TURN PROMISING PROTOTYPES INTO PUBLISHABLE GAMES
Quickstart report turnaround
Deep Dive analysis turnaround
about us
Who’s behind BoardBrain Labs
BoardBrain Labs is a small, remote-first studio by and for indie board-game designers. We help you clean up rules, stress-test systems, and keep playtests moving. We specialize in structured TTS playtests, rules & systems development, and prototype-grade assets — so instead of wrestling vague feedback, you get evidence-backed next steps and a clear plan to your next test.
services
Services for indie
board game designers
Make progress you can prove. We run clean remote tests, tune rules and systems, build tidy TTS tables, and help you get from “almost there” to launch-ready without burning months.
Playtesting
Rules & Systems Development
TTS Build
Prototyping
benefits
Progress you can
prove
A clear path from idea to playable.
Minimal friction, tight feedback loops.
Evidence over opinions
We base recommendations on what actually happens at the table — timestamps, quotes, and simple metrics — so decisions feel grounded, not guesswork.
Remote-first & private
TTS-native builds, clear runbooks, and tidy facilitation. Your files stay yours — NDA-friendly and off-stream unless you explicitly ask otherwise.
Designer-friendly deliverables
Short briefs, a prioritized fix list, and a next-test plan you can act on. No 20-page PDFs you’ll never read.
Scope you can see
Fixed scopes, clear timelines, and no mystery retainers. You’ll always know what’s in, what’s next, and what it costs.
Private by default
Your files stay yours. NDA-friendly and off-stream unless you explicitly ask otherwise.
Start small, scale smart
Begin with a Quickstart Playtest. If you upgrade to a Deep Dive within 14 days, we’ll apply a $300 credit — momentum without the sunk-cost sting.
core values
How we treat your game
Share your prototype, goals, and constraints — we’ll suggest a right-sized path to your next meaningful test.
Your game,
your voice
We don’t try to “take over” your design. Our job is to understand the experience you’re aiming for and help your rules, systems, and table flow line up with that intent.
Clear, kind
honesty
You get specific, actionable notes — what broke, why it broke, and what to try next — delivered with respect for the work you’ve already put in. No vague “it felt off” feedback.
Teaching
as we go
We don’t just hand over a report and vanish. We explain the reasoning behind changes and patterns we’re seeing, so each project leaves you better equipped for the next design.
Built around
real lives
We know most designers are juggling day jobs, families, and tight budgets. Scopes stay clear, timelines stay realistic, and we start small so you can scale only when it makes sense.
works
featured projects
A few of the board-game projects we’ve supported with cleaner rules, tighter systems, and testable TTS builds.
Services
Game Types
Mechanics
Genre
what clients say
“BoardBrain Labs took our messy mid-dev build, set a clean TTS table with teach-mode touches, and gave us receipts — not vibes. The report landed in 72 hours with timestamps, rubrics, and a next-test plan we could run the same week.”
“For PnP releases, clarity makes or breaks adoption. BoardBrain Labs restructured our rules and delivered a tidy TTS teach mode, plus a redacted share pack our remote testers could run without us. The acceptance targets ended the back-and-forth and kept the schedule on track.”
“We design after hours in a basement. BoardBrain Labs met us there with evidence — A/B toggles for the smallest useful change, first turn under ten minutes, and a report we could act on immediately. It cut a week of debate and let us ship the patch next sprint.”
blog
Game design for the table
Strategy, systems, and playtest wisdom for indie board-game designers.
