Technology
The Design Deck
Why do some games hook you in seconds while others collect dust?
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Episodes
The archive
17 episodes, newest first.
- Kennerspiel 2026: Three Nominees, One Theory of What Gamers WantGrant and Miles do the design autopsy on all three 2026 Kennerspiel nominees, breaking down exactly what Boss Fighters QR, Moon Colony Bloodbath, and Rebirth each argue a connoisseur game should feel like, and what the jury's July 12 verdict means for designers building the next one.
- Kennerspiel 2026 — Three Games, One CrownGrant and Miles break down the three Kennerspiel des Jahres nominees, dissecting what Boss Fighters QR, Moon Colony Bloodbath, and Reiner Knizia's Rebirth each reveal about what the jury thinks a gamer's game should feel like in 2026, with the winner announcement locked in for July 12 in Berlin.
- Spiel des Jahres 2026 — Three Games, One QuestionGrant and Miles crack open the three 2026 Spiel des Jahres nominees — Cozy Stickerville, JinxO, and Morty Sorty Magic Shop — and debate the design choices that got each one shortlisted, with a July 12 winner announcement adding real deadline urgency to every take.
- Brass: Pittsburgh and the $9 Million Sequel ProblemGrant and Miles dig into the design choices behind Brass: Pittsburgh, the $9.1 million Gamefound phenomenon, asking whether its new mechanics earn their place next to the BGG number one game and what a record crowdfund actually tells designers about what players want.
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- Root, Oath, Arcs — One Designer's Expanding VisionCole Wehrle left Leder Games in January 2026 to found Buried Giant Studios, taking Arcs and Oath with him. Grant and Miles trace the design through-line across his catalog and ask what his independence means for the hobby's most ambitious games.
- UK Games Expo at 20: What 53,000 Players Are Voting ForUKGE 2026 hits Birmingham on May 29-31 as a 20th anniversary milestone, and Grant and Miles use the show's exhibitor scale, award shortlists, and demo culture as a live design trend report for where the tabletop industry is actually putting its money right now.
- Spiel des Jahres 2026: The Jury Has SpokenThe Spiel des Jahres 2026 nominations drop on May 19th, and Grant and Miles dig into the design DNA behind the shortlisted games, debating what the jury's choices reveal about where mainstream board game design is heading.
About
What the show is
The Design Deck breaks down the hidden mechanics, forgotten prototypes, and risky creative bets behind the games you love. Each week, two hosts pick apart a specific game (board, card, or video) and trace the design choices that made it click, from early sketches through final playtesting. Built for players who want to understand what they're feeling at the table, and for aspiring designers looking for concrete lessons from shipped games.
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