Fun Problems

By AJ Brandon and Peter C. HaywardLeisure Games

Fun Problems episodes

March 20 #82 It took me a decade to get this interview with Elan Lee
Exactly 10 years ago AJ sent a message asking questions about the design of Exploding Kittens. Today he finally gets some answers from the LEGENDARY Elan Lee!
Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me
Email: [email protected]
AJ's favourite artist: https://www.instagram.com/nicolettabaldari/
Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!
1 hr 7 min
February 12 #81 Board Game Contracts
Board game contracts with special guest Zachary Strebeck! We talk through EVERYTHING board game contracts, including specific percentage numbers, what to avoid, what to look for. Everything, guys. It's EVERYTHING.
You can find Zack here: https://legalmoveslawfirm.com/
Peter's checklist: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1X...
Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me
Email: [email protected]

Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!
1 hr 42 min
January 16 #80 Peter's Board Game Design Finances 2025
Ever wonder how much a full time board game designer makes? Today we deep dive into the money Peter has made from board game design over the years in total, in 2025 specifically, and broken down by how much money each board game made.
Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me
Email: [email protected]

Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!
1 hr 13 min
January 12 #79 Would Exploding Kittens Publish This?
Elan Lee explains what Exploding Kittens is looking for, and go through many examples of published games that would be a great fit. Tune in to see if you have a game Exploding Kittens is looking to publish!
Visit https://www.explodingkittens.com/page... to submit your game ideas to the company!
Fun Problems discord
Email: [email protected]
Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!
1 hr 26 min
December 19, 2025 #78 The Levels of Designer
Hosts Peter C. Hayward and AJ Brandon discuss how to give useful game-design feedback by matching your advice to the designer’s experience. They cover empathy, asking what feedback is wanted, sandwiching critiques, and focusing on tools and experience to help designers improve.
Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me
Email: [email protected]

Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!
1 hr 14 min
December 13, 2025 #77 Hooks and Introversion
Peter C. Hayward and AJ Brandon talk through a number of grab-bag topics, including how to be successful as an introvert and what makes a hook.
Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me
Email: [email protected]

Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!
1 hr 39 min
November 22, 2025 #76 The Best Design Advice on the Internet – Part 7
Episode 75 is on youtube only: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqZnFTxZ6nM&list=PLlpOSsHmIZE9Q1V5UuzhrM3ZncMJVsnol&index=2
The best game design advice on the internet can be found at https://daniel.games/ – we can't recommend it highly enough! This is part 7 of a series where we explore the game design blog "Daniel.Games," written by Daniel Piechnick.
Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me
Email: [email protected]

Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!
1 hr 9 min
October 24, 2025 #74 - How to Find, Build, and Run Playtest Groups
Hosts Peter C. Hayward and AJ Brandon walk through how to start, run and grow board game playtest groups; finding people, finding the right location, handling disputes, scheduling games, and balancing in-person vs digital testing.
They share real-world examples (Toronto, First Play LA, ProtoTO), safety and inclusivity tips, troubleshooting for long/short games, and best practices for online playtesting tools and communities.
https://www.breakmygame.com/
https://virtualplaytesting.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me
Email: [email protected]

Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!
1 hr 22 min
October 17, 2025 #73 - Regretisode
Peter runs through his regrets over the years from design choices, co-design pitfalls, self-publishing mistakes, failed Kickstarters, and the burnout that followed. Together with AJ they help turn this mistakes into actionable advice to avoid falling into the same traps.
Episode starts at 12 min 30 seconds.
Paranormal Detectives standalone expansion PNP: https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/249601/paranormal-detectives-2-print-and-play
Elans Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ElanLee
Tim Ferriss podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5qSUyCrk9KR69lEiXbjwXM
https://www.printrunpodcast.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me
Email: [email protected]

Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!
1 hr 20 min
October 09, 2025 #72 - Types of Fun
Peter and AJ dissect Daniel Piechnick's "types of fun" framework, exploring 13 varieties grouped into constructive, excitement, social, and emotional categories. They add personal insights, debate nuances, and more!
Discord: https://discord.gg/BjerXtQ3Me
Email: [email protected]

Big thanks to Eduard Matei for our theme song!
1 hr 40 min

About Fun Problems

From the publisher's feed

Board game design is a deep and often challenging pursuit. We explore all aspects of game design and the fun problems (and solutions) that come with it.