5 ms·

We're really not, but we were from like 1995-2010, which inspired a rollup of the industry by private equity (pretty sure every game in this article is owned by

We're really not, but we were from like 1995-2010, which inspired a rollup of the industry by private equity (pretty sure every game in this article is owned by the Asmodee Group, or whatever they're calling themselves now.) Now it's an endless wave of samey overproduced trash that intends to generate "IP."

MattDemers 4y ago
>Now it's an endless wave of samey overproduced trash that intends to generate "IP." Can't wait for the movie adaptations and shipping.
rtpg 4y ago
Yes this is a puff piece. But like... Carcasonne was 2000. There has been amazing progress in game design and depth. So many games that have wide audiences and that are just fun and well designed, that would not have been published 20 years ago because it would not fit into the right mold. For every "game meant to get 20 expansions", we have a wealth of very good replayable games that exist well on their own. For every game meant to launder 20 different kind of components, you get 4 wonderful games sold at cost and that are actually fun, with the tactileness being the flavor on top. I kind of agree that lots of games are OK with making their boxes "too much" nowadays (if only from a practical perspective of it being too big and just a lot of trash). But I think almost everybody at the creative level is just earnestly excited to make board games. Business people want to make business, but that's the same in every industry.
cianmm 4y ago
First I've heard of Asmodee Group, but from a quick Google they own a remarkable number of games (that they call "IP"). A quick note that they at least don't own Wingspan, the first game in the article. It's by an independent publisher called [Stonemaier Games](https://stonemaiergames.com https://stonemaiergames.com) who "grew up" on Kickstarter (and openly considered it a marketing tool in later years) but vocally moved away because the founder found the experience too stressful. They make some great games and I recommend checking them out! I particularly enjoy Viticulture, and Scythe if Fantastic, if you can find people to play it with.
- jtode 4y ago
  I have only begun to dabble in board games again in the last couple years, and Wingspan was my entry point, thanks to my birdnerd wife. I heartily second this Stonemaier recommendation - we own several more of their games already, and all are fantastic. I bought the family a coop expansion for Viticulture that we're opening later this morning, and they're really a great company that, so far as I can tell, is doing everything they can to foster more indie producers, not dominate the market or play any of those kinda games. If there is a golden age, Stonemaier is one of the major mines.

MattDemers 4y ago

>Now it's an endless wave of samey overproduced trash that intends to generate "IP." Can't wait for the movie adaptations and shipping.

rtpg 4y ago

Yes this is a puff piece. But like... Carcasonne was 2000. There has been amazing progress in game design and depth. So many games that have wide audiences and that are just fun and well designed, that would not have been published 20 years ago because it would not fit into the right mold. For every "game meant to get 20 expansions", we have a wealth of very good replayable games that exist well on their own. For every game meant to launder 20 different kind of components, you get 4 wonderful games sold at cost and that are actually fun, with the tactileness being the flavor on top. I kind of agree that lots of games are OK with making their boxes "too much" nowadays (if only from a practical perspective of it being too big and just a lot of trash). But I think almost everybody at the creative level is just earnestly excited to make board games. Business people want to make business, but that's the same in every industry.

cianmm 4y ago

First I've heard of Asmodee Group, but from a quick Google they own a remarkable number of games (that they call "IP"). A quick note that they at least don't own Wingspan, the first game in the article. It's by an independent publisher called [Stonemaier Games](https://stonemaiergames.com https://stonemaiergames.com) who "grew up" on Kickstarter (and openly considered it a marketing tool in later years) but vocally moved away because the founder found the experience too stressful. They make some great games and I recommend checking them out! I particularly enjoy Viticulture, and Scythe if Fantastic, if you can find people to play it with.

jtode 4y ago
I have only begun to dabble in board games again in the last couple years, and Wingspan was my entry point, thanks to my birdnerd wife. I heartily second this Stonemaier recommendation - we own several more of their games already, and all are fantastic. I bought the family a coop expansion for Viticulture that we're opening later this morning, and they're really a great company that, so far as I can tell, is doing everything they can to foster more indie producers, not dominate the market or play any of those kinda games. If there is a golden age, Stonemaier is one of the major mines.