Negotium Ludorum
The economics of board game designing and publishing.
| Platform |  | Pricing | Only free issues | Publishes | Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Issues | 28 | Founded | 4 years ago | Last Issue | a month ago |
| Active | |||||
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ludorum.substack.comLatest Issues
Circle DC: 2026 Wrap, 2027 Vision
2026 Wrap
Circle DC 2026 is in the books. For those interested, Brant Guillory posted great coverage over at Armchair Dragoons with a bunch of wonderful photos, including this sweet picture of our Star Wars: Rebellion set.
The convent...
The "Iron Triangle" of Game Development
Very early in my professional career a mentor explained to me that there are three variables in tension in the management of any project - speed, quality and cost. I nodded politely but thought to myself that’s bullshit - if you are smart e...
Designer Royalties with Real Numbers
How much money can a game designer make? Can it be a full time job? Well, let me share the royalty payments that both Kevin Bertram (me) and Tory Brown (with her permission) have received from Fort Circle Games. As a side note, although I a...
2025 Financial Report
The numbers are in for 2025 and they showed a modest loss of just over $40,000. While this sounds bad, the firm survived and is set up for a solid 2026.
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Ordinary Income: 324,504.89
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Cost of Goods Sold 186,730.15
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Gross Profit...
2026: A New Hope
A new hope!
2025 was not a good year.
We had been working with a local non-profit and the Department of Education to pilot a program for using board games in the classroom - but then the larger program was gutted and everyone (at both Do...
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| Subscribers | Engagement | 68 | Monthly Web Visits | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accepts Sponsors | Estimated Cost per Ad | ||||
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Authors
The writers behind this newsletter.
Negotium Ludorum - "the business of games" in Latin - is a Substack written by Kevin Bertram, owner of Fort Circle Games.
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