your game at his booth at various conventions throughout the year. You can get the exposure that conventions offer without the million headaches of actually doing it. To get more information from Erik about working with him, email [email protected].
Funding Goal, Stretch Goals, and Updates - Ep. 75
December 15, 2018 20:24 - 29 minutes - 15.2 MBIn this one, we cover different methods for setting your Kickstarter funding goal, your stretch goals, how many updates to send during the campaign, and we talk about Richard's holy grail Star Trek cat game.
Rules for Writing Rules - Ep. 74
November 17, 2018 03:36 - 48 minutes - 25.4 MBLearn all about Jeremy's "7 Rules for Writing Rules" and what Richard and Brian think about them. We actually disagree on this on more than most episodes! Jeremy's 7 Rules for Writing Rules Force yourself to write your rules right away and have them ready for your first playtest with real people. Start strong. Tell a story as you give the theme. Use software to maintain your rules and keep them always up-to-date. Add notes to add diagrams later. Put a component list at the end of ...
Designing Around Analysis Paralysis - Ep. 73
October 09, 2018 15:38 - 25 minutes - 35.8 MBToday we discuss designing around analysis paralysis: Is it a bad thing? Limiting your decision space Add more options/decisions as you go Allowing players to "mess up" the next player's carefully laid plans Companion app Reference cards to make decisions easier Usability in graphic design or component selection Simultaneous play Hidden actions Keep players engaged Walls of text Put longer decisions at the end of a players so other players can take their turns while th...
Gaming with Edo on Overworld Games Experiments - Ep. 72
September 21, 2018 19:20 - 39 minutes - 21.5 MBEd Baraf sits down with Brian Henk to discuss the history of experiments tried at Overworld Games, such as using IPs or releasing a game outside of Kickstarter -- and how games have done in terms of profitability and copies sold. Going through what went well and what didn't may give other creators some insight into what they should and should not do. Video Version: https://youtu.be/xMkEDTgVk5w
Saving Your Failing Kickstarter Campaign - Ep. 71
August 08, 2018 12:52 - 22 minutes - 22.2 MBToday we talk about how to figure out why your Kickstarter campaign is failing and how to fix it. Brian's magic recipe for a successful campaign: A page that converts visitors into backers Get backers to your page Converting: The video, explaining the hook, providing the content people really care about Getting Visitors: Social media ads, building your crowd before launch, connecting with influencers, creating awareness during the campaign
Gen Con Designer Events and Metatopia with Double Exposure's Vincent Salzillo - Ep. 70
July 24, 2018 12:41 - 33 minutes - 18.3 MBBrian had the pleasure of interviewing Vincent Salzillo, President of Double Exposure, Inc. His company organizes Gen Con events such as First Exposure Playtest Hall and the new First Encounter Designer Showcase (publisher speed dating) events. They also organize conventions such as DEXCON, DREAMATION, and METATOPIA. Plus they run the Envoy programs. It's a lot! This is what we cover in 30 minutes: METATOPIA - A convention for game designers. First Exposure Playtest Hall - A Gen Con event...
Getting More Prototype Plays - Ep. 69
July 18, 2018 14:38 - 35 minutes - 18.6 MBToday we talk about ways to get people to play your ugly prototype! Some topics: Imaginary friends Design partners or other trusted designers Protospiel/Unpub Designer groups General playtesting groups Fostering an inviting community Print-and-plays Conventions at a free table Conventions as an event Other convention options Digital simulations Paid playtesting Resources Game Krackers - https://www.facebook.com/GameKrackers/ Shadowsong Industries - https://www.face...
Are Pledge Managers Worth It? - Ep. 68
June 04, 2018 13:37 - 53 minutes - 48.6 MBToday our episode is more focused on behind-the-scenes of being a Kickstarter creator. We dig into how CrowdOx works and use it as a vehicle to discuss some topics on how a pledge manager can and should be used on a campaign. Topics: Paypal processors and freezes (maybe) How is CrowdOx different than competitors Charging shipping through PM Selling old catalog of games Tip jars Customer data and security breeches Reference: crowdox.com - Learn more about CrowdOx.
The Roll [sic] of Randomness - Ep. 67
May 04, 2018 21:29 - 14 minutes - 15.1 MBToday we talk about how randomness affects our enjoyment of games. It's slanted towards game design, but also has some publisher/indie creator perspectives as well. Low-randomness games High-randomness games Is randomness in games good or bad? How does it affect your target audience? Harnessing the power of randomness
The Golden Age of Tabletop Gaming at Wondercon 2018 - Ep. 66
April 10, 2018 02:25 - 59 minutes - 163 MBThis is the Golden Age of Tabletop Gaming Panel from Wondercon 2018 organized by High Voltage. It covers industry trends, game design basics, and how to find events and gamers in your area. The panelists are: Will Pasquin (Gaming Guru, High Voltage) Becca Scott (Host, Geek & Sundry’s Game The Game) Ross Thompson (Games Marketing & Events Manager, IDW Games) John D Clair (Game Designer, Mystic Vale, Edge of Darkness) Brian Henk (President, Overworld Games) Peter Vaughan (Director ...
10 Questions to Ask Yourself When Designing a Game - Ep. 65
March 08, 2018 14:48 - 19 minutes - 20.8 MBIf you'd rather not listen to the questions and you just want to ask yourself some thought-provoking questions about your game, here is the list! Which feeling(s) am I trying to deliver? Why would someone play or buy this game instead of others? What's the hook? Which core element will keep people engaged in my game? Which decisions am I giving players that will keep people playing? Which types of players am I targeting for my game? And what is the weight and play time will it have?...
Trapped in a Room with Juliana Patel and Ariel Rubin - Ep. 64
January 14, 2018 18:14 - 26 minutes - 26 MBRichard interviews Juliana Patel and Ariel Rubin who created the extremely successful Escape Room in a Box: The Werewolf Experiment that is now being published by Mattel. He learns all their secrets about in their 2,000+ backer debut campaign! Some specific topics: Partnering with Mattel Escape room game opportunities Replaying escape room games Playtesting an escape room game Creating the puzzles Lessons learned from the Kickstarter campaign Finding your audience References: ...
How to Navigate Multiple Offers - Ep. 63
December 29, 2017 16:02 - 18 minutes - 19.1 MBThis episode provides some guidelines for the situation where multiple publishers want to sign your game and how you handle it, both from the designer and publisher perspective. Specifically, we cover: submitting your game to multiple publishers at the same time handshake deals bringing copies to a convention bigger publishers vs. smaller publishers asking for exclusivity doing your publisher homework changes to contracts should I have a lawyer look over my contract?
Total Recall Post Mortem - Ep. 62
December 08, 2017 15:11 - 20 minutes - 22.5 MBWe talk generally about publishing licensed games and specifically about the unsuccessful Total Recall Kickstarter campaign. Why didn't it fund? What did you do differently? Likeness rights 101 Timing releases in a line of games Hidden costs of doing a licensed game Liability insurance The costs of agreeing to release dates Should you create a licensed game? Publishing outside of Kickstarter References Kickstarter Campaign - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/overw...
LA Comic Con Golden Age of Tabletop Gaming Panel
November 04, 2017 15:50 - 52 minutes - 45.8 MBThis is a panel organized by High Voltage about how awesome games are and how to grow and build an inclusive gaming community. This took place on 10/28/2017 at Stan Lee's Los Angeles Comic Con, hosted by Will Pasquin with these panelists: John Clair - Mystic Vale, Downfall David Zuckman - Obscure Reference Games Ross Thompson - IDW and Kingdom Con Chris O'Neil - Brotherwise Games Brian Henk - Overworld Games Will Pasquin - High Voltage Video Version: https://youtu.be/hI_26f73APw
Ethics Mailbag - Ep. 61
September 26, 2017 13:39 - 19 minutes - 20.9 MBWe have another mailbag episode! These topics were suggested by listeners: Are environmental concerns a factor for publishers, manufacturers, and designers? How can I make my game more accessible and inclusive? What kind of support should publishers donate to charity? Resources: The Overworld Games policy on charities.
Am I a Jerk if I Don't Back My Friend's Kickstarter Campaign? - Ep. 60
August 01, 2017 15:55 - 16 minutes - 16.6 MBIf you're listening to this podcast, there's a good chance you know someone personally who has launched a Kickstarter campaign. Did you feel obligated to back it? We try to break down this social etiquette around the subject in this episode.
How Not to Get Burned on Amazon - Ep. 59
July 20, 2017 03:58 - 19 minutes - 21.4 MBToday we discuss how to use Amazon to sell your board game. - Fulfillment by Amazon - Amazon Marketplace - Vendor Express - Amazon Launchpad - Getting Burned Stories - Amazon Marketing Services - Improving your search rankings - Sales on Amazon - Pricing on Amazon - A+ Content - VINE Reviews - Ads on Amazon
How Should You Be Using Social Media? - Ep. 58
June 26, 2017 04:06 - 21 minutes - 22.3 MBToday we talk about social media and how we should use this in the board game industry. Specifically, here are some of the questions and topics: How should a game designer use social media? Which social media platforms should a game designer be using? How should a game publisher use social media? Which platforms should they use? Using social media as a phone book or for ease of contacting. What's the wrong way to use social media? Are there other less traditional social media pl...
Top 5 Tips for Designing a Reference Card - Ep. 57
June 03, 2017 00:24 - 18 minutes - 20.4 MBWe attempt to define what a reference card is, which isn't as easy as you may think, and then we pull them apart and figure out which games need them and how to design them clearly. Then we end with a Top 5 list of tips to make your reference card better. Here are some questions and topics we discuss: Which games do we wish had them that do not? Which games have them but don't need them? Do we need one for each player? The psychological effect of having a reference card. Can a game ...
Target Markets - Ep. 56
May 25, 2017 02:34 - 19 minutes - 21.4 MBToday we talk about designing and publishing games for a particular market. Here are some of the topics/questions we cover: What's a target market? Which markets are commonly considered in the board game industry? Identifying the market that's right for your game. Should I use elements to my game to fit a particular group of consumers? Do publishers have a specific market in mind when they are scouting games? How do things like ease of play and length of play factor into a market ...
Top 7 Ways to Improve Your Playtest Feedback Quality - Ep. 55
April 16, 2017 22:02 - 20 minutes - 18.4 MBHere are our top 7 ways to improve your playtest feedback quality. If you want a spoiler, here's the list! Ask negative leading questions. Trash/talk down your own game Stay focused and interested in every word play testers say. Don’t defend anything. Don’t break their flow. Focus on problems and steer away from solutions. Ask about feelings. Explain what type of feedback you're looking for. Record Audio Get anonymous feedback at least once and late in the process. Resources: ...
How (Not) to Make a How to Play Video - Ep. 54
April 01, 2017 13:50 - 11 minutes - 10.1 MBHow-to-play videos are used more and more by designers to show potential publishers or playtesters their game and by publishers after a game has been released to teach customers how to play them. In honor of April Fool's Day, we give tips on how NOT to make a how-to-play video. I know, we're not supposed to tell you, but we really don't want people actually taking our advice. Here's the gist of the tips we cover, but backwards: Prepare so you can keep it concise. Keep it short. You don't ...
Designer Tools Galore - Ep. 53
March 21, 2017 14:45 - 17 minutes - 15.9 MBToday we go through a quick overview of each iteration of our design process from a tool perspective. We discuss which of these tools work well and which ones we've used in the past. We also cover some of the software we use to stay connected to our designer partners. See the list below of everything we mention! Resources Multideck (Mac) - $25 http://multideck.blogspot.com Paperize (Web) - Closed Beta http://paperize.io How to use Concatenate http://www.gcflearnfree.org/excelf...
Why Are So Many Licensed Games So Bad? - Ep. 52
March 04, 2017 21:47 - 21 minutes - 19.2 MBWe discuss licensed games and the specific challenges associated with making a game from them. If you are granted the rights to make a card game based in the Star Wars universe, how do you make a game around it? Or should you make the game first and try to acquire the license later? Here are some questions we answer: Should I design a game for a license? How much does it cost to get an intellectual property? Do you pay up-front or are there royalties or both? What does the schedule/de...
Matching Art to Your Game - Ep. 51
February 17, 2017 18:06 - 21 minutes - 19.7 MBHow do you find the right artist for the style of game you're making? Commence discussion! Topics: Finding artists to fit your target market. Identifying market segments. Examples of illustrations or graphic design not fitting the game. Selecting images for the Star Trek Trading Card Game. What should I look for when requesting quotes? What kind of budget should I expect?
2017 Predictions - Ep. 50
January 24, 2017 14:32 - 22 minutes - 21 MBSome predictions for what will happen in the board game industry in 2017. Legacy Games Quality Kickstarter Exodus Otherwise, Kickstarter Growth Continues Will Quality Go Up or Down? Company Mergers Component Diversification “Meeples with a Twist” Chipboard Constructs Display Games Unexpected Components Storytelling Games Deluxe Editions Game Exchange System Local Game Stores Evolve Increase in Import Games
Top 10 Ways to Build Your Board Game Industry Network - Ep. 49
January 12, 2017 22:24 - 20 minutes - 18.7 MBHere are Jeremy and Brian's top 10 ways to build your network within the board game industry: Jeremy J10 – Participate in contests. J9 – Be easy to find on social media. J8 – Place encouragement above criticism. J7 – Do your homework to avoid wasting publishers’ time. J6 – Observe Publisher Speed Date. J5 – Go to Protospiel and Unpub events. J4 – Attend cons where industry experts have time to talk. J3 – Don’t view community as a vending machine. J2 – Offer service or...
Reasons to NOT Enter the Board Game Industry - Ep. 48
November 30, 2016 14:33 - 20 minutes - 18.9 MBThis episode, we ground everyone with a discussion of reasons why you might not want to enter the board game industry. You will lose money. You will lose time, effort, and opportunities. Other people will be critical of your work, not publish, or not buy it. The work is not all fun. Your game is not special. Kickstarter campaigns and fulfillment are stressful. You’ll be away from home and have to spend money on travel. Video Version: https://youtu.be/th7azVwzEcA
Reaching Your Core Audience at a Convention - Ep. 47
November 10, 2016 15:50 - 21 minutes - 19.2 MBToday we discuss how to reach your core audience at a convention. We specifically hit on these points: Luring on the First Day Promo Packs/Where to Sell Them Coupon Books To Do Lists Banners/Advertisements Other Ideas Email Lists Playtesting Upcoming Kickstarter Games When to Send Con Updates Kickstarter Campaigns during Cons Video Version: https://youtu.be/wy2_rHFReJY
How to Exhibit at a Major Con - Ep. 46
October 25, 2016 14:02 - 20 minutes - 18.9 MBThis is the first episode we did after Brian moved to the Los Angeles area. We talk about tips for exhibiting at a major con. Here are some topics: - When to pull the trigger? o Playtest Hall o Volunteer at another Booth - Booth shape and layout - Selling at a Con without a Booth - Copies Sold - Number of Volunteers Required - Banners and Signage - Gen Con Pickup
Running Your Board Game Kickstarter Panel at Gen Con 2016 - Ep. 45
October 07, 2016 13:19 - 19 minutes - 18.2 MBTips for running your Kickstarter campaign in this condensed version of a Gen Con 2016 panel! Panelists: JT Smith, Zachary Strebeck, Jeremy Commandeur, and Brian Henk We discuss: - #1 Mistakes - Kickstarter as a Business - Stretch Goals - Crowd Building - Page Layout - Reward Levels - Naming Something vs. Image in Game - Rules on Page - Setting Goals Resources: The Game Crafter - thegamecrafter.com Game Crafter Podcast - thegamecrafter.libsyn.com Game Lawyer Blog - gamel...
Game Design and Publishing Panel at Gen Con 2016 - Ep. 44
September 24, 2016 16:20 - 23 minutes - 21.6 MBAt Gen Con 2016, we were on a panel to talk about lots of publishing topics. These were the folks on the panel: JT Smith of The Game Crafter Zachary Strebeck, the Game Lawyer Jeremy Commandeur, Game Designer Brian Henk of Overworld Games things like: Here are some topics we discussed: Forming your business Game manufacturing options (US, Europe, China, etc.) Different ways to sell your game Traditional and alternative distribution models Game awards and contests What...