There's a lot of wisdom (and sustainability) in choosing to succeed slower. With rare exception, Evil Hat grew (over 20 years) by incremental steps, risking only what we were willing (and able) to lose. Some variation on this features frequently when folks ask me the inevitable "how-to" questions.

Out of Sorts is one of the best experiences I've been able to share with friends this year - I'm looking forward to Club Spooky and That's the Spirit in 2026!

Well that was a year… outside of <waves hands> I launched my online store, sold over 300 copies of Out of Sorts, helped run the PaxWest indie market, ran a Kickstarter, and did a whole bunch of illustrations. This was the year of proving I have the basics down and that’s feeling pretty good : )

Honoured that That’s the Spirit is part of Best Week! This really has become my favourite genre of board game and it’s exciting being part of such great company.

I love how every announcement is the exact thing investors say they're not funding because there's no market for it, but by a famous person

Persuasion and Conviction, both by @xoe.gay, explore two distinct acts in the life cycle of a relationship. Both installments are incisive, thought-provoking, and (deliberately) toxic. My review: spacebiff.com/2025/12/09/p...

Having a good time working on a standard deck of cards. It’s starting to set in though that 52 is a lot of cards and I’ve ended up committing myself to drawing unique swirls on every one 😅

I scanned drawings and did minor edits digitally. And yeah the art style was chosen because I knew I could pull it off. Really happy with the result.

100%! This is also why my art is just colorful vector shapes. It's because I can't draw to the level I want it to be. My limitations have given birth to my art style.

In addition to everything else, the point about just doing your own sharpie stick figures is the hill I’ll die on. Your game doesn’t need 100s of highly realistic paintings. Collage public domain images together and throw on some filters. Draw stick figures. You’ll get better and faster as you go.

Over the last month, I've been working on this essay about the use of AI art in board games, "Is This Really What We Want?" Though it is contextually specific, it is also a reflection of my wider thoughts on the use of AI art and writing in creative contexts. www.meeplemountain.com/articles/is-...

Let's talk about board game boxes and their role in selling a game, framing and contextualizing the experience, and creating meaning. www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgfV...

For anyone who is interested in Adulting but didn't make it to IGNM, fear not! The PNP version is here! While I'd love to print more copies, this will have to do for now. It is pay what you want; I really just want to get this game in as many hands as possible. Let me know what you think!

Conviction by @xoe.gay is now available. A stable stalwart and an intrepid idealist vowed to live in harmony forever. But now, the two find themselves in a grim quarrel. You must decide if they cooperate, separate, or one dominates the story of their lives. The night is for mediation. 🌙

✨ Reminder!! ✨ Indie Games Night Market is tonight @ 7pm!! When the Expo Hall closes, come down to Hall C to buy the freshest indie games!! “More even than last year, these games seem like they’re pushing boundaries. They capture the spirit of what it means to be ‘indie.‘“ @danthurot.bsky.social

Finally sharing my sizzle reel! If you're in need of video production work (or pretty much anything creative), hit me up, esp. at #PAXU! I don't ask for this much, but if you're in the #boardgames industry and like what I do, consider sharing this! I'm looking to book up 2026! linktr.ee/jcw.gay

I sincerely hope people will check out this year's Indie Games Night Market at Pax Unplugged! I covered nine of the games that will be featured there, each of which has something to recommend it. With any luck, some of them will be picked up by publishers or continue to be sold by their creators.

And that is why I decided on hand-making copies for this year's Indie Games Night Market. I know it's perfect silly fun and a great way to draw a crowd at a convention 😉 - just please be careful with cross traffic! Please come check my game out & others this Saturday at PAX Unplugged!

Agreed. This is what KS was supposed to be for. Personal, niche, weird, offbeat, individual crafts that otherwise wouldn't be able to exist. Unfortunately, the hobby spent too long chasing the wrong objectives.

Seeing all the creativity coming out of these markets cemented something I’ve been feeling for a while. The “pitch to a publisher” pipeline as the norm really stifles game design. There’s so much creativity out there, it just needed an outlet.

Today I'm covering three more upcoming Indie Games Night Market titles! Fold & Fly!, Coupon Clipper, and Paper Pencil Stencil are all tactile treats. My reviews: spacebiff.com/2025/11/17/t...

We’re thrilled to share our Special Presentation; Indie Games Night Market Preview! It was a privilege to be part of this & share these games with you all~ youtu.be/HA_u8oxU0kc?... See the games that will be at the IGNM in exactly 1 week at #PAXunplugged! #boardgames #ignm #cardgames #indiegames

It's finally here!! Also this is a great thread for reading about Hollandspiel's latest releases!

We're going to PAX Unplugged! Stop by to demo Chicken Fried Dice or pick up a copy of Trickadee! Also... check out our pre-launch page and reserve your copy of the Critter Critics mini expansion for Chicken Fried Dice: get.chickenfrieddice.com

This is a feed of designers bringing their games to Indie Games Night Market at PAX Unplugged 2025 next week. Right now, it is chock full of folks cutting, printing, boxing, and otherwise willing their games to life.

24 Hours remain! Don't miss your chance to catch these unique experiences! Games of harsh votes and reluctant concessions. Divisions and misdirection. Flashy duels of action, resource, & goal management. Introspective hunts for evils among friends. Silly competitions of pushing your luck and toots.

The Midnight Market is live. The night is for indie games. 🌖 lunarpunk.games/midnightmarket

Midnight Market is close

Hey, everybody! Twelve hours from now marks the launch of @lunarpunk.games's Midnight Market where you can pick up a limited run of five (six?) #boardgames by indie creators! I mention it because Pyrotechnics will be available, alongside some other GREAT games! Check it out! 11:59 p.m EST!

I got to play this one a while ago and it’s wonderful to see how far it’s come and I love how much the game dismisses the idea that there’s always gotta be a winner. I’m sad I’m not gonna be at PaxU this year. It’s shaping up to be a great one!

Duck, Duck, Choose! and What Does My Rival Desire? by Zach Morris are a 2-for-1 set of hand-assembled games where you distribute and sort trinkets between ducks or divey up trinkets based on your secret identity. Snag it at the Midnight Market this November: www.lunarpunk.games/midnightmarket 🌙

📣 It’s announcement time! 📣 The pre-launch page for Counterpoint is up on Kickstarter! All the cool kids are saving it! You should too! 🎻🎶 www.kickstarter.com/projects/squ...

I’m addition to wrapping up the KS for Club Spooky and That’s the Spirit, I’m also officially sold out of Out of Sorts! (Blue Highway Games snagged the last copies) I still have a bunch of ding & dent left and I’m starting to plan for what’s next, but that’ll be post KS fulfilment next year.

Just crossed 100%!!! Thank you everyone!

So close to funding. Just needs a 5-10 more backers

Please check out this great campaign. I'm in on Club Spooky 100% - a delightful set collection game with a light auction element that I got to play the prototype of recently.

Just 24 hours to go and we only need 6 more backers to cross the finish line!

Go back this folks!!! A fun bundle from an indie creator doing interesting things. Only needs a little more help! 🎲✂️ #boardgames

There's no massive marketing campaign behind this. It's pure indie creation. Your support helps bring cool games like this into the world. Let's get this over the finish line!

If you're curious, I reviewed both games. You can read them here: spacebiff.com/2025/10/15/c...

Link: www.kickstarter.com/projects/alw...

Only two days left to back Club Spooky and That's the Spirit!, two indie games by @connor.alwaysawake.games.

I highly recommend Club Spooky! I play tested a version of it a little while ago, and it's a solid game with an adorable theme! That's The Spirit is also intriguing to me - social deduction where you don't know your own role until the end! @connor.alwaysawake.games did a good job!

Okay everyone, we need to help get this across the finish line. I'm doubling up my pledge. These games deserve to exist, and I'm confident I will have no trouble finding homes for the extra copies.

A letter article between Chase and Thomas wonders how The Dice Tower mistook punching down on small games as having professional standards.

Just one week left to back Club Spooky and That’s the Spirit! If you back now, you can get both games for $35 (they’ll be $25 each after the campaign). And of course, these games will only exist with your support. Thank you everyone’s who’s backed so far!

I'm surprised these games didn't fund immediately because Connor's got some clever things going on here. In "That's the Spirit!", I particularly liked how the different distributions of the Cause of Death cards keep the hidden traitor aspect interesting. Currently at ~75% with a week to go.

I’m thrilled to share we have a special video going through *every* game at the 2025 Indie Games Night Market (at PaxU)! We’re working with @dnlnwmn.bsky.social, some awesome designers, playing some games, all to give you a thorough set of previews & reviews to see the games you won’t want to miss~

With Spooky Season in full swing, I highly recommend you check out both of these games from @connor.alwaysawake.games ! www.kickstarter.com/projects/alw... They are unique and an absolute blast to play, Tylor and I have really enjoyed them. Please share along if you have the capacity!