Unboxed: A Board Game Industry Discussion

Good graphic design can make or break a game experience. Whether from completing the theme to improving UX, it's impossible to create a product without incorporating graphic design.

We invited industry expert Matt Paquette to dive into his design philosophies and share key experiences from his robust career.

Special thanks to our episode contributors:

Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.

Beats by Lukas Michas.

Everyone wants to meet their favorite character some day! And cosplayers get to make that dream a reality every day. Monica Paprocki joins Unboxed to share the impact of pulling talent into your in-person and online activations. She highlights what makes these partnerships exciting, and how to ensure they have the highest impact.

Special thanks to our episode contributors:

Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.

Beats by Lukas Michas.

Partnering with content creators is a core part of most marketing strategies, whether you're launching a new product or support a catalog classic. Creators serve a vital function: meeting customers where they are at, and navigating the ever-changing tide of social media platforms. How do we get the most out of these partnerships?

Danielle Standring joins Unboxed to talk about a vital part of these relationships - collaboration. Hear from a creator whose voice gets through the algorithm noise and serves a huge variety of brands, in addition to her audience.

Special thanks to our episode contributors:

Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.

Beats by Lukas Michas.

For Ross Connell, photography isn't just a passion—it's a medium that expresses the impact of a game has on the lives of new and existing fans. Ross shares the constraints he puts on his own work to make sure he's maximizing all the important details a photo should communicate to the viewer, especially as we live in a world of limited attention.

Special thanks to our episode contributors:

Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.

Beats by Lukas Michas.

This must be scientifically proven by now: Hobbies clearly make us better at our jobs. A giggly pair of Danni and Jen share some of their personal experiences with hobbies (mainly Woobles) and reflect on how those joys impact their work.

Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.

Beats by Lukas Michas.

If you liked this episode, support us further by treating us to a Ko-fi and following us on Bluesky and Threads!

When marketing is in your DNA, you can't help but inject it into every creative project. Zac Dixon from IV Studio shares how thinking about marketing and community building from a product's inception has helped them land hit after hit on crowdfunding and your tables.

Special thanks to our episode contributors:

Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.

Beats by Lukas Michas.

Graphic Design by Seth Nickerson.

If you liked this episode, support us further by treating us to a Ko-fi and following us on Bluesky and Threads!

Running the largest-grossing tabletop gaming Kickstarter campaign of all time can be a daunting feat, but Johnny O'Neal and the team at Brotherwise Games are a passionate, dedicated group. He reflects on their 12-year journey from launching the Boss Monster board game, and how they find themselves as a leader in licensed gaming.

Special thanks to our episode contributors:

Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.

Beats by Lukas Michas.

If you liked this episode, support us further by treating us to a Ko-fi and following us on Bluesky and Threads!

It doesn't matter if you're a creative nut or like having ten spreadsheets open at a time, planning is a crucial step of any project. But don't take our word for it! We brought in an expert. Banana Chan is not only an award-winning game designer, they are a sought-after collaborator due, in part, to the efforts they put into project planning. They share some of the tools they use to unlock the time for creative freedom in game design.

Special thanks to our episode contributors:

Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.

Beats by Lukas Michas.

Graphic Design by Seth Nickerson.

If you liked this episode, support us further by treating us to a Ko-fi and following us on Bluesky and Threads!

The ultimate crossover - when tabletop games are made with toy-like components. Danni and Jen turn the nostalgia dial up to 1,000 on this episode, remembering the toys of their childhood and reflecting on how games are turning the best memories into the catchiest gameplay.

Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.

Beats by Lukas Michas.

If you liked this episode, support us further by treating us to a Ko-fi and following us on Bluesky and Threads!

There's no understating it. Co-designed board games are making for some of the best new products to hit the market. We asked co-design wizard Sen-Foong Lim to share why he enjoys the co-design process and how that's helped him and his co-designers maximize their efforts.

Special thanks to our episode contributors:

Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.

Beats by Lukas Michas.

If you liked this episode, support us further by treating us to a Ko-fi and following us on Bluesky and Threads!