Changing the Board Game Market
RIO GRANDE PROFILE > Page 1, 2, 3,When you get to play just for the fun of it, what games (Rio Grande or other companies) do you enjoy most?
Since I have been lucky to publish my favorite games, I play mostly Rio Grande Games. Lately, I have been playing a lot of Lost Cities and Caesar & Cleopatra.
Numerous Rio Grande Games releases found their way into this year's Games 100 list, and they also receive other awards/recognition on a regular basis. What does that say about your ability to judge games?
Although I would like to take credit for being a great judge of games, but it is the Germans that do most of the selecting. I just follow behind and pick the ones I like best. With that many great games to choose from, it is hard to miss.
What award/recognition most surprised you? Which one do you feel especially proud of?
Gamers Speak About Jay Tummelson
"Jay Tummelson is a tremendous asset to the gaming hobby. Through his
creation and guidance of Rio Grande Games, gamers now have access to the best German games each and every year ... AND in English! Prior to this, we often had to wait months before the games arrived in the U.S., and pay much higher prices for them. Then, of course, we had to deal with the German text and rules and the sometimes ambiguous -- and often incorrect -- translations which would appear on the Net. Now, the games arrive in the U.S. at nearly the same time they are released
in Germany and at a much more reasonable price. On a more personal note, Jay has been a great friend. I have had the good
fortune of spending time with him at both Gulf Games and the Gathering, plus maintain on-going contact via the Internet and phone calls. He often just phone calls to see how I am doing and just to chat. He also will give me tips on which games are the best to purchase and will often go out of his way to secure these games for me. Jay has always treated folks with respect and a genuine warmth and friendliness. I am proud to call him a friend." Add your thoughts about Rio Grande Games in the Board Games Forum. |
I am most proud of Torres winning the Games Magazine game of the year for 2000. I liked the game when I first saw it, but had to wait until last summer for it to be produced. Because of the delay (actually, this was the schedule set by Ravensburger), I sent the game to the editors very late and was not sure they would have time to consider it fully. I was wrong! And very pleased!
How difficult is it to get American adults to understand that boardgames can go far beyond what they're used to playing?
It is easy when you can show them the game. I do a lot of demos and people usually pick up on the games very quickly. They always ask, "Where have these games been?" But, being in a position to show a person new to these kinds of games is not easy. That is the real challenge, but I think the numbers are growing as people show each other the games.
What benefits do you believe playing games provides for children and families?
It gives them social time together - away from video/PC games and the TV. They have fun playing the game and talk about what is going on in their. often very separate, lives. It also gives parents the chance to teach their children about winning and losing the right way. Although the games are not "educational" game, they also learn from the games in an indirect way. The counting and scoring teaches arithmetic, for example.
Avalon Hill and Wizards of the Coast both were purchased by Hasbro in the not-too-distant past. Do you see your company being in competition with Hasbro at all?
Gamers Speak About Jay Tummelson
"What can I say about Jay? When I emigrated to Australia 5 years ago, the country was a boardgames desert. Board Not Bored Games Pty Ltd of Melbourne was my attempt to do something about that. I imported strange German games and got the translations from the Web. These days, Australians have the luxury of buying
German games in English, thanks to Rio Grande Games. Every Australian boardgames retailer stocks Rio Grande Games. He did from the outside what I tried to do from the inside, only he did it better and on a bigger scale. When I created my own boardgame, 6 Billion, I met Jay at Spiel '99 in Essen, Germany. He took time out of his very busy schedule to talk with a one-man company such as mine. Now Rio Grande Games are distributing 6 Billion in the U.S. I wish him and Rio Grande Games all the success they deserve." Add your thoughts about Rio Grande Games in the Board Games Forum. |
You're in Europe right now. Are you scouting for new games?
I'm always scouting for new games, but I have already made most of the decisions for the games I'll publish in the first part of 2000. Only final details and the actual work remains. And, in some cases, the work is done and we are just waiting to print.
What games can we expect to see from Rio Grande in the next couple of months? Could you tell us a little bit about each of them?
The El Grande Expansions will be released in January/February, depending on actual print date and shipping times. It will include the components and rules for both El Grande expansions previously done in German.
Space Beans has been printed and is waiting to ship. This is Uwe Rosenberg's latest bean game taken to the universe.
Taj Mahal is a Reiner Knizia game of power and influence set in India. It will be printed in January and will probably release in February due to shipping times.
I still hope to do [Alan R. Moon's] Elfenland and Elfengold in the early part of 2000.
I will do the English version of Hare and Tortoise, being released in Germany by Abacus as Hase und Igel. This will release in February or March.
There are, of course, several other games I am working on, but cannot reveal details at this time.
Many thanks to Jay Tummelson for taking time to answer these questions, but also for his seemingly tireless efforts to improve the world of board gaming.
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