The Board Game Secret Show

He Left America & Became Asia’s Board Game Expert | @CardboardEast | BGSS ep_015

Jay runs @CardboardEast one of the most unique channels in the hobby. He spent nearly 20 years living in Taipei, learned Chinese and Japanese, and became one of the best windows into Asian board game design the English-speaking world has. Now he's back in the US as Marketing Manager at Bézier Games.We talked about what drew him to Taiwan, the Tokyo Game Market experience, what Western publishers get wrong, and what the data says about who's actually buying board games.Go Follow @BezierGamesInc and @CardboardEast Support this show by becoming a member: https://www.crdbrd.app/pricingJoin the Secret Club Here: https://www.crdbrd.app/hub/clubs?club=the-board-game-secret-showWant to work together?: https://crdbrd.app/hub/creator/neon_gorilla00:00:00 - Intro & "Vendor Boy"00:02:38 - "I've fooled everyone — I'm actually incredibly shy"00:07:36 - How Cardboard East started00:08:24 - "I left America before the iPhone"00:11:28 - Why he moved to a country where he couldn't speak the language00:12:34 - The typhoon story00:17:50 - Day to day life in Taipei00:19:52 - How board games entered the picture00:21:51 - Discovering board game cafes in Taiwan00:24:49 - Taiwan's board game design culture00:29:04 - Why trick taking games never get old00:35:16 - How localization works (the Love Letter story)00:38:11 - The business model of Asian publishers00:40:19 - Tokyo Game Market vs Western conventions00:43:28 - Can an English speaker navigate Tokyo Game Market?00:44:51 - "You just buy on vibes"00:49:55 - What Japanese games have that Western publishers don't00:54:55 - Crowdfunding — where it started vs where it is now01:02:35 - "The cover matters more than the gameplay"01:04:51 - The board game industry is like video games in the 90s01:05:40 - Tariffs and the board game economy01:12:16 - Why he left cybersecurity for Bézier Games01:13:51 - Life as a one-man marketing team01:24:45 - "Every day is the f***ing Super Bowl"01:27:06 - Meet Jessica — who's actually buying board games01:39:19 - Zombie Princess deep dive01:47:21 - Game Makers — Bézier's biggest game in years01:55:28 - Haunted Mouse01:59:13 - Warp 9902:05:01 - Hot takes02:12:47 - One Asian game you need on your radar right now02:18:22 - Outro

❯ Mike is my Co-op Sommelier | BGSS ep_014 | OneStopCoOpShop Conversation

Mike Kelley of One Stop Co-op Shop sits down to talk the real side of board game content creation — review ethics, publisher horror stories, and much more. Then we break down his framework for what actually makes a great solo or co-op game, using his recent reviews as the lens. Plus: an unannounced mech game reveal you won't want to miss.Subscribe to @OneStopCoopShop Join the Secret Club Here: https://www.crdbrd.app/hub/clubs?club=the-board-game-secret-showWant to work together?: https://crdbrd.app/hub/creator/neon_gorilla00:00:00 - Intro00:04:43 - How Mike took over One Stop Co-op Shop00:16:49 - How many plays before you review a game?00:19:27 - The scathing review that was totally wrong00:38:36 - Why he's never taken a dollar from publishers00:40:34 - Calling out channels that do crowdfunding deals00:43:20 - Do personal relationships bias your reviews?00:44:48 - "I was probably nicer than I should have been"00:45:05 - 20+ hours a week on top of a full-time job00:57:56 - Game design origin story00:59:54 - Salvation Road: "I literally sang a song begging for money"01:02:12 - Publisher horror stories01:04:03 - NEW GAME REVEAL: cooperative mech arena01:07:18 - Getting paid (for the first time) to design a solo mode01:10:40 - His best video ever — that he's embarrassed by01:13:16 - "You can't lie on a playthrough"01:14:28 - Salvation Road is getting a fantasy retheme01:20:13 - Spirit Island and the venture capitalist problem01:23:58 - What makes a great solo/co-op game?01:24:18 - Time to table01:33:23 - Luck and randomness01:44:27 - Session length01:47:05 - Replayability and asymmetry01:53:08 - Tactical depth01:58:44 - Automata design02:18:22 - Challenge curve02:19:36 - "Spirit Island often has a boring ending"02:23:10 - Win rate: 20% vs 75-80%02:24:29 - Cooperative tension and the alpha player problem

The Man Behind Board Game Bollocks | BGSS ep_013

The NSFW Episode Beware ;)My @BoardGameBollocks conversation. He is human, hilarious and incredibly thoughtful. Whether you agree with his takes or not I can assure you this conversation shows a side you almost surely have never seen before. If you don't know Bollocks then even more reason to sit down with us and hang out for a while.Join the Secret Club Here: https://www.crdbrd.app/hub/clubs?club=the-board-game-secret-showWant to work together?: https://crdbrd.app/hub/creator/neon_gorillaFollow Bollocks here: https://www.youtube.com/@BoardGameBollocks TIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Board games in a digital world: getting real people in a room0:48 - Fan messages that warm a coal heart1:41 - Running 104 miles (London to Oxford) for charity3:47 - Training for ultras: slow and steady wins the race9:14 - How it all started: Magic Robot and 1970s childhood games11:42 - Defending Monopoly as a gateway game12:15 - Fighting Fantasy game books and spending 2p pocket money14:08 - Discovering D&D at school (1985) — the cool kids played it17:14 - Why 1st Edition AD&D is still the best (and why the DM WILL kill you)22:29 - Games Workshop glory days: White Dwarf, Dungeon Quest, Blood Bowl24:08 - University, a philosophy degree, and coming back to board games25:00 - Discovering board game YouTube / Wil Wheaton's Tabletop26:49 - Why he started his channel: rough naval city, not a posh boy27:45 - First video: iPhone 4, Railways of the World, absolutely horrific29:35 - Getting comfortable on camera and building confidence31:04 - "What if a football hooligan did board game reviews?"33:27 - No paid or sponsored content. Ever.33:54 - Bands, music, and a guitar solo he's proud of34:59 - Getting kids into board games (and why he had them in the first place)36:52 - Games are for human interaction: playing with his 74-year-old mum37:47 - Nemesis and the wife who got eliminated and sat waiting for her lift home39:11 - Three kids: 15, 12, and 9 — all trained correctly42:14 - SU&SD and other channels: respect, but they don't speak to him43:23 - Channel philosophy: nasty, aggressive, funny — walking the tightrope44:47 - Getting banned from Board Game Geek and telling them to do one49:03 - Dealing with critics: "Where's your Godfather?"50:35 - Recognition at UK Games Expo: selfies and people shouting across rooms52:07 - Making videos: film degree, no script, all ad-lib, bullet points only58:53 - Reviews vs top ten lists: where the views actually come from1:00:09 - Are we heading for a board game crash? Market saturation parallels1:05:06 - The Catan moment (1995), Zombicide, and Kickstarter bloat1:06:32 - The psychology of anticipation: why games sit on shelves unplayed1:08:05 - How Kickstarter killed game development: selling you the game in pieces1:10:07 - Expansions: when they work and when they absolutely don't1:13:53 - War Room all-day session and games the wife refuses to touch1:16:59 - Tom Vassal and respecting anyone who puts their face on camera1:19:07 - UK Games Expo press pass drama: Vanguard Tactics can do one1:20:02 - This is a hobby, not a business — and that's exactly the point1:21:41 - Life is cyclical: the board game market will go back to basics1:25:19 - Gary Gygax changed the world, but designers are running out of ideas1:28:49 - Obsession: the last game that truly blew him away (2018)1:33:10 - Kickstarter and the game discovery problem1:35:00 - Best designer of the last 5 years: John D. Clair (Space Base, Mystic Vale)1:38:22 - AI-generated board game content: "Someone went on ChatGPT and made a script"1:40:37 - AI in board games: why the table itself is safe from digital takeover1:43:02 - AI as a tool for indie publishers: if the game's good, who cares?1:44:22 - There's no such thing as originality: Picasso, Van Gogh, and 12 musical notes1:46:11 - Wrapping up: 30 years left and must choose games more wisely

This Board Game Channel Is A Hidden Gem | BGSS ep_012 | The Grove

Eleven friends from college in central Arkansas turned game night into a YouTube channel — and they're in debt doing it. In this episode I sit down with Matt, Eli, and Robert from The Grove Games to talk Twilight Imperium betrayals, why they refuse to trash a game even when it's bad, and what it actually takes to build something real in the niche of all niches.🔔 Subscribe to @TheGroveGames : https://www.youtube.com/@TheGroveGamesJoin the Secret Club Here: https://www.crdbrd.app/hub/clubs?club=the-board-game-secret-show—————————————————————————⏱ TIMESTAMPS0:00 Intro & cold open0:36 Hot dog hypothetical & desert island game picks2:21 Solo picks: Ten, Void Fall, Cosmic Encounter6:06 Desert island game durability problem8:13 Would you design a game on the island?9:45 Stone Saga & the crafting system that surprised me11:02 Aphantasia, hyperphantasia & how it affects rulebook learning13:02 Visual imagination & reading rulebooks16:23 Meet The Grove — 12 people, one channel17:11 How a 12-person friend group stays together after college19:23 How The Grove all met (college RAs and dorm life)21:43 Taco Bell is ruining us financially24:50 How board games entered the picture27:01 Why you need to play Twilight Imperium IV31:25 The great 5 vs 6 player TI4 debate33:40 14-hour game days, lunch break rules & secret texting35:10 The psychological warfare of TI4 alliances36:41 Galactic nukes and the Embers of Muaat39:35 Holding a secret winning path for an hour (chest pains)40:15 The 3D printed TI4 trophy40:53 Blood on the Clock Tower44:08 Grove game nights: 20 people, custom lights, full immersion45:07 Chris Couch Games & Holiday Hills47:08 Garden Club vs Pedal — the debate48:44 What it means to give a game a 1050:55 "When my brain starts to buzz" — the flow state ten53:50 The Grove's review philosophy57:52 Do you have an obligation to report the bad?1:00:28 How many people are actually in The Grove?1:04:03 Are you compromised by knowing designers?1:05:06 Everyone has a full-time job — this is pure passion1:07:15 The Earth playthrough disaster (6 days, no sleep)1:10:19 How to get noticed by publishers when you're small1:12:57 Algorithm vs. depth — the niche content trap1:15:44 Their worst video has 150,000 views (and they hate it)1:16:46 Why do they actually do this?1:17:39 Bonanza filming sessions & the grind origin story1:22:07 Playing Arcs in 94° heat with no AC1:24:38 Advice for small creators trying to grow1:32:39 How they landed partnerships with major publishers1:33:27 Cold emailing 40 publishers a week1:37:19 Authenticity as the only real strategy1:40:33 The Ivy Studios relationship story1:48:26 Dream publishers they haven't worked with yet1:55:26 What's next for The Grove1:57:33 Eli's big goal: become the go-to How to Play channel1:58:11 Could The Grove and Cardboard work together?2:00:27 How they built a studio in a detached garage2:00:54 Wrap up

The Definitive Tom Vasel | He Built A YouTube Empire | BGSS ep_011

Tom Vassel has been the face of board game media for over two decades — hundreds of written reviews, 21 years of top ten lists, a YouTube channel (@thedicetower ) a podcast and conventions. In this conversation we go beyond the games. Tom talks about what it actually cost him to go full time, what it costs him to stay honest, and what shaped him long before any of it started.Support the Jack Vasel Memorial Fund: https://www.jackvasel.orgJoin the Secret Club Here: https://www.crdbrd.app/hub/clubs?club=the-board-game-secret-showWant to work together?: https://crdbrd.app/hub/creator/neon_gorilla0:00 — Introduction & the Dice Tower set2:46 — Desert island game4:45 — Growing up without a TV5:58 — Thrift store hunting & the friend who probably went to jail7:23 — Why board games became his thing8:26 — Starting a board game club in college10:19 — Pride, opinions, and the "Tom is Wrong" inbox13:44 — How the reviews started17:03 — Moving to Korea / the father-in-law he swore he'd never work for19:26 — Turning 50 and thinking about mortality20:06 — From writing to podcasting (2005)21:53 — Launching the Dice Tower / the top ten list origin story24:38 — 9,000+ games played27:44 — The anti-hype problem at Dice Tower29:53 — Board games as job and hobby31:07 — The unplayed games backlog34:59 — The part of the job nobody sees35:48 — The quality vs. quantity debate40:10 — "You guys are just surface level fun"43:07 — When Sam left — lightning in a bottle44:14 — Going full time: the scariest moment44:35 — The $25 YouTube day that changed everything46:42 — The investor who wanted 50% of Dice Tower48:59 — Why conventions?50:13 — What running a convention actually costs55:26 — "I'm here so you have a good time"56:26 — The Dice Tower Cruise59:17 — Have his ratings gotten tougher over time?1:07:31 — Board game weight, complexity, and why BGG gets it wrong1:09:55 — How many plays before reviewing?1:14:28 — The lookback video: revisiting reviews after 20 years1:17:02 — Reviewing games from people you know and like1:19:48 — "I do it and I'm not ashamed of it"1:20:33 — The toughest conflict in this business1:21:58 — Sponsorships canceled / GenCon awkwardness1:24:16 — Losing his son Jack1:26:16 — The Jack Vasel Memorial Fund1:27:47 — His daughter's cystic fibrosis diagnosis1:29:18 — The most traumatic night of his life1:30:13 — Board games as healing1:33:22 — Where to donate / closing

The Playthrough King | A Conversation with Canje Studios | BGSS ep_010

Derek from Canje Plays joins the show for a wide-ranging conversation that starts with board games and goes deep into life, loss, and community. We talk about how Derek found his way into the hobby after losing his father, how content creation gave him a new sense of purpose, and what keeps him going despite YouTube's brutal algorithm. Plus: his top game picks, thoughts on solo vs. co-op, and why playthroughs might be the most underrated format on the internet.Sub to @CanjeStudios Join the Secret Club Here: https://www.crdbrd.app/hub/clubs?club=the-board-game-secret-showWant to work together?: https://crdbrd.app/hub/creator/neon_gorilla00:00 Cold open — Seattle weather and introductions02:22 Getting to know Derek and his channel03:20 How Derek got into board games04:09 Losing his father and discovering Gloom of Kilforth04:59 Finding the wider hobby through a coworker07:33 How the board game community helped him heal10:24 Parenting, breaking cycles, and emotional growth12:25 Losing a parent to cancer — shared stories15:48 Transitioning back to board gaming16:53 Why board games bring people together17:51 Going down the solo gaming rabbit hole18:40 Live streaming vs. recorded playthroughs21:27 D&D, RPGs, and becoming a world-builder22:11 How the hobby changes you24:56 First convention: Dice Tower West and the epiphany27:29 Being your authentic self28:37 GenCon stories and meeting the community30:08 How Derek started content creation (thanks to Rob)31:09 Getting the setup right — lighting and sound struggles33:47 Playing An Trespass Odyssey with Mark34:42 Fear of going live and dealing with bad comments40:29 Handling rules corrections and toxic comments41:47 Why do you make content? Finding your "why"43:43 Dealing with racism in the comments50:32 Long-form playthroughs vs. the YouTube algorithm51:01 Does subscriber count matter?52:43 Stopping the grind and enjoying the hobby again55:24 Why deep-dive channels deserve more attention01:00:57 Punishing games — Robinson Crusoe and hard bounces01:01:46 Donating games to at-risk youth (Potions & Pixels)01:02:23 Born Rangers — better than Arkham Horror?01:03:43 Earthborn Rangers deep dive01:05:38 Mr. President — worth digging out?01:10:42 Iridium — true solo vs. two-handed01:11:43 Games that aren't built for solo players01:14:18 Kin Fire Chronicles: Nightfall first impressions01:24:02 Stone Saga and the crafting system01:27:29 Dice Throne Adventures and Unchained01:32:10 An Trespass Odyssey — is it worth the price?01:34:23 When a game punishes you into a wall01:36:17 Designer intent vs. player enjoyment01:37:50 Too Many Bones and bouncing off games01:39:59 Enormity — the sci-fi space game Derek is most excited about01:40:45 Prototype impressions of Enormity01:42:29 Editing workflow and removing silence

The BoardGameCo Conversation | Crowdfunding, Conflicts & Ethics | BGSS ep_009

Alex Radcliffe is the CMO of GameFound — the platform quietly eating Kickstarter's lunch in tabletop crowdfunding. He's also one of the most watched board game reviewers on YouTube. That's one person. One very uncomfortable conflict of interest.We get into all of it: how GameFound actually handles bad actors behind closed doors, whether crowdfunding is thriving or dying, the ethics of reviewing games when you know the people who made them, and why full transparency in this hobby might be impossible anyway.Also: the Quack breakup, his BoardGameCo origin story, and he admits on camera that he likes GameFound games better than Kickstarter games.Join the Secret Club Here: https://www.crdbrd.app/hub/clubs?club=the-board-game-secret-showWant to work together?: https://crdbrd.app/hub/creator/neon_gorillaFind @BoardGameCo here: https://www.youtube.com/boardgameco---00:00 Intro — GameFound vs Kickstarter01:31 Meet Alex / starstruck moment05:51 Why this show exists / humanizing creators10:45 Board game origin story22:32 How Wingspan changed everything23:17 Finding board game YouTube / Quack & Root29:33 The Quark situation39:54 Running Board Game Co for 8 years51:31 Closing it down — relief or sadness?54:24 Going full-time YouTube59:28 Toxic commenters & the one dislike01:02:27 His kids / the real impact of content01:03:55 What does a GameFound CMO actually do?01:08:57 Is GameFound taking market share from Kickstarter?01:10:35 GameFound's API transparency vs Kickstarter01:13:43 Stretch pay — GameFound's biggest differentiator?01:18:03 Are publishers running crowdfunding Ponzi schemes?01:21:15 How many campaigns should one creator have open?01:25:28 Should platforms block late creators from launching again?01:29:37 What GameFound does when a creator goes dark01:33:13 Crowdfunding fatigue — real or not?01:39:09 The conflict of interest: CMO who reviews campaigns01:46:32 "You like GameFound games better?" — Clip it.01:50:05 Nuance in reviews / a mini review that bothered him01:52:40 Defending creators — the hobby's most passionate rant01:55:14 How many plays before you call it a review?01:59:33 Are experienced reviewers even relevant to normal players?02:06:01 Do your ratings drift over time?02:10:02 Cardboard's #1 game: Castles of Burgundy (and Slay the Spire?)02:13:23 The videos that cost the host the most money02:16:13 Shallow Sea vs Cascadia — the tile layer debate02:20:42 Layers — expansion money grab or hidden gem?02:23:39 Wrap up

The BIG Chip Theory Interview | 20 Strong x AR, Eldre Scrolls, TMB2 & More | BGSS ep_008

I sit down with Ryan and Salem from Chip Theory Games to talk about the three new Awakened Realms 20 Strong decks — Tainted Grail, Ether Fields, and Nemesis — plus a massive announcement about what's coming next from Chip Theory. We get into the design philosophy behind each deck, how Salem went from customer support to lead designer, and why these three decks are the most different from anything 20 Strong has done before.Join the Secret Club Here: https://www.crdbrd.app/hub/clubs?club=the-board-game-secret-showWant to work together?: https://crdbrd.app/hub/creator/neon_gorillasupport the campaign here : https://gamefound.com/en/projects/chip-theory-games/20-strong-awaken-realms-nemesis@ChipTheoryGames @awakenrealms Topics covered:- Tainted Grail: did they solve deck building?- Ether Fields: a legacy deck that's uniquely yours- Nemesis: the biggest departure in 20 Strong history- Too Many Bones 2 — confirmed- How Chip Theory thinks about luck, dice, and player agency00:00:00 - Intro & Trover origin story00:02:04 - Too Many Bones 2 CONFIRMED00:03:45 - What TMB2 will look like (bespoke characters, cooldowns, evolution)00:06:31 - The stat training problem & how they're fixing it00:12:11 - Chip Theory's customer service philosophy00:15:17 - Why great customer service built a fanbase00:21:50 - Salem's origin: customer support → game designer00:23:28 - Breaking Cloud Spire & writing pages of notes00:26:58 - Redesigning Polaris & getting moved to the dev team00:29:23 - Ryan's origin: lore writer → director of design00:33:33 - Creative ownership at Chip Theory00:37:38 - How 20 Strong revealed itself as an adaptable system00:45:38 - The challenge of compressing giant IPs into 20 dice00:47:49 - Tainted Grail 20 Strong: design breakdown00:49:33 - Ether Fields 20 Strong: the escape room concept00:55:24 - "Your deck is yours. Nobody else has one like it."00:58:58 - The secret boss (and how to find it)01:07:41 - Nemesis: the biggest departure in 20 Strong history01:09:44 - Did they solve deck building?01:12:03 - The one in, one out mechanic explained01:19:17 - The node system & chaining combos01:22:50 - Player agency vs dice luck in 20 Strong01:26:08 - Why luck perception fades the more you play01:29:31 - The backup plan, tenacity, and dice design philosophy01:35:47 - Final thoughts & what's next

The Board Game Renaissance Man | Chris Porter | BGSS ep_007

Chris Porter isn't just a board game designer. He's also a publisher, a graphic artist, a branding expert, a YouTuber, and a soccer player — and somehow he's doing all of it at the same time.In this episode, Chris walks us through the origin of Chris Couch Games — from a hand-illustrated Marvel game made for a bachelor party to a growing catalog of beautifully designed, sneakily strategic titles. We talk about what it actually takes to launch on Kickstarter as a small publisher, the design philosophy that shapes every game he makes, and why he believes friction is the secret ingredient to bringing people together.We also get into Holiday Hills, Garden Club, Petal, and a first look at what's coming next — including Haunted Hills and Headliner.If you love board games and want a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build something real in this industry, this one's for you.Join the Secret Club Here: https://www.crdbrd.app/hub/clubs?club=the-board-game-secret-showWant to work together?: https://crdbrd.app/hub/creator/neon_gorilla---Chris Couch Games🔗 https://chriscouch.games/Nerdy Soul (Chris's YouTube)🔗 https://www.youtube.com/@the_nerdy_sole Garden Club Kickstarter🔗 https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/chriscouch/garden-club---Check out Cardboard: 🔗 https://www.crdbrd.app/hub/scroll---Timestamps0:00 - Intro1:21 - Who is Chris Porter?2:46 - The bachelor party game that started it all4:27 - How "Chris Couch" got its name9:37 - Walking into GenCon with no connections12:33 - The advice from Jamey Stegmaier that changed everything17:11 - Trying to do something different with board game art19:14 - Baby Grand Creative & the design background22:51 - "Sneakily Strategic" — the Chris Couch brand mantra28:37 - From idea to Kickstarter: becoming a real publisher33:19 - Kickstarter vs. retail: what most people get wrong37:09 - The state of crowdfunding for small publishers40:10 - What it actually takes to get noticed44:18 - Holiday Hills — why make a Christmas game?49:59 - The 3D trees: going all-in on the deluxe experience54:00 - Philosophy on expansions and promos57:57 - Naughty vs. Nice mode1:04:54 - Haunted Hills: a first look at what's coming for Halloween1:10:45 - Garden Club: the full breakdown1:24:07 - Petal: the bite-sized version1:32:11 - Headliner: the announcement1:36:20 - Wrap up & shoutouts

The BIG Arcs Interview w/ Cole Wehrle | BGSS ep_006

Cole Wehrle — designer of Root, Oath, Pax Pamir, and Arcs — joins the Board Game Secret Show for a wide-ranging conversation on storytelling, frustration as a design tool, and why he walked away from Leder Games to found Buried Giant. Plus: the new Arcs expansion, Lost Vaults & Faded Leaders, is live on crowdfunding now:https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/colewehrle/arcs-beyond-the-reachJoin the Secret Club Here: https://www.crdbrd.app/hub/clubs?club=the-board-game-secret-showWant to work together?: https://crdbrd.app/hub/creator/neon_gorilla 00:00:00 - Intro & Cole's origin story 00:03:00 - Root, above the table play & why it matters 00:04:15 - Lords of Vegas & games that create stories 00:08:00 - 18xx games & the case for long games 00:09:28 - "Long, not slow" — what big games do differently 00:11:11 - Why short sci-fi games fail & the origin of Arcs 00:18:17 - Oath's design philosophy — no lore, no rules 00:21:23 - Why Cole doesn't trust paragraph-driven storytelling 00:25:32 - How Cole actually starts designing a game 00:28:49 - "Most people don't play games for fun" 00:34:12 - Depth, backgammon & what it means to understand a game 00:41:23 - "Arcs is about frustrating players" 00:45:47 - The problem with baroque Euro design 00:50:14 - Legacy games & why they'd be better as a TV show 00:57:01 - The trick-taking question & where it came from 01:01:45 - The ambition system — two years to figure it out 01:07:41 - Leaving Leder Games & founding Buried Giant 01:12:04 - "I didn't create the studio to publish my games" 01:14:55 - "Produce fewer games, more slowly" 01:17:27 - Lost Vaults & Faded Leaders expansion breakdown 01:19:09 - The fifth player problem 01:28:08 - Beyond the Reach & Halls of Power campaign expansions 01:32:00 - Arcs campaign — the Build-A-Bear analogy 01:35:00 - Why Arcs is easier to balance than Root 01:36:00 - Cole's advice for playing the campaign 01:37:19 - "Arcs is the best piece of design I've ever done" 01:38:05 - How Cole teaches Arcs in 20 minutes 01:43:34 - Closing thoughts & Buried Giant's gratitude