'Some Assembly Required' is a flatpack furniture-building experience that will actually make you feel smart is a game designed by TTGDA member @leighperrott.bsky.social and published by @allplay.bsky.social that's currently funding through Thursday May 14. www.kickstarter.com/projects/boa...

River Valley Jewelcraft

Back the spiritual successors to River Valley Glassworks and Things in Rings. And: a flatpack furniture-themed tile placement game

kickstarter.com

RIP Reinhold Wittig, one of the big gaming pioneers in Germany has sadly passed away. In the 80s he was THE small indie-publisher, who established the "tube cames", i.e. games in a cube here. Also his artwork of games like Müller&Co is one of the best until today.

Hilk@hilk.bsky.social · 4mo ago

My friend and mentor, gaming giant Reinhold Wittig, passed away yesterday. I have written a somewhat personal obituary (in German) which you can find here: wp.me/pekkzY-1Ed

Missing Pieces is looking for your game design questions! Our pile is low right now, so your questions has a good chance of being answered in an upcoming @ttgda.bsky.social newsletter. Here are some of my favorite recent questions we've received. Submit yours here: forms.gle/53QtYWvZqJvA...

ALERT: Mattel has been pushing game designers to submit pitches using their My Mattel Ideas portal, even if designers are in discussions with Mattel people directly. The portal forces you to commit to a royalty cap of 1.5% plus a 10% deduction to net sales - effectively 1.35%.

We conducted a survey of our members about their experiences and thoughts on AI usage in tabletop game design. 🎲✂️ The full report can be found here: irp.cdn-website.com/2b6905d0/fil... A few takeaways: 🧵

Kudos to @barnesandnoble.com for including designer names on their game listings!

A designer said to us that TTGDA has made him realize that the contract terms he accepts affect every designer who gets a contract from that publisher. And that has impacted his negotiating positions. We love this sentiment!

Third year in a row GAMA has snubbed designers with their "Excellence in Game Design" award. 🎲✂️

Tabletop Game Designers Association@ttgda.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Shame on GAMA for once again not including designers in their "Excellence in Game Design" award announcement. Last year they promised that this would be corrected in 2026, but again designers are not given the recognition they deserve. The omission is no longer an oversight. It is a GAMA policy.

Shame on GAMA for once again not including designers in their "Excellence in Game Design" award announcement. Last year they promised that this would be corrected in 2026, but again designers are not given the recognition they deserve. The omission is no longer an oversight. It is a GAMA policy.

Tabletop Game Designers Association@ttgda.bsky.social · last yr.

Disappointing that the listing of the @originsgamefair.bsky.social Awards finalists (for "Excellence in Game Design") does not mention the game designers. We requested that they include that last year, but the omission continues. www.originsawards.net/news/announc...

Hex Factor by TTGDA member Frederick Weller is a fast-paced abstract game for 1-4 players where you claim territory by solving puzzles where the pieces have a mind of their own. 1 minute to learn and 10 minutes to play. It's currently funding through 3/17. www.kickstarter.com/projects/sne...

HEX FACTOR: THE ADDICTIVE, REAL-TIME PUZZLE GAME

Race to claim territory by being the first to solve puzzles in an easy-to-learn, real-time, abstract strategy game.

kickstarter.com

AEG would not exist without the creativity and hard work of designers.

In Memoriam 2025 Designers build on the creativity and hard work of those who came before. TTGDA would like to recognize those in the tabletop industry who we lost last year. We are deeply grateful for their contributions, and are diminished by their loss. irp.cdn-website.com/2b6905d0/fil...

Upper Deck has announced that they have acquired the Harry Potter license for a series of trading cards. They have not yet said that they will be using this license for games, and we urge them to refrain from doing so, to help keep gaming a welcoming environment.

Tabletop Game Designers Association@ttgda.bsky.social · last yr.

The leadership of the Tabletop Game Designers Association was disappointed to see the publisher CGE touting Codenames: Back to Hogwarts, a new Harry Potter-themed version of Codenames.

Super Team by TTGDA member @amirsalamati.bsky.social is a fast and exciting tactical football game where players take control of unique teams managing offense and defense using a deck filled with powerful abilities. It's currently funding at gamefound.com/en/projects/...

Super Team Tactical Football Board Game by Roomiz Games - Gamefound

Control unique teams and captains, using powerful cards and strategic resource management in this fast-paced, tactical football game!

gamefound.com

Pyrotechnics by TTGDA member @backwardscapgames.bsky.social is a 2 player head-to-head card game that's quick and easy with just the right spark of strategy. It's currently available for pre-sale with delivery expected before the end of January 2026! www.seahorseandhummingbird.com/shop/pyrotec...

Pyrotechnics - The Seahorse and The Hummingbird

Pyrotechnics is a fast, two-player card duel packed with strategy and sparks—easy to learn, quick to play, and endlessly replayable.

seahorseandhummingbird.com

Are you looking for a last minute gift for a game designer in your life? We asked TTGDA members for their favorite tools they would recommend as gifts. They've been collected into our first ever TTGDA Gift Guide! tinyurl.com/3z3u9umh

Texas: Card Games Inspired By The Lone Star State is currently funding on @kickstarter.com This anthology of six games includes Roadrunner, a climbing/shedding card game designed by TTGDA member @jonahkagan.bsky.social www.kickstarter.com/projects/gam...

Texas: Six New Card Games + Playing Cards

Texas playing cards and a book of new card games by San Antonio high-school sweethearts.

kickstarter.com

Phantasmic by TTGDA Member @marcelineleiman.bsky.social is releasing at Pax Unplugged from Button Shy Games! Members of the elite Phantasmic Dueling Squad test their skills against each other. Employ your knowledge of counterhexes to prove that you’re the best! boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/43...

Phantasmic

Feint, bluff, and challenge correctly to become an elite magical duelist.

boardgamegeek.com

Heavenly Bodies by TTGDA member @marcelineleiman.bsky.social will be available Saturday at Indie Games Night Market during Pax Unplugged Inspired by Gin Rummy and Koi-Koi, players collect melds of 3 or more cards to pass thresholds for each suit to score points boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/45...

Heavenly Bodies

Unite the power of the cosmos to form new stars using sets of cards.

boardgamegeek.com

Check out Adulting, a 'cozy, engine-building card game about the mundane struggles of adulthood' from TTGDA member @ericdittmore.bsky.social during PAX Unplugged's Indie Night Market this Saturday night! Build a healthy balance of chores and self-care. Find more information at DittmoreDesigns.com

Nayakas by TTGDA member andydgames.bsky.social is a worker placement game for 2–4 players and works to capture the spirit of India’s feudal kingdoms after the fall of the Vijayanagara Empire through simple yet strategic gameplay. Find out more information here: boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/44...

Got a specific game design problem you're trying to crack? We'd love to give our input in Missing Pieces, a board game design advice column in @ttgda.bsky.social's newsletter! You can submit questions here: docs.google.com/forms/d/1hc3...

Missing Pieces: a Game Design Advice Column

Send us whatever game design quandary you're facing and someone from our team of designers, developers, and publishers will do our best to solve it! We cannot respond to all questions, but if we ans...

docs.google.com

Uh Oh, Dino! from TTGDA member @ludoliminal.bsky.social is a cute & chaotic cooperative dinosaur game with a shifting board, adorable dinos, and a drawbag of danger that's currently funding on @kickstarter.com through October 30. www.kickstarter.com/projects/lud...

Uh Oh, Dino! - Cute & Chaotic Co-op for 2-4 Players

Shifting board, adorable dinos, and a drawbag of danger ☄️&🦖 Meteors & Meat-Eaters expansion ✨Limited 2025 Holiday Shipping Available!

kickstarter.com

We were pleased to hear that @cmyk.games will include the designer on their packaging in the future. Their box artwork, while striking, was ultimately a disappointment for hiding the contribution of the designer and other creatives that worked on the game. Thanks to all that voiced your concern.

3 Witches designed by TTGDA member @coreyyoung.bsky.social from @allplay.bsky.social will be available at Spiel Essen. Check out this unique trick-taking game that does a lot with only 18 cards and asymmetric play. boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/44...

3 Witches

The three witches can’t agree—every trick is a 2 vs 1 battle for the cauldron!

boardgamegeek.com

We were recently contacted by one of our members about a publisher missing a series of royalty payments on a popular game. We reached out to the publisher on behalf of the designer and were able to get them paid within a few days. Learn more about the benefits of membership at ttgda.org

The deadline for submissions to Ion Award 2026 is December 1

- SaltCON

The Ion Award 2026 Opens on October 1 Ion Award Rules and Entry The Ion Award competition at SaltCON is the premier competition for game designers to meet publishers. Rule Summary: Deadline for submis...

saltcon.com

Epipocalypse: Bug Detectives is a new game by TTGDA member @pharmageddon.bsky.social currently funding on @kickstarter.com through October 30. Learn the clues to infectious disease diagnoses using a game that tests your knowledge beyond basic trivia questions. www.kickstarter.com/projects/pha...

Epipocalypse: Bug Detectives, A Medical Card Game

Learn infectious diseases by playing cards. Symptoms, transmission, reservoirs, and more!

kickstarter.com

Academia: A Game of Administrative Bloat is an engine-building, action-management game about running a university. Designed by TTGDA member Ian Pytlarz and published by The Dietz Foundation, this game is currently funding on @kickstarter.com through October 16. www.kickstarter.com/projects/die...

Academia: A Game of Administrative Bloat

A Love Letter to American Universities

kickstarter.com

Step into the shadowy world of 1930's private detectives in Stakeout by completing investigations and closing cases. This game by TTGDA member @esisgm.bsky.social and Lamplight Games currently funding on @kickstarter.com through October 16. www.kickstarter.com/projects/pla...

Stakeout: A 1930s Detective Dice Game

Embark on a thrilling investigation in this competitive 1-4 player game of stakeouts, wiretaps, and case-solving action.

kickstarter.com