It has been a while since I shared some of the cards or artwork for Project Aleutian, and I wanted to share some of the new visuals with you. The game continues to look more and more like a finished product with each added piece of artwork to the cards. Alongside the artwork, the graphic design on the cards is also seeing some refinement as we try to strike the right balance between keeping key information visible and better communicating the theme of the game. On a computer screen the scale of the physical cards can be hard to judge, and with each new printing and playtest we are learning about what works and what doesn’t.
Happy New Year! As we step into 2026, we’re excited to be celebrating the Antibyss’ 2nd Anniversary! Last year was full of gameplay and card updates on Project Aleutian. We were busy with art, playtesting, and conventions. We also turned the focus outward a bit highlighting other exciting crowdfunding projects from other companies and people. Many of those projects were funded and are on their way to becoming a published game. With another year down, I can’t thank you, anyone who is reading this on social media, our blog, or in our newsletter, enough for being a partner with us on this ride. Your time is valuable in this busy busy world, and it means a lot that you are willing to spend it with us. A special thank you to all of the alpha testers who took time over the last year to play the game, and to Madelyn Hogrebe, @heartoflakesandmountains, whose contributions to Project Aleutian always encourage me and constantly make the project better!
As a fun look back at 2025, I’ve also included an image of my BG Stats year in review!
We’re excited for all that is on the horizon for Antibyss in 2026, and we’re excited for you to join us on that journey!
Prototypes/Crowdfunding Projects to keep an eye on:
Beyond The Sky & Dead Star (titanboardgames.com) – this project is live on Kickstarter until January 19th! This is a pair of print and play games that look like they will be a fun and fast paced and can hit your table as early as 15 days after the kickstarter closes.
Forage (foragebeegame.com) – this project is live on Kickstarter until January 10th! In forage you will collect nectar across four seasons to create a thriving bee colony. Plus, the bees and other figures look amazing!
Intelliwar: Accession to the Throne (remarkable.games) – this project is live on Kickstarter until January 11th! An abstract war game like chess with a large variety of unique units and strategies.
Games we were playing this month:
Potions & Spells (potionsandspellsgame.com) – This is a fun game that is quick to learn, easy to teach, and is never played only a single time in one sitting.
Splendor (store.asmodee.com) – A game I don’t own, but always enjoy playing. I always find myself trying to do some crazy strategy with my sets of jewels that either really pays off or busts.
Herd Mentality (bigpotato.com) – This is a party game introduced to me by my extended family over the holidays. I couldn’t count the number of times someone was confident it would be a unanimous answer only to find they were the only one with their answer leading to a lot of laughs.
As we come up on the end of the year, I wanted to give you a status update and a revised timeline for Project Aleutian.
The last time I gave a timeline was back in June with some pretty ambitious goals of having the artwork all done in November. Here we are in the middle of December and there is still a good amount of artwork to go. It is looking like we will actually be finishing the art closer to June 2026.
I know this is a big shift in the schedule and our targets, but I think this is a more realistic and conservative plan for the artwork. The dates beyond that are still very tentative (and will be until we get manufacturing quotes).
While artwork is the main focus, the game continues to get some tweaks both in gameplay and overall card layout in response to play tester feedback. With every play and new player, the game gets more refined which means a better product for everyone.
We are very excited about where the game is, and we are so grateful for you being with us on this journey.
Prototypes/Crowdfunding Projects to keep an eye on:
Abduction Deduction (Prototype by Brian Husnick, bgg) – this was one of the fun prototypes from Protospiel Madison actively looking for a publisher! This was a standout game as it visually looked like a completed game, and it was just plain fun as you alternated between farmer turns trying to get your cows into the farm and spaceship turns where you abduct opponent cows.
Order vs Chaos (Prototype by Dana Chaffin, trimira.com/boardgames) – this was one of the fun prototypes I played at Dice Tower West this year that was actively looking for a publisher! This is a fun asymmetric 2-player tile placement as one player knows their moves ahead of time and the other doesn’t. It had fun interactions that made a seemingly unbalanced situation feel balanced.
Hood: Troubles in Sherwood (phalanx.co.uk) – this project is live on Gamefound until December 18! In the spirit of asymmetry, each faction has their own way of growing power and gives each play (as a player and as a group) a unique feel.
Games we were playing this month:
The Fellowship of the Ring: Trick-Taking Game (officedoggames.com) – Trick-taking games are approachable to anyone who grew up with a deck of cards in the house, but co-operative ones take the difficulty to a whole new level. I also just love their choices on art style for this rendition of the LOTR.
Raiders of the North Sea (garphill.com) – This game has been a mainstay at our house for a while and is a lot of fun whether playing with 2 people or 4 with just different strategies for each. I find it a very fun and quick game to teach to others.
STACCS (sticcy.cc) – This game has already made it full circle from the crowdfunding projects to our door. The game is light, fun, and quick variation of crazy eights with a twist that allows for more choice in what you can play. Because the box is nice and small, this will probably find its home as a game we take travelling (as long as there is a big enough table at our destination).
It was a beautiful weekend in Madison and it is hard to believe it is my last day here and the final day of Protospiel. It was my first time attending one of these events, and I’m really grateful for all of the feedback that I got. Project Aleutian will definitely be a better game for it! It was also exciting playing other games of various types and in different stages of development.
I picked the Madison event because I have several friends who live in the area, and it was great getting to spend time with them and explore the Madison area. I made sure to enjoy Spotted Cow, squeaky cheese curds, and beautiful lakeside views.
After such a great weekend, I just want to give another big thank you to all of the players and designers I interacted with who made this weekend amazing!
Prototypes/Crowdfunding Projects to keep an eye on:
Chronicles of Crime: Beyond Doubt (luckyduckgames.com) – this project is live on Kickstarter until November 11! I was a big fan of the Chronicles of Crime Millennium series and this looks like it will be a fun new addition to the who done it mystery and escape room style app driven game.
Dicey Devices (origamiwhalegames.com) – this project is live on Kickstarter until November 21! The aesthetic and fun theme really drew me to this one along with a fun blend of mechanics. Who doesn’t want to be a mad scientist with a death ray?
Mystic Curling Club (Asmadi Games) – this project is live on Kickstarter until December 2! This is a fun dexterity roll and flick curling game with a dash of magical powers to shake things up!
Games we were playing this month:
Mistborn: The Deckbuilding Game (brotherwisegames.com) – I’m a big fan of the Mistborn books and Brandon Sanderson’s cosmere. This game really makes you feel like an allomancer as you burn metals to play cards to best your opponents. I also thought the targeting mechanic was a fun strategic element.
Terraforming Mars (fryxgames.se) – I hadn’t cracked open this classic in a while, and it won my heart all over again. It is just very satisfying and well-paced with the prelude expansion.
The Quacks of Quedlinburg (cmyk.games) – This game is just an amazing push your luck potion brewing game trying to make the best brew before it explodes in your face. There are always fun laughs and peer pressure as you try to push for just one more ingredient.
We are excited to announce that Antibyss will be attending Protospiel Madison 2025 (11/14-11/16) to showcase Project Aleutian! For those who aren’t familiar with the Protospiel, it is an event focused on playing prototype games with other designers, play testers, and publishers. This will be Project Aleutian’s first Protospiel and we are excited to get feedback and play several other up and coming games.
If you live in the Madison Wisconsin area and are interested in checking out Project Aleutian or other prototype games as a play tester, it is just $20 for the weekend. You can register at tabletop.events/conventions/protospiel-madison-2025. I am excited to see you there!
Prototypes/Crowdfunding Projects to keep an eye on:
Mercurial: Alchemia (hyperlixir.com) – this project is live on Kickstarter until October 17! If you like brewing potions and other worker placement deck builders (like I do) this is a game that you should check out!
Mystic Moon (unstablegames.com) – this project is live on Gamefound until October 22! If you are looking for a quicker and lighter potion brewing experience, check this game out and its fun art and brewing mechanics.
Marsh Hallow (forwhygames.com) – this project is live on Kickstarter until October 7 (tomorrow)! Continuing with the spirit of spooktober, Marsh Hallow is a cooperative flip and write dungeon crawler game played over 18 rounds. In the game you play as a marshmallow trying to rescue your family from a fire loving cult. So, use those unique transparent movement cards to get out there and save them!
Games we were playing this month:
It’s a Wonderful World (luckyduckgames.com) – This is one of our favorite drafting games. I have been really enjoying sharing with friends because it has the right length where it is easy to play two games back-to-back once you have the hang of things. There is nothing quite as satisfying as getting your production line to combo just right during your turn.
Lost Ruins of Arnak (czechgames.com) – Speaking of worker placement deck builders, this is definitely a favorite. I just enjoy playing some adventure music, setting off into the jungle, and exploring the ruins with my trusty green compass. The theming is just so great, and by the time you are in the last round it is just an all out push to get a huge set of points.
Tigris and Euphrates (bgg, 1997) – This game has been on my “want to play list” for a long time and I finally got to play it this month (and I got to play one of the early German editions of the game too). It has such a simple turn structure but the strategy is so deep. At the end I was just left wanting to play more. Hopefully I’ll get to play it again soon, but unfortunately this one is currently out of print.
First, we want to start with a bit of an update on progress with Project Aleutian. We are still making good forward movement on the game art to keep bringing the visual aspect of the game to life. Admittedly, the artwork might take a bit longer than I was originally hoping. The key thing is that we won’t be making moves to get quotes until the game is in a stable place with the components.
We are also continuing to refine the game itself by working on getting more feedback from more people. We are looking at prototype events through the fall and early spring to help get more feedback and the final touches on the game itself.
In an effort to continually push this project to be the best that it can be, I am continually looking for books and resources about different stages of the process (whether it is motivation or board game specifics). Here are a few of the books and blogs that I have read, am actively reading, or referencing and rereading:
