A few weeks ago, I wrote a silly essay about a subscription model in the board games industry. The basic premise was that players would get the game for free, and then the designer would be paid 1 cent each time they played the game. That was a thought experiment, and I had fun writing it. It was silly, but fun.

And then the 21st century hit me in the head. Because this week I got my paycheck, and it was all about subscription and board gaming. So yeah, I have a follow-up to my silly story!

I was aware of Board Game Arena for years, but did not pay much attention to it, to be honest. I knew it existed, but I was focused on Portal Games apps in the App Store and Google Play. I was excited about our games debuting on Steam and Switch, and BGA was always less important to me.

Things might change soon, though.

’I don’t like it’, I said when Joanna approached me with her idea for the newest expansion for 51st State. 'Try it though, give it two or three weeks, see what happens. It won’t work, but you need to see it by yourself.’ I said and gave her green light.

It was early March 2020, and her idea for the expansion was a semi-coop variant for the game. Moloch attacks all players at the table, and they need to fight against each other, as usual, and additionally against Moloch cards. It makes perfect sense for the theme of Neuroshima world, but I really hate semi-coop games.

I had so many bad experiences with semi-coop games that I am basically done with this genre. It is tough to design a game that keeps everyone equally engaged for the whole game and to keep players who know that they have no longer a chance to win interested in the game.

So I said Joanna, I vote against the idea, but she should try it anyway.

COVID hit, we all ended up at home working in home office mode, and the playtesting process became super difficult. After few weeks, Joanna said she finally have it ready to show and that she built the prototype on Tabletopia.

I am not a fan of playing board games on the computer. Back then, in March or April 2020, when it all was new to us, I really was not a fan of the tool. But that was the only tool we had. So we played.

The test took us more than two hours. Operating on Tabletopia was a dreadful experience, talking over Skype, trying to understand the prototype, trying to understand Tabletopia, trying to keep my dogs silent for more than 5 minutes. It was 2 hours horror, but…

’It’s not that bad.’ I said. 'Maybe I was wrong. Keep working on it. You might have here something.’

Joanna worked on the expansion for another few months. We all struggled with playtesting, the brainstorming was difficult on Zoom, creating new versions of the prototype was taking much more time than the regular pen and paper method when you can scribble on the card, tweak one or two words and continue playtesting with the new version.

At some point, after months of work and many iterations, it was ready. It was much better than I expected. And what’s more, it was everything I would never create by myself. I would never create a semi coop expansion. I would never create an expansion with double-sided cards. I would never do an alternative co-op variant in 51st State.

Moloch changes the game. Adds a new angle. Throws at players new challenges and choices. It’s manifest of Joanna’s talent and manifest in general of diversity in design. The beauty of different approach and ideas. It’s like First Martians and On Mars and Terraforming Mars, three great games, three different methods, three examples of the power of design.

I was wrong when I said semi-coop is a bad idea. But man, I was so right that I let her work and do what she wanted. She did something I would never do.

So the bottom line, kudos to both of us, right? 😉

New expansion for Ruins is ready and it is a high time to tell you about all new features you will find in this little box. I say little box, because unlike New Era and Winter Ruins will be sold in a small package (like LCG packs from FFG). 40 cards, rulebook. Nothing less, nothing more.

What’s new?

Firstnew type of cards is above – these cards not only let you store resources, but also – if you manage to have it full, let you gain something as a reward. If you have many barrels of fuel, you will be able to search the countryside to discover new locations (draw new card). If you have many Guns, it is quite easier to convince some people to join your empire (gain incorporation tokens).

It’s not that easy to fill these cards, but if you manage, they give quite a good benefit.

Other type of cards that you’ll find in the Ruins are cards that let you draw cards from discard. It doesn’t sound very cool, but believe me, it changes the game a lot. It lets you hunt for cards discarded by your opponent. It lets you bring back card that you’ve just rebuilt, it lets you discard a card and then take it immediately back. In hands of smart testers, these cards were doing magic tricks.

BTW: do you like democracy? If you use Leaders from 51st State, you may want to have two Leaders at the time, right? It is possible now – you just need to build Parliament. You will also find here two new Leaders. Very strong ones, I have to admit. Leaders that change the game and influences the game play a lot. I hope you will like them.

We are very close to finish our work with Ruins, new expansion for 51st State. And since it is a little bit too early to make an official presentation of this product, I have to say – I just can not wait any longer, I need to post at least few pics from this expansion. The artwork we received is just amazing. Credits to Piotr Foksowicz!