Entries are now closed.
See the finalists here.
Check out the list of games here.
The Board Game Workshop Design Contest is a game design contest open to board, card, and dice games that will not be available for sale or preorder before 2019. The contest consists of 3 rounds. First round submissions require a pitch video and short description of your game. The top entries will move onto round two and send in game rules and a how to play video. The top 5 entries from round two will move onto round three where they will send in a physical prototype of their game. Judges will play the 5 finalists and choose a winner.
Sponsors of the 2018 Design Contest
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| The eponymous Bez of “Stuff by Bez” twitter.com/stuffByBez instagram.com/stuffbybez/ facebook.com/thingsbybez stuffbybez.com/ |
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| Meeple Lady twitter.com/meeplelady |
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| Peter C. Hayward of Jellybean Games |
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| Brian Henk, President of Overworld Games and Host of the Board Game Business Podcast twitter.com/ForbiddenLimb boardgame.business www.overworldgames.com |
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| Eric Yurko, of What’s Eric Playing? twitter.com/whatseplaying facebook.com/whatsericplaying instagram.com/whatsericplaying |
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| Derek Jonson Art Director |
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| Ian Zang |
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| Julio E. Nazario |
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| Lauren Woolsey game designer and co-host of Playability twitter.com/cgsunit instagram.com/cgsunit |
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| Tyson Mertlich of the GameSmiths gamesmithsplaytesting.com twitter.com/PKTyson facebook.com/GameSmithsPlaytesting/ |
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| John Brieger, Developer Writer of #PlaytestingTipOfTheDay twitter.com/@DasBrieger |
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| Nick Shipley Reviewer With Everything Board Games twitter.com/ndshipley |
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| Shari Spiro, CEO & Founder. AdMagic/BreakingGames |
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| Dustin Dowdle |
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| Rebecca Strang Co-host of Playability and Writer at To Play Is Human toplayishuman.com playabilitypod.com twitter.com/ToPlayIsHuman twitter.com/PlayabilityPod facebook.com/toplayishuman/ facebook.com/PlayabilityPod/ instagram.com/ToPlayIsHuman/ instagram.com/playabilitypod/ |
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| theTrueMikeBrown twitter.com/theTruMikeBrown |
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| Matt Shoemaker instagram.com/beelivesgame twitter.com/beelivesgame facebook.com/beelivesgame |
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| Marc Davis from The Thoughtful Gamer twitter.com/MarcTTG facebook.com/thethoughtfulgamer |
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| Rick Lorenzon twitter.com/Rick_Lorenzon |
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| Miller from Third Eye Games |
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| Cassie Elle from The Indie Game Report twitter.com/friedmancassie facebook.com/ElleCassie/ instagram.com/cassieelle |
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| Cody Thompson of Gold Nugget Games twitter.com/GoldNuggetGame goldnuggetgames.com/ facebook.com/GoldNuggetGames/ instagram.com/goldnuggetgames/ gold.nugget.games.llc@gmail.com |
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| Daniel Grek Owner of Concrete Canoe Games twitter.com/ConcCanoeGames facebook.com/ConcreteCanoeGames/ concretecanoegames.com |
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| Danny and Derek Do Board Games |
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| Jeff Black Designer/Developer at Little j Games twitter.com/JBFeast facebook.com/profile.php?id=100024971773153 |
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| Danny Devine Designer of Topiary & Harvest Dice |
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| Jonathan Weaver Designer at GameWeaver Games twitter.com/j_weaves facebook.com/groups/156502388311399/ mailchi.mp/151c8713b16b/gameweaver-updates |
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| Glenn Flaherty of Boardgames and Bourbon |
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| James Naylor naylorgames.com twitter.com/naylorjames |
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| Jennifer Graham-Macht, Editor for Play Satellite twitter.com/playsatellite facebook.com/PlaySatellite instagram.com/graysghosts |
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| Jason Tagmire |
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| Tim Blank |
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| Odin Phong twitter.com/phongodin instagram.com/phongodib |
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| Ruel Gaviola twitter.com/RuelGaviola |
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| Tom Gurganus of Go Forth And Game twitter.com/tomgurg |
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| Tony Miller 1/3 of the Breaking into Board Games podcast twitter.com/beardedrogue |
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| Calvin Wong of the Ding & Dent podcast twitter.com/ithayla |
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| Kristi Weyland of Peace, Love & Games twitter.com/PeaceLoveNGames instagram.com/PeaceLoveGames facebook.com/PeaceLoveGames |
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| Jack Eddy of The Cardboard Herald www.twitter.com/cardboardherald |
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| Jonathan W. Gilmour |
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| Travis Drake of Brouhaha Games twitter.com/brouhahagames |
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| Shawn Stankewich – Flatout Games twitter.com/flatoutgames flatoutgames.podbean.com |
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| Suzanne Zinsli Co-Founder of Cardboard Edison |
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| JT from G-Club Channel on YouTube facebook.com/GClubChannel/ twitter.com/GClubChannel/ |
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| Elizabeth Hargrave twitter.com/elizhargrave |
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| Victoria Cana Indie Game Producer & Co-Designer of Gladius twitter.com/victoriacana |
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| AnnaMaria Jackson-Phelps of Girls Play Games twitter.com/GirlsPlay_Games facebook.com/GirlsPlayGamesAMJP instagram.com/annamariajacksonphelps/ |
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| Brendon Soltis Reading and Gaming for Justice |
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| Corry Damey, Designer of Seasons of Rice twitter.com/corrydamey instagram.com/corrydamey |
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| Travis Magrum |
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| Nicole Amato of Cardboard Fortress Games |
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| Catherine Stippell Designer of Nyctophobia twitter.com/playnyctophobia |
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| Alexandre Uboldi Indie Game Producer & Co-Designer of Gladiustwitter.com/alexandreuboldi |
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| Cecilia of The Game Crafter Support Team info@thegamecrafter.com |
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| Chris Zinsli, Co-Founder of Cardboard Edison cardboardedison.com twitter.com/cardboardedison |
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| Christopher Bowden Director of Winter Moon Games and Indie Designer twitter.com/wm_games instagram.com/wintermoongames |
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| Joey Schouten twitter.com/AjoeyVengeant joey-schouten.com |
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| Eric Hyland Owner of Tank & DPS (with Cecilia Hyland) Designers of Fleecing Olympus from Passport Game Studios tankanddeeps@gmail.com facebook.com/TankandDPS |
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| F. Phil Cartagena, Jr. 1/2 of Cray Cray Games www.craycraygames.com facebook.com/CrayCrayGames twitter.com/craycraygames |
Michael S. Robinson Host of Beat The Robinson’s
Jeff Johnston
Tim McNeil
Rob Newton twitter.com/CoinFlipGames
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| Chris Anderson Host of The Board Game Workshop bluecubeboardgames.com/ twitter.com/thebgworkshop twitter.com/bluecubebgs theboardgameworkshop.com |
How to Enter
Read the contest rules and make sure your game meets the eligibility requirements. Purchase a ticket for the contest from Eventbrite. https://theboardgameworkshopdesigncontest2018.eventbrite.com You will then get a link to the submission form. In the form you will put your email, the order ID# from your ticket, your 500 character (max) description, and a link to your 2 minute (max) pitch video. Make sure your video is accessible without signing in and no longer than 2 minutes. If you want to submit multiple designs, you must purchase a separate ticket for each. If you have any questions, send them to contest@theboardgameworkshop.com
Patreon Supporters
If you are a Patreon supporter of The Board Game Workshop, follow the directions on Patreon to use your free entry.https://www.patreon.com/TheBoardGameWorkshop
Contest Details
You may enter as many games as you like. You must provide the following requirements for each game entered. Patreon supporters get one free entry, each additional entry will require the $5 fee. Note that your entries may be discussed publicly on social media. Designers maintain all rights to thier designs.
Round One
$5 Entrance fee paid on Eventbrite or free entry for Patreon supporters. Eventbrite: https://theboardgameworkshopdesigncontest2018.eventbrite.com Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheBoardGameWorkshop Pitch video describing your game (maximum 2 minutes). Short text description of your game (500 character limit).
Round Two (30 Semi-Finalists)
Pass Round One English Rules PDF How To Play Video (no time limit, but you will be judged on how well you explain the game.) Updated short text description of your game (500 character limit).
Round Three (5 finalists)
Pass Round Two Send a complete and playable physical prototype, including english rules and all necessary components. Art is not required but the game should have all necessary graphic elements for play. Interview about your game on The Board Game Workshop.
Judging
Entries will get judges’ feedback for every round of the contest.Feedback will consist of your average scores for the questions below, as well as written feedback. Judges are allowed to write as much as they want, but will give a minimum of 2 sentences of feedback in round one and 4 sentences of feedback in round 2. Round 3 will have extensive feedback based on the play test as well as a vote from the audience.
Round One
How innovative is the game?How excited are you to play the game?How well was the game idea presented?
Round Two
How clear are the written rules?How clear is the how to play video?How innovative is the game?How excited are you to play the game?
Round Three
Play tests and audience vote.
Prizes
1st Place will get$100and a $20 off an order from Print & Play Admagic online coupon* 4 runners up will each get$25and a $20 off an order from Print & Play Admagic online coupon* All participants will be entered into random prize drawings of games and/or gift certificates. And the most valuable prize, judges’ feedback for every round. *The “$20 off an order from Print & Play Admagic online coupon” is a prize to be awarded to each of the top 5 designs in The Board Game Workshop Design Contest that will be continuing on to Round 3 of the contest. The savings on an order from Print & Play Admagic is a gesture of support and could potentially help contestants put their best foot forward in the final round of The Board Game Workshop Design Contest. The top five contestants in The Board Game Workshop Design Contest do not have to use what they order from Print & Play Admagic in Round 3 of the contest. This is a prize that may be used as designers see fit. The Print & Play Admagic online coupon code the top five contestants in The Board Game Workshop Design Contest will receive will be good until the final submission date for Round 3 of The Board Game Workshop Design Contest. There are no other restrictions.
Calendar
Using UTC -12 time zone for deadlines. So if it is the due date anywhere on earth it’s still valid.Dates subject to change.
August 8 – Announcement
August 22 – Submissions Open
September 19 – Round 1 Submissions Due
October 3 – Round 1 Results Posted
October 17 – Round 2 Submissions Due
November 14 – Round 2 Results Posted
December 12 – Round 3 Submissions Due
December 31 – Winner Posted
Eligibility
You must be 18 years or older to enter. You must pay the $5 entrance fee for each game submitted to the contest. Patreon supporters of The Board Game Workshop at any level get one free entry. https://www.patreon.com/TheBoardGameWorkshop Your game must be a board, card, or dice game. No video games. No role playing games. Your game must be your original work. You must have the right to use all art assets in your game. Your game must not be available for sale, pre-order, or crowdfunding before January of 2019. Judges of this contest are not allowed to enter. The Board Game Workshop reserves the right to remove your game from the contest for any reason.QuestionsSend any questions to contest@theboardgameworkshop.com
QuestionsSend any questions to contest@theboardgameworkshop.com