Designer Interview

We had the chance to ask game designer Corey Konieczka a few questions about his latest title from Unexpected Games, Cozy Stickerville.

You might recognize Corey from some of his previous hits; Imperial Assault, The Initiative, Star Wars™: Rebellion, and The Mandalorian™: Adventures, to name just a few. Known for creating innovative, immersive, and unexpected game systems, Corey continues that tradition with Cozy Stickerville.

While Cozy Stickerville carries the same “unexpected” DNA found in Corey’s earlier titles, it marks a clear departure in both theme and gameplay from much of his previous work. We asked Corey what inspired him to create something so different.

Corey was refreshingly honest and candid in his response explaining that; “as a designer, I felt like I was in a rut, designing the same games over and over. I desperately wanted to create something that was unlike my previous games, and frankly everything else on the market.”

“[At the time] I had just learned about the game Dorfromantik, and the idea of a game that you ‘cannot lose’ fascinated me. How do you keep players interested? How is it fun? This got me thinking to videogames like Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley which pose a similar question. All these thoughts led me to the idea of a cozy village building game built from stickers, stories, and mystery,” Corey added.  

 The connection between video games and tabletop games feels completely natural. We’re not only seeing more board games inspired by video game themes or IPs, but also, like in this case, games built on the very principles that make video games so compelling. And we definitely want to know more!

“The setting is relaxing and lets you work at your own pace. The world is open and lets you explore whatever elements are most appealing to you. Do you want to spend your time farming? Making money? Exploring? Talking to people? All of these are valid options, and there’s no right answer. Cozy Stickerville tried to capture the spirit of these games [Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley] and the plethora of activities you can pursue. I had so much fun creating the different activities and mini games (inspired by The Initiative), some of which are unique and surprising,” Corey explains.

From the artwork to the gameplay, this influence can be seen not only on the surface but also in the subtle ways Corey has built the game. Still, it’s surprising to hear about cozy, relaxing gameplay from the designer who brought us some of the most strategically intense games published. So how does someone transition from creating high-stakes, adrenaline-filled experiences to something so calm and family-friendly?

Corey explains, “even though this game is ‘low stakes’, it was very important for me to keep players invested. There are goals to accomplish, challenges to overcome, and even a few puzzles. However, the game’s pace is mostly peaceful and relaxing. I want you to take in the scenery and get lost in the story. I want you to make up your own stories: why is there a chicken on the roof of your house? Why do you hate Mustache Steve so much?”

Corey continues, “the one thing that I ALWAYS try to do with my designs is to capture an emotional experience. How do you FEEL while you’re playing the game? For Cozy Stickerville, the emotion is curiosity and wonder.”

Poor Mustache Steve! Corey really has approached this project with the intention to leave an impression on players, more than just “playing a game”. The thoughtful and deeply personal origins of this design welcome players to become designers themselves; crafting immersive stories, and creating real-world memories together. Corey’s passion for personalization in Cozy Stickerville is clear as he explains;

“By the end of the game, each player's village should look unique to their group. First off, this proves that your choices MATTER. If everyone’s village looked the same, then life is pre-destined. That’s not fun.”

He continues, “many choices in the game force you to choose between two options. Some of these choices have drastic consequences, such as unlocking one story path in favor of another. You can build a sleepy farming town, focus on industry, or dabble in local politics. Different themes will appeal to different players, and these choices allow you to focus your game on whatever makes you happy.”   

We love imagining a future where players can share their completed cozy villages online; comparing choices, discovering differences, and celebrating similarities. It’s incredible to think that all of this comes together in real time, visually brought to life through the use of stickers. Because, as if Cozy Stickerville wasn’t already hitting all the right notes with its cozy, video game–inspired vibe, Corey took it a step further with the sticker concept, making the experience truly unique. We asked him how that idea came about and how he thinks it will shape the player experience.

“The stickers serve SOO many purposes in this game, but I think the connecting element is that they are your game’s MEMORY. They track your accomplishments (in the form of Milestones and happiness). They show which buildings you’ve built. They show what characters you’ve talked to, what locations you can explore, and what storylines you’ve unlocked,” Corey enthuses. “This is all mechanical of course, but there’s also the fun factor of placing stickers and watching your village grow. To some players, that’s even more important,” he finishes.

This game is definitely going to scratch a lot of itches! Video games? Check. Stickers? Check. But what about that other element we’ve been hinting at?

There’s been plenty of talk about the story aspects, but they build into something much bigger. Cozy Stickerville is a legacy game wrapped in cozy packaging! Unlike traditional legacy games that follow the “one and done” model, this one breaks the mold. The double-sided player board and over 800 stickers allow for two complete playthroughs of the game so players can explore the road less travelled the second time around and have as much fun with their choices as they like, knowing they can explore alternate pathways the next time around. But from a design perspective, why include a second playthrough? Well, as it turns out, it’s not exactly rocket science...

“All the branching paths in the game mean that you used less than half the stickers in a single playthrough. This felt a bit wasteful to me, so I wondered what it would take to allow you to play the campaign twice. The answer was ‘not much more’, so I decided to pursue it.” Corey explains.

Corey has clearly poured his heart into making Cozy Stickerville as unique, and yes, as “unexpected”, as possible. Knowing that Cozy Stickerville may be one of his final projects before stepping away from game design, we wanted to know how that influenced his personal investment in making the game as close to perfect as he could.

Corey reminds us that, “well, technically there is at least one other Unexpected Games project I was helping on before I left (feel free to speculate),” but continues, “when designing Cozy Stickerville, I knew that it was going to be my last core design (at least for a while) and this brought me a few things. First, peace of mind knowing that I wouldn’t need to keep ‘chasing the next big idea.’ And second, a desire to flex every creative muscle I had to make sure this last project was a triumph.”

And flex he did! Corey left nothing off the table with Cozy Stickerville.

Over the years, Corey has built an incredibly devoted fan base (hi there, that’s quite possibly you reading this right now), so we asked him how he hopes both long-time fans and new players will connect with the game.

“What is a Corey Konieczka game? I think everyone has their own idea, and this can set weird expectations. I started Unexpected Games so that I wouldn’t be beholden to creating epic 2+ hour long strategy games. I've done that already, and I think gaming is so much bigger than that niche.”

“As I’ve grown older, my preferences have shifted to lighter affairs. I’ll still play Twilight Imperium once every few years, but for the most part I play quick and accessible games. Games with one good idea done very well.”

“I think Cozy Stickerville lives in a unique position. First off, there IS a game there for hobby gamers to enjoy. Most of our playtesters were hobby gamers, and it REALLY resonated with them. It’s not a deep strategic affair, but it is an addicting loop with interesting characters and lots of stories.”

“But I think the real strength of Cozy Stickerville will be its appeal to videogame fans. That audience is so much bigger than the tabletop space, so if we could introduce just a fraction of them to the tabletop world, then this game will be a success. For example, my daughter LOVES videogames but never wants to play boardgames. Cozy Stickerville broke through this wall, and she had a blast playing it.”

With a mix of new ideas, familiar touches, nods to other hobbies, and a few subtle gameplay homages to his past titles, Corey has created a truly unique experience that’s sure to resonate with a wide range of players. As both a studio and as gamers ourselves, it’s incredibly exciting to share a game like this with so many people.

Cozy Stickerville holds a special place in the hearts of the team at Unexpected Games, especially because Corey is stepping away to explore new paths and adventures life has to offer. While we’ll always be hoping for more games from him in the future, we took this chance to ask what he’s been up to lately, and what we might expect next.

“I can't believe how busy I am at the moment. There are so many irons in the fire. Here’s the short list... I wrote a book called Twelve Endings, and I’m REALLY proud of it. I’m teaching an online class on game design starting in November. I’m designing/coding a video game. It’s still early stages, but it’s really unique. I’ve been doing some consulting for various tabletop publishers, and I'm also working on a secret project...”

It looks like Corey isn’t going far after all! We can look forward to plenty of exciting and, of course, “unexpected” projects from him in the future. You can pre-order Corey’s upcoming book here: https://twelve-endings-a-collection-of-short-stories.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders or find information about his game design course here; https://uk.elvtr.com/course/board-game-development

Cozy Stickerville is available now, and we hope you have as much fun playing it as Corey and the Unexpected Games team did creating it!