Klei Entertainment’s celebrated indie survival game Don’t Starve has an official board game on the way from Polish designer Glass Cannon Unplugged. This D0n’t Starve board game is for 1 – 4 players, and has a co-op mode for the friendly, plus a solo mode for the friendless.
The co-op board game features open world exploration, combat, and survival mechanics and is expected to launch on Kickstarter in late Q3 2024 – so probably around September.
It’s been 11 years since indie darling Don’t Starve released, so this unveiling comes as something of a surprise – but the game has recently gained itself a big fanbase on Switch. Glass Cannon Unplugged says it is part of a “long-term licensing partnership” with Klei, so perhaps Invisible Inc or Oxygen Not Included board games are future possibilities.
We don’t know much about the gameplay for the Don’t Starve board game just yet, but in a press release, Glass Cannon Unplugged tells us it has mechanics “highlighting player choice” and “dynamic combat”. The dev also says you’ll explore an open world with a day and night cycle, presumably facing lots of extra challenges and nasty monsters in the night.
As you’d expect, players will struggle to “strive for subsistence” – so finding food will clearly be a key consideration (it would hardly fit the title if not). Glass Cannon also says the game’s visual design is “fully embracing the unique, whimsical art style long cherished by fans of the series”
With Frostpunk: The Board Game under its belt, and Apex Legends plus Dying Light on the way, this studio is no stranger to video game adaptations, though this does seem to be a new genre for it. This addition to the roster is created by Rafał Pieczyński, the same designer as Frostpunk.
According to Glass Cannon’s presser, and as you’d expect from a board game based on a popular video game and funded through Kickstarter, Don’t Starve: The Board Game will have “a wealth of content offered via expansions, add-ons, and future retail releases”.
For some of the best board games money can buy, check out our list of the best board games for adults, and the best family board games.