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Board Game Binge

Board Game Binge

Hosted by James Staley

Episodes

300

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN

About the show

Do you love board games? I do! But do you ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes? How do meet-up groups get organized? What is the difference between a successful and an unsuccessful Kickstarter campaign? How do publishers get their games to market? How are people reaching their market in an ever more competitive market? What type of social media personalities are springing up in support of this industry? James interviews experts from across the industry and takes a peak under the hood in his quest to understand this far reaching community. Each episode is bite-sized, clocking in around 30 minutes, so you can take nibbles, or binge several episodes at once.

Listen to episodes

60 recent
August 11, 202635 min

Episode 411: Sam Barmettler, Around the Stump Games

Sam Barmettler is a game designer who runs Around the Stump Games LLC. Sam got his love of board games from his grandfather and named around the stump after the chess board and set he and his grandfather built when he was in his early teen years. He started designing through making house rules as a kid and his first actual game prototype was made out of a desire to play in the Megaman BN universe with his younger siblings. Today Sam focuses his design and publishing efforts on making games where you walk away with memories of the players you were engaging with, taking a people over puzzles approach to all of his designs.Sam’s latest game, Button Kingdoms, recently funded on Kickstarter. Check it out:https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/aroundthestumpgames/button-kingdoms-conquest-through-cuddlesWHERE TO FIND OUR PODCAST:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5RJbdkguebb3MSLAatZr7riHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-board-game-binge-72500104/Tune In: https://tunein.com/embed/player/p1344218/Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vYm9hcmRnYW1lYmluZ2U=Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/board-game-binge/id1522623033Visit Our Websites: Board Game Binge: https://boardgamebinge.com/Tin Robot Games: https://tinrobotgames.comElixir Board Games: https://www.elixirboardgames.com/our-games

August 4, 202632 min

Episode 410: Jeffrey CCH, Ice Makes Games

Jeffrey CCH is the founder and lead designer of Ice Makes in Hong Kong. He designs games with attention to what players feel and think as play progresses. Rather than focusing only on mechanics, Jeffrey considers how choices create meaning and how shared play leads to conversation beyond the table. For him, a successful game is one that leaves players with memories, insights, and stories they want to pass on to others.Ice Makes is a Hong Kong–based game design and publishing company that sees play as a way to shape meaningful experiences. Their games are created around moments that stay with players, from tension and excitement at the table to ideas, feelings, and stories they carry forward and share with others.Ic Makes focuses on how games unfold, what players take away from them, and how play creates connection.You can learn more about games from ICE MAKES here: https://icemakesgames.comWHERE TO FIND OUR PODCAST:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5RJbdkguebb3MSLAatZr7riHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-board-game-binge-72500104/Tune In: https://tunein.com/embed/player/p1344218/Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vYm9hcmRnYW1lYmluZ2U=Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/board-game-binge/id1522623033Visit Our Websites:Board Game Binge: https://boardgamebinge.com/Tin Robot Games: https://tinrobotgames.comElixir Board Games: https://www.elixirboardgames.com/our-games

July 28, 202637 min

Episode 409: Chris Backe, Entro Games

Chris Backe (rhymes with hockey) runs the one-man show at Entro Games. Born near Chicago, IL, USA, he's been designing games since 2016. Chris went full-time in the board game industry in 2021, and has a number of design / developer credits on https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/112652/chris-backe. He runs Virtual Playtesting, Tabletop Publishers, and designs print-and-play games for Shiny Pigeon Printables. Chris is based in Birmingham, England.Details about the next projectThe next project is called the PnP Bundle, and it's a partnership with Florian Fiedler. The bundle is three games: Centi: a game from Florian about building poker hands and filling in polyomino shapes. Rooftop Roses: a game from myself about dice rolling, area control, and planting roses. Illustration / art by Parker Simpson. Echoes of Tomorrow: a game from our contest winner, Alec Hoptroff. It's an 18-card game about defeating the demons in your nightmare.Three very different games, all print-and-play. Check it out on Gamefound: https://gamefound.com/en/projects/florianfiedler/pnp-bundle-1?ref=search#/section/project-storyWHERE TO FIND OUR PODCAST:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5RJbdkguebb3MSLAatZr7riHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-board-game-binge-72500104/Tune In: https://tunein.com/embed/player/p1344218/Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vYm9hcmRnYW1lYmluZ2U=Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/board-game-binge/id1522623033Visit Our Websites: Board Game Binge: https://boardgamebinge.com/Tin Robot Games: https://tinrobotgames.comElixir Board Games: https://www.elixirboardgames.com/our-games

July 21, 202630 min

Episode 408: Nick Federico, Millrat Studio

Millrat Studio is a partnership between board game designers Nick and Adam from Boston. They are designers rooted in the local Boston board game community. Nick and Adam organize and run playtest events, teach game design to families, and Nick has spoken about the design process in classrooms and on panels. Recently. they launched MILLRAT Pack!, a collection of four lightweight games. Check it out now on Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/millratstudio/millrat-packWHERE TO FIND OUR PODCAST:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5RJbdkguebb3MSLAatZr7riHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-board-game-binge-72500104/Tune In: https://tunein.com/embed/player/p1344218/Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vYm9hcmRnYW1lYmluZ2U=Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/board-game-binge/id1522623033Visit Our Websites: Board Game Binge: https://boardgamebinge.com/Tin Robot Games: https://tinrobotgames.comElixir Board Games: https://www.elixirboardgames.com/our-games

July 14, 202630 min

Episode 407: George Li, Rabble

George Li is a partner and designer in the indie Board Game company Rabble. They create games that spark joy, connection, and growth. No matter your age, Rabble believes we all need moments where we can let down our guard, be a little silly, and connect with the people around us. That’s why Rabble creates games that not only inspire more play, but also show how play enriches our lives.George's latest title, Sprout, a game about keeping houseplants alive, is currently on Kickstarter. Check it out: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rabble/sprout-a-game-about-keeping-houseplants-aliveWHERE TO FIND OUR PODCAST:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5RJbdkguebb3MSLAatZr7riHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-board-game-binge-72500104/Tune In: https://tunein.com/embed/player/p1344218/Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vYm9hcmRnYW1lYmluZ2U=Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/board-game-binge/id1522623033Visit Our Websites: Board Game Binge: https://boardgamebinge.com/Tin Robot Games: https://tinrobotgames.comElixir Board Games: https://www.elixirboardgames.com/our-games

July 7, 202631 min

Episode 406: Michal Vitkovsky, Shiver Me Timbers

Michal Vitkovsky is a Czech-born tech journalist living in Germany. Inspired by his love of Sid Meier’s Pirates!, he designed an open sandbox Pirate themed game called Shiver Me Timbers, which first launched on Kickstarter in 2020.After a few expansions & upgrades, he is back after a 5 year break with a reprint of Shiver Me Timbers, this time on Gamefound. You can check out the campaign here:https://gamefound.com/en/projects/michal_vitkovsky/shivermetimbersWHERE TO FIND OUR PODCAST:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5RJbdkguebb3MSLAatZr7riHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-board-game-binge-72500104/Tune In: https://tunein.com/embed/player/p1344218/Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vYm9hcmRnYW1lYmluZ2U=Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/board-game-binge/id1522623033Visit Our Websites: Board Game Binge: https://boardgamebinge.com/Tin Robot Games: https://tinrobotgames.comElixir Board Games: https://www.elixirboardgames.com/our-games

June 30, 202632 min

Episode 405: Nathan & Mel, Pick Up & Play Games

Nathan Lundgaard is the co-founder of Pick-Up and Play Games and Lead Game Designer for Bananarchy. Nathan has been designing games just for fun since he was a little kid and after covid decided to finally turn his passion into a business. Mel Chua is a software engineer turned game publisher who's spent a decade writing code and a suspicious amount of energy on games designed to ruin friendships.You can late pledge Bananarchy here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/pickupandplaygames/bananarchyWHERE TO FIND OUR PODCAST:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5RJbdkguebb3MSLAatZr7riHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-board-game-binge-72500104/Tune In: https://tunein.com/embed/player/p1344218/Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vYm9hcmRnYW1lYmluZ2U=Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/board-game-binge/id1522623033Visit Our Websites: Board Game Binge: https://boardgamebinge.com/Tin Robot Games: https://tinrobotgames.comElixir Board Games: https://www.elixirboardgames.com/our-games

June 23, 202629 min

Episode 404: Kevin Vogt, Dream Bridge Games

In 2025, after military service, raising their families, and a lifetime around the game table, Kevin Vogt, his wife Megumi (also a veteran), and their lifelong friend Amy O’Rourke (an Air Force wife and mother), got serious about play and founded Dream Bridge Games.Dream Bridge Games is a small independent studio creating immersive, family-friendly board games that combine original artwork, inventive mechanics, and memorable themes.Their first title, Ballons Olympiques, is currently on Kickstarter. Check it out: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ballonsolympiques/ballons-olympiques-the-game-that-blows-you-awayWHERE TO FIND OUR PODCAST:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5RJbdkguebb3MSLAatZr7riHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-board-game-binge-72500104/Tune In: https://tunein.com/embed/player/p1344218/Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vYm9hcmRnYW1lYmluZ2U=Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/board-game-binge/id1522623033Visit Our Websites:Board Game Binge: https://boardgamebinge.com/Tin Robot Games: https://tinrobotgames.comElixir Board Games: https://www.elixirboardgames.com/our-games

June 16, 202632 min

Episode 403: Michael Orion, Rolling Wizards

Michael founded Rolling Wizards in Vietnam 2 years ago, leveraging his experience leading innovation strategy at Salesforce and global business development at Meta.He combines this with over 30 years as a dedicated student of game design and psychology to create meaningful experiences with games.You can check his website at https://www.rollingwizards.com/games or follow his adventures on his Facebook & LinkedIn pages: www.linkedin.com/in/michaelorion/WHERE TO FIND OUR PODCAST:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5RJbdkguebb3MSLAatZr7riHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-board-game-binge-72500104/Tune In: https://tunein.com/embed/player/p1344218/Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vYm9hcmRnYW1lYmluZ2U=Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/board-game-binge/id1522623033Visit Our Websites:Board Game Binge: https://boardgamebinge.com/Tin Robot Games: https://tinrobotgames.comElixir Board Games: https://www.elixirboardgames.com/our-games

June 9, 202631 min

Episode 402: Richard MacRae, Analog Game Studios

Richard MacRae is the owner of Analog Game Studios, an indie publisher with many titles under its belt including Centrix, Latte Throwdown, and Kill the King. His recent collaboration with the renowned Dr. Reiner Knizia brings Fruit Island to North America on Kickstarter.You can check out the campaign live on Kickstarter here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/analoggamestudios/fruit-island?ref=cl56e6In the episode Richard talks about “Presence Score”. You can measure your’s here: Presence Scorepresencedeficit.comWHERE TO FIND OUR PODCAST:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5RJbdkguebb3MSLAatZr7riHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-board-game-binge-72500104/Tune In: https://tunein.com/embed/player/p1344218/Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vYm9hcmRnYW1lYmluZ2U=Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/board-game-binge/id1522623033Visit Our Websites: Board Game Binge: https://boardgamebinge.com/Tin Robot Games: https://tinrobotgames.comElixir Board Games: https://www.elixirboardgames.com/our-games

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