Welcome to this week’s batch of crowdfunding campaigns. We have a variety of offerings here, so we hope you will find something that catches your eye. Also, if you want to chat with the BGQ team, join our Discord Server where we talk about games, movies, sports, and other fun stuff. Or, if Facebook is […]
Take the role of a general (United States, Russia or Germany) in Aces & Armor, which is a complex (but easy to learn) strategy game. In addition to attack strength and armor of your troops, their tactical setup, combat experience, damage and terrain have a decisive influence on the outcome of the battle. Since each unit brings its own strengths, you must cleverly assemble your army to win the victory over your opponents.
-Grant
Welcome to this week’s batch of crowdfunding campaigns. We have a variety of offerings here, so we hope you will find something that catches your eye. Also, if you want to chat with the BGQ team, join our Discord Server where we talk about games, movies, sports, and other fun stuff. Or, if Facebook is […]
Board game crowdfunding major CMON says it is exploring further IP sales and licensing opportunities in its ongoing push to fulfil over $14m of undelivered campaigns, as it continues its attempt to recover from massive losses racked up over the past two years.
The publisher – one of the most successful board game crowdfunders of all time with over $110m raised – posted losses of nearly $7m for the first half of last year and another $3m across 2024, figures which dwarf the overall $4.2m profit it had managed to make over the previous nine years combined.
The company has been scrambling to stem the losses since the start of last year, laying off staff and halting new game development and campaign launches in March, and selling off a string of its IPs -including Blood Rage, Rising Sun and its most famous and profitable title, Zombicide – in the summer.
It followed that by selling the IP for former Mythic Games titles Anastyr and Hel: The Last Saga to Don’t Panic Games in September, and parting with the lucrative Cthulhu: Death May Die IP to Asmodee a month later – the latter a series which has raised almost $10m from backers to date.
CMON has now announced more IP sales could be on the way alongside making an apology for the delays to its outstanding crowdfunds – some of which are now running almost two years beyond initial delivery estimates.
The company’s remaining significant IP includes the Massive Darkness series, with the most recent instalment, Massive Darkness: Dungeons of Shadowreach, completing a $2.85m crowdfund on Gamefound early last year – a figure which rose to more than $3.7m including late pledges.
That was CMON’s final crowdfunding campaign before it put all future game development and crowdfunding plans on hold a month later, citing the rising unpredictability of the US tariffs situation.
CMON’s new announcement said its priority remains to deliver all of its unfulfilled crowdfunding campaigns, saying that it is also undertaking ‘batch delivery’ of games to allow retail sales to help fund the manufacturing of remaining products in the line.
The eight undelivered campaigns include DC Super Heroes United, which raised more than $4.4m, and DCeased, which brought in over $2.5m. Both campaigns were initially due to be delivered last year.
| Game | Amount raised | Number of backers | Fundraise completed | Initial delivery estimate | Latest delivery estimate (as of January 21, 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mordred | $669,976 | 5,687 | July 2023 | August 2024 | Q2 2026 |
| Masters of the Universe: The Board Game – Clash for Eternia | $719,664 | 4,182 | January 2024 | November 2024 | Q3 2026 |
| DCeased | $2,564,789 | 12,787 | December 2023 | April 2025 | Q4 2026 |
| DC Super Heroes United | $4,478,989 | 14,040 | August 2024 | August 2025 | Q4 2026 |
| God of War | $832,945 | 4,388 | May 2024 | June 2025 | Q4 2026 |
| Massive Darkness: Dungeons of Shadowreach | $2,854,553 | 9,842 | February 2025 | March 2026 | Q2 2027 |
| A Song of Ice & Fire: Tactics | $1,886,509 | 6,406 | February 2024 | February 2025 | Q3 2027 |
| Degenesis: Clan Wars | $339,742 | 1,232 | June 2024 | July 2025 | n/a |
| Total Dollars | $14,347,167 |
CMON said, “We want to be absolutely clear: we are not asking backers for additional money for manufacturing. The responsibility to fulfill these campaigns rests entirely with us.”
The status of one outstanding crowdfunding campaign – Degenesis: Clan Wars – remains in limbo after CMON cancelled the project last July, claiming German design studio SixMoreVodka had terminated its contract with the publisher.
SMV founder Marko Djurdjevic told BoardGameWire at the time that his company disagreed with CMON’s account “in the strongest possible terms”, adding that it was not informed about the publisher’s announcement in advance and “certainly did not expect this attempt to shift the blame for the project’s failure onto our plate”.
The latest CMON announcement does not mention whether the publisher will ask any of its campaign backers for extra contributions to cover shipping costs or further volatility in US tariffs.
Last October the publisher added extra charges for backers of its Marvel United: Witching Hour and Cthulhu: Dark Providence pre-orders, asking them to pay an extra $0.69 and $2.30 respectively to cover tariff costs it said it “cannot absorb given our current financial position”.
CMON also has five undelivered pre-order campaigns on its books, including Dune Desert War and the Assassin’s Creed Role Playing Game.
Communication Frustration
The company’s new announcement its first significant update for its campaign backers since the start of October last year, and only its third since summer 2025 – a situation which has drawn ire from many backers frustrated with what they see as poor communication from the publisher.
CMON acknowledged in its October 2025 update that “rumors and panic” had been spreading given its lack of communication to crowdfunding backers, which it said had “resulted in us experiencing the highest number of refund requests in CMON’s history”.
It said, “This has created a vicious cycle: The slower fulfillment is, the more refund requests we receive. The more refunds we process, the fewer resources we have to accelerate fulfillment.
“With more resources funnelled into refunds over fulfillment, fulfillment slows down even further. This cycle has snowballed and grown into one of the toughest challenges we have ever faced.”
CMON added last October that the staffing cuts it made earlier in the year had pushed its remaining team “to its limits”.
It said, “With a fraction of employees remaining, every day has been a balancing act between managing production, logistics, customer service, and financial obligations. We have been overwhelmed by the sheer volume of day-to-day tasks.”
CMON’s other attempts to bolster its bottom line over the past year have included selling off the global headquarters it bought in Singapore in 2017 to claw back about $2.4m – although that total is still a drop in the ocean for a business which saw its revenue slump by more than $12m in the first half of this year.
The company has also suffered two failed attempts to bring in new shareholders to provide much-needed working capital.
It began 2025 with two new shareholders due to invest about $1.39m into the business by picking up a combined 16.66% stake in the company – but those shareholders ultimately failed to hand over the money for their stakes, and the arrangement was scrapped.
Two months ago a push to bring in at least six new shareholders also fell through, with CMON only saying that the conditions for the share sale had “not been fully satisfied”.
The Hong Kong-listed company had hoped to sell more than 360 million newly-created shares in a process which would have valued the company at just over $5m, with the money raised going towards developing new games, marketing and events, and general working capital.
CMON said at the time that it believed the lapsed agreement would have “no material adverse impact on the business” and added that it would continue to seek fundraising opportunities, although it did not provide specific details.
More details about CMON’s current financial situation are set to be unveiled by the end of March, with the publisher required by Hong Kong stock exchange rules to submit its annual results by that date.
Last year CMON missed the stock exchange deadline for publishing its financial results, blaming an understaffed finance department – a situation which saw its shares suspended from trading for several weeks.
The company announced last July that rather than focusing on large scale, miniatures heavy crowdfunding campaigns, it had pivoted to releasing several small-box games direct to retail, which it showed off at the Spiel Essen game fair last October.
Those titles include Collect!, Peanuts Talent Show, Fairy Perfume, Rocket Punch and Yokai Carnival.
The post CMON exploring more IP sales after heavy losses, as it pushes to get $14m of undelivered crowdfunding campaigns to backers first appeared on .
A trio of comings and goings from the board game industry for the year so far – if you have news of a new role, hire or job change within the industry that you’d like mentioned on BoardGameWire, please send an email with the details to the editor, Mike Didymus-True, on:
mike@boardgamewire.comRoss Thompson, the director of marketing for Asmodee miniatures games studio Atomic Mass Games, has announced he is leaving the company after more than two years in the role.
Thompson joined Atomic Mass as senior marketing manager in November 2023, following almost a year as crowdfunding and marketing manager at Gloomhaven publisher Cephalofair Games. He was promoted to director of marketing in March 2024.
The move comes three months after Thompson won a special election to be named a media and events director on the board of directors at tabletop gaming trade organisation GAMA.
Thompson has also spent the past nine years running the Tabletop Game Jobs Facebook group he launched alongside Jessica Fisher, which has grown in that time to almost 26,000 members.
Writing on BlueSky about his decision to move on from Atomic Mass, Thompson said, “With a new year, comes new changes. I’ve enjoyed my time with Atomic Mass Games over the past two years, but I’ve made the decision to start on the next chapter.
“We have accomplished so much, with the relaunch of Star Wars: Legion and all the releases for Marvel: Crisis Protocol and Star Wars: Shatterpoint. The team here at Atomic Mass Games is filled with incredibly passionate people working to bring the power of play & hobby to tabletop miniatures wargaming.
“Getting to work with all of our partners across the Asmodee space, from group, distribution and studio has been an incredible experience. I am very thankful to have been able to work with so many fantastic people around the world and grateful for those relationships.
“Looking forward to seeing where this takes me. Thank you to everyone at Atomic Mass Games and Asmodee and Ill see you around!”
Thompson kicked off his career in the tabletop industry 17 years ago as the founder and organiser of San Diego-based gaming convention Kingdom Con, which operated for a decade before its last event in 2019.
He began working in retail support and development at Privateer Press in 2010, before becoming a marketing manager at CMON in 2011 and switching to a community manager role at Soda Pop Miniatures in 2012.
Thomson’s other previous jobs in the industry have included head of trade marketing at UK-based Steamforged Games and marketing manager at The Op.
Former Incredible Dream marketing director Ilya Ushakov has been named director of marketing at Wonderland’s War publisher Druid City Games.
The hire comes five months after Ushakov left Kinfire Chronicles publisher Incredible Dream amid heavy downsizing at the venture capital-backed studio due to volatile US tariff changes.
Ushakov also runs the board games-focused Kovray YouTube channel, Instagram account and Twitter feed with partner Tylor Murray.
A statement from Druid City confirming Ushakov’s hire said, “We’re incredibly excited to welcome Ilya Ushakov as our new director of marketing.
“From the moment we started talking, it was clear that Ilya brings not only a strong strategic vision, but also a genuine enthusiasm for board gaming and connecting with people in meaningful ways.
“We’re already grateful for his insight, energy, and collaborative spirit!”
Ushakov joined Incredible Dream in 2023 as social media and community manager, before being promoted to marketing manager in early 2024 and marketing director in the summer of that year.
The role was his first in the tabletop gaming industry, following a career which included project management at the Canadian Mental Health Association and project and co-ordination work at the Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations.
Druid City’s 2026 releases are set to include Wonderland’s War Duel, roll-and-write inspired Wonderland’s War-adjacent title Off With Their Heads! and Wonderland’s War expansion Caterpillar & White Queen.
Board game marketing and communications specialist Ross Connell has left North Star Games after almost five years to become head of crowdfunding at UK fantasy and sci-fi board game and miniatures maker Mantic Games.
Connell joined North Star as marketing manager in 2021, and worked on projects including Nature, the redesign of the publisher’s 2014 hit Evolution, which raised about $850,000 through a Kickstarter campaign in late 2024.
He previously spent almost two years as communications manager at Dice Hospital and Tinderblox publisher Alley Cat Games, and also works as a freelance photographer within the board game industry.
Connell has also spent almost a decade interviewing dozens of board game artists about their work on his blog More Games Please.
Writing on BlueSky about his time at North Star, Connell said, “Looking back, what I want to shout most is how many AMAZING humans I’ve met.
“Creative, funny, intelligent, and kind humans. People make games. Thanks to those who make this a space worth being in.”
Recent Kickstarter campaigns from Mantic include Assassin’s Creed Animus, Worms: The Board Game and mass-battle sci-fi wargame Epic Warpath.
The post People moves: Ross Thompson leaves Asmodee’s Atomic Mass Games; Druid City Games brings in ex-Incredible Dream marketing director Ilya Ushakov; Ross Connell joins Mantic from North Star Games first appeared on .
Welcome to this week’s batch of crowdfunding campaigns. We have a variety of offerings here, so we hope you will find something that catches your eye. Also, if you want to chat with the BGQ team, join our Discord Server where we talk about games, movies, sports, and other fun stuff. Or, if Facebook is […]
Welcome to this week’s batch of crowdfunding campaigns. We have a variety of offerings here, so we hope you will find something that catches your eye. Also, if you want to chat with the BGQ team, join our Discord Server where we talk about games, movies, sports, and other fun stuff. Or, if Facebook is […]
Several years ago, we posted an interview with Matt White, who is a very talented graphic artist and budding game designer, that focused on his artistic talents and love of tanks. He has since designed several very interesting small scale wargames, with his most recent series being a World War II tactical wargame series for 1-2 players pitting the British Airborne versus the German Wehrmacht called Until the Bitter End. He then designed the next entry in that series called Until the Bitter End – US Airborne followed by Until the Bitter End – Tanks. He has also done a few others including Would Be Aces, Operation Biting and Today Another Battle that have done very well. Recently, a new game appeared on Kickstarter from Matt called Saving Angels WWII Solitaire Wargame Print and Play, which is a wargame based on the American and guerrilla raid of the Japanese held Los Baños prison camp in World War II. We reached out to Matt and he was more than willing to share on the project.
If you are interested in Saving Angels WWII Solitaire Wargame Print and Play, you can back the project on the Kickstarter website at the following link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1564988876/saving-angels-ww2-solitaire-wargame?
Grant: What is your new project on Kickstarter?
Matt: My new Solitaire game is called Saving Angels and it covers the bold US Airborne and allies, raid of the Japanese held Los Baños prison camp during WWII.
Grant: What was your inspiration for the name? What do you want it to convey about the design?
Matt: I came across the history of this subject, whilst researching the Operation Biting game (which is also an Airborne raid, only British) and the name refers to the US 11th Airborne Division, as they were described by the prisoners, who they rescued.
The main element of the design is that you command the paratroopers and guerrillas on this daring rescue mission. With most wargames, the mission is often defeat the enemy or hold a point, etc., but with this design the rescuing of the prisoners is your objective.
Grant: What about this historical event made you want to create this game?
Matt: The main inspiration really was the story, but from the prisoners point of view. They had been treated terribly, for the most part, from their captors. The prisoners were from all walks of life, civilians rather than soldiers who had been captured. I felt it was important to cover this story from WWII, which has not really been covered before.
Grant: What research did you do on the subject?
Matt: I read a lot of history subject books so naturally I read as much as I could on the subject. There are also a few really good videos on YouTube that are also well worth watching.
Grant: Is this the start of a new series of games?
Matt: This is my third game in my Raid Series – the other games covering the British paratroopers, with this one being the first game in that series featuring US forces and where the main objective is the rescue.
Grant: What games have inspired your design?
Matt: To be honest, the biggest inspiration really is the history side rather than other wargames. I think also the first two games in the series was a natural source.
Grant: I know the design is a Print and Play offering. Why do you feel this model is best suited for your designs?
Matt: I like making print and play games as it forces you, as the designer, to make every component count and making the most of the physical space on a sheet of paper. I find that challenge one of the most interesting parts of the creative process.
Grant: I know you are not only the designer but you do the art as well. Please show us a few examples of your great art.
Matt: Here are several different pieces from the game.
Grant: How do you create your art? What is the process and what graphics tools do you use?
Matt: I use a variety of tools such as Sketchbook and Photoshop. I pretty much draw in a traditional method, just using a Wacom pen and laptop.
Grant: What difficult decisions do players have to make in the game?
Matt: The player must try and maximize their units to the best of the counter’s abilities. Each unit will have strengths and weaknesses so coordinating your units is crucial for success.
Grant: What dangers and threats meet the players with their airborne and amphibious landings?
Matt: As the player pushes towards the prison they may encounter Japanese enemy threat but also the risks associated with such landings.
Grant: What objectives does the player have to accomplish?
Matt: The player’s goal is to get to the camp, free the prisoners and then escort them back to the pick-up zone to make good their escape. This was a daring mission as the Japanese defended the area and the player will have to fend off Japanese reinforcements as the player makes good on their escape.
Grant: What is the purpose of the 2 different maps?
Matt: The game comes complete with 2 maps. The first map is for the approach to the Prison Camp and features both Airborne and amphibious landings. The second map is the Prison Camp itself where the player must locate and rescue the prisoners before escaping back across the first map.
Grant: How do players control these units and give commands?
Matt: During the game’s turn the player controls movement of their Units whilst the game’s AI will control the enemy Japanese.
Grant: What is the goal of the game? How is victory obtained?
Matt: Get to the camp, rescue the prisoners and escape, whilst fending off the Japanese enemy. It will take co-ordination of the player’s units, using them to the best of their abilities and a bit of luck!
Grant: What are you most pleased about with the design?
Matt: I really wanted to create the strong narrative experience, that’s quite tense, of having multiple objectives (with rescuing all the prisoners) whilst dealing with an unrelenting enemy.
Grant: What kind of an experience does the game create?
Matt: For me, the game creates the idea that sometimes you have to be bold, push your luck and try and achieve success by utilizing the resources you have to the best of their abilities.
Grant: What other designs are you currently working on?
Matt: I have a plate of other games I am working on, mostly WWII! I’d like to cover more of these historical daring raids whether they are land, sea or air.
Thanks to Matt for his time in answering our questions and for his great little print and play games. I love it when one of these new games is brought to light as I get to oodle over the art and see what new things he has created!
If you are interested in Saving Angels WWII Solitaire Wargame Print and Play, you can back the project on the Kickstarter website at the following link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1564988876/saving-angels-ww2-solitaire-wargame?
-Grant
Welcome to this week’s batch of crowdfunding campaigns. We have a variety of offerings here, so we hope you will find something that catches your eye. Also, if you want to chat with the BGQ team, join our Discord Server where we talk about games, movies, sports, and other fun stuff. Or, if Facebook is […]
Welcome to this week’s batch of crowdfunding campaigns. We have a variety of offerings here, so we hope you will find something that catches your eye. Also, if you want to chat with the BGQ team, join our Discord Server where we talk about games, movies, sports, and other fun stuff. Or, if Facebook is […]
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Travel back in time to the radical 1980s where you'll put together a crew of criminals for the heist of the decade
Whenever I start up Slay the Spire (via Steam) I’m reminded that there is a Slay the Spire boardgame on Kickstarter. I see posts for it on r/slaythespire. I’ve played 4,000 hours of Slay the Spire, it’s fair to say I like it. I own ~200 boardgames (and have bought and sold ~5x that). So, automatic pledge, right?
Nope.
Apart from my natural reticence with Kickstarter, or the fact that tie-in games are usually bad, there is the simple fact that this game crosses mediums (which, come to think of it, tie-in games automatically do). I think I’ve danced around this issue before, but I’ve also been playing a bunch of Ozymandias (alternating that and StS), and it cemented some of my thoughts on this, so I felt like it might be interesting to discuss.
Lets assume, arguendo, that the Slay the Spire board game developers are honest, competent, hard working and have a ton of board game experience. (For all I know this is true, but that is certainly not the case on many Kickstarter projects). It doesn’t really matter: My goals with StS and boardgames are different.
Slay the Spire is a small exercise in optimization and risk management. Certainly many Eurogames (particularly J.A.S.E. games) exemplify that. So let’s even grant that they can turn this into a decent board game. But when I’m playing Slay the Spire (in steam), I’m getting a fundamentally solitaire experience at my own pace. I normally don’t play too carefully, and many average ~20 minutes (playing at A20, Act I is ~10 minutes, Act II is ~20 and III/IV is ~30-40). I can play slower to improve my win rate, but StS is essentially “Television” for me. Its a (mostly) mindless few hours instead of watching netflix. It’s not a competitive experience, and its not a particularly social experience.
Board games are primarily competitive and social, for me. They are relaxing, but not in the same category of “Television/Netflix.” I have different motiviations between boardgames and computer games, so even a perfect replica of Slay the Spire in board game format might bomb for me.
But what is lost in the board game format of StS (I’m assuming, not having followed it closely):
First, All the computer moderation. Slay the Spire is a deckbuilder (to be sure) but also a roguelike, and part of the joy is having 10+ modifications (via relics). But I don’t have to do anything, I can just click and play, and its handled. In a boardgame, these get overwhelming. In a competitive board game, losing because I forgot Player B has Relic Q (when each of my opponents has ~5 relics)? Ugh. (I now see that the Slay the Spire is a co-op, but it would be the same thing if we lost because we lost track of some modifier….)
A super-fiddly game is made better by an automated moderator that plays the fiddle.
Even Ozymandias (which is basically a board game) takes full advantage of the computer to handle persnickety math, shows you numerical differences in your choices and smooths things out. Calculating and resolving all the battles in 5 seconds instead of minutes of dice rolling, with no mistakes. (It could be done faster, but the computer gives time to see it).
Second, downtime. In the computer games, I take as long or as little time as I want. I get a 100% return on my time. In Slay the Spire or (theoretical) Ozymandias board game, I have downtime. Even if they aren’t fixed fun games (where the fun is divided up between players) strictly speaking, there’s some loss. Ozymandias would take a huge hit unless it managed to do a simultaneous selection.
None of that is to say that these games might not work, but the switching between mediums might mean they work in a way that is very different than what made them addictive as a computer game. (The same way the Sandman, for example, had to rework the 24/7 episode (the one in the diner) because what works in a 20 page comic you can read in 5 minutes does not work as an hour of television).
I suspect the most likely result of the Slay the Spire boardgame will be something like Thunderstone … not a bad game, but one of those games you play a few times and move on from. (Again, that’s not a knock. In the past if I got 5 plays from a board game, I considered that a reasonable purchase, but my standards are higher now).
Of course, it is certainly possible that the mold the developers are aiming for is more Gloomhaven campaign, or an epic four hour adventure. All those would be fine; but again a big change from a pringles like solitaire where I just play after dinner until I’m bored or tired.
I would certainly play the Slay the Spire Boardgame … it might be that what they end up with is satisfying as a board game. But if that is the case, it will scratch a very different itch than the computer game. And given how many board games I have, that’s not an itch I need felt the need to back.
Update — If you are new here from r/slaythespire, I have a number of StS related posts.
The latest entry in our interview series Why You Should Back: Death By Coconuts on Kickstarter. We spoke with the creator to get information about their latest launch. They look to be bringing something very interesting to market that walks the fine line between humorous and morbid. The Kickstarter launch date is May 31, 2022. Check out the link below to go directly to Death By Coconuts Kickstarter page or continue on to read the interview with the creator.
1. How would you describe your product in a few sentences?
Death By Coconuts is best described as a race-to-the-finish board game where you move by betting on death statistics.
First, you draw three causes of death, which can be anything from sharks to falling vending machines and projectile Champagne corks. There are additional time periods and geographical parameters to help you work out the answer. Then, when you’ve made your mind up, you bet up to three chips on which of the three you think is most deadly.
If you’re right, you move forward the same number of spaces as chips you bet with. If you’re wrong, the same applies – only you move backward instead! So you can see, it’s a game of risk and reward were betting big or small dictates how quickly you move across the board.
You’ve got to navigate shortcuts and trapdoors, and the treasure chest cards will more often than not expedite your arrival at the finish line. But sometimes they’ll throw a curveball at you. Only the first to the finish wins, unless there’s a tie. In which case we’ve got a pretty dramatic best-of-three tiebreaker to decide the winner. This is our very first attempt at a board game. We’ve created a simpler mechanic than our first Kickstarter game, Plant-Based Riot, but it still delivers bucket loads of quick-fire fun.
2. Introduce the team bringing this to market? What is your background that brought you to launching this?
The team is largely the same as the one that brought you Plant-Based Riot via Kickstarter last year. This time, though, we’ve added another designer to the mix…
Marty Pardoe worked behind the scenes of Plant-Based Riot but is at the core of this team. She’s a hugely gifted designer that’s been involved from the early stages when the game went by the rather sinister name of “May Cause Cancer” (a story for another time…). Marty was named as a rising star in Mojo Nation’s 100 Influential Figures list in 2021 for her work on our game Girl Power. It was Marty’s idea to make Death By Coconuts a race-to-the-finish board game and we’ve run with that ever since.
Roberto Rotaru is our artist, graphic designer, motion graphic designer, video editor. He continues to add strings to his bow since our campaign last year. Originally from Romania, he’s the biggest gamer of the bunch – our go-to guy when it comes to making key decisions on mechanics. All the motion graphics and videos you see in relation to this project are down to his artistry.
I’m the content writer for Death By Coconuts. It was my job to trawl the deepest depths of the internet to put together 250 death statistics. It was definitely no day at a tropical beach, I can tell you. You know what they say, though… It’s a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it.
Courtney is the guy that oversees everything. It’s his job to stitch all the individual components together. He started Bubblegum Stuff in Hong Kong back in 2013, so there’s traces of his blood, sweat and tears in this and every other product the company has put out over the years.
We’ve turned to Kickstarter again because we loved the experience last time out. It brought us closer to our community in more ways than one. Like us, the people that backed Plant-Based Riot believe in the power of collaboration. And because they have tons of experience backing games on the platform, they are an invaluable source of insight and opinion. We’re sure many of those guys will play active roles in making key design and gameplay decisions with Death By Coconuts, too.
3. What existing games would you compare your game to?
Death By Coconuts is similar to a few games – and in various ways. It’s got elements of Snakes & Ladders, which we all remember as one of the first games we ever played. The shortcut across the lake and the lava flow trapdoor are essentially a ladder and a snake respectively.
The treasure chest cards also give the sense you’re being given a ladder or a snake, depending on what you’re lucky or unlucky enough to pick up. Saying that, though, they could be likened to the chance or action cards that are fairly ubiquitous in many board games.
There are also similarities with a game from London-based games producer Big Potato. Their game What Came First? uses the same betting mechanic as the method for moving around the board. The difference being in What Came First? you’re betting on what happened first out of two events in history that are paired together on the same card. In Death By Coconuts you’re betting on three separately drawn death stats.
That small difference adds endless amounts of replayability to the game. It means there are over 2.5 million possible combinations of death cards! Each round will feel like a fresh challenge regardless of how many times you’ve played the game. That’s amplified even more when you consider the additional caveats like time period and location.
4. What sets your game apart?
What sets Death By Coconuts apart is the delivery. We’ve produced a game that features 250 causes of death without it feeling overtly morbid. And that was always the mission. It must be said, we’re not making light of death or any of the events featured on the cards in the game. But it is as much a part of life as birth. And we knew if we handled it correctly, it wouldn’t cause offense. Much in the same way that Halloween or the Mayan festival Day of the Dead doesn’t.
Some of the content comes across lighthearted, such as the deaths by falling coconuts, which causes on average 150 deaths a year! (Incidentally, that’s more than sharks – and it’s that fact that was the inspiration behind the game.) However, most of the leavening is being done by the 1950s Americana/tropicana/tiki-style design, artwork and overall theme. The board depicts our little skeleton character getting into all kinds of comedic scrapes with cannibals, krakens, snakes and more. Many of which are causes of death featured in the game. In addition to those Easter eggs, there are 150 coconuts on the board in reference to the stat that started it all. We’ll be impressed if anyone finds them all. You might even notice the spaces stretching from Coconut Beach to Eternal Paradise look familiar…
5. How can everyone be assured that they are going to get quality components and you are going to deliver on all the promises you are making?
As previously mentioned, we’re a slightly expanded team to the one that delivered Plant-Based Riot through Kickstarter last year. And this slightly expanded team is working within Bubblegum Stuff, which is a small gift and game company based in London. We’ve been plying our trade for nearly 10 years. So getting things designed, made and delivered is our bread and butter.
Furthermore, we delivered Plant-Based Riot – our first Kickstarter – through all the turmoil and disruption caused by Covid and one of the worst shipping crises in history. We’re really proud to have delivered the game to our backers, as promised, by Christmas. This meant changing from sea freight to air freight right at the eleventh hour. Seriously… the stock was on a ship in port and we took it off and got it onto a flight!
Not that we wouldn’t go above and beyond for our customers anyway. But the loyalty, support and patience showed to us by our backers last year really moved us. And that’s still ringing in our ears going into this next campaign. We’re committed to delivering on our promises and building on our incredible community through Kickstarter.
6. Why should someone back your project?
Death By Coconuts combines diabolically gruesome subject matter with super funky artwork, near-addictive fun and endless replayability.
It feels incredibly unique but still familiar enough that it’s accessible for pretty much everyone. And the learning to fun time ratio is stacked heavily in favor of fun. That makes it a perfect game to pick up and play, whether you’re looking for a casual game for two or something to sustain a great big games night.
So what are you waiting for? Back our project, grab a few fellow shipwrecked shipmates and get going on the race to Eternal Paradise. Where your knowledge of death might just save your life!
Great insight and enthusiasm from a passionate and experienced designer. This game has some wonderful funky art and is sure to please a very specific type of gamer. If you are looking for an interesting quick-fire game, give this one a shot. Take a look at their Kickstarter for more info!
Anmelden
