Mission statement

We want to help people take refuge from the complications of the world and rediscover fun and friends with a good game. 

Why games

Physical play is such a big part of how we learn about the world as kids, and we believe it never stops having the power to help us learn, grow and engage with each other. As an analogue medium, board games are a wonderful way to spend intentional time together, away from some of the distractions of the modern world.

While we’ve always loved games, sometimes it can feel like they’ve been designed with a lot of assumptions, or are made for a thin slice of player types. For new players or people unfamiliar with games, this can be a big barrier to trying them. We saw this playing out and decided to start our own game design journey.

Where we started

We’re based in New Zealand and take a lot of inspiration from the nature around us, as well as our personal history and cultures. At the same time, we want to get out of the way and let our games speak for themselves -- that’s why you won’t find a huge amount of information about us as individuals.

In previous lives, we designed digital experiences for everyday apps and platforms. Working with user experience means building a picture of how people behave and interact, and also how to present information clearly. This background was the perfect lens to turn towards tabletop games, so we took the leap and went all in on creativity. 

Design philosophy

There’s a lot that goes into our game design, but here are some of the main principles:

Let players find their way

We aim to design mechanics that allow for depth and complexity to emerge, rather than baking them in with more rules or material. This openness means players can discover new strategies and playstyles, so they’re rewarded for experimenting.

Function begets form

An elegant solution gets you where you want to go without showing off. Designing for hype or around a single cool idea can lead to shallow games. We want our games to sit with you after you’re finished and make you excited to try our new ways of playing.

Led by curiosity

We want to let curiosity keep pushing us towards the unexplored and away from the status quo. We’re blessed with a huge number of creative games in the world, so it’s not always easy to find a new path to take, but keeping ours fresh is a challenge we enjoy.

A universal experience

Games should be for everyone. Making games accessible is about more than just the barrier to entry. We try to design for the vast number of contexts and configurations that might affect someone’s experience of playing our game.

Human through and through

We’re huge fans of tactile fun and analogue entertainment. We want to make games that feel human and remind people of the joy of social interaction, away from notifications and subscriptions. Our games are all tested with real people, many of whom are not gamers. 

While these principles apply to our game design, there are also some things we care about doing right as a company. 
At Tablecraft Games, we:

• don’t use any big social media platforms. You can still find us lurking on BGG!
• only publish content and art that is human-made.
• do our best to avoid unsustainable materials (like plastics or single-use items).
• are always open to feedback, questions or stories about your game experience.

Next time you’re looking for a game to transport you to new and wonderful worlds, flip the table and set sail.