Planet Money

We make a board game

October 1, 2025

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • The modern tabletop gaming industry is experiencing a 'golden age' with around 5,000 new games released annually, creating immense competition for new designers. 
  • Independent game designers like Leone Grundler are increasingly bypassing traditional publishers by using crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter to fund and launch their games directly to consumers. 
  • The hosts of Planet Money decided to create their own board game, aiming for a mass-appeal party game format that is subtly smart, rather than a complex, niche 'Euro game' like Settlers of Catan, to maximize success. 

Segments

Arriving at Gen Con
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(00:00:21)
  • Key Takeaway: The Planet Money team arrives at Gen Con, the largest tabletop gaming convention in the country, to conduct market research for their planned board game.
  • Summary: The hosts are packed in a convention center hallway awaiting the opening of Gen Con, which features games from major companies like Hasbro down to independent designers. The purpose of their attendance is framed as market research for their ambitious project. The sheer volume of attendees highlights the current popularity of tabletop gaming.
Interviewing Game Designers
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(00:01:39)
  • Key Takeaway: Independent game designers are creating visually striking and complex games, such as ‘Biome,’ which features detailed components like tiny wooden nests.
  • Summary: The hosts interview designers showcasing their games, including a transhuman sci-fi concept and ‘Canvas Critters.’ They focus on ‘Biome,’ a nature-themed tableau builder by Leone Grundler, noting its high production quality, including adorable wooden animal pieces and functional baby bird nests. ‘Biome’ incorporates ecological concepts like nesting and predation into its scoring mechanics.
The Golden Age of Games
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(00:03:56)
  • Key Takeaway: The number of new board games released annually has dramatically increased from around 800 in the 1990s to approximately 5,000 today, intensifying competition.
  • Summary: The massive scale of the convention underscores that while it is a great time to be a game player, it is an extremely competitive time to be a game creator. Designers must employ extensive efforts, like enlisting family members, to stand out in this crowded market. The ultimate goal for many is creating a ‘Monopoly Killer’ or a game that rivals the success of Settlers of Catan.
Defining Economic Games
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(00:05:56)
  • Key Takeaway: Hugely popular games like Monopoly and Settlers of Catan are fundamentally economic simulators, dealing with concepts like resource allocation, real estate, and trade.
  • Summary: Both Monopoly (real estate, bankruptcy) and Catan (resource distribution, road building) are recognized as accessible introductions to economic principles. The hosts conclude that Planet Money is perfectly positioned to create a game that brings economics to the public in a fun way. This realization officially launches the Planet Money board game project.
Leone Grundler’s Journey
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(00:08:42)
  • Key Takeaway: Leone Grundler, inspired by Settlers of Catan, developed her game ‘Biome’ during COVID-19 layoffs and successfully funded it via Kickstarter, raising $400,000 on a $40,000 goal.
  • Summary: Leone’s path from being a Catan enthusiast to a game designer involved prototyping with family help and choosing the direct-to-consumer Kickstarter route to maintain creative control. Her campaign was exceptionally successful, leading to a print run of 12,000 games across multiple languages. However, she faces significant challenges managing international manufacturing and fluctuating tariffs, which drastically increased per-unit customs fees.
Kickstarter’s Impact on Publishing
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(00:12:52)
  • Key Takeaway: Crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter have democratized game publishing, allowing creators to bypass traditional gatekeepers by securing pre-orders directly from enthusiasts.
  • Summary: Kickstarter is the largest category on the platform for tabletop games, acting as a floodgate for ideas that previously needed approval from companies like Parker Brothers. Creators can fund manufacturing by securing pre-orders, though this requires significant pre-launch buzz generation. Leone hired a specialized company to manage her campaign strategy.
Partnering with Exploding Kittens
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(00:22:49)
  • Key Takeaway: To navigate the complexities of mass-market production, Planet Money seeks partnership with Exploding Kittens, a company that successfully transitioned from record-breaking Kickstarter success to a major retailer publisher.
  • Summary: Exploding Kittens, creators of the $8.8 million Kickstarter sensation ‘Exploding Kittens,’ now publish over 70 games found in major retailers like Walmart and Target. The initial meeting established that the Planet Money game must prioritize mass appeal and fun over niche complexity, shifting the goal away from high-ranking ‘Euro games’ toward accessible ‘party games.’ The core decision point is whether to pursue a high-cost/low-volume strategy or a low-cost/high-volume strategy.
Defining Game Mechanics and Goals
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(00:28:35)
  • Key Takeaway: A successful game requires an entertaining core mechanic—the repetitive loop that drives play—and the Planet Money game must introduce a brand new mechanic while remaining subtly smart.
  • Summary: Elon Lee of Exploding Kittens critiques games like Candyland for lacking decision-making, emphasizing that a game’s core mechanic must be engaging and escalate over time. The team agreed to aim for a mass-appeal party game that sells well, even if it doesn’t score highly on specialized sites like Board Game Geek. The next step involves the Planet Money team researching interesting economic themes to pair with new gameplay mechanics.