Mergers, Splits, and Distribution Deals: Plan B Games Buys Tric Trac, What's Your Game? Acquires Designers, and North Star Games Restricts Amazon Sales

Mergers, Splits, and Distribution Deals: Plan B Games Buys Tric Trac, What's Your Game? Acquires Designers, and North Star Games Restricts Amazon Sales
Board Game Publisher: Plan B Games
From gallery of W Eric Martin
• On March 6, 2018, in an article titled "Flat Prod est mort, Vive Flat Prod", Monsieur Phal (a.k.a. Philippe Maurin) announced (in his usual stream-of-consciousness style) that Plan B Games has purchased French gaming site Tric Trac, the site he founded in 2000 (the same year that BoardGameGeek started) and continues to run today. Phal will continue to operate as the site's publishing director until February 2020, with François Décamp taking over as general manager.

Why the reference to "Flat Prod" in the article's title? Flat Prod is the official owner of Tric Trac, with Maurin previously owning 51% of that company while Plume Finance, a company owned by Asmodee co-founder Marc Nunes, owned the other 49%, an arrangement entered into in 2009, according to JeuxZoom.

• After more than twenty years of covering games on a quarterly basis, Counter magazine released its final issue in January 2018. Issue #78, as well as other recent digital-only issues, are available in the BGG Store.

Board Game Publisher: What's Your Game?
Board Game Publisher: Stronghold Games
• Designers Nuno Sentieiro and Paulo Soledade have joined the staff of publisher What's Your Game? as full-time designers and developers, doubling the number of people at WYG, which intends to release more titles in 2018 than in previous years. Says Sentieiro, "We will design games exclusively for WYG, as well as work in the development of other designer projects." As part of this development, the publisher has moved from Berlin, Germany to Leiria, Portugal.

• Along similar lines, in February 2018 Stronghold Games tripled its staff, adding Bill Bricker as director of art and marketing and Pauline Milano as director of administration. The publisher also moved from New Jersey to Florida and introduced a new logo.

 
• On February 6, 2018, North Star Games announced two changes to its sales policies — the adoption of a unilateral minimum advertised pricing policy and a restriction of sales on Amazon.com — with these policies being detailed on the NSG website. To excerpt from the press release:

Quote:
Effective today, North Star Games is adopting a unilateral Minimum Advertised Pricing Policy (MAPP). This MAPP will enhance the value of the North Star Games brand and provide long-term benefits to everyone who purchases its products, including both trade partners and consumers. Adherence to the MAPP is non-negotiable for all North Star Games' resellers and will be strictly enforced to ensure the continued value of its brand.

North Star Games is also issuing a Channel Restriction Notice (CRN) to all its resellers, announcing that it has designated Amazon.com as a restricted sales channel. Effective today, North Star Games will limit its Amazon distribution to two authorized sellers on the Amazon Third-Party Marketplace. The CRN states that resellers who don't participate in the Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) program have until February 13th, 2018 to deactivate their listings. Resellers who do participate in the FBA program should sell through any existing inventory by March 9th, 2018 and then stop restocking their FBA listings. North Star Games will work together with its authorized Amazon partners to monitor product listings and remove any unauthorized sellers.

"These two policies will allow our authorized retailers to remain competitive in an ever-changing and dynamic marketplace. We highly value our retail partners and their commitment to providing valuable instore experiences that create memorable moments for their customers and grow the gaming community", states North Star Games Co-President Satish Pillalamarri. "We look forward to helping our partners grow their businesses by providing enhanced services such as game demos and organized tournaments. These partnerships will allow us to develop an even greater number of the exciting and engaging games that our customers love."
Video Game Publisher: ThinkFun
• In the category of "news I missed months ago", German publisher Ravensburger purchased U.S. game and logic puzzle publisher ThinkFun in September 2017. An excerpt from the press release: "The move broadens the company's portfolio of brands, while strengthening its position in the games category of the U.S. toy and game market." And another:

Quote:
As a subsidiary of Ravensburger North America, ThinkFun will continue to operate as an independent brand from its Alexandria, Virginia headquarters. [Bill] Ritchie, whose leadership and insight has been instrumental in building ThinkFun's quality product line, will stay on as the company's chief creative officer. ThinkFun will also retain company directors and staff.
• To follow up on my December 2017 post about how Kerry Breitenstein came to own Twilight Creations once again, with her regaining ownership in September 2017 after Mayfair Games had purchased TC from her in June 2016, in response to my questions about the deal she said that Mayfair initially brought up the idea of a buyback in February 2017: "I got Twilight back for less than they purchased it. This is a very unusual circumstance and very unfortunate."

Board Game Publisher: Hub Games
• In news not quite as old, in January 2018 The Creativity Hub changed its name to Hub Games, with a new logo to match, to reflect the company's change in focus. In May 2017, The Creativity Hub had sold the Rory's Story Cubes line to Asmodee — you knew that company had to appear at least once in a round-up like this, right? — after which the company shifted its focus "exclusively to the world of tabletop gaming", launching both Blank and Untold: Adventures Await (which makes use of Story Cubes in its gameplay). An excerpt from the press release announcing the change:

Quote:
Hub Games aims to publish games that foster discussion between players at the table and beyond; games with heart. By encouraging self-expression through play and having gamers reflect on the choices they make, Hub Games looks to push past the idea of games being simple entertainment. "There is a space in the tabletop world for games that give us more," said Michael Fox, Hub Games' Community Manager. "We still aim to create incredible games, but if players want to scratch the surface and look a bit deeper, they'll find reasoning behind every decision in what we produce. We want players to think about what they're playing, and for those choices they make in game to stay with them long after they leave the table."

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