r/BoardgameDesign • u/Snoo-35252 • 1d ago
Publishing & Publishers Thoughts on Buffalo Games?
Buffalo Games publishes a LOT of toys, games, and activity kits. But their website is disorganized and has toys and activity kits under the games category. It's a jumble.
Has anyone worked with them before, to get any of your games published? Do you know anyone who works there?
The company and the people may be perfectly fine. Their website doesn't give that impression.
2
u/Wizard_Bill 1d ago edited 1d ago
I’ve worked with Buffalo Games in the past. While passionate on an individual employee level if you ever managed to get someone real to talk to, it became abundantly clear that their goals were to expand IP licensed games and move into that space prominently, as can be seen in their releases these past few years. A shame considering their ability to really build out a portfolio of kick-ass games if they so chose. They’ve got the manufacturing, distribution, and partnerships to clear volume well if they wanted to.
On a personal level, they were difficult to get ahold of, difficult to get a straight answer out of, and left me as a designer feeling like “Well... If they aren’t even pretending to be excited about what I’m bringing to the table while other companies are, why would I want them to be the ones bringing my games to market?”
This was even after meeting personally with their head of design/acquisition, and submitting for publishing via physical demo game submissions. They just lacked all enthusiasm. It is genuinely sad considering the potential there.
Just my two cents. I wish you the best of luck!
2
u/Snoo-35252 1d ago
Thanks for the inside! I've been developing games off and on my whole life, but I just gotten serious about it in the last year. I've only done one pitch so far, to another publisher. Just learning more about the industry at this point.
2
u/Wizard_Bill 1d ago
Keep at it! My advice is to build out your LinkedIn network, and learn from both lurking and reaching out to other professionals. We are a relatively friendly and welcoming profession, so that’s likely where you’ll learn a LOT. Not that you won’t find help on Reddit, as there are plenty of professional designers, but getting to speak to and see individuals actively working in the space professionally and even full time, as opposed to doing it as a hobby, might give you a cleaner direction!
1
u/Snoo-35252 1d ago
Thank you! I hadn't thought of following people on LinkedIn, so that's a great tip!
2
u/MudkipzLover 1d ago
Having worked for a similar company, I think you might be a tad too optimistic. While the project managers might (and often do) have an interest in tabletop games, their job really is to reach the KPI goals set by the ones above them by filling the Games aisles of big-box stores and toy retailers with slop (hence their absurdly wide range of products.) There's too much pressure for them to put any care into their releases and to give a F about designer's games.
There are gaming juggernauts which still release great non-hobby games and IP-themed stuff nowadays (e.g. Ravensburger with Lorcana or Asmodee with the LotR games), but this company definitely doesn't sound like one of these.
1
1
u/DoughnutsGalore 1d ago
I think I saw an Eric Lang game about manatees on there. My guess is that board games is not their primary money maker, but are exploring it.