Legacy Game or Not?
What is a legacy game? And why Cozy Stickerville does things a little differently
If you’ve spent any time in modern tabletop gaming circles, you’ve probably heard the term legacy game thrown around in equal parts excitement and sometimes regret (often in the same sentence).
“Legacy” can mean unforgettable storytelling, meaningful choices, and a game that remembers what you’ve done. It can also mean sharpie-scribbled cards, torn components, permanent rule changes, and sleepless nights wondering if you’d just made a catastrophic mistake in Season Two that will haunt you forever.
So... what is a legacy game? And why does Cozy Stickerville proudly wear the legacy label, while quietly breaking some of its biggest “rules”?
A brief history of legacy games
At its core, a legacy board game is a game that evolves as you play it. Decisions you make in one session permanently affect future sessions. You might add stickers to the board, tear up cards (yes, really), unlock new rules or mechanics, or permanently change characters, locations, or the game world.
Classic legacy games are campaign-driven experiences designed to unfold over many sessions with a consistent group of players, rewarding (and sometimes punishing) long-term planning through intentional tension and high drama, where the stakes feel very real.
While these games are brilliant and deeply engaging, they can also be intimidating, as they often come with expectations around committing to the same group over long periods of time, pressure to make the “right” choices, ongoing maintenance to track rules and changes, and a sense of finality where decisions are frequently permanent and impossible to undo.
For many players, that’s thrilling. For others, it’s... a lot. And that’s where Cozy Stickerville comes in.
A low-stakes legacy game
Cozy Stickerville is a legacy board game, just not the kind that asks you to lie awake at night worrying about your town’s economic collapse.
From the very beginning, our goal was to explore a question we don’t see asked often enough; “what if a legacy game could be cozy?” Not easy, just cozy. Welcoming. Forgiving. A game that evolves with you, without ever trapping you.
A board game you can’t lose?
Let’s get this out of the way early; you cannot lose Cozy Stickerville. There are no fail states, no sudden campaign-ending decisions, and no “welp, guess we ruined everything” moments (we’ve all been there). Every choice you make leads somewhere interesting, and often unexpected.
This doesn’t mean your choices don’t matter, they absolutely do! They shape the town, the story, and the tone of your Stickerville. But no matter what happens, there is always a way forward.
Legacy, without the homework
Many legacy games rely on complex systems, branching rulebooks, and intricate tracking systems, often requiring the same group of players to be present every time. Cozy Stickerville keeps things intentionally simple and flexible.
Your evolving story is driven entirely by a storybook, two decks of cards, and the choices you make together around the table. That’s it. There’s no giant campaign binder, no spreadsheets, no elaborate setup rituals, and players can easily drop in and out from session to session without breaking the flow of the story. Each session feels complete and satisfying on its own, while still nudging the world of Stickerville gently forward.
We wanted a legacy experience that fits naturally into a cozy game night, not one that requires a planning meeting, or a shared calendar invite.
Cooperative, always
While cooperative play isn’t unheard of in legacy games (and in fact, some of our favorite narrative-driven legacy experiences are fully co-op), Cozy Stickerville approaches cooperation with a distinctly relaxed mindset.
Players are encouraged to collaborate in whatever way feels most natural to them, whether that means deep discussions, or quieter parallel play. You may find yourselves talking through choices, negotiating priorities, and often laughing at the unexpected consequences of a sticker that did not end up where you thought it would.
Because there is no way to lose, the focus naturally shifts away from optimization, and toward shared storytelling. Conversation is welcome, but each player has full control over how they choose to spend their own “day”. Table talk becomes less about “what’s the best move?” and more about “what feels right for our town?” And that's the kind of energy we love to see around the table.
A balancing act of narrative and discovery
One of the biggest sources of anxiety in traditional legacy games is permanence, where a single wrong call can feel like it locks you into an outcome forever. Cozy Stickerville still remembers the choices you make, but it never blocks your path forward, and there are no irreversible failures, no locked endings, and no story branches that shut everything else out. Your town evolves in response to your decisions, but it never collapses under them.
While legacy games are often described as “one-and-done", Cozy Stickerville offers replayabilty through a double-sided board, multiple story variations, and decision combinations that interact differently each time. You can return to Stickerville and create a genuinely different town, with a story that changes from playthrough to playthrough (and group to group), even if the warm, familiar vibe stays the same.
Creating a different kind of legacy
Cozy Stickerville doesn’t aim to replace traditional legacy games. Those intense, high-stakes campaigns absolutely have their place, but we wanted to share a new way to play. A low-maintenance, low-pressure, story-telling, cozy board game experience that still grows and remembers. A game where legacy doesn’t mean stress, it means curiosity, warmth, and shared moments.
If you ever wanted to try a legacy game, but felt intimidated...
If you love cooperative play and storytelling...
If you want a game that meets you where you are...