Corey’s 2023 Year in Review
Hello Loyal Fans,
Each December I’ve been writing a recap of our studio for the year (see links to previous ones here and here). Writing this one is a bit tricky because it was a bit of a slow year (for new releases at least). Unlike the previous 2 years, we did not release a new game in 2023. Our only new release was the Double or Nothing expansion for 3000 Scoundrels.
Although it is just a small expansion, Double or Nothing is significant for Unexpected Games (and me personally) for a few reasons. First off, it is the first expansion our studio has ever made! Second, it is the type of expansion that you’ll never want to play without. It adds so many extra layers that it almost makes the game entirely new (see more info here)! This expansion left such a good impression with our playtesters, that I had many eagerly asking when it would release.
After 3+ delays, Double or Nothing finally went on sale December 1st 2023 (you can order your copy here!). I’ll be closely following what people think of the expansion, and your feedback will inform what our studio does in the future.
Another project this year has been building 3000 Scoundrels on Board Game Arena! We are currently in alpha testing, and everything (mostly) functions. We’ll be sure to let you know when we start public testing the base game (and eventually the expansion). I love playing boardgames online, and I look forward to making Scoundrels available to this new audience.
Another big accomplishment for 2023 was this was our first full year with a dedicated marketing manager. Josh has been the champion keeping in touch with the fans and running many things behind the scenes. This includes initiatives like our newsletter, Sixty Second Ciphers, and free web missions for The Initiative. I absolutely could not have done all of this on my own.
Now onto the juicy stuff. My main focus for the last 12 months has been working on our next big game. It is a new design from scratch, though there is some inspiration from my previous work. Josh was a huge help, and up until recently, we were playtesting almost every day!
We won’t be officially announcing this mystery game until sometime next year, but I can provide a spoiler-free sneak peek:
It is our studio’s biggest artwork endeavor yet, with over 100 unique pieces of art. This required us to hire a freelance art director and work with nearly 30 different artists.
It will be our studio’s first licensed game (my lips are sealed beyond that).
It is both accessible and deep. It is easy to teach, but with lots of replayability and different ways to play. A perfect fit for Unexpected Games.
We finalized the English files in October. This means MY work on the game is mostly done, but a multitude of tasks need to happen before it is printed and released. We’ve got people translating the game to different languages, other people coordinating with the factory, others working on marketing plans, and dozens of other complex tasks.
At the moment, the game is set to release Q3 of 2024. This is in no way a promise or guarantee. There are almost always delays, so I would not be surprised if our release date changes.
I am now turning my attention to the horizon and working on games that will come out in 2025 or later. I’ve got a number of prototypes I’m tinkering with, all in the early “ideation” phase. It seems that each week I’m playing a different prototype, then burning it down and trying a different game idea.
This is the fun part of my job. The blue sky in which anything is possible. Hopefully one of these crazy ideas will turn into a fun game and eventually exist in the physical realm.
Thanks again for all your support and kind words this year, and I hope you have a happy holiday season. I personally cannot wait until 2024!
-Corey Konieczka