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Cardboard Edison

Game design & bright ideas for game designers

Bright Ideas

Tips & Resources for Board Game Designers

Cardboard Edison
  • Cardboard Edison/
  • Our Games/
    • Houdini's Last Act
    • Quad Squad
    • Cobras
    • Retail Rejects
    • More Games
    • Prototypes
  • Free Resources/
    • Blog
    • Industry Reports
    • Playtest Groups
    • Virtual Tabletops
    • Contests
    • Interviews
    • Game Design Checklist
  • Publisher Directory/
  • Tariffs Report/
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  • Podcast/
  • Award/
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December 03, 2025 December 03, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

Answers to a bunch of questions about designing and publishing board games (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncobd6xxT2Q

December 03, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
process, publishing, industry

Cardboard Edison

November 20, 2025 November 20, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

Career paths in the tabletop industry: how to gain work experience that’s attractive to publishers and other gaming companies (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vcjh97TFETE

November 20, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
industry

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 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

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 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 16, 2025 October 16, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

Aspects of the tabletop industry that can contribute to burnout for board game designers (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2rC_8F10R8

October 16, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
industry

Cardboard Edison

October 03, 2025 October 03, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

Lessons learned from 10 years as a published board game designer (video):

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

October 03, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
industry

Cardboard Edison

September 27, 2025 September 27, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

This chat with a game designer and developer considers what makes a game “cozy” and what makes it a good product (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ux_BOmq9WCY

September 27, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
theory, industry

Cardboard Edison

September 19, 2025 September 19, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

The designer of Ascension offers up five game design lessons from 15 years of the game:

https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/1/blogpost/177249/designer-diary-5-lessons-learned-from-15-years-of

September 19, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
theory, process, industry

Cardboard Edison

September 12, 2025 September 12, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

Legal basics for board game designers: patents, trademarks, copyrights, licensing agreements, and more (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtzvEv5RSQA

September 12, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
industry

Cardboard Edison

September 11, 2025 September 11, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

Why it’s worth the cost for board game designers to attend gaming conventions (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwOK1j_BffQ

September 11, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
industry

Cardboard Edison

September 03, 2025 September 03, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

Designing the kinds of games that are currently trendy: why it’s not an optimal approach to game design and how it’s better to try and start a new trend than to attach your game to a current trend (video):

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

September 03, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
industry, process

Cardboard Edison

August 28, 2025 August 28, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

Lifestyle games: what they are, what kinds of games can become lifestyle games, designing one today, and more (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_7v6HDWHAI

August 28, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
theory, industry

Cardboard Edison

August 23, 2025 August 23, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

This board game designer glossary has brief explanations for tons of everyday industry terms that all designers should know:

https://streamlinedgaming.com/board-game-designers-glossary/

August 23, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
industry

Cardboard Edison

August 19, 2025 August 19, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

A roundtable discussion about board game development and how developers work with designers (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJF-qdk-sJ8

August 19, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
industry

Cardboard Edison

August 16, 2025 August 16, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

Social media for board games: tips for making the most of short-form social content for both hobby and mass-market games (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Npo4tbhCE4o

August 16, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
industry

Cardboard Edison

August 09, 2025 August 09, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

Designing board games with manufacturing in mind: how your design decisions can affect production and fulfillment (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-Hz2H5o7eY

August 09, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
publishing, industry

Cardboard Edison

August 06, 2025 August 06, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

More board game publishers are moving toward eco-friendly and sustainable production. Here are some steps they’re taking:

https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2025/08/05/shelf-to-soil-how-board-games-are-getting-greener-topic-discussion/

August 06, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
industry, publishing

Cardboard Edison

July 26, 2025 July 26, 2025/ Cardboard Edison

3 ways to tell your game isn’t ready to pitch or publish:

https://boardgamedesigncourse.com/the-top-3-ways-to-tell-your-game-is-not-ready-to-pitch-or-publish/

July 26, 2025/ Cardboard Edison/
playtesting, industry, licensing, publishing

Cardboard Edison

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