BoardGameWire 🔜 Spiel Essen 2025

This is a great video Matthew, appreciate you stepping up and discussing it. Hope you're doing ok, and enjoying Prague!

YouTube video by Matthew Dunstan The reality of being a full time game designer

Today's video was a hard one for me to make - I wanted to talk about my experiences going through burnout in the last year or so as a game designer, and aspects of the wider tabletop industry that contribute to that.

youtu.be/D2rC_8F10R8

🎲✂️

A man with short white hair and a short white beard smiles at the camera. He wears thin rimmed black glasses, and is wearing a light blue shirt and a red bow tie with tiny white and black dots. GAMA executive director John Stacy.

GAMA in black, with smaller words to the right which read THE TABLETOP GAME ASSOCIATION. To the left is a red cube surrounded by orange, green and blue segments. The logo of board game trade organisation GAMA.

BREAKING NEWS: Hobby games trade organisation GAMA is losing executive director John Stacy after seven "transformative" years - just three weeks after it unveiled ambitious plans to become the "epicenter” of the global tabletop gaming industry:

boardgamewire.com/index.php/20...

Five plastic miniatures - four humans and a statue of a plinth, with a winged lion standing on an open book. The four humans are clothed in assassin's robes and hoods and armed with swords and other weapons, in the style of the Assassin's Creed II video game. Miniatures from Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood of Venice by Triton Noir.

Headshot of a man with short shaved hair and short stubble smiles at the camera. He can just about be seen to be wearing a brownish-purple jumper and black t shirt underneath. Behind him is a tree and some foliage. Thibaud de la Touanne, founder of board game publisher Triton Noir.

Plastic miniatures and cardboard boards and components, including coloured plastic dice, from the Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood of Venice board game.

“The board game sector is fragile, especially at the moment”: Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood of Venice publisher Triton Noir closes down after failure of last crowdfunding campaign:

boardgamewire.com/index.php/20...

Five plastic miniatures - four humans and a statue of a plinth, with a winged lion standing on an open book. The four humans are clothed in assassin's robes and hoods and armed with swords and other weapons, in the style of the Assassin's Creed II video game. Miniatures from Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood of Venice by Triton Noir.

Headshot of a man with short shaved hair and short stubble smiles at the camera. He can just about be seen to be wearing a brownish-purple jumper and black t shirt underneath. Behind him is a tree and some foliage. Thibaud de la Touanne, founder of board game publisher Triton Noir.

Plastic miniatures and cardboard boards and components, including coloured plastic dice, from the Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood of Venice board game.

“The board game sector is fragile, especially at the moment”: Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood of Venice publisher Triton Noir closes down after failure of last crowdfunding campaign:

boardgamewire.com/index.php/20...

I’m in this image and I don’t like it

A man with short white hair and a short white beard smiles at the camera. He wears thin rimmed black glasses, and is wearing a light blue shirt and a red bow tie with tiny white and black dots. GAMA executive director John Stacy.

GAMA in black, with smaller words to the right which read THE TABLETOP GAME ASSOCIATION. To the left is a red cube surrounded by orange, green and blue segments. The logo of board game trade organisation GAMA.

BREAKING NEWS: Hobby games trade organisation GAMA is losing executive director John Stacy after seven "transformative" years - just three weeks after it unveiled ambitious plans to become the "epicenter” of the global tabletop gaming industry:

boardgamewire.com/index.php/20...

the word asmodee, with with a thick black shadow. In the shadow underneath is the text 'Inspired by Players', also in white. The logo for board game publisher and distributor Asmodee.

A man with short brown hair and a short brown beard looks at the camera, smiling slightly. He is wearing a dark blue shirt, open at the collar. Benjamin Pilz, sales at Asmodee Germany.

A man with short brown hair and very short chin beard and stubble looks at the camera. He wears thin framed glasses. He is wearing a deep blue jumper and with shirt underneath. Jakob Stachelhaus from Asmodee Germany.

“We know how important brick-and-mortar retail is”: Asmodee Germany expands retail, hobby store-focused sales teams with new hires:

boardgamewire.com/index.php/20...

@asmodeede.bsky.social

the word asmodee, with with a thick black shadow. In the shadow underneath is the text 'Inspired by Players', also in white. The logo for board game publisher and distributor Asmodee.

A man with short brown hair and a short brown beard looks at the camera, smiling slightly. He is wearing a dark blue shirt, open at the collar. Benjamin Pilz, sales at Asmodee Germany.

A man with short brown hair and very short chin beard and stubble looks at the camera. He wears thin framed glasses. He is wearing a deep blue jumper and with shirt underneath. Jakob Stachelhaus from Asmodee Germany.

“We know how important brick-and-mortar retail is”: Asmodee Germany expands retail, hobby store-focused sales teams with new hires:

boardgamewire.com/index.php/20...

@asmodeede.bsky.social

What Powers The Man Behind Wyrd Science? - Old Men Running The World There is some superb coverage of tabletop in the nowadays, and some of our favourite stuff comes from Mr John Power Jr. If you have encountered Wyrd Science

New (and old) on Old Men: We talked to @johnpower.bsky.social, the man behind @wyrdscience.bsky.social, about the latest issue. (We also reposted a much longer interview about how he came to hold this particular chalice, and the games that made him into the Magazine Wizard he is today.) #ttrpg

“The event will start shortly” above Hasbro Women Innovators of Play logo

Hasbro’s 3rd annual Women Innovators of Play virtual event is this Thurs Oct 9, kicking off this year’s design challenge!

They’re accepting submissions for the next woman-led mass market toy or game Oct 9-Nov 13 2025

Top 3 will receive cash prizes & mentorship🎲✂️

spark.hasbro.com/womeninnovat...

Ready to level up your career? The October edition of the tabletop game jobs list is here! Dive into a fresh batch of exciting opportunities that could lead you to your dream role in the gaming industry.⁠
#tabletopgamejobs #boardgamejobs wp.me/p6YINE-8wR

Thanks Johannes! I'll likely either link to your piece in the next newsletter, or have a chat with some publishers about the rise in 2-player games (if I have time!😅) for an article. So yes, definitely the 2-player game chart please! The ones showing falling average price are interesting too.

Yes! Two-player games make up about 10% of games this year, about three percentage points above 2017, which checks out given the spate of duel games. And the general price of games has actually been falling for a few years, although I suspect that's down to increased numbers of smaller box games.

Some good data here covering the last few years of Spiel Essen, looking at whether there’s been a significant rise in 2-player games at the show, and if theres been any improvement in gender representation among designers in that time:

GAMA in black, with smaller words to the right which read THE TABLETOP GAME ASSOCIATION. To the left is a red cube surrounded by orange, green and blue segments. The logo of board game trade organisation GAMA.

GAMA unveils 10-year plan to become “epicenter” of global tabletop gaming industry, renames itself after almost 50 years.

Read this and all the rest of the week's board game industry happenings, design notes and jobs in the latest BoardGameWire newsletter!

buttondown.com/boardgamewir...

Kickstarter United is on strike! We are not asking for a boycott! Creators & Allies: Please continue to support & use the platform swipe for ways to show your solidarity

Why We're Striking A codified 4-day work week. We simply want to protect the way we've been working for over 3.5 years. The 4dww has proven benefits, such as increased productivity and improved employee satisfaction. It's part of what makes Kickstarter a special, innovative place to work. Fair pay for our lowest-paid workers. We're fighting for livable minimum salaries for roles that are undervalued by the market but crucial to keeping Kickstarter running. We believe none of our workers should struggle to make ends meet.

Creators Show your solidarity by: Continue using the platform like normal When something breaks, complain loudly that it is management's fault for causing the strike Include our logo and strike info on your project Send a letter to KSR leadership urging them to meet our demands & end the strike bit.ly/KSRUletter

Community Allies Show your solidarity by: Support your favorite creators on the platform like normal Send a letter to KSR leadership urging them to meet our demands & end the strike: Creators Show your solidarity by: Continue using the platform like normal When something breaks, complain loudly that it is management's fault for causing the strike Include our logo and strike info on your project Send a letter to KSR leadership urging them to meet our demands & end the strike bit.ly/KSRUletter Donate to our solidarity fund: bit.ly/KSRUdonate Attend a rally or picket either in-person near you (NYC and Seattle) or virtual

‼️🚨KICKSTARTER WORKERS ARE ON STRIKE🚨‼️

As of 8am this morning, the workers of Kickstarter United/OPEIU Local 153 are on strike.

WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR A BOYCOTT! Creators and allies, please continue using and supporting the platform.

GAMA in black, with smaller words to the right which read THE TABLETOP GAME ASSOCIATION. To the left is a red cube surrounded by orange, green and blue segments. The logo of board game trade organisation GAMA.

GAMA unveils 10-year plan to become “epicenter” of global tabletop gaming industry, renames itself after almost 50 years.

Read this and all the rest of the week's board game industry happenings, design notes and jobs in the latest BoardGameWire newsletter!

buttondown.com/boardgamewir...

I -wish- I could say mine was addressed to NPI to make this nice and circular, but alas.

“Flashy ads don’t convert nearly as well as genuine conversation” - Don’t Starve: The Board Game guns for biggest Kickstarter tabletop raise of the year after topping $1m within hours of launch:

boardgamewire.com/index.php/20...

A black and white circular image, which shows the writing KICKSTARTER UNITED and two hands shaking, above the letters OPIEU 153. The Logo for Kickstarter employees union Kickstarter United.

Kickstarter workers set to strike tomorrow over minimum salary proposals, four-day work week protection:

boardgamewire.com/index.php/20...

@kickstarterunited.org

A black and white circular image, which shows the writing KICKSTARTER UNITED and two hands shaking, above the letters OPIEU 153. The Logo for Kickstarter employees union Kickstarter United.

Kickstarter workers set to strike tomorrow over minimum salary proposals, four-day work week protection:

boardgamewire.com/index.php/20...

@kickstarterunited.org

“Flashy ads don’t convert nearly as well as genuine conversation” - Don’t Starve: The Board Game guns for biggest Kickstarter tabletop raise of the year after topping $1m within hours of launch:

boardgamewire.com/index.php/20...

Left, a man with a short beard and short dark hair wears a white t shirt, in front of a beige sign with green writing which says FESTIVAL DES JEUX DE VICHY, with green plants visible underneath. Right, the same background but a different man, bald with dark grey moustache, wearing a white t shirt and dark blue open shirt. Both are holding what appears to be a snowglobe. Maxime Rambourg and Ben Renault, designer and artist of board game Presages.

French board game retailers unveil their designer, illustrator and publisher of the year in latest Prix des Boutiques Ludiques awards:

boardgamewire.com/index.php/20...

Congrats @spiraleditions.bsky.social and @benrenaut.bsky.social! (And Maxime Rambourg, who doesn't appear to be on BlueSky)

You're very welcome, the game looks great!

Left, a man with a short beard and short dark hair wears a white t shirt, in front of a beige sign with green writing which says FESTIVAL DES JEUX DE VICHY, with green plants visible underneath. Right, the same background but a different man, bald with dark grey moustache, wearing a white t shirt and dark blue open shirt. Both are holding what appears to be a snowglobe. Maxime Rambourg and Ben Renault, designer and artist of board game Presages.

French board game retailers unveil their designer, illustrator and publisher of the year in latest Prix des Boutiques Ludiques awards:

boardgamewire.com/index.php/20...

Congrats @spiraleditions.bsky.social and @benrenaut.bsky.social! (And Maxime Rambourg, who doesn't appear to be on BlueSky)

French competition which has celebrated unpublished board game designs for almost 50 years unveils 2025 winners:

boardgamewire.com/index.php/20...

French competition which has celebrated unpublished board game designs for almost 50 years unveils 2025 winners:

boardgamewire.com/index.php/20...

yup!

I've set one up! Have invited Tim and Adam - @giantbrain.co.uk , @nopunincluded.com, let me know your usernames and I'll fire invites across to you too