The State of Games, Ep. 183: The One About Works in Progress

Working in the board game industry isn’t always fun and, well, games. It takes a lot of perseverance, patience, and, most importantly, the ability and willingness to adapt. Everyone on this podcast has had to adapt at least once, whether it was in changing a game design, creating some new art, or just letting go of a project that’s simply not working or selling. We’re kind of all over the place on this one, but everything we talk about has to do with that central theme of change and moving forward positively. Read More  Read More

The State of Games, Ep. 181: The One About the Great Escape

Sometimes you just need a good escape, whether its to a condo on the beach, to a secret island controlled by a mysterious doctor, to the depths of the sea, or just to the kitchen table with a good board game. We’re not taking a deep dive into the sea, but we are going to take a deep dive into escape rooms and board games that adapt that experience. And, as we are wont to do, we are going to ramble quite a bit while we do it. Honestly, you’d be disappointed if we didn’t. Read More  Read More

The State of Games, Ep. 177: The One About the Main Event

It seems lately that almost every board game release must contain buzz words like quick or easy to play, or have play times listed around an hour or less on the game box. Marketers like it, retailers like it, publishers like it. But should all gamers settle for it? Isn’t there a place for games that require a bit of forethought before throwing it on the table – games so epic that you may have to plan at least a light meal for everyone involved? We think so. After this podcast, we hope you think so, too. Read More  Read More

The State of Games, Ep. 176: The One About Boutique Publishing

It’s been awhile since we had guests on the podcast, so we figured it would be best to rectify that. What better way than to revisit that old Dice Hate Me chestnut – boutique publishing – with Daniel Newman and Tony Miller, of New Mill Industries. Their publishing philosophy is pretty punk rock, and TC and I sit down to talk about that with them and ask exactly when they’re going to sell out. Turns out they love the punk rock life, but they’re totally ready for offers. Give ’em a call, Asmodee. Read More  Read More

The State of Games, Ep. 175 – The One About the Year That Wasn’t

This is the spot where I usually say it’s hard to believe that another year has passed, but this year I truly mean it – mostly because we did absolutely nothing last year and, yet, the whole year is gone. The pandemic lockdown created a true gaming vacuum in which many of us did not escape, which makes creating a year-in-review podcast quite the challenge. And yet, here we are, partly because it’s tradition, and partly because we don’t want Covid and 2020 to take away all our joy of life and camaraderie. So come, sit with us and commiserate. Just sit over there and wear a mask, much love. Read More  Read More

The State of Games, Ep. 148: The One About Unpub 8

We travel to a lot of gaming conventions each year but none are quite as unique or as special as the Unpublished Games Festival. In this, its 8th year, Unpub has grown from a tiny gathering of game designers at the VFW Hall in Dover, Delaware, to thousands gathering to make good games better at the Hunt Valley Resort just outside Baltimore, Maryland. Unpub has been an invaluable resource for designers as playtesters pour in to play, give feedback, and improve game designs. It’s quite possible that Dice Hate Me Games wouldn’t exist without Unpub, and I can guarantee you there are more than a few excellent game titles on your shelves... Read More

The State of Games, Ep. 126: The One About Unpub Prime

For seven years now, game designers and plucky playtesters alike have gathered together at the Unpublished Games Festival. Once a small affair held in Dover, Delaware, Unpub has grown exponentially in the last three years, expanding to the Baltimore Convention Center and drawing huge crowds. The fundamentals and fun have not changed over the years, though; Unpub is still the best place for designers to make their unpublished creations the best they can be, and for playtesters to try out the next Big Thing before it hits the shelves! Read More  Read More