The 5 biggest lessons learned from 20 years of game design: playtesting, deciding what to keep, working within constraints, and more (video):
A template for creating your board game’s elevator pitch:
https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3269784/crafting-perfect-elevator-pitch
How to find a publisher—lots of pointers for each step of the process:
https://www.thedarkimp.com/blog/2024/03/06/how-to-find-a-publisher/
Pitch or publish? These “job descriptions” show the skills required and basic duties comparing independent game designers and self-publishers:
https://www.thedarkimp.com/blog/2024/02/21/pitch-or-publish/
What would you do if a publisher that’s interested in your game wants to change your favorite part? A Bluesky board game designers discussion:
https://bsky.app/profile/perpetualploy.bsky.social/post/3kjwnp5ja2k2r
Our annual Best Practices booklet, filled with board game design tips and resources, is back for 2024! Lots of articles and interviews covering all steps of the board game design process!
https://cardboardedison.com/award
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eM_Y1BBUi3ts7jaei99zojTya1N-qVzV/view
Dealing with rejection by publishers: why they might not want your game, and tips for managing it when it happens:
https://www.thedarkimp.com/blog/2023/12/27/dealing-with-rejection/
Adam Porter shares an epic list of 100 lessons about board game design and finding commercial success as a designer, learned over a decade in the industry (video):
Lessons 100-91: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D8omU-Ejj4
Lessons 90-81: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEbA8BYJ2Xs
Lessons 80-71: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYs3wApBYVE
Lessons 70-61: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INsfDpTQzlg
Lessons 60-51: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ozai-xir6G0
Lessons 50-41: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0EvkRnjzZI
Lessons 40-31: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LYVscmpj-A
Lessons 30-21: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JITsKXWf7pI
Lessons 20-11: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvol9tXnyFk
Lessons 10-1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIGP-CE0Dow
Most publishers prefer setting up convention pitch meetings ahead of time. But for quick, impromptu pitches, here are some tips:
https://twitter.com/CardboardTruth/status/1733138500151644457
Highlights from Hasbro's inaugural Women Innovators of Play event (video):
—The journey into board game design, with Elizabeth Hargrave
—Lots of tips for pitching to publishers
—How mass-market toys and games are made
—Overcoming doubt and imposter syndrome
—Working habits to be a successful toy and game inventor
Why board game designers should always insist on getting an advance as part of a licensing contract:
Following up from the pitch: what to do after showing your board games to a bunch of publishers:
https://www.thedarkimp.com/blog/2023/08/02/mojo-pitch-an-inventors-guide-part-3-the-follow-up/