{"id":587,"date":"2026-10-27T19:20:13","date_gmt":"2026-10-27T18:20:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vanderspek-sons.nl\/?p=587"},"modified":"2026-10-27T19:20:14","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T18:20:14","slug":"reflections-after-a-year-and-a-half-running-a-board-game-publishing-house","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vanderspek-sons.nl\/index.php\/en\/reflections-after-a-year-and-a-half-running-a-board-game-publishing-house\/","title":{"rendered":"Reflections after a Year and a Half Running"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The dream, the reality, and the road to Borbata<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Starting a board game publishing house sounds to anyone who loves games like the ultimate dream job.\u00a0And to be fair,in many ways it is.\u00a0But anyone who thinks we spend all day just rolling dice around a table is in for a rude awakening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are now exactly a year and a half into our journey with Van der Spek Sons Publishing<\/a>.\u00a0It\u2019s a great moment to take a candid look back at what it\u2019s\u00a0really<\/em>\u00a0been like.\u00a0Because what does that journey from initial dream to a tangible game on the shelf actually look like in reality?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The First Disappointment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When we set up our company, we immediately had a specific game designer in mind whose game we desperately wanted to publish. We could picture it entirely: this had to be our debut title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a series of intensive sessions, brainstorms and discussions, it ultimately fell through. After all, a designer takes a significant risk by partnering with a brand-new, inexperienced publishing house. Moreover, the game in question held a lot of emotional value for the creator, and as a result, we missed out. A bitter pill at the time, but also an early and valuable lesson: trust and experience aren\u2019t built overnight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Into the Exhibition Halls with Fresh Hope<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately,\u00a0you don\u2019t start a publishing company for just one title.\u00a0So we eagerly scoured the board game conventions<\/a>, actively searching for a new game to publish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s be honest:\u00a0this is without doubt one of the most enjoyable parts of our work.\u00a0Wandering among dozens of gaming tables,\u00a0discovering new prototypes,\u00a0and chatting with creative minds from the community.\u00a0We saw and played many games that just didn\u2019t quite fit the portfolio we want to build.\u00a0But every encounter brought energy and inspiration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alongside the conventions,\u00a0we were also able to occasionally join the\u00a0Spellengilde<\/em>\u00a0(Game Guild).\u00a0A gathering of board game fanatics. By joining those we became witnesses of a game maker’s process. From testing everything to the very first prototypes and ultimately to nearly finished games.\u00a0For a publisher,\u00a0it\u2019s like being a kid in a candy store.\u00a0However it is also a great learning experience. We’re thankful for being able to watch the various stages of development unfold physically. The way feedback was given, and above all,\u00a0how eagerly it was received, is an example to many people outside the gaming world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Spark: Lords of the South Slavs (Borbata)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

During those visits,\u00a0we eventually stumbled upon the prototype of\u00a0The Lords of the South Slavs<\/em>\u00a0(since renamed to\u00a0Borbata<\/em><\/a>).\u00a0Stoj<\/a> played his Roll & Write version with us of what is now evolving into a full-fledged board game.\u00a0To be completely honest,\u00a0we walked away from the table feeling that this wasn’t the game for us.\u00a0As we walked through the convention away from Stoj’s gaming table,\u00a0we were evaluating away like mad.\u00a0Luckily,\u00a0Tom had the imagination and vision needed to let the game grow in our heads.\u00a0In the car on the way home,\u00a0I was already on the phone with Stoj to discuss our interest in his game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At the Spellenspektakel (board game convention) in Utrecht<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Since then,\u00a0we\u2019ve been hard at work developing and polishing the game further. The game evolved into a board game that seamlessly aligns with our vision:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. A game with such ’table presence’ that when you see it being played from a distance,\u00a0you instinctively feel the urge to join in.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. A game that exudes quality.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. And of course,\u00a0a game that delivers a lot of fun for the whole family and can be pulled off the shelf time and time again.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    To reach that point, a phase followed of playing a lot, tweaking a lot, testing even more, and then testing again. Up to now, this creative phase has by far been the most enjoyable period of the entire process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Harsh Reality of Publishing: Specifications, Quotes, and Logistics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    But running parallel to that wonderful game design and testing is a completely different process. One you might not immediately think of when starting a board game publisher: the commercial and technical journey with manufacturers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Formulating our exact production requirements, meticulously figuring out and listing all necessary components, and the endless emailing back and forth with various producers about quotes… It is undeniably a fascinating process, but at the same time much more complicated and intensive than we had anticipated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    And even then you\u2019re not done, because the subsequent steps require an enormous amount of attention. Because once those thousands of boxes roll off the factory line, they have to be shipped by container to a distribution hub, and from there individually dispatched to (hopefully many!) players at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Just look at how much is involved:<\/p>\n\n\n\n