Free-range thoughts about design, writing, and play
Stonemaier Games dropped a bomb on the board game world last week by announcing a new game: Tapestry. In the days since, thousands joined the game’s Facebook group. The game’s listing shot to #1 on Board Game Geek’s “Hotness” chart. It’s a hit! But how did this happen?
The Essen International Spieletag is the Mecca of board game events, and this weekend I finally had the chance to make the pilgrimage. So, what did I learn in the name of fun and professional development?
Forbes has discovered tabletop gaming, and asks if a new organized play platform will make board games into an a big esport business. Is it time to go looking for sponsorship, or did somebody just pull off some clever PR?
Jeff Litchford of Idol Minds calls it a coincidence that the Shutterbug Kickstarter is introduced by Lead Cinematic Artist Webb Pickersgill. “He’s just comfortable in front of the camera,” says Litchford, the VP of Production at the veteran Colorado game studio. That may be true, but Shutterbug looks like a game that artists and photographers will love.
Don’t look now, but Zynga’s (ZNGA) Mountain Goat Mountain is sassy fun. Can the House That Mark Pincus Built actually make money with it?
When I reviewed Capitals a few days ago, I commented that it “may not be earning a lot of money for Nimblebit.” Looks like I was right, because yesterday’s update signals major changes in Nimblebit’s monetization strategy.