The French publisher of board games Asmodee has announced the arrival of three tabletop titles inspired by popular Netflix series. The three games are named Squid Game, Ozark, and Stranger Things: Attack of the Mind Flayer, after the namesake TV shows that have continued to generate significant viewership and fanfare.
The companies released statements in which they assured that the gameplay of the titles will be “fun and easy to learn”. The games mostly draw on fan interest as they seek to feature familiar themes, locations, and characters based on the original shows. For its part, Asmodee hopes that these games can introduce casual and new players to the hobby.
Netflix’s IPs Become Asmodee Board Games
Each game brings something unique of its own besides the respective show theme. In Ozark, you play a 2-5 game of territory control. You will pick a faction, seek to make more money, influence and control locations. The winner is determined by whoever player ends up with the most money. The game will be available for $24.86.
Squid Game gives players a taste of the survival thriller that is the show. The title features 3-6 players who will have to create teams of 12 members each and compete across six games. The games will be based on the show as well, with Red Light/Green Light, Tug of War, Squid Game, Dalgona, Marbles and Glass Bridge all part of this card game challenge. Once again, the game will be worth $24.86.
Stranger Things may be the most popular card game of the three, though, given the show’s current ratings. This game will pit the familiar characters from the show against familiar horrors. The Mind Flayer has broken into our world from another dimension and seeks to recreate it in the image of the Upside Down. The game allows for anything between 4-10 players. The game will once again come with a reasonable and affordable price tag of $24.86. The gameplay smacks of Mafia as players need to figure out who has been possessed by the Mind Flyer.
Criticism and Adjusted Expectations from the Games
While games based on original IPs may sound a little too opportunistic, there are numerous good examples from the board gaming community that such projects may end up working out for the best. The Meeples Herald has played through several authentic IPs turned into board games, including Dune, Battlestar Galactica, Game of Thrones, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, Marvel, and Star Wars.
While significant work has gone into most of the games that have actually become prominent titles in the community regardless of their affiliation with an IP it is likely that we will see more games based on popular TV shows and culture, evolving into new forms of play and potentially bringing more people into the tabletop hobby. The team would personally be chuffed to see a board game based on Altered Carbon.