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It seems like everyone’s making a fortune these days in tabletop games, right?
After all, games have become the biggest category on Kickstarter, and we’re constantly reading about successful projects that funded in a matter of minutes. Gaming conventions are packed (well, at least when we’re not in the midst of a pandemic) and stores like Walmart and Target have broadened their selections beyond the old standards. (Gloomhaven at Target? I didn’t see that coming.) But that rosy picture hides a lot of the work — and the money! — that goes into making board games, and it also tends to ignore all of the games that don’t get made, whether because the Kickstarter campaign didn’t fund or because publishers turned down the designer.
Gamemaster, a new documentary available now through iTunes and other video-on-demand platforms, follows the journeys of four hopeful designers: Jason Serrato (Thug Life), Nashra Balagamwala (Arranged), Charlie Bink (Trekking the National Parks), and Scott Rogers (Rayguns & Rocketships). They all have different stories — using Kickstarter, pitching to publishers, working with family, and so on.
