10 Cool Things Other Publishers Are Doing

I’m constantly in awe of all the clever things other publishers and content creators are doing–they are an inspiration to me at Stonemaier Games. Here are 10 recent examples that I admire; some that I found, and others that were brought to my attention by others.

• Allplay’s pledge manager system features both their games and games from other publishers (they fulfill projects for other publishers, so they have non-Allplay products in their warehouse).
• CGE and Cardboard Alchemy highlight different aliens/factions 1 at a time on their respective YouTube channels for SETI and Andromeda’s Edge.
• Board Game Quest recently posted a personality-style quiz to help you determine which racing game is for you using an embedded app called Opinion Stage.
• The City of Games (Race to the Raft), Rebel (Meadow), and FFG (Marvel Champions) offer seasonal challenges and unlocks, either included in the game box or via social media.
• Hollandspiele offers long-form, deep-dive video essays about various game-related topics on their YouTube channel.
• Garphill Games has a relatively new podcast–Lens and Veil–in which they dive deep into the game design of various games (some theirs, some from other publishers). One of my favorite things is when publishers share their love (and observations) of a vast variety of games.
• Arydia (Far Off Games) and Mythwind (Open Owl Studios) offer robust tray systems–either dual-layered with a sleeve or a plastic tray with a lid–for saving these ongoing games. Also, an extra shoutout to Arydia for including FAQs on the back of many cards in the game to offer clarity on the information on the other side.
• Kavango (Mazaza Games) includes a map showing where the animals in the game are typically found. I also like the plastic-free organization system in Kavango.
• Art Society (Mighty Boards) features a felt lining on the insert, matching the refined nature of the game’s theme. This extra touch is particularly nice because players frequently interact with the insert (the active players select tiles from the insert throughout the game).
• Aqua (Sidekick Games) and Intarsia (Deep Print Games & Pegasus Spiele) have nice inserts created by assembling punchboards. The assembly requirement is an asset because it means that the box height could be designed for the punched components, not the many punchboards on top of a static pre-constructed insert.

This is just a taste of the creativity, innovation, and desire to serve customers in today’s gaming industry. What’s something a publisher or content creator has done recently that impressed you and added value to your experience?

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Author Of article : Jamey Stegmaier

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