There's a new board game sheriff in town!
Male creators have long dominated the board game industry. While there are certainly female creators contributing to the field, their impact has often been overshadowed by the pervasive influence of their male counterparts. Despite their presence, female creators have struggled to carve out a prominent space in this traditionally male-centric field...until now.
One could argue that to dominate this field might require just a single standout game. But imagine the prowess to not merely excel with one but boast a portfolio of 14 plus tabletop games, each competing for significance in the market. During an interview with the rising star of board game design she was asked what's her secret to creating such a diverse array of games, each distinct and autonomous. She said, "I look at every scenario as a game, but overtime as a board game designer, you learn how to balance player interaction, competition and agency."
She continued, "people play board game for the entertainment value, but equal to that I think are the challenges they love to face and overcome during a game, the strategic choices they are given to execute based on the game mechanics and the agency to make their own decisions in the end. Players like to win based on those things."
Sophia Burrell is CEO and Board Game Designer at Sophia Burrell International, Inc. Her games deal out fun whether to the slow of wit or those ready to saddle their strategy. Fun is always dancing with strategy in her world.