Coming soon · Book Profile
The game inventors guidebook how to invent and sell board games, card games, role-playing games, everything in between
An insider's guide to inventing, developing, and selling board, card, and hobby games, blending industry history, expert interviews, and practical step-by-step advice for aspiring game designers.
A profile of this book is on the way.
What it’s about
Written by a veteran game industry insider who reviewed hundreds of submissions a year at Wizards of the Coast, The Game Inventor's Guidebook demystifies how new games go from a scribbled idea to a store shelf. Through the origin stories of blockbusters like Trivial Pursuit, Magic: The Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons, and Pokemon, candid interviews with inventors and publishers, and clear-eyed explanations of the four game markets, the book teaches you how to design games people actually want, how to pitch professionally, how to protect (or not overprotect) your idea, and when to self-publish. It's a realistic, encouraging roadmap that treats game inventing as a craft rewarding perseverance, market awareness, and love of the work over the fantasy of instant riches.
The through-line
- Who it’s for
- An aspiring game inventor with a compelling idea and the drive to see it published.
- The problem
- They have a game idea but don't know how to design, develop, pitch, or sell it to a publisher. They feel uncertain, intimidated by the industry, and afraid their idea will be stolen or rejected.
- The plan
- Invent your game with a specific consumer in mind.
- Refine and playtest it with people who don't know you.
- Research and target the right publishers for your market.
- Contact publishers professionally and submit a strong prototype.
- Gather feedback, keep developing, and persevere.
- The payoff
- Seeing your game on store shelves and sharing your imagination with others. · Collecting royalty checks while doing work you love. · Building a reputation that makes future submissions easier.
See our guide
Additional reading
- Start with Why · Simon Sinek
The book's core idea—'People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it'—is central to crafting a compelling crowdfunding narrative that connects with backers on an emotional level.
- To Sell Is Human · Daniel Pink
Provides insights into the psychology of pitching and influence, such as the importance of making the audience (backers) feel like collaborators, which is a key strategy for engagement.
- Funding the Dream Podcast · Richard Bliss
A recommended resource for creators, offering interviews and specific insights into crowdfunding tactics and strategies.
- jamesmathe.com (blog) · James Mathe
A creator's blog recommended by the author for its detailed, list-based entries full of practical information for crowdfunders.
- Ready Player One · Ernest Cline
Recommended as an enjoyable alternative read for those who decide crowdfunding isn't for them, showing the author's engagement with geek culture.
- Homo Ludens · Johan Huizinga
Referenced for its foundational concept of the 'magic circle,' which defines play as a separate, protected space outside of ordinary life. This contextualizes the author's own theory.
- Man, Play and Games · Roger Caillois
Cited for its academic definition and categorization of games, providing a counterpoint to the more practical definitions offered by game designers.
- Rules of Play · Katie Salen and Eric Zimmerman
Mentioned as a key contemporary text offering a precise, systemic definition of a game, which the author uses as part of his survey of existing definitions.
- Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience · Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
The concept of 'flow' is discussed as a state of deep immersion that is often associated with fun, but the author distinguishes his theory by focusing on learning rather than mastery.
- The Essential Difference · Simon Baron-Cohen
The theory of 'systematizing' versus 'empathizing' brains is used to explain why different types of games may appeal to different people, particularly along gender lines.