MG is dedicated to increasing diversity and inclusion in the games industry, in addition to all that we do to make this happen, we will also be conducting a series of interviews with various people of colour in the games industry to highlight and promote all the work that they do.
Our first interview is with Syeknom games CEO and creator of the up-and-coming board game: Battle For The Island A Battle of Strategy Skill and Chance.
Battle for the Island is a brand new 2 player strategy game which has a unique style of gameplay. It is unlike anything else you’ve played before. Challenge your opponent to a battle that’s fun and exciting, easy to learn and play. With no two games the same, try to trap your opponent in this game of strategy, skill and chance by moving your characters around the Island in a strategic manner, whilst dodging hidden land mines.
I love strategy games, and this sounds really interesting, what was the inspiration behind creating a game like this?
I just decided that one day I wanted to create a game. I feel as though the average person doesn’t like chess.
That’s a bit of a controversial opinion, I mean who is the average person?
(Laughs)
Okay, what I mean is: I feel as though you have to be interested in chess to play it. Only if you really like chess will you even play it. I might do a poll on twitter to check but Chess is a difficult game, not everyone wants to play. I like Chess but it’s difficult and Drafts I feel is too one dimensional. I wanted something in-between the two. I wanted to combine the straightforwardness of Drafts with the strategy that Chess requires. The rules for my game are simple, I can teach it to someone in like five minutes, but when you’re playing it you’ll never get bored because it requires strategy. Even the set-up for the game is part of the strategy, unlike Drafts and Chess where the set-up is the same, for every game you have to decide where to place your counters – it’s part of the strategy. No two games will ever be the same.
The game is advertised as 2 players but if you buy two games, four people can play, and in theory, you can keep adding boards and adding players in the game, and this something unique to my game.
Sounds like a lot of thought went into this game, was it an idea you always had for a board game? Did you always want to make board games?
It started out as a hobby in all fairness, I was working on it a few times a week and one day I realised it’s finished then I hand made twenty boxes, took me months! I sold them for £30 each within weeks. So I was really proud of that, I sold them to friends and, family and a few people I didn’t know, the power of word of mouth! It wasn’t easy but I figured well it’s worked so that’s the main point. After the twenty I never wanted to hand-make a game again.
I can imagine! Hand-making all those pieces must have been a rather labours process, but it strikes me as strange that there is so system in place for board game designers. Surely there must be an easier way.
Yes! After those twenty games, I never wanted to hand-make a game ever again. There is nothing out there if you want to design your own board game. I actually turned into a graphic designer because I had to do everything myself. I searched for things but there didn’t seem to be anything in place. There is not a set pattern or path in regards to creating and selling board games.
Was this why you created your own company?
In a way, having hand-made the game and sold all twenty I did step away for a year. Then one of my friends mentioned that they still played the game. This surprised me and I said: ‘what still? After all this time?’ That’s when I knew I had something that could really last, so I started really researching and I approached companies that make games. This is how it works: you pitch your idea for a game they pay you for the idea. That’s it, they take the game off your hands. I didn’t like that, wasn’t ready to part with the game, so I thought; you know what I will do it myself. I approached toy stores like Harrods and Hamleys and to even have a conversation with these big companies you can’t go as an individual but as a company.
That sounds like a lot of work just to talk to these companies, Why does such a big market have no real way to get into the industry?
I think it is because board games went out of fashion but now it’s become a social thing, board game cafes, board games in pubs. The way board games are played now is very different to years ago when it was only played in the house amongst friends and family. I think the industry is slow to pick this up, that’s why there is no system in place. Some board games companies have cornered the market. Also there are no real initiative or schemes to break into what feels like a closed system.
Going forward what do you think could be done to change this process?
Create initiatives for designers to make a game, competitions to get more people creating. More people should try to do their own thing and not just sell their idea off, obviously, there are benefits to just getting your idea out there, but I think it’s important that if you have an idea that you love and think you want to let it grow then you should do it. Even me who didn’t see myself as a board game designer, I’m working on another game and I’m excited for what the future can hold.
Battle for the Island is available to buy online http://www.syeknomgames.co.uk/
I am Annabel or creativelyanzy as I’m known online! I am the founder of Melanin Gamers: a gaming community that promotes diversity and inclusivity in the video games industry, with a special focus on content creators; whiles also providing a safe space for people of colour to come together and game