The board game fun is getting expo-nentially extreme.
Hello Gaming Library Family!
One shouldn’t ever undermine the power, the energy of a crowd. Especially not a crowd like the board game community. That social, fun-loving, competitive (albeit in a friendly way) energy gathered under one roof in massive droves is one we’ve missed since 2019: the players, the media, the mass market buyers, local game publishers, authors and artists; we’ve missed being graced by the likes of World-renowned game designer Eric Lang, the tension in the air during the Philippines’ first-ever Longest Catan Game Competition…
Don’t get us wrong—our XP Play Spaces and Tournament Thursdays are great, encouraging venues for smaller gatherings of that energy, but there’s something to be said about bigger community parties. Like, it’s one thing to have more compact, separate pools of mana, but to have a huge reservoir to tap into… Resource management game players, I’m looking at y’all, I know y’all know what I mean. There’s nothing like those bigger community parties where the competitive energy surrounds you, the tension is thick in the air, and yet somehow the event as a whole still seems inviting, the community eager to welcome you with open arms. David Waybright of Man vs. Meeple shared in one of our GLive episodes, “One of the cool things about gaming is bringing a wide range of different people together... My favorite thing about going to any convention is meeting different people." That’s the experience we miss.
That’s why we’re proud to announce that this year, with all restrictions lifted, we’re eager to have another BIG event!
You read that right—This October 13th-15th, All aBOARD EXPO is coming your way, players! All aBOARD EXPO is where we’ll launch a new PH board game and conduct tournaments like the first-ever Cascadia Philippines National Tournament!
Quick refresher for those who aren’t familiar yet: Cascadia is an abstract, tile-laying strategy game. Players take a journey through the Pacific Northwest to compete in creating the most harmonious ecosystem. They do so by drafting hexagonal terrain tiles and animals such as bears, salmon, and elk. These tiles and animals are added to the player’s landscape to score points based on conditions that change with each game. In building the game, the makers of Cascadia accomplished what many strive to create: a game that appeals to casual players while also appeasing the needs of more hardcore board game hobbyists – which is the reason why it’s been consistently recognized by board game awards, including its designer Randy Flynn as the Board Game Designer of the Year at the Spiel Des Jahres 2022.
And with this year’s All aBOARD EXPO, we’re pleased to announce the upcoming release of Cascadia PH version… and our participation in the Southeast Asia Regional Cascadia Tournament, to be held at the CMON Expo Bangkok in November 2023!
So keep your eyes peeled, players! More details are coming in the next few days so check your subscription to our social media accounts and newsletters. In the meantime, brush up on your board game skill by visiting your nearest All aBOARD XP branches! See you soon!
