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Cardboard Edison

Game design & bright ideas for game designers

Bright Ideas

Tips & Resources for Board Game Designers

Cardboard Edison
  • About Us/
  • Our Games/
    • Houdini's Last Act
    • Quad Squad
    • Cobras
    • Retail Rejects
    • More Games
    • Prototypes
  • Free Resources/
    • Blog
    • Industry Reports
    • Tariffs Report
    • Playtest Groups
    • Virtual Tabletops
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    • Game Design Checklist
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theory
playtesting
prototyping
process
rules
licensing
publishing
industry
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November 17, 2025 November 17, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

This panel discussion about pitching board games to publishers covers every step of the process, from finding companies to preparing to the pitch itself (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1csZDlGVOo

November 17, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
licensing

Cardboard Edison

November 17, 2025 November 17, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

When shipping a crowdfunded game to backers, here are some problems you might run into—and the opportunities to provide great customer service that come with them:

https://boardgamedesigncourse.com/shipping-your-games-to-backers-and-following-up-on-any-issues/

November 17, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
publishing

Cardboard Edison

November 15, 2025 November 15, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

Steps to take to make a great rulebook:

https://stonemaiergames.com/what-makes-a-great-rulebook/

November 15, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
rules

Cardboard Edison

November 15, 2025 November 15, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

Tips and tricks for making a small print run of your board game by hand (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72RlygLm11g

November 15, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
publishing

Cardboard Edison

November 14, 2025 November 14, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

Why the first play of a board game is the most important one—and what designers can focus on to make it count (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rboNxr1KCc

November 14, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting, industry

Cardboard Edison

November 13, 2025 November 13, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

Publishers answer a wide range of questions about how they run their board game business (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxQnMstW-hQ

November 13, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
publishing

Cardboard Edison

November 08, 2025 November 08, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

An introduction to casino games: how common gambling games are designed, the odds behind them, and how casinos use them to their benefit (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDrisK5N6l8

November 08, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
theory

Cardboard Edison

November 08, 2025 November 08, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

Suggested terms to discuss different types of “randomness” in games:

https://keithburgun.net/randomness/

November 08, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
theory

Cardboard Edison

November 08, 2025 November 08, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

Here’s a small, free set of game icons for use in tabletop games:

https://www.reddit.com/r/BoardgameDesign/comments/1op44ua/i_made_a_free_set_of_game_icons_for_tabletop_games/

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1rq33CJSQkiFXCjALAke6CKnd4mNfkocG

November 08, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
prototyping

Cardboard Edison

November 06, 2025 November 06, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

How to start, run, and grow a playtest group—finding people and the right location, handling disputes, scheduling games, and balancing in-person vs. digital testing (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqnmPAd11dA

November 06, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

November 04, 2025 November 04, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

Leveling up as a board game designer: signs that your skills and practices are becoming more like an experienced designer rather than a beginner (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPWgQCNkRsM

November 04, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
process, playtesting, industry

Cardboard Edison

November 01, 2025 November 01, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

What’s your best playtesting advice? A Bluesky board game designers discussion:

https://bsky.app/profile/gregisonthego.bsky.social/post/3m4j56fvbvs2q

November 01, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

October 31, 2025 October 31, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

Inka and Markus Brand on designing games as a couple and as a family:

https://thegenerationsgames.substack.com/p/inka-and-markus-brand-our-minds-are-always-buzzing-with-ideas-for-games

October 31, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
process

Cardboard Edison

October 31, 2025 October 31, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

The Daniel.games game design advice website has been updated with new and revised articles:

https://daniel.games/

October 31, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
theory, process, playtesting, industry

Cardboard Edison

October 28, 2025 October 28, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

An introduction to online playtesting (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTFFKaRWAco

October 28, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

October 25, 2025 October 25, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

A short thread on how potential customers browse at a game store and what designers can learn from it:

https://bsky.app/profile/kevinwilson42.bsky.social/post/3m3zqjfqi3c2b

October 25, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
industry

Cardboard Edison

October 24, 2025 October 24, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

Tips for designing board games with strong narratives (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJmJ1IALfGc

October 24, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
theory

Cardboard Edison

October 21, 2025 October 21, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

Some concrete tips for keeping your playtesters happy, through your pitch, your teach, the prototype, and the design itself:

https://www.skeletoncodemachine.com/p/happy-playtesters

October 21, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting

Cardboard Edison

October 20, 2025 October 20, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

Marketing board games: tips for how to reveal a new game, run ads for a crowdfunding campaign, purchase paid marketing, and more (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZoSEACOw9E

October 20, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
publishing

Cardboard Edison

October 18, 2025 October 18, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

Ways to move forward when you're feeling stuck as a game designer (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yjYywuqJBM

October 18, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
process

Cardboard Edison

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