Matt Leacock on how the industry has changed in the past 20 years, working with publishers, advocating for game designers, and more:

https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2026/02/06/pandemic-creator-matt-leacock-on-fighting-for-designers-rights-working-with-effective-developers-and-his-publisher-pet-peeves/

A deep dive into board game publishing contracts: what to look for, what to avoid, specific percentages, negotiating terms, and more (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgLJqu67dYc

see also our reports as mentioned in the show: https://cardboardedison.com/reports

Breaking down the biggest benefits of licensing your board game to a small publisher and licensing it to a large publisher:

https://boardgamedesigncourse.com/large-or-small-publisher/

How many publishers to pitch a game to at the same time? A Bluesky board game designers discussion:

https://bsky.app/profile/jeffgrisenthwaite.bsky.social/post/3mdqvhrv4hc25

A pair of short videos with quick tips for making two essential elements for pitching a game design to publishers:

How to make a pitch video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkqgouPT9Pw

How to make a sell sheet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uan_taJqOqw

Our annual Cardboard Edison Best Practices booklet, filled with board game design tips and resources for every step of the process, is back!

In this edition, you’ll find:

• How to make the most of a playtest group

• What should be in a pitch video—and what shouldn’t

• Mistakes to avoid with your prototype’s art

• Onboarding players more smoothly

• How to prepare for indie game markets

…and lots more!

A good problem to have as a designer: How to deal with multiple publishers wanting to sign your game (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVqfMec6YCM

Three publishers on how they’re using—and paying to include—fan designs in their releases:

https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2025/12/16/board-game-publishers-stonemaier-cmyk-and-eurydice-games-on-how-theyre-utilising-and-paying-to-include-fan-designs-in-their-releases/

Optimizing your pitch: some best and worst practices in helping your game get a fair shake from the publishers you submit it to (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrrFsv47ZEk

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

Insights into the vetting process that publishers typically put new potential game designs through before seriously considering them as realistic options for future publication (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8GFP2uyE0M

After you sign a publishing contract, what happens next? This video breaks down the designer’s possible role in development, selecting art and a title, reviews, royalties, and more:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfL3taTlDgs

Pointers for improving your games’ sell sheets, with before-and-after comparisons using real examples (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcORwUMHs6Y

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/

Board game hooks: three kinds of hooks and the pros and cons of each (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23HEI4dxeCE

There are several ways of getting your game out there—here’s a quick breakdown of the pros and cons of each:

https://streamlinedgaming.com/how-to-sell-your-board-game/

3 things you can do to make your game a better product that’s more appealing to publishers:

https://boardgamedesigncourse.com/the-top-3-things-you-can-do-to-make-your-game-a-better-product/

Bite-size videos on various steps involved in making a board game, from getting started to playtesting to publishing:

• a simple game design exercise: https://bsky.app/profile/marygeorgescu.com/post/3lsbni2jyv52w

• playtesting tips: https://bsky.app/profile/marygeorgescu.com/post/3lsgshsvyqw2p

• types of playtesting: https://bsky.app/profile/marygeorgescu.com/post/3ls74vyc7f52l

• what mass-market publishers want: https://bsky.app/profile/marygeorgescu.com/post/3ls4mjlr2qb2x

• good box copy: https://bsky.app/profile/marygeorgescu.com/post/3lslpep45ek2v

5 ways to know your game is ready to pitch or publish:

https://boardgamedesigncourse.com/the-top-5-ways-to-know-your-game-is-ready-to-pitch-or-self-publish/

Bite-size videos laying out the basics for board game designers who want to get picked up by a publisher:

• pros of licensing to a publisher: https://bsky.app/profile/marygeorgescu.com/post/3lrshaeg73w2v

• cons of working with a publisher: https://bsky.app/profile/marygeorgescu.com/post/3lruxrt4pli2v

• good pitching events: https://bsky.app/profile/marygeorgescu.com/post/3lrxiacjdwq2w

• materials needed for a pitch: https://bsky.app/profile/marygeorgescu.com/post/3ls25sss4jt25

• what sizzle reels are: https://bsky.app/profile/marygeorgescu.com/post/3ls2znsmxii2p