Unboxed: A Board Game Industry Discussion

How do you reach your audience amidst an onslaught of distractions, from life, from brands, from your own actions? Deirdre Cross shares her experience in leadership roles at mass market-focused companies: what works and what doesn't for breaking through the noise, and where we go from here.

Special thanks to our episode contributors:

• Deirdre Cross
• Super Secret Startup

Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jenni...

Kathleen Mercury is arguably the greatest champion of continued learning in the tabletop game industry. A lifelong learner, teacher, and advocate for creating spaces to pass on knowledge, she shares her inspirations for all of the above from a unique designer-forward perspective, with parallel benefits across several roles.

Special thanks to our episode contributors:

• Kathleen Mercury
• Gen Con Game Design Academy
• GAMA Designer D...

Creating the best play experiences has never been as important as it is today. We are joined by Rachele Harmuth, Chief Product Officer at Crunchlabs and Founder of MESH, to discuss how harnessing the power of play impacts the emotional and mental health of all generations.

Special thanks to our episode contributors:

• Rachele Harmuth
• Crunchlabs
• MESH Helps
• Read the MESH White Paper on Resilience
• Read the MESH White Paper on Youth...

Getting a job in the tabletop games industry is a dream come true! Knowing where to start your search though, can be a very daunting task. In this episode we're joined by Ross Thompson, industry veteran and steward of Tabletop Game Jobs Facebook Group, who sheds light on the job search journey in tabletop. He also shares trends and best practices for both applicants and employers looking to hire as well. Let's dive in.

Special than...

Sidelines can be an awesome addition to your brand's catalog or a money sink that takes away from your core product focus. They're tough to get right, so we connected with Andrew Loremen, CEO of Many Worlds Tavern, a brand whose merch consistently catches our eyes, to help build a roadmap for sideline success.

Special thanks to our episode contributors:

• Andrew Loreman
• Many Worlds Tavern

Episode written and produced by Da...

Gaming, like most hobbies, can be an escape for the player. So in today's society, does that mean certain themes are off limits? Tory Brown, designer of Votes for Women, doesn't think so. She tackles discourse head on, balancing the harsh realities of history and making a product with a message.

Special thanks to our episode contributors:

• Tory Brown
• Votes for Women

Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer...

There's been a game taking the industry by storm! Maybe you've seen advertising for Flip 7 on BoardGameGeek, a viral video popping off, or noticed it as Game of the Month at Walmart. Or maybe you've seen it on your table because your friends keep asking to play it!

We had to hear the details about this dynamite release, so we went straight to the source. David Blanchard, Director of Party and Family Games at The Op Games, joins us ...

Good graphic design can make or break a game experience. Whether from completing the theme to improving UX, it's impossible to create a product without incorporating graphic design.

We invited industry expert Matt Paquette to dive into his design philosophies and share key experiences from his robust career.

Special thanks to our episode contributors:

• Matt Paquette
• Matt Paquette & Co.

Episode written and produced by ...

Everyone wants to meet their favorite character some day! And cosplayers get to make that dream a reality every day. Monica Paprocki joins Unboxed to share the impact of pulling talent into your in-person and online activations. She highlights what makes these partnerships exciting, and how to ensure they have the highest impact.

Special thanks to our episode contributors:

• Monica Paprocki
• GeeksAGoGo
• Cephalofair Games

Epi...

Partnering with content creators is a core part of most marketing strategies, whether you're launching a new product or support a catalog classic. Creators serve a vital function: meeting customers where they are at, and navigating the ever-changing tide of social media platforms. How do we get the most out of these partnerships?

Danielle Standring joins Unboxed to talk about a vital part of these relationships - collaboration. Hea...

For Ross Connell, photography isn't just a passion—it's a medium that expresses the impact of a game has on the lives of new and existing fans. Ross shares the constraints he puts on his own work to make sure he's maximizing all the important details a photo should communicate to the viewer, especially as we live in a world of limited attention.

Special thanks to our episode contributors:

• Ross Connell
• NorthStar Game Stud...

This must be scientifically proven by now: Hobbies clearly make us better at our jobs. A giggly pair of Danni and Jen share some of their personal experiences with hobbies (mainly Woobles) and reflect on how those joys impact their work.

Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.

Beats by Lukas Michas.

If you liked this episode, support us further by treating us to a Ko-fi and followi...

When marketing is in your DNA, you can't help but inject it into every creative project. Zac Dixon from IV Studio shares how thinking about marketing and community building from a product's inception has helped them land hit after hit on crowdfunding and your tables.

Special thanks to our episode contributors:

• Zac Dixon
• IV Studio

Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.

Beats by Lukas Michas...

Running the largest-grossing tabletop gaming Kickstarter campaign of all time can be a daunting feat, but Johnny O'Neal and the team at Brotherwise Games are a passionate, dedicated group. He reflects on their 12-year journey from launching the Boss Monster board game, and how they find themselves as a leader in licensed gaming.

Special thanks to our episode contributors:

• Johnny O'Neal
• Brotherwise Games

Episode written a...

It doesn't matter if you're a creative nut or like having ten spreadsheets open at a time, planning is a crucial step of any project. But don't take our word for it! We brought in an expert. Banana Chan is not only an award-winning game designer, they are a sought-after collaborator due, in part, to the efforts they put into project planning. They share some of the tools they use to unlock the time for creative freedom in game desi...

The ultimate crossover - when tabletop games are made with toy-like components. Danni and Jen turn the nostalgia dial up to 1,000 on this episode, remembering the toys of their childhood and reflecting on how games are turning the best memories into the catchiest gameplay.

Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.

Beats by Lukas Michas.

If you liked this episode, support us further by treating...

There's no understating it. Co-designed board games are making for some of the best new products to hit the market. We asked co-design wizard Sen-Foong Lim to share why he enjoys the co-design process and how that's helped him and his co-designers maximize their efforts.

Special thanks to our episode contributors:

• Sen-Foong Lim

Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.

Beats by Lukas Michas.

...