Today we’d like to introduce you to Ted Alspach
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started game designing as a kid, creating terrible, horrible aberrations that I forced my friends and family to “play”. It wasn’t until the early 2000’s that I started designing more seriously. My first published game was Seismic, from Atlas Games. The first Bezier Games’ games were Age of Steam expansions, followed shortly thereafter by Start Player (a card game that determines the start player for the game you’re about to play) and Ultimate Werewolf. We continued publishing small card games until 2012, when we published two big box games: Mutant Meeples and Suburbia. Shortly thereafter we published One Night Ultimate Werewolf, Castles of Mad King Ludwig, and lots of other games.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Bezier Games has been very conservative with publishing, using our profits from published games to fund our next series of games. We’ve prided ourselves by never borrowing money for the business, which has kept us financially secure and focused on ensuring that our games are as good as possible before we publish them. This meant that our print runs low, which meant for successful games like Suburbia we were often out of stock. It didn’t help that the manufacturer we chose for that game had a ton of production issues, causing us to have to send out replacement pieces to many of the early adopters of that game.
We’ve learned a lot over the decades. While future (and current) challenges can be daunting at times, I’m confident the team we’ve built can conquer any challenge or struggle. Seeing games on people’s tables and hearing all their amazing gaming experiences makes this all more than worth it.
As you know, we’re big fans of Bézier Games. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Bezier Games, Inc. makes richly themed board games for friends and families to play together. We call our games “the new classics” because people play them long after the shiny has worn off and will continue to enjoy them for years to come.
Replayability is a hallmark of our games. With more options than you can fit in a single play, you’ll always have new things to try. Castles of Mad King Ludwig allows you to build a different castle every game. Whistle Stop uses the same core rules to play on a different board every time. Our component overkill makes every play new, every time.
Accessibility is a crucial “new classic” feature. New players can jump in right away. Even if no one at the table has ever played, the Getting Started Guide in One Night Ultimate Werewolf has you playing within minutes, and our games are great for introducing spouses or significant others to the hobby, opening up the world of gaming to non-gamers.
Like every classic, our games are nuanced… simple to learn but hard to master. New York Slice lets you cut the pie but give other players first choice. How will you set it up? In Werewords, a Spiel des Jahres 2019 Nominee, one player works against the team, but how do you know which one? Subtle choices, often based on interaction with your fellow players, ramp up the fun.
Rich themes infuse every one of our games. Evocative art with character and verve jumps off the game. “Just-right” mechanics get you into the game and keep you there. Addictive interaction makes you want to jump back in for one more try!
Bezier Games’ award-winning products (Golden Geek, Mensa Select, Spiel des Jahres nomination & recommendation) are available in retail stores across the United States, translated into more than a dozen languages, and available around the world. Family, friends, and anyone looking for a night of fun can enjoy playing a Bezier Games new classic.
Bezier Games is committed to making games that bring people together; games that create new friends, cherished memories, and encourage inclusivity of every race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and age.
As a company, we believe in the power of games to help break down barriers of all kinds. We encourage gaming not only socially, but in the workplace, in schools, at places of worship, and anywhere possible – this is because games encourage communication, relationship building, education, and an overall experience that does not discriminate anyone.
In recent years, we have strived to display this belief more visually, creating more games expressing and celebrating diversity. We are privileged to be a part of an industry that is so large, yet so intimate; we love our amazing fans and hope that all know they are always welcome at our table.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://BezierGames.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beziergames/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BezierGames/
- Twitter: https://x.com/beziergames
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BezierGamesInc
