Stonemaier Games, the board game publisher responsible for some mega hits including Wingspan and Scythe, has published some of the results from a recent 'Stonemaier Ambassador survey', which asked customers to identify features they had seen in games published in 2024 or 2025 which they wanted more publishers to copy in the future. The results were broad, but the theme is clear - gamers just want publishers to be nice.
Stonemaier won't be the only firm conducting research to figure out how to make the best board games for its audience, and we don't know how large the sample was. But from the survey responses published on the Stonemaier Games blog, it seems that gamers appreciate publishers who put a lot of thought, care, and attention into the design of a game with the customer - and the planet - in mind.
You can read the full set of quotes on the Stonemaier Games' blog, in an article by CEO Jamey Stegmaier. He calls these quotes his "favorites", and says he was "fascinated by the wide range of results" - so it is possible that some of the unpublished responses tell a different story.
The responses fall into four broad categories: accessibility and onboarding; community engagement and customer service; eco-friendliness and sustainability; and 'little details'.
Most of the feedback about accessibility and onboarding relates to the practical process of getting a game to the table. That includes praise for the organization instructions in Galactic Cruise and Critter Kitchen which explain how to actually get components into the box; instructions in Apiary about how to teach the game; and the high quality of player references in SETI, Galactic Cruise, and Arydia.
One respondent praised Finspan for offering its premium components as a separate product, rather than packed in with a deluxe edition, so players can buy a base game and not worry about missing out if they want to upgrade later. Another praised the TCG Altered for having a novel approach to card rarity that they say makes the game more accessible - dodging the problems that mean the best MTG cards are also the most expensive MTG cards.
Some of the concepts from accessibility show up in the second theme, 'community engagement and customer service'. One respondent cites Kayenta Games for sending out links to rules videos and extra handy info along with any direct sales of a game; and another is impressed by the way the industry as a whole is using big social media pushes to teach new games.
Respondents also show a general desire for publishers to engage sincerely with the community; whether that's FFG's continued support for Twilight Imperium 4 long after it launched; honest communication from Stonemaier and Succubus Publishing about challenges they're facing; Stonemaier creating card packs for Wingspan using community created art; or simply studios like Garphill Games and Lemery Games re-releasing older titles so younger gamers can experience the greats.
There is also lot of praise for eco-friendliness and sustainability. That includes reducing plastic components and packaging, as in Earthborne Rangers or Endeavor Deep Sea; and adopting recycled materials as replacements, like the ReWood and RePlastic used by CGE and Mighty Boards, or the recycled card, fibre, and plastic in Flip 7.
The last set of responses, about 'little details' in games, also praises publishers that put a lot of thought into the user experience. That includes the fauna cards in Earth which each explain a few other cards that can help reach their objective; and the score pad in Forever Home, which has the tie breaker rules written at the bottom of the pad so you don't have to look them up in the rulebook.
Now, perhaps this sample reflects Jamey Stegmaier's personal interests, and the responses will not doubt by impacted by the audience that Stonemaier Games can reach with its survey. This advice will be most applicable for firms making strategy board games similar to Stonemaier's, and may be less reliable for firms making other kinds of game. But when so much of the feedback boils down to "think about how your product will exist in the real world that humans live in", it does seem pretty cross-applicable.
What's one great new feature you've seen in a board game in the last two years? Come and share it - and any other board game recommendations you have - in the official Wargamer Discord community.
We bet that's added a few new games to our 'must play' list! If you want to find a game to play with your significant other, check out our guide to the best couples board games.