Ever since I purchased my first Stonemaier Game (Scythe), I’ve been thoroughly impressed with how much time and effort must have gone into making the game as good as it is, but this video upped my respect for what you do ten-fold. The overall quality of your games and the level of passion you have for the industry is truly astonishing. Thank you for bringing your fans such amazing products and content time after time. I can’t wait to see what you have in store for us in the years to come!
I'm not sure I can express how impressed and pleased I am at the level of honesty and transparency you exhibit in your interaction with your customers, and with the gaming community. It's made me a fan of not just your games, but also your company.
Couldn't agree more. I've been in the hobby for a year and SM is by far my favorite company. Wingspan, Scythe, Tapestry, Vicitulture, such high quality productions for countless hours of fun. So glad I discovered all those games randomly
Jamey, my wife is not a gamer. She likes some games, but she's not hardcore about it like I am. My first exposure to your games was when my wife (who is from Italy, that's slightly important on this note) decided to pick up Viticulture for me about 3 or 4 Christmases ago. She had no clue what the mechanics of the game was, she just knew it was about Italy and wine. I opened it up and marveled at the beauty of the components and the meticulous detail of how every action worked and made real world sense. In a very real way, you made me more of a fan of worker placement games than I had been before. I was instantly hooked. We just did a top 10 games of all time video and Viticulture and Scythe are in there. I have always been fascinated at learning why people think the way they do, and why things come into being the way they do. I listened to the whole video and I am thankful that you have the passion you do to bring great fun into people's lives. I can honestly say your games have enriched our group's gaming experiences. It was also fascinating to hear your ups and downs at first and how you didn't take pay in the beginning. Thanks for sharing. Sounds like you're still having fun doing this. Don't lose that fire and drive for people and fun brother. In a way, you just created your very own......TAPESTRY.
I haven’t been in the hobby for very long but every time I hear Stonemeier I know it’s going to be an extremely high quality production for a very affordable price. My friends own a lot of the games we play but I purchased Wingspan myself and I am so impressed by the quality. Thanks for your passion!
The most impressive thing about your company is the strong values you have around quality and inclusiveness. I really feel this in all your products as well as interactions with SM and its community.
I appreciate this 'not so brief' history of Stonemaier Games. It was a really interesting watch. Thank you for mentioning The Mill too. It's the one year anniversary, I believe this week, and we're 3 subscribers away from 1,000. That's amazing to me, but I mean... I have some pretty terrific games to talk about. Stonemaier Games has come a long way and it's still trending WAY in the right direction. Wishing you much continued success.
This video was delightful! I love learning the history of how things come about and the little things that could have changed history! Thanks for your games, videos, and live plays. I enjoy them immensely.
Amazing and truly inspiring! I just love the fact on how you deal with everything in such a personal and passionate way. It just shows that everyone should love what they do and for those blessed with determination should also do what they love. Thank you ! (even it's one year later after your post).
Such a fascinating look behind the scenes. Thanks for being so open about the trials and tribulations - I think it is cool to hear about the moves that nearly sunk the company before it got going, and how you learned from those mistakes. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for this video and for many of the videos you post. You are a charismatic individual who provides everyone with another way to revel in the amazing world of board games, that you have played a great part in. Thank you for your passion, honesty, knowledge and the joy you give to us all. :)
Thank you for sharing your story, Jamey. When I started to get into game design back in 2017 I spent hours reading your articles on shipping and the game design process and I learned a lot over the past couple of years. So I appreciate you taking the time to gather and organize all of that information. - Hameed
I enjoyed hearing a little about the early Kickstarters. You make a great point about people coming into the hobby everyday. As always, your passion for the community and your company shows through!
Stonemaier games are sold like water here in Brazil. Just got the last copy of Wingspan avaiable in all the BG stores today. Your products have so much personality. Simple, elegant, very well crafted. Can't wait for Tapestry!
You make me want to become an entrepreneur just by how you talk about it! Sitting there for almost an hour getting distracted by text messages a plenty (my guess would be all Tapestry related), yet you remain so articulate and inspirational, while maintaining integrity and providing insight, and transparency into your truly amazing company! I'm such a fan Jamey Stegmaier! I wish I could buy shares in Stonemaier Games like that investor who bought some of your partner Allan's shares! Lol! It will for sure only continue to grow and expand, and I congratulate you on all of your success and all that is left to come! I'm sure you'll soon have four games in the top 40 on BGG with the release of Tapestry!! Cheers from Montreal, Canada! :)
This has to be one of the best entrepreneurial stories I have had the privilege of witnessing.... there is so much to learn here... Thank you Jamie for your passion in gaming, and bringing something fresh to the industry every year. Needless to say, I am a huge fan of you and your games and am continuously impressed fairly frequently from you and your designs. ☺️
All I can do is echo all the nice things everyone else is saying. I really appreciate what you and your company bring to the hobby both in the form of fantastic games and entertaining content. Huge, huge fan.
Thank you, Jamey, for this open and sincere video. I am a beginner in tabletop games, but I am really hooked with Tapestry, this game opened you as a game designer to me. Next step is to discover Scythe and other worlds created by you. Keep doing this, it's really important for many people in the world.
Thanks, Ruslan! I'm glad you're enjoying Tapestry, and I appreciate your words of encouragement. I hope you continue to enjoy the amazing world of tabletop games!
Thanks for a great glimpse into the history of how you've grown as both as a designer and as a publisher. While Stonemaier Games is a great example of "right place at the right time" with the growth of Kickstarter and the opportunities it creates, I genuinely think that the focus on quality products has been the reason why the games have been so beloved by the community as a whole. Looking forward to seeing what comes up in 2020 :)
I came here to this video right now. I would like to just thank you for your contribution to the board game industry. You and your ganes bring a lot of fun to this world. Thank you! 👍
I always enjoy watching your videos. Your passion for the industry comes through and you can tell you are someone who enjoys what they do. Tapestry seems like a game that my group will enjoy and at a length and complexity level that I can also talk my wife into playing too. Thanks for sharing your entrepreneurial journey!
Thanks for sharing your and your company's story. I love hearing about how a company started and has developed over the years. I appreciate your passion and insight into the hobby/industry! I also love SM games. I haven't played one I didn't like and look forward to playing more of them in the future. Keep up the good work Jamey!
Thanks for sharing Jamey! Your story is inspiring. I would love to have a career in the industry at some point, and really appreciate you sharing. All the best of success to you and SM in the years ahead!
Nice to hear about some details of the company. I just came across this video now after 3 years. Since learning how to play Tapestry been more interested in Stonemaier games
I only own three Stonemaier games (Euphoria, Scythe and Wingspan) and love them all. They all have wonderful art, great components, and they are just plain fun!
Great video! Such a wonderful success story. You didn’t have much to say on RoF, which is one of my favorite Stonemaier products. I own 4 games with lots of extras/expansions/upgrades and will soon be 5 games with Tapestry. Thanks so much for your effort in making great games and giving so much time and content to your fans!
Thanks for the video, feel connected. I was not a gamer, even when Michael just started The Nerd Shelves, but ever since I played Scythe, it was a good start for the explore, and it is still my top 5 favourite. Thanks to the whole team for the hard works.❤
Awesome video Jamey, I really wish companies like CMON would take your approach on ditching exclusives, because as you said, people can discover games at any time and it feels punishing to have missed out on something that calls your attention. I, for one, welcome every new Stonemaier game with open arms. I recently moved to another country and had to leave my copy of Scythe with a friend, but we took our copy of Viticulture with us
I really appreciate that you did away with Kickstarter exclusives, I overlooked Scythe back when it hit Kickstarter and only got properly introduced to it when someone in my gaming club brought his newly arrived Kickstarter copy to game night. By then I had heard a lot of buzz about the game and while I still believed it wouldn't be my cup of tea (I hadn't looked too deeply into the game, more like glanced at it and made assumptions on what kind of game it was) I figured I should know for sure what the buzz was all about. So we played it that night and I fell madly in love (it's still in my top 3). Because the promos and upgrades were available to purchase, I still got the opportunity to have the full content in my own retail copy and I'm very grateful for that. I wish that kind of thinking was the standard of boardgame Kickstarters.
Hi Jamey, loved the video. I am impressed with the quality of your work, though so far I have only played Scythe and Wingspan. Both games are firm favourites with my partner and I. I will definitely check out your other games.
Thank you so much for worldwide fulfillment and Canada-friendly! Your company has always been my favourite boardgame publisher, but now there's another reason for it as well! P.S. I love the ludicrous amount of additional plastic bags you pack into every game! I always run out of plastic bags for other, non Stonemaier Games games, so this always comes in handy!
I have always enjoyed playing games - but I am now just discovering the World of Games - I enjoyed this very much - thank you for sharing. I look forward to eventually getting a copy of Wingspan - I am on a list at my local game shop in Lee's Summit - I also want to find out more about Tapestry - your introduction has me intrigued!
Really enjoyed hearing you and your company's history, Jamey! Tom Vasel had done a history of the Dice Tower which was cool also. I have been getting your games since Between Two Cities (but picked up Viticulture and Euphoria shortly after. Keep up the great work, and congrats on the Wingspan win this year! I have my preorder in for the next shipment...looking forward to it!
This felt like 10 minute video if you ask me. :) Very interesting stuff in here, especially the figures and the first steps of the company. The Viticulture metal coin KS goal problem was very interesting too. There's a lot of "what if's" in life for sure.
Hey, Jamey. Long-time viewer, first-time commenter, I believe. I enjoy your videos a lot and a big reason for that is your infectious charm and candor. It's pretty inspiring and pretty cathartic to hear you speak so honestly about the ups and downs you've faced and overcome. Another big reason I enjoy your stuff on here is because you actually highlight other games and talk about them. I'm REALLY glad you didn't go down the review route because you just talking about mechanisms you enjoy is really a niche I enjoy (and like you said, critiquing is probably not the healthiest idea). Even if it's a not-so-great game--or a game I can tell is not for me--if a mechanism is really cool, it just gets one's creativity going, and the game's other features can take a back seat. Sometimes a really clever mechanism is all it takes to make a game intriguing. And just so you get to know a bit more about your audience, here's some stuff about me, as someone who likes your content: - I have not played a single one of your games. Viticulture and Wingspan are the ones I want to buy at some point the most. Viticulture because the theme is cozy and has a solo mode for when I don't have anyone around, and Wingspan because the theme is unique and has the potential to teach (also because it was designed by a woman, and I just like card-driven games). - I have never Kickstarted anything, mainly because I'm always broke. A big turn-off of Kickstarter for me is the exclusives, and games that already have expansions on top before you've even given the game a play. I also don't care for miniatures or giant monstrosities. Anyway, thank you for realizing it's pretty lame to do exclusive game content and made the wise decision to just do things that aren't essential or game-changing, like upgraded resources. Win-win. I'll only buy retail or from the publisher's website. - I really enjoy solo games, two-player games, and co-op games. A game that can be all three is a huge bonus in my eyes. I'm not a fan of heavy conflict or bitterly competitive games. Teamwork and player interaction are my weakness. I'll try Scythe one of these days, I hope. In closing, I'll just add that I also like to design as a hobby. I do hope to get a game published in the near future, but I'm in no rush; I'm doing it for myself. It'll be interesting when I submit something to you in the future because your guidelines are in contrast to what I normally do (don't worry, I read and understood them). It's fun being malleable and expanding the scope of a project to meet certain criteria. It's motivating, even. Besides, the world needs more LGBTQ+ designers, and as a gay Latino with major depression, I think I can offer something unique to the hobby. Depression sucks, but it's a pretty good imagination booster. I also realized I have not subscribed to you. Oops. I'll remedy that shortly! Take care, Jamey, and please keep up your great output (TH-cam and blog). They're an invaluable resource, and you're an incredible person for being willing to share. Thank you so much; it means a lot to me.
Fascinating. Loved listening to this Jamey...my family and I love playing Charterstone and Scythe and we look forward to more Stonemaier games in the future.
Very informative video. Definitely the flagship of the boardgaming industry both for great products and quality along with exceptional customer service.
I hope to run into you someday in St. Louis. I think it would be awesome to meet my favorite boardgame designer. I can't wait to hear about the new game you have in the works for this year. Most likely will be a pre order like Tapestry was.
Great video. Viticulture was one of the first more in-depth games I've played. Since then, I have played Scythe, Charterstone, My Little Scythe, and Wingspan, which are all fantastic games. Learning a little bit of the background of how your company came to be and was shaped by these games is excellent. Hoping to play Tapestry when it comes out, and eventually go back and play the other games you've made that I haven't played.
Hi Jamey, just wanna say keep doing whatcha doing, keep up the good work....u've got bunch of avid fans hailing all the way from Medan, Indonesia. Just got our copy of wingspan, looking forward to it. cant wait for Tapestry. though not sure how long it would take for it to reach our shore :P
I'm one month late to watch this video apparently! I was glad to find out that there was almost nothing I didn't already know in this video. :) And I'm so happy that since Scythe I was along for the ride and I've experienced all those events live :)
I really enjoyed this video, my 2 hobbies are BoardGames & Lego (hence the name of my TH-cam account) and my wife and I own/run 2 business’ so I relate to a lot that you spoke of. I love your games by the way, I’ve just brought tapestry and looking forward to getting it on the table with my family. Thank you for sharing your story Jamey.
Bonjour ! I’m new to board games and each time I check for something, it very often leads to Stonemaier games or you directly. I already told you somewhere that your smiley face makes you so likable. And when I read or watch you, I can feel that sincerity and passion which is what we all want to see ! Thank you for this precious new video ! One of the best so far actually :D Now a few questions (sorry for the long post) : - About viticulture essential edition, how did you come up to work with that particular person (sorry I forgot his name...) what was your relationship with him ? - You said you tested your game with family and friends at first, then I assume you tested them in that bar in Saint Louis you talked about. And now (like for Tapestry) do you pay testers ? Is there companies professionally testing games for others ? Or your circle of friends/contact is big enough now that you can just pick persons in there ? - Last question, you said a few times that you 日本語を勉強しました。Do you use Japanese from time to time in your private or professional life ? Second part of the last question haha I guess you learned Japanese because you like Japan a lot. And I imagine you were too busy to do something about it before. But don’t you want to work for a project with some Japanese designers or companies ?
Thanks Julien! I appreciate the questions. For Viticulture Essential, designer Uwe Rosenberg helped me pick the different elements to include in it. For local testing, I mostly just test in my home office, not in public. I do pay our lead playtesters (blind playtesters). They're hand-picked from our ambassadors. As for Japanese, I studied it from 7th grade through 12th grade. We have a good partnership with Arclight in Japan, and someday I'd like to design a game with its roots in Japan.
Just an interested party atm, but hopefully a fellow designer soon enough. Actually part of my curiosity was hearing about how Alan was involved; I wasn't sure if he was still around but sounds like he's been along for the ride and supporting your ambitions.
This was a really great insight, thanks for the vid! Still planning and designing my first ever games but it's so hard to pull the trigger for some reason. Like really, really get into it, the process.
@@jameystegmaier I am but it's as if I'm rolling this huge boulder up a huge hill. It's still mostly on paper, the mechanics, rules and stuff as I've yet to really do anything tangible, you know. Components, cards, etc. :P But it's fun. I know I should decide to just sit down and work on it or schedule a certain time of the week to work on the game(s).
Really inspiring! Sounds like an amazing journey, thanks for sharing Jamey :) A question: Kickstarter was a huge part of this journey, however, you started using it at a different time (and probably had different challenges). Do you think that it is easier or harder now for new game developers to use Kickstarter to try to bring their board game to life?
Compared to when I was on Kickstarter, I think it's a lot harder now to for new game designers/companies to stand out on Kickstarter. The one upside is that there are also many, many more Kickstarter board game backers now than back then, and there are a lot more resources to help creators now than back in 2012.
I didn't play Viticulture till long after I owned Scythe (purchased after Kickstarter). If I had played Viticulture when it was released, I would have been a massive fanboy all over the Scythe Kickstarter.
I'm currently spread a bit thin, Tee, but if you ever want to download one of my videos as an audio file, there are lots of services that will let you do it for free (see Google).
Of course 😊. I apologize if this came off like a demand, was just thinking it might add to the accessibility of your content. But we can’t create time where there is none and I’m sure your time units are integral commodities to your business. Thanks for the response and I appreciate the suggestion. I also appreciate your continued dedication and awareness of making boardgaming inclusive. You are setting a standard that I hope other developers take notice of.
Labyrinth was my doorway to exploring games! The dynamics of the board got me so excited! Very recently I came up with a game based on the same mechanic of how the board moves. In my idea the counters and board tiles move in the same way as labyrinth. But everything else is different.... Would that be plagiarism? Since labyrinth is the only game that o have seen with such a mech, I feel like it will face a backlash.... Can you share your opinion?
Ha. I was waiting for you to mention Tapestry. Did not realise it was the 9th game for SM - it was the first SM game I owned. You’ve done amazing with your company. Btw do you ever sleep? 😉
Any thoughts on writing a book taking an in depth look at the decision making it took to get SM from kickstarter to now? I can see you having valuable knowledge base, your company is growing at a rate way ahead of the booming industry, you've moved so far beyond kickstarter
Hey Jamey, remember when you argued on BGG that Tuscany was a legacy game expansion? You replied to me. I you ready to admit yet that it wasn't? BTW I'm a fan who owns Viticulture, Tuscany (with those great metal coins) and Wingspan.
Based on my definitely of "legacy" (permanent changes that cannot be undone), I would agree that the original Tuscany was not a legacy expansion. It does have unlocks and persistence, though, which I've come to associate more with campaign games.
@@luckbear87 It's related to Alan, my cofounder. His last name is Stone, and my last name is Stegmaier, so we combined the two for something German-sounding (as we mostly make German-style Euro games).
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Ever since I purchased my first Stonemaier Game (Scythe), I’ve been thoroughly impressed with how much time and effort must have gone into making the game as good as it is, but this video upped my respect for what you do ten-fold. The overall quality of your games and the level of passion you have for the industry is truly astonishing. Thank you for bringing your fans such amazing products and content time after time. I can’t wait to see what you have in store for us in the years to come!
Thank you, Tim! I appreciate your kind words and your time--it's a long video! There's also a sequel to it that I filmed a few years later.
I'm not sure I can express how impressed and pleased I am at the level of honesty and transparency you exhibit in your interaction with your customers, and with the gaming community. It's made me a fan of not just your games, but also your company.
Couldn't agree more. I've been in the hobby for a year and SM is by far my favorite company. Wingspan, Scythe, Tapestry, Vicitulture, such high quality productions for countless hours of fun. So glad I discovered all those games randomly
Jamey, my wife is not a gamer.
She likes some games, but she's not hardcore about it like I am.
My first exposure to your games was when my wife (who is from Italy, that's slightly important on this note) decided to pick up Viticulture for me about 3 or 4 Christmases ago. She had no clue what the mechanics of the game was, she just knew it was about Italy and wine. I opened it up and marveled at the beauty of the components and the meticulous detail of how every action worked and made real world sense. In a very real way, you made me more of a fan of worker placement games than I had been before.
I was instantly hooked. We just did a top 10 games of all time video and Viticulture and Scythe are in there.
I have always been fascinated at learning why people think the way they do, and why things come into being the way they do. I listened to the whole video and I am thankful that you have the passion you do to bring great fun into people's lives. I can honestly say your games have enriched our group's gaming experiences. It was also fascinating to hear your ups and downs at first and how you didn't take pay in the beginning.
Thanks for sharing. Sounds like you're still having fun doing this. Don't lose that fire and drive for people and fun brother.
In a way, you just created your very own......TAPESTRY.
That my friends is a passionate boardgame designer!
I haven’t been in the hobby for very long but every time I hear Stonemeier I know it’s going to be an extremely high quality production for a very affordable price. My friends own a lot of the games we play but I purchased Wingspan myself and I am so impressed by the quality. Thanks for your passion!
The most impressive thing about your company is the strong values you have around quality and inclusiveness. I really feel this in all your products as well as interactions with SM and its community.
Thank you, Tim! That's what I strive for.
I appreciate this 'not so brief' history of Stonemaier Games. It was a really interesting watch. Thank you for mentioning The Mill too. It's the one year anniversary, I believe this week, and we're 3 subscribers away from 1,000. That's amazing to me, but I mean... I have some pretty terrific games to talk about. Stonemaier Games has come a long way and it's still trending WAY in the right direction. Wishing you much continued success.
Thanks Dusty! You're so close to 1000! I appreciate all the time you've put into those videos. :)
This video was delightful! I love learning the history of how things come about and the little things that could have changed history! Thanks for your games, videos, and live plays. I enjoy them immensely.
Thank you so much! :)
Amazing and truly inspiring! I just love the fact on how you deal with everything in such a personal and passionate way. It just shows that everyone should love what they do and for those blessed with determination should also do what they love. Thank you ! (even it's one year later after your post).
Such a fascinating look behind the scenes. Thanks for being so open about the trials and tribulations - I think it is cool to hear about the moves that nearly sunk the company before it got going, and how you learned from those mistakes. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for this video and for many of the videos you post. You are a charismatic individual who provides everyone with another way to revel in the amazing world of board games, that you have played a great part in. Thank you for your passion, honesty, knowledge and the joy you give to us all. :)
Thank you for sharing your story, Jamey. When I started to get into game design back in 2017 I spent hours reading your articles on shipping and the game design process and I learned a lot over the past couple of years. So I appreciate you taking the time to gather and organize all of that information. - Hameed
Thank you, Hameed! I appreciate you following my content, and I hope to see a great game from you in the future. :)
I enjoyed hearing a little about the early Kickstarters. You make a great point about people coming into the hobby everyday. As always, your passion for the community and your company shows through!
Inspiring! Thank you for sharing and content!
Stonemaier games are sold like water here in Brazil. Just got the last copy of Wingspan avaiable in all the BG stores today. Your products have so much personality. Simple, elegant, very well crafted. Can't wait for Tapestry!
Jamey, you are an inspiration! Thank you for sharing.
My favorite video of yours so far. Thank you for everything you have done for the industry Jamey!
Thanks! :)
You make me want to become an entrepreneur just by how you talk about it! Sitting there for almost an hour getting distracted by text messages a plenty (my guess would be all Tapestry related), yet you remain so articulate and inspirational, while maintaining integrity and providing insight, and transparency into your truly amazing company! I'm such a fan Jamey Stegmaier! I wish I could buy shares in Stonemaier Games like that investor who bought some of your partner Allan's shares! Lol! It will for sure only continue to grow and expand, and I congratulate you on all of your success and all that is left to come! I'm sure you'll soon have four games in the top 40 on BGG with the release of Tapestry!! Cheers from Montreal, Canada! :)
Great video. It is amazing the impact that StoneMaier games has had in such a short period of time
This has to be one of the best entrepreneurial stories I have had the privilege of witnessing.... there is so much to learn here... Thank you Jamie for your passion in gaming, and bringing something fresh to the industry every year. Needless to say, I am a huge fan of you and your games and am continuously impressed fairly frequently from you and your designs. ☺️
All I can do is echo all the nice things everyone else is saying. I really appreciate what you and your company bring to the hobby both in the form of fantastic games and entertaining content. Huge, huge fan.
Thank you, Josh! :)
Thank you, Jamey, for this open and sincere video. I am a beginner in tabletop games, but I am really hooked with Tapestry, this game opened you as a game designer to me.
Next step is to discover Scythe and other worlds created by you. Keep doing this, it's really important for many people in the world.
Thanks, Ruslan! I'm glad you're enjoying Tapestry, and I appreciate your words of encouragement. I hope you continue to enjoy the amazing world of tabletop games!
I really love the history of SM games! Thanks for the great video Jamey!
Thanks for a great glimpse into the history of how you've grown as both as a designer and as a publisher. While Stonemaier Games is a great example of "right place at the right time" with the growth of Kickstarter and the opportunities it creates, I genuinely think that the focus on quality products has been the reason why the games have been so beloved by the community as a whole. Looking forward to seeing what comes up in 2020 :)
I came here to this video right now. I would like to just thank you for your contribution to the board game industry. You and your ganes bring a lot of fun to this world. Thank you! 👍
Thanks Marian! :)
Awesome video. It was a pleasure to watch. Continue your great work Jamey.
Hello from Malaysia. We play both Viticulture and Scythe regularly. Almost every week, sometimes twice a week. Thanks Jamie!
Thank you for playing them! :)
Very interesting. Thanks for putting this info and timeline out there, very interesting
thank you for all your help, can you turn up volume please
Finally got to sit down and finish this! So awesome! Thanks for sharing. I have a feeling Tapestry is going to do super well!
This is an incredible video. Thank you for your candor!
Thank you for your candor. Most private companies shy away from talking about their financials.
Great overview :)
My fav SM games are 1) Viticulture EE and 2) Between two Cities. Love them both.
Thank you Jamey (and Morten/Alan).
Really an amazing journey. Very cool to get the backstory on the company, and I am sure I'll continue supporting it with my purchases!
That was interesting. Thanks for taking the time to do this.
I always enjoy watching your videos. Your passion for the industry comes through and you can tell you are someone who enjoys what they do. Tapestry seems like a game that my group will enjoy and at a length and complexity level that I can also talk my wife into playing too. Thanks for sharing your entrepreneurial journey!
Thanks for sharing your and your company's story. I love hearing about how a company started and has developed over the years. I appreciate your passion and insight into the hobby/industry! I also love SM games. I haven't played one I didn't like and look forward to playing more of them in the future. Keep up the good work Jamey!
Great video Jamey, awesome to hear story. One of the great it's hearing how all started AND the process 👏👏
Thanks for sharing Jamey! Your story is inspiring. I would love to have a career in the industry at some point, and really appreciate you sharing. All the best of success to you and SM in the years ahead!
Thank you for sharing! Definitely a great inspiration.
Nice to hear about some details of the company. I just came across this video now after 3 years. Since learning how to play Tapestry been more interested in Stonemaier games
Thanks for checking out our story, Jerry!
I only own three Stonemaier games (Euphoria, Scythe and Wingspan) and love them all. They all have wonderful art, great components, and they are just plain fun!
Great video! Such a wonderful success story. You didn’t have much to say on RoF, which is one of my favorite Stonemaier products. I own 4 games with lots of extras/expansions/upgrades and will soon be 5 games with Tapestry. Thanks so much for your effort in making great games and giving so much time and content to your fans!
Thank you Jamey.
I really love board games and I am learning a lot about them thanks to your videos 😃.
Best regards from Spain.
I discovered my passion for board games with Wingspan!! Just recently bought Tapestry too!
Fascinating video. Great to learn more about Stonemaier. Very interested to learn more about Tapestry.
Thank you!
Thanks for the video, feel connected.
I was not a gamer, even when Michael just started The Nerd Shelves, but ever since I played Scythe, it was a good start for the explore, and it is still my top 5 favourite. Thanks to the whole team for the hard works.❤
Thanks Judie! I'm so glad to hear that Scythe helped to welcome you into the hobby. :)
This was like watching that movie where you are rooting for the business and every success feels so good
Thanks Aman! :)
Awesome video Jamey, I really wish companies like CMON would take your approach on ditching exclusives, because as you said, people can discover games at any time and it feels punishing to have missed out on something that calls your attention.
I, for one, welcome every new Stonemaier game with open arms. I recently moved to another country and had to leave my copy of Scythe with a friend, but we took our copy of Viticulture with us
I really appreciate that you did away with Kickstarter exclusives, I overlooked Scythe back when it hit Kickstarter and only got properly introduced to it when someone in my gaming club brought his newly arrived Kickstarter copy to game night. By then I had heard a lot of buzz about the game and while I still believed it wouldn't be my cup of tea (I hadn't looked too deeply into the game, more like glanced at it and made assumptions on what kind of game it was) I figured I should know for sure what the buzz was all about. So we played it that night and I fell madly in love (it's still in my top 3). Because the promos and upgrades were available to purchase, I still got the opportunity to have the full content in my own retail copy and I'm very grateful for that. I wish that kind of thinking was the standard of boardgame Kickstarters.
Hi Jamey, loved the video. I am impressed with the quality of your work, though so far I have only played Scythe and Wingspan. Both games are firm favourites with my partner and I. I will definitely check out your other games.
Thanks Paul! I'm glad you've enjoyed Scythe and Wingspan. :)
Thank you so much for worldwide fulfillment and Canada-friendly! Your company has always been my favourite boardgame publisher, but now there's another reason for it as well!
P.S. I love the ludicrous amount of additional plastic bags you pack into every game! I always run out of plastic bags for other, non Stonemaier Games games, so this always comes in handy!
Thank you! I appreciate the affirmation--we'll continue to do those things. :)
I have always enjoyed playing games - but I am now just discovering the World of Games - I enjoyed this very much - thank you for sharing. I look forward to eventually getting a copy of Wingspan - I am on a list at my local game shop in Lee's Summit - I also want to find out more about Tapestry - your introduction has me intrigued!
Welcome to the wonderful world of games, Jim! Your retailer should get more copies of Wingspan in about 2 weeks. :)
thank you very much, this was very insightful.
Really enjoyed hearing you and your company's history, Jamey! Tom Vasel had done a history of the Dice Tower which was cool also. I have been getting your games since Between Two Cities (but picked up Viticulture and Euphoria shortly after. Keep up the great work, and congrats on the Wingspan win this year! I have my preorder in for the next shipment...looking forward to it!
Thanks for joining us for Between Two Cities and every since, Chris!
This felt like 10 minute video if you ask me. :) Very interesting stuff in here, especially the figures and the first steps of the company. The Viticulture metal coin KS goal problem was very interesting too. There's a lot of "what if's" in life for sure.
Hey, Jamey. Long-time viewer, first-time commenter, I believe. I enjoy your videos a lot and a big reason for that is your infectious charm and candor. It's pretty inspiring and pretty cathartic to hear you speak so honestly about the ups and downs you've faced and overcome. Another big reason I enjoy your stuff on here is because you actually highlight other games and talk about them. I'm REALLY glad you didn't go down the review route because you just talking about mechanisms you enjoy is really a niche I enjoy (and like you said, critiquing is probably not the healthiest idea). Even if it's a not-so-great game--or a game I can tell is not for me--if a mechanism is really cool, it just gets one's creativity going, and the game's other features can take a back seat. Sometimes a really clever mechanism is all it takes to make a game intriguing.
And just so you get to know a bit more about your audience, here's some stuff about me, as someone who likes your content:
- I have not played a single one of your games. Viticulture and Wingspan are the ones I want to buy at some point the most. Viticulture because the theme is cozy and has a solo mode for when I don't have anyone around, and Wingspan because the theme is unique and has the potential to teach (also because it was designed by a woman, and I just like card-driven games).
- I have never Kickstarted anything, mainly because I'm always broke. A big turn-off of Kickstarter for me is the exclusives, and games that already have expansions on top before you've even given the game a play. I also don't care for miniatures or giant monstrosities. Anyway, thank you for realizing it's pretty lame to do exclusive game content and made the wise decision to just do things that aren't essential or game-changing, like upgraded resources. Win-win. I'll only buy retail or from the publisher's website.
- I really enjoy solo games, two-player games, and co-op games. A game that can be all three is a huge bonus in my eyes. I'm not a fan of heavy conflict or bitterly competitive games. Teamwork and player interaction are my weakness.
I'll try Scythe one of these days, I hope. In closing, I'll just add that I also like to design as a hobby. I do hope to get a game published in the near future, but I'm in no rush; I'm doing it for myself. It'll be interesting when I submit something to you in the future because your guidelines are in contrast to what I normally do (don't worry, I read and understood them). It's fun being malleable and expanding the scope of a project to meet certain criteria. It's motivating, even. Besides, the world needs more LGBTQ+ designers, and as a gay Latino with major depression, I think I can offer something unique to the hobby. Depression sucks, but it's a pretty good imagination booster.
I also realized I have not subscribed to you. Oops. I'll remedy that shortly! Take care, Jamey, and please keep up your great output (TH-cam and blog). They're an invaluable resource, and you're an incredible person for being willing to share. Thank you so much; it means a lot to me.
Great video Jamey!
Fascinating. Loved listening to this Jamey...my family and I love playing Charterstone and Scythe and we look forward to more Stonemaier games in the future.
You are the man Jamey! Viticulture still my number 1 game all time!
Very informative video. Definitely the flagship of the boardgaming industry both for great products and quality along with exceptional customer service.
I hope to run into you someday in St. Louis. I think it would be awesome to meet my favorite boardgame designer. I can't wait to hear about the new game you have in the works for this year. Most likely will be a pre order like Tapestry was.
Thanks Adam! You should attend Geekway to the West (tickets are still on sale). I attend every year!
I love your choice of no special content.
Great video. Viticulture was one of the first more in-depth games I've played. Since then, I have played Scythe, Charterstone, My Little Scythe, and Wingspan, which are all fantastic games. Learning a little bit of the background of how your company came to be and was shaped by these games is excellent. Hoping to play Tapestry when it comes out, and eventually go back and play the other games you've made that I haven't played.
I'm glad that Viticulture played a role in expanding your gaming world (whether the games to follow were ours or someone else's). :)
Hi Jamey, just wanna say keep doing whatcha doing, keep up the good work....u've got bunch of avid fans hailing all the way from Medan, Indonesia. Just got our copy of wingspan, looking forward to it. cant wait for Tapestry. though not sure how long it would take for it to reach our shore :P
It'll ship from St. Louis, so probably 10-14 days.
I'm one month late to watch this video apparently! I was glad to find out that there was almost nothing I didn't already know in this video. :) And I'm so happy that since Scythe I was along for the ride and I've experienced all those events live :)
I'd recommend binging all of Jamey's past videos if you haven't already.
Its really cool how you can see it slowly get darker outside over the corse of the video... burnin the midnight oil!
Loved this! Thanks.
I really enjoyed this video, my 2 hobbies are BoardGames & Lego (hence the name of my TH-cam account) and my wife and I own/run 2 business’ so I relate to a lot that you spoke of. I love your games by the way, I’ve just brought tapestry and looking forward to getting it on the table with my family. Thank you for sharing your story Jamey.
Thank you!
The full view (glimpse) of back cover Tapestry box woaa..
Thanks for these videos. They are really interesting and I really like your company. Just recently bought Viticulture directly from your web site :-)
Thank you! :)
Bonjour ! I’m new to board games and each time I check for something, it very often leads to Stonemaier games or you directly. I already told you somewhere that your smiley face makes you so likable. And when I read or watch you, I can feel that sincerity and passion which is what we all want to see ! Thank you for this precious new video ! One of the best so far actually :D
Now a few questions (sorry for the long post) :
- About viticulture essential edition, how did you come up to work with that particular person (sorry I forgot his name...) what was your relationship with him ?
- You said you tested your game with family and friends at first, then I assume you tested them in that bar in Saint Louis you talked about. And now (like for Tapestry) do you pay testers ? Is there companies professionally testing games for others ? Or your circle of friends/contact is big enough now that you can just pick persons in there ?
- Last question, you said a few times that you 日本語を勉強しました。Do you use Japanese from time to time in your private or professional life ? Second part of the last question haha I guess you learned Japanese because you like Japan a lot. And I imagine you were too busy to do something about it before. But don’t you want to work for a project with some Japanese designers or companies ?
Thanks Julien! I appreciate the questions. For Viticulture Essential, designer Uwe Rosenberg helped me pick the different elements to include in it. For local testing, I mostly just test in my home office, not in public. I do pay our lead playtesters (blind playtesters). They're hand-picked from our ambassadors. As for Japanese, I studied it from 7th grade through 12th grade. We have a good partnership with Arclight in Japan, and someday I'd like to design a game with its roots in Japan.
Our local convention, Recruits (Kansas City area), is planing to have a Play-to-win section this year of the first time.
Nice video. Thank you. Probably not true but I choose to believe my asking about the origins of the company a couple of weeks ago inspired this :D.
Just an interested party atm, but hopefully a fellow designer soon enough. Actually part of my curiosity was hearing about how Alan was involved; I wasn't sure if he was still around but sounds like he's been along for the ride and supporting your ambitions.
Indeed, Alan has continued to be part of the journey and our shared ambition to bring joy to tabletops worldwide. :)
This was a really great insight, thanks for the vid! Still planning and designing my first ever games but it's so hard to pull the trigger for some reason. Like really, really get into it, the process.
I hope you keep it up (if you're having fun)!
@@jameystegmaier I am but it's as if I'm rolling this huge boulder up a huge hill. It's still mostly on paper, the mechanics, rules and stuff as I've yet to really do anything tangible, you know. Components, cards, etc. :P But it's fun. I know I should decide to just sit down and work on it or schedule a certain time of the week to work on the game(s).
Really inspiring! Sounds like an amazing journey, thanks for sharing Jamey :)
A question: Kickstarter was a huge part of this journey, however, you started using it at a different time (and probably had different challenges). Do you think that it is easier or harder now for new game developers to use Kickstarter to try to bring their board game to life?
Compared to when I was on Kickstarter, I think it's a lot harder now to for new game designers/companies to stand out on Kickstarter. The one upside is that there are also many, many more Kickstarter board game backers now than back then, and there are a lot more resources to help creators now than back in 2012.
@@jameystegmaier that's reassuring :) thank's for the fast reply and again for sharing.
Jamey Stegmaier. The Elon Musk of board games.
I didn't play Viticulture till long after I owned Scythe (purchased after Kickstarter). If I had played Viticulture when it was released, I would have been a massive fanboy all over the Scythe Kickstarter.
In the beginning … Once upon a time …
This would be great as a podcast. Any chance of also putting the audio of your videos up as a podcast?
Really excited for Tapestry!
I'm currently spread a bit thin, Tee, but if you ever want to download one of my videos as an audio file, there are lots of services that will let you do it for free (see Google).
Of course 😊.
I apologize if this came off like a demand, was just thinking it might add to the accessibility of your content. But we can’t create time where there is none and I’m sure your time units are integral commodities to your business. Thanks for the response and I appreciate the suggestion. I also appreciate your continued dedication and awareness of making boardgaming inclusive. You are setting a standard that I hope other developers take notice of.
Question about tuscany essential edition, can you purchase seperately the extra tuscany that did not come in the essential edition?
Some of them (arboriculture and formaggio can be purchased from Print & Play Games). The others can be downloaded and printed from our website.
I am planning to create a board game, self publish it. Should I open a company?
If you want to run a company, sure! If you just want to design games, find a publisher instead.
Hi.. I am Abhishek Mondal from India.. Why there is no SM GAME SHOP IN INDIA ?
Nice little surprised at the end letting us see the back of Tapestry for the first time even if it was just a split second.
That was an accident, but it happened! :)
@@jameystegmaier I figured it was. Looks great so far looking forward to learn more about the game.
Labyrinth was my doorway to exploring games! The dynamics of the board got me so excited! Very recently I came up with a game based on the same mechanic of how the board moves. In my idea the counters and board tiles move in the same way as labyrinth. But everything else is different.... Would that be plagiarism? Since labyrinth is the only game that o have seen with such a mech, I feel like it will face a backlash.... Can you share your opinion?
I think it's completely fine for your game to be inspired by Labyrinth! :)
Ha. I was waiting for you to mention Tapestry. Did not realise it was the 9th game for SM - it was the first SM game I owned. You’ve done amazing with your company. Btw do you ever sleep? 😉
Indeed, I need to revisit this video for a catch-up! :) I sleep a solid 7.5 hours a night (sometimes even a little more if the cats allow!).
Any thoughts on writing a book taking an in depth look at the decision making it took to get SM from kickstarter to now? I can see you having valuable knowledge base, your company is growing at a rate way ahead of the booming industry, you've moved so far beyond kickstarter
Thanks Kevin! Maybe someday if I have more time on my hands. :)
Do you think Wingspan will outsell Scythe?
It's certainly on pace to, so I would say yes at this point.
Short Videos are severly punished by the allmighty algorhithm, there´s no surprise they lacked success.
Is game design and sales your sole working income? If not, what else do you do to earn a living?
My full-time job is running Stonemaier Games. :)
I'm just sad that there are no dutch versions of some of your games. You can even sell more if you address the Belgium and Netherlands region too.
Just wanna add that I love your games but my wife really dislikes playing in another language. At least we can have Wingspan and Tapestry in dutch.
Hey Jamey, remember when you argued on BGG that Tuscany was a legacy game expansion? You replied to me. I you ready to admit yet that it wasn't? BTW I'm a fan who owns Viticulture, Tuscany (with those great metal coins) and Wingspan.
Based on my definitely of "legacy" (permanent changes that cannot be undone), I would agree that the original Tuscany was not a legacy expansion. It does have unlocks and persistence, though, which I've come to associate more with campaign games.
Cool to find out that your degree is from Wash U. Great school!
Would you say without Kickstarter Viticulture and other Stonemeier products would have never existed?
Yes, I would absolutely say that.
Curious can you give some background why is it called Stonemaier instead of Stegmaier?
Dan Winnowski it’s a combination of my last name and my cofounder’s last name
Scott Nicholson, Wil Wheaton, Tom vasel, Jamey stegmaier. In that order, these are the four that brought tabletop gaming to new place's this decade.
What is the story behind the name of your company?
I’m only 15 minutes in so forgive me if you mention it later. But I assumed it would have been mentioned early on and I’ve always been curious
@@luckbear87 It's related to Alan, my cofounder. His last name is Stone, and my last name is Stegmaier, so we combined the two for something German-sounding (as we mostly make German-style Euro games).
👏🏻