Brooklyn Game Lab has been privileged to have dozens of the world’s best published designers visit the Lab, speak with the kids, try out our “mods” and - yes - become honorary members of one of our “Immortal Wars” clans. The following designers are members of our Board of Creative Directors. We’re always here for these designers to collaborate and test out new ideas. And as BGL begins to generate and release its own content, there are no better folks out there to help us navigate those waters. Together, we’re poised for awesomeness!
Eric Zimmerman
Eric is the designer of one of our all-time favorites, Quantum.
He has been a huge asset to the lab - connecting us with folks at the NYU Game Center where he’s a Professor and teaches classes in game design. We’ve also had the chance to playtest some of his ideas of expanding the Quantum universe - and it is some wildly cool stuff…
Emerson Matsuuchi
Emerson worked with our students on a version of one of his early games VOLT in which we created a radical board with multiple vertical levels. Since, he’s rolled out hit after hit:
Emerson is an honorary member of our own Parchwik Academy!
Gil Hova
Gil was kind enough to come into the lab and host a Q&A with our students, where they were able to ask all sorts of questions about the challenges of being an independent publisher in the world of gaming. Gil’s great games include:
Gil is an honorary member of our own Irongate Order!
Rikki Tahta
Rikki has been hugely supportive and his game, Coup has been a massive hit around the lab. In addition to everything in the Coup universe, and his absolutely amazing party game The Chameleon, we’ve had the awesome opportunity to work with Rikki on his larger vision for digital group gaming: MeetMax Games.
Rikki is an honorary member of our own Oakfist Council!
Chénier La Salle
Chenier is a Canadian diplomat and international game designer. His game, New York 1901 was a big hit with our students. So much so that we designed an expansion for the game that was ultimately printed and distribute as a promo: Goons of New York.
Cheneir was kind enough to Skype in from France to talk with our kids about the challenges and joys of game design.
Andrew Innes
We have played a lot of Andrew’s game, Anomia (aka Sanasota) in the lab. Summers, field trips, birthday parties, this quick, party-game is a huge hit with kids of all ages and BGL families. We were privileged to have Andrew in the lab to run an Anomia tournament in which our kids faced off to win signed copies of Andrew’s games, including Duple and Anomia : Party Edition.
Andrew is an honorary member of our own Redmoon Riders!
Scott Almes
Scott is truly prolific. His Tiny Epic series has seven stand-alone titles, and BGG has his name on nearly 70 game boxes! Some of our favorites are:
Sean McCoy
Sean is one half of the team that brought Two Rooms and a Boom to the world. Having played this game weekly for over a year, we can easily say that this is the best BIG party game out there. Given the theme (a bomber killing the President) we have “reskinned” this game to play with our kids. We call it “Two Labs and a Grab” retheming it to be about citizens trying to spot a gem heist.
Sean is an honorary member of our own Dyre Legion!
Ryan Courtney
This connection is particularly special for us at Game Lab, because Ryan spent a good chunk of time developing and testing his upcoming release, Pipeline at the old lab at 353 7th Ave. Every other Saturday, you’d find him there, sitting at a table covered in pipes. In the end, the game came out beautifully balanced and a ton of fun!
Cole Wehrle
If you’ve not played Cole’s game ROOT you need to check it out! It’s the only game in the history of Game Lab to earn a dedicated game night. This hyper asymmetrical game is #1 on many of our staffs’ list of favorite games and has inspired several of us to start revving on fan factions. Stay tuned to see how BGL and Leder Games collaborate on future expansion material!
DANIEL NEWMAN
Another game designer who sharpened his teeth right here at Brooklyn Game Lab! Daniel has been a part of the BGL community, as an instructor, game tester and friend for many years. Which is why we’re over the moon to see the success of his latest release: Dead Man’s Cabal. This grim skull-management game is quickly becoming one of our teens’ favorites!