Have you had the chance yet to play Pandemic or Elder Sign on a tablet? Have you dabbled at all with OCTGN on the computer? There are some amazing companies out there taking our favorite board games and digitizing them. I’ve been enjoying Summoner Wars and Elder Sign: Omens myself, but I have often wondered what it would be like to see bigger games on the digital screen. The team behind Tabletopia must have been thinking the same thing, because that’s exactly what they want to do.
Tabletopia is a digital platform for players to enjoy their favorite board games on. Think of it as a digital tabletop where you can sit down and enjoy a game of Terra Mystica with your friends that life cities or even towns away. You can even jump into games with brand new players, find players playing your kind of games, or even host a game in your very own digital game room.
When it comes to details, in Tabletopia you can:
- Play board games with gamers from all over the world
- Make digital prototypes and playtest board games without programming skills
- Earn money with a digital copy of the game
- Stream game play, make videos and hold tournaments
Right now Tabletopia is on Kickstarter, and it’s got some very heavy backing. The project already has the support of games like Terra Mystica, Samurai, Imperial Settlers, and many more. After Gen Con this year there were bushels more games added to the list, and the team behind the platform are working overtime to add all sorts of features wherever they can stick them. Game developers are getting on board as well, as you can develop your own games right from the platform. All you need is perseverance, a great game idea, and the know-how to use the platform itself. The team at Tabletopia is making it easy to learn about the platform with many user-friendly videos that are available, and more will be coming.
If you’re interested in backing the project and becoming a supporter of Tabletopia, check out the Kickstarter. Once the platform is completed there will be a monthly fee (though you can setup a completely free account) that will net you all sorts of Tabletopia goodies, such as access to a vast library of games, your own game room, and more. Personally I think the idea is quite intriguing, and I’m looking forward to seeing where it takes off to. On the one hand I can see just how useful it can be, what with being able to play games with friends that live far away and playing games that maybe your game group isn’t fond of. However, part of me can’t help but think that making our favorite board games digital takes away from the very essence of tabletop gaming itself. That’s a discussion on its own to have, however. For now be sure to check out Tabletopia and see all it’s got to offer!
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