Cracking the Code: Revealing What Board Game Publishers Want in a Game

[@rolling.reggie]

Would love an update on this video for 2024 :) just discovered your channel, the value and level on content is amazing.

[@remilane8331]

Adam, Thank You so much for making this video. It answered my questions and helped me know what to look for in my research. The content you're putting out is incredibly helpful. It is very kind and generous of you to share your knowledge and help other people achieve their dreams. Thanks again and I hope your future games will be a great success

[@AdaminWales]

Thanks Remi - glad it was helpful.

[@armandoleroy3465]

you all probably dont give a damn but does someone know of a tool to get back into an Instagram account?? I somehow forgot the login password. I would love any help you can give me.

[@royalsutton9141]

@Armando Leroy instablaster :)

[@jasonpmathew]

Excellent video series, Adam. I also very much enjoy Pikoko.

[@AdaminWales]

Thanks Jason!

[@Ratstail91]

What do you think of video game developers moving into the physical space? I'm a digital developer usually, but I've also made a couple physical games which have yet to receive any attention.

[@AdaminWales]

I don’t know any videogame designers personally, and I’m only a very casual Nintendo player. But I suspect that a background in videogame design is a fantastic starting point for tabletop design. One thing that particularly strikes me about videogames is how much more imaginative the narrative and settings are than in tabletop games. In videogames, fantastical worlds are created in many, many games - with weird, magical occurrences being commonplace. In tabletop games, everything is very “literal”. A farming game is always a historical simulation - no magic allowed! Everything has to obey the real laws of physics in tabletop game’s - or if it’s fantasy, then it’s the most generic Tolkien-esque fantasy. There is no reason for this to be the case. Videogames explore much more exciting worlds. And mechanically, I think it’s a really fun challenge to try and create the tabletop version of a videogame that you love. I would imagine that tabletop designers have a lot to learn from videogame designers - and vice versa.

[@Ratstail91]

@@AdaminWales Thank you so much!

[@euma5285]

VERY informative! Thanks so much!

[@AdaminWales]

Thanks for watching!

[@bryanwelsh6383]

If you're looking for ideas for videos, you could do an episode on clearly communicating the game rules without over complicating or mixing in your own jargon for well established terminology etc

[@gooseduarte2758]

Should I approach a publisher of games that are similar to the game I designed? In other words, if I make a game like Jenga, should I approach the publisher of Jenga?

[@AdaminWales]

Yes! But also look at publishers who MIGHT produce a game like yours. They may not have something very close, but if they’re roughly in the same category (light strategy; party games etc) they might be willing to branch out a little.

[@Tommy_007]

Hi Adam, thank you for a very good and informative video. I like many types of board games. I have made a board game for 2-4 players about knowledge like Trivial Pursuit but with much better mechanisms: You bet (in different ways) on what you know and what other players don't know, and you play for certain tiles that are used in a kind of puzzle that ultimately determines who wins the game. Assuming that the game is good, do you think that this type of game would have a chance at a large publisher? And which publisher? I don't see this type of game very often. I live in Denmark where there aren't really any board game publishers, but maybe a German or British publisher would be interested in an online meeting?

[@AdaminWales]

Hi Tommy. I think it’s probably challenging to produce a trivia game. There aren’t many big hits: Trivial pursuit (obviously) Bezzerwizzer, Timeline, Linkee, Wits & Wagers, Fauna (and Terra). So it’s hard to spot a pattern. They all come from different publishers. It depends on the complexity. Even Wits & Wagers is a bit too complex for mass market I think (though Mattel has purchased the license after many years). Timeline is beautifully simple & very successful. Fauna & Terra are with Huch, but they’re very unusual - and certainly more like modern “hobby” games than mass-market games. I don’t think it’s impossible at all to make it work, but there’s no obvious path to market - so you’ll have to carve your own way - and I expect you’ll get many knock backs. Don’t let that stop you searching for the right publisher though if you believe the game is good enough.

[@Tommy_007]

@@AdaminWales Thank you very much for a detailed answer :-)

[@juan-rg3fu]

oh, the mask trilogy in your background: any one you particularly recommend or prefer? :)

[@AdaminWales]

kungfoobar I love all three - so much so that I replaced my original editions with the new (incredibly beautiful) Super Meeple versions. Tikal is most streamlined and simple. Java (AKA Cuzco) is more complex and strategic. Mexica is the most cut-throat. If I had to pick one, I’d opt for Cuzco - mainly because Java was my introduction to the series - so I have fond memories. Incidentally, I didn’t enjoy Tikal 2 all that much (I only played it once). Each game in the series suffers from a lot of downtime because players have so many options & calculations on their turn - so they can be a drag if played with the wrong players.

[@juan-rg3fu]

Thanks!

[@samanthamckinnon6402]

Which companies do you think would be most interested in a word game??

[@AdaminWales]

Word game covers two very different categories: the party “wordplay” games like Codenames, Just One, and So Clover - which are very much in demand - and the spelling games like Scrabble, Bananagrams, and Upwords, which don’t seem to be in demand. For a wordplay game, I would approach any family game / party game publisher. Repos is currently the leader in this area, but CGE also does a lot of these. For a spelling game, it’s very hard to get interest (I’ve tried and failed!) I’m sure it’s possible, but you need to ask the question to publishers and expect a negative response. If they already have a spelling game they probably won’t make another one - so you can’t even look for publishers who make something similar to your game. I could see a small up-and-coming publisher taking a chance on such a game.

[@samanthamckinnon6402]

@@AdaminWales thank you for the response! I’m headed to my first convention this weekend, Protospiel! I will be bringing my Color Coded word Game to play test for the first time with complete strangers. So nervous! I’m excited to find out if my game is actually fun 😂. It’s hard to find the fun in designing a game when your always looking at it from a scientist like perspective. Every time I play I am looking for something wrong with it or a way to make it better lol. I think I finally crafted the right recipe though! This weekend will be the test! Please consider making a video about your word game process. Maybe your mistakes along the way? Or diving into the word game market. Unfortunately the only game design videos I can find revolve around board games rather than “table games.” I would like to know more about developing fun, fundamental games that don’t have a story line.

[@freejunk2]

or you can make Gloomhaven/Frosthaven and become a millionaire