Fowers
Tim Fowers and Ryan Goldsberry have become tabletop rock stars on the back of their cult games and independent attitude.The designer and artist have no plans to play by the rules anytime soon
Words by Eric Watson
Paperback combines deckbuilding and word-spelling
Starting up an independent board game company is a fever dream for many would-be tabletop designers. Tim Fowers made it a reality after endless frustrations dealing with tabletop corporations. Years later, Fowers Games’ indie direct sale model has proven sustainable and successful.The company has become known for its family-friendly themes, easy-to-pick up smallbox mechanics and a distinct art style, courtesy of veteran animator and illustrator Ryan Goldsberry. It all started in a garage.
“WE WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENT KIND OF ALBUM, WHEN FANS ARE USED TO US PLAYING THE HITS”
RISING STAR
At the time, Fowers was working as an independent computer programmer and game designer. In 2008 he released the PC game Now Boarding, which almost a decade later he would transform into a board game. At the same time, Fowers was becoming increasingly interested in the tabletop.
“Board games could have really rich experiences, and I could execute on good ideas,” he recalls. He began working on Wok Star, a co-op game featuring a Chinese restaurant, as a side project, and pitched the game to former Catan studio Mayfair.