City Square Studios 🎲🃏♟️
@citysquarestudios.bsky.social
duo creating new original tabletop games every month from New Zealand 🇳🇿
Our games use stuff you already own!
33+ original games on Patreon part of the 52 Pickup zine series https://www.patreon.com/CitySquareStudios
Our games use stuff you already own!
33+ original games on Patreon part of the 52 Pickup zine series https://www.patreon.com/CitySquareStudios
Pinned
Why not "sea" in the new year with a new solo roll & write!
Tavern Ship is out now! Run a travelling tavern, chasing gold and reputation across dangerous seas before the Grand Festival.
FREE download, link 👇
patreon.com/posts/52-pickup-issue-146944617
#sologame #indiegame #boardgame #tabletop
Tavern Ship is out now! Run a travelling tavern, chasing gold and reputation across dangerous seas before the Grand Festival.
FREE download, link 👇
patreon.com/posts/52-pickup-issue-146944617
#sologame #indiegame #boardgame #tabletop
52 Pickup Issue #33 - Tavern Ship | City Square Studios
Get more from City Square Studios on Patreon
www.patreon.com
Issue #33 of 52 Pickup, “Tavern Ship”, is FREE for just ONE MORE WEEK!
Free-tier members can access the rules. Paid members get bonus rules plus full access to 33+ (and counting) original tabletop games designed to be played with stuff you’ll have around the house!
#indiegame #sologame #boardgame
Free-tier members can access the rules. Paid members get bonus rules plus full access to 33+ (and counting) original tabletop games designed to be played with stuff you’ll have around the house!
#indiegame #sologame #boardgame
Pleased to meet you... Hope you guessed my name.
The next issue of the 52 Pickup tabletop game series is coming very soon!
patreon.com/posts/sneak-peek-52-34-149229054
#indiegame #boardgame
The next issue of the 52 Pickup tabletop game series is coming very soon!
patreon.com/posts/sneak-peek-52-34-149229054
#indiegame #boardgame
Sneak Peek: 52 Pickup Issue #34 | City Square Studios
Get more from City Square Studios on Patreon
www.patreon.com
January 28, 2026 at 2:33 AM
Pleased to meet you... Hope you guessed my name.
The next issue of the 52 Pickup tabletop game series is coming very soon!
patreon.com/posts/sneak-peek-52-34-149229054
#indiegame #boardgame
The next issue of the 52 Pickup tabletop game series is coming very soon!
patreon.com/posts/sneak-peek-52-34-149229054
#indiegame #boardgame
January 27, 2026 at 8:25 AM
Doing our planning for our next months of releases!
Hope you'll enjoy all the great board games, TTRPGs, and solo games we're lining up (some with new collaborations which we're very excited about).
#boardgame #ttrpg
Hope you'll enjoy all the great board games, TTRPGs, and solo games we're lining up (some with new collaborations which we're very excited about).
#boardgame #ttrpg
January 26, 2026 at 2:49 AM
Doing our planning for our next months of releases!
Hope you'll enjoy all the great board games, TTRPGs, and solo games we're lining up (some with new collaborations which we're very excited about).
#boardgame #ttrpg
Hope you'll enjoy all the great board games, TTRPGs, and solo games we're lining up (some with new collaborations which we're very excited about).
#boardgame #ttrpg
I'm torn by the fact that:
1. I want to design games where you roll massive amounts of dice
2. I want to design games that don't alienate players that don't own massive amounts of dice
#gamedev 🎲✂️
1. I want to design games where you roll massive amounts of dice
2. I want to design games that don't alienate players that don't own massive amounts of dice
#gamedev 🎲✂️
January 25, 2026 at 10:17 AM
I'm torn by the fact that:
1. I want to design games where you roll massive amounts of dice
2. I want to design games that don't alienate players that don't own massive amounts of dice
#gamedev 🎲✂️
1. I want to design games where you roll massive amounts of dice
2. I want to design games that don't alienate players that don't own massive amounts of dice
#gamedev 🎲✂️
Issue #33 of 52 Pickup, “Tavern Ship”, is FREE for just ONE MORE WEEK!
Free-tier members can access the rules. Paid members get bonus rules plus full access to 33+ (and counting) original tabletop games designed to be played with stuff you’ll have around the house!
#indiegame #sologame #boardgame
Free-tier members can access the rules. Paid members get bonus rules plus full access to 33+ (and counting) original tabletop games designed to be played with stuff you’ll have around the house!
#indiegame #sologame #boardgame
Why not "sea" in the new year with a new solo roll & write!
Tavern Ship is out now! Run a travelling tavern, chasing gold and reputation across dangerous seas before the Grand Festival.
FREE download, link 👇
patreon.com/posts/52-pickup-issue-146944617
#sologame #indiegame #boardgame #tabletop
Tavern Ship is out now! Run a travelling tavern, chasing gold and reputation across dangerous seas before the Grand Festival.
FREE download, link 👇
patreon.com/posts/52-pickup-issue-146944617
#sologame #indiegame #boardgame #tabletop
52 Pickup Issue #33 - Tavern Ship | City Square Studios
Get more from City Square Studios on Patreon
www.patreon.com
January 24, 2026 at 8:44 AM
Issue #33 of 52 Pickup, “Tavern Ship”, is FREE for just ONE MORE WEEK!
Free-tier members can access the rules. Paid members get bonus rules plus full access to 33+ (and counting) original tabletop games designed to be played with stuff you’ll have around the house!
#indiegame #sologame #boardgame
Free-tier members can access the rules. Paid members get bonus rules plus full access to 33+ (and counting) original tabletop games designed to be played with stuff you’ll have around the house!
#indiegame #sologame #boardgame
Reposted by City Square Studios 🎲🃏♟️
If I weren’t designing games, I’d be playing games. 🎲✂️ #boardgames
January 22, 2026 at 7:52 PM
If I weren’t designing games, I’d be playing games. 🎲✂️ #boardgames
Hey you 🫵 yeah you 🫵
You can make that game! You can start to make that game! You can!
#gamedev #indiedev #ttrpgdev #boardgamedesign
You can make that game! You can start to make that game! You can!
#gamedev #indiedev #ttrpgdev #boardgamedesign
January 22, 2026 at 9:14 AM
Hey you 🫵 yeah you 🫵
You can make that game! You can start to make that game! You can!
#gamedev #indiedev #ttrpgdev #boardgamedesign
You can make that game! You can start to make that game! You can!
#gamedev #indiedev #ttrpgdev #boardgamedesign
January 21, 2026 at 2:15 AM
Reposted by City Square Studios 🎲🃏♟️
Looking back at all the wonderful #SpeculativeFiction from Aotearoa New Zealand in 2025, both to vote on what I think was the best for the Sir Julius Vogel awards, and to make a list of awesome things to go read!
🪐📚💙📚🇳🇿
🪐📚💙📚🇳🇿
January 19, 2026 at 8:26 AM
Looking back at all the wonderful #SpeculativeFiction from Aotearoa New Zealand in 2025, both to vote on what I think was the best for the Sir Julius Vogel awards, and to make a list of awesome things to go read!
🪐📚💙📚🇳🇿
🪐📚💙📚🇳🇿
We've done 33 games for 52 Pickup! So here's 3 of our games in 3 sentences:
- Atomic Family: GM-less TTRPG where you run a sitcom
- Primary Systems GO!: Mech creating and fighting game on a chess set with playing cards
- Goblin Dungeon 2: Solo game about defending your dungeon from adventurers
- Atomic Family: GM-less TTRPG where you run a sitcom
- Primary Systems GO!: Mech creating and fighting game on a chess set with playing cards
- Goblin Dungeon 2: Solo game about defending your dungeon from adventurers
January 19, 2026 at 10:14 AM
We've done 33 games for 52 Pickup! So here's 3 of our games in 3 sentences:
- Atomic Family: GM-less TTRPG where you run a sitcom
- Primary Systems GO!: Mech creating and fighting game on a chess set with playing cards
- Goblin Dungeon 2: Solo game about defending your dungeon from adventurers
- Atomic Family: GM-less TTRPG where you run a sitcom
- Primary Systems GO!: Mech creating and fighting game on a chess set with playing cards
- Goblin Dungeon 2: Solo game about defending your dungeon from adventurers
games games everywhere but not the time to play
Maybe this week!
Maybe this week!
January 18, 2026 at 10:20 AM
games games everywhere but not the time to play
Maybe this week!
Maybe this week!
I’m currently more in a “writing down concepts ideas to develop” phase, when I should really be in a “develop concepts into first draft” phase.
Wish there was a weather forecast for game dev phases my brain will be in so I can plan around 🤷♂️
Wish there was a weather forecast for game dev phases my brain will be in so I can plan around 🤷♂️
January 17, 2026 at 10:04 AM
I’m currently more in a “writing down concepts ideas to develop” phase, when I should really be in a “develop concepts into first draft” phase.
Wish there was a weather forecast for game dev phases my brain will be in so I can plan around 🤷♂️
Wish there was a weather forecast for game dev phases my brain will be in so I can plan around 🤷♂️
Shout-out to Matthew Morris (@squingus_squench), who we worked with to design the original cover art for issue #33 of 52 Pickup.
It's our first time working with this New Zealand artist, and looking forward to working with new artists and game designers in 2026!
#art #artist #boardgame #indiegame
It's our first time working with this New Zealand artist, and looking forward to working with new artists and game designers in 2026!
#art #artist #boardgame #indiegame
January 16, 2026 at 10:41 AM
Shout-out to Matthew Morris (@squingus_squench), who we worked with to design the original cover art for issue #33 of 52 Pickup.
It's our first time working with this New Zealand artist, and looking forward to working with new artists and game designers in 2026!
#art #artist #boardgame #indiegame
It's our first time working with this New Zealand artist, and looking forward to working with new artists and game designers in 2026!
#art #artist #boardgame #indiegame
Reposted by City Square Studios 🎲🃏♟️
We are at the final stages of our pre-campaign. It's just behind the corner now 👀
Leave your email to be notified 🖤
zoop.gg/c/carnage-on...
Cover art by @boramart.bsky.social
#interactivefiction #solorpg #TTRPG
Leave your email to be notified 🖤
zoop.gg/c/carnage-on...
Cover art by @boramart.bsky.social
#interactivefiction #solorpg #TTRPG
January 16, 2026 at 10:07 AM
We are at the final stages of our pre-campaign. It's just behind the corner now 👀
Leave your email to be notified 🖤
zoop.gg/c/carnage-on...
Cover art by @boramart.bsky.social
#interactivefiction #solorpg #TTRPG
Leave your email to be notified 🖤
zoop.gg/c/carnage-on...
Cover art by @boramart.bsky.social
#interactivefiction #solorpg #TTRPG
Doing some model building tonight
January 15, 2026 at 10:12 AM
Doing some model building tonight
Reposted by City Square Studios 🎲🃏♟️
I am a small solo ttrpg dev with no budget, but I think I make games that are good enough to compensate for the fact they have No/Bad art.
I am deeply creative and willing to experiment, I have the hubris to think I can reinvent the wheel and it be good this time.
I am deeply creative and willing to experiment, I have the hubris to think I can reinvent the wheel and it be good this time.
Artists, I think we're all too comfortable sharing our imposter syndrome.
I would love to see you step out of your comfort zone and confidently state what you think you're actually really good at.
No self deprecation, just what you think you're the strongest at
Is anyone brave eniough? 👀
I would love to see you step out of your comfort zone and confidently state what you think you're actually really good at.
No self deprecation, just what you think you're the strongest at
Is anyone brave eniough? 👀
January 15, 2026 at 5:23 AM
I am a small solo ttrpg dev with no budget, but I think I make games that are good enough to compensate for the fact they have No/Bad art.
I am deeply creative and willing to experiment, I have the hubris to think I can reinvent the wheel and it be good this time.
I am deeply creative and willing to experiment, I have the hubris to think I can reinvent the wheel and it be good this time.
January 14, 2026 at 10:40 AM
Reposted by City Square Studios 🎲🃏♟️
I now have two identical copies of the Pan Book of Card Games – except that both have a “primary” crease on the spine in a different location. One naturally falls open at Cribbage and the other at Poker. Nice to find embodied histories like this 🙃
January 14, 2026 at 2:47 AM
I now have two identical copies of the Pan Book of Card Games – except that both have a “primary” crease on the spine in a different location. One naturally falls open at Cribbage and the other at Poker. Nice to find embodied histories like this 🙃
Reposted by City Square Studios 🎲🃏♟️
Want to run a tabletop game design workshop at your local library?
I cover 5 specific things you can do to make it a success in this webinar hosted by the Indiana State Library: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pg-k...
#publiclibraries #libraries #gamedesign #boardgames #ttrpg
I cover 5 specific things you can do to make it a success in this webinar hosted by the Indiana State Library: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pg-k...
#publiclibraries #libraries #gamedesign #boardgames #ttrpg
What's Up Wednesday How to run a tabletop game design workshop at your library
YouTube video by Indiana State Library
www.youtube.com
January 12, 2026 at 9:10 PM
Want to run a tabletop game design workshop at your local library?
I cover 5 specific things you can do to make it a success in this webinar hosted by the Indiana State Library: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pg-k...
#publiclibraries #libraries #gamedesign #boardgames #ttrpg
I cover 5 specific things you can do to make it a success in this webinar hosted by the Indiana State Library: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pg-k...
#publiclibraries #libraries #gamedesign #boardgames #ttrpg
Thinking about writing another one of these longer form game design posts, anyone got any topics or questions they’d like covered?
#gamedesign #indiedev
#gamedesign #indiedev
Decision paralysis occurs when players can’t make a choice, usually because there are too many options or the outcomes are too complex. This slows the game down and often leads to frustration.
There are a few design techniques you can use to reduce this (🧵1/6):
🎲✂️ #gamedesign #gamedev
There are a few design techniques you can use to reduce this (🧵1/6):
🎲✂️ #gamedesign #gamedev
a cartoon of batman with his hand on his chin
Alt: a cartoon of batman with his hand on his chin
media.tenor.com
January 12, 2026 at 10:18 AM
Thinking about writing another one of these longer form game design posts, anyone got any topics or questions they’d like covered?
#gamedesign #indiedev
#gamedesign #indiedev
Reposted by City Square Studios 🎲🃏♟️
Y'all this is a really fun game you should all start Fukuzatsu leagues. New deck box made from the corpses of last game!
January 12, 2026 at 12:18 AM
Y'all this is a really fun game you should all start Fukuzatsu leagues. New deck box made from the corpses of last game!
This time last year I was looking at the board game props in Hobbiton trying to work out if they were real games or not
#boardgames
#boardgames
January 11, 2026 at 9:48 AM
This time last year I was looking at the board game props in Hobbiton trying to work out if they were real games or not
#boardgames
#boardgames
Reposted by City Square Studios 🎲🃏♟️
How are we all doing this fine #Selfpromosaturday
This is An Idle Mind, my highly experimental TTRPG that explores a lot of fun ideas I have had for a while, I released it with The New Year and its already one of my more popular games.
fluffytheterrible6.itch.io/an-idle-mind
This is An Idle Mind, my highly experimental TTRPG that explores a lot of fun ideas I have had for a while, I released it with The New Year and its already one of my more popular games.
fluffytheterrible6.itch.io/an-idle-mind
An Idle Mind by fluffytheterrible6
A Highly Experiemental TTRPG
fluffytheterrible6.itch.io
January 10, 2026 at 11:06 PM
How are we all doing this fine #Selfpromosaturday
This is An Idle Mind, my highly experimental TTRPG that explores a lot of fun ideas I have had for a while, I released it with The New Year and its already one of my more popular games.
fluffytheterrible6.itch.io/an-idle-mind
This is An Idle Mind, my highly experimental TTRPG that explores a lot of fun ideas I have had for a while, I released it with The New Year and its already one of my more popular games.
fluffytheterrible6.itch.io/an-idle-mind
Interested in game design? Curious about the process of designing and publishing a new tabletop game every month?
Check out the latest designer notes for Tavern Ship and hit us up in the chat if you have any questions :)
patreon.com/posts/designer-notes-147829740
🎲✂️ #gamedesign #indiedev #gamedev
Check out the latest designer notes for Tavern Ship and hit us up in the chat if you have any questions :)
patreon.com/posts/designer-notes-147829740
🎲✂️ #gamedesign #indiedev #gamedev
January 10, 2026 at 11:17 AM
Interested in game design? Curious about the process of designing and publishing a new tabletop game every month?
Check out the latest designer notes for Tavern Ship and hit us up in the chat if you have any questions :)
patreon.com/posts/designer-notes-147829740
🎲✂️ #gamedesign #indiedev #gamedev
Check out the latest designer notes for Tavern Ship and hit us up in the chat if you have any questions :)
patreon.com/posts/designer-notes-147829740
🎲✂️ #gamedesign #indiedev #gamedev
Reposted by City Square Studios 🎲🃏♟️
Setting up the project schedule for Dig Dive Duel - Warlock
If you want a taste of this quick, fun, combat filled roguelike game you can play Paladin, the second edition of Dig Dive Duel right now!
Get it on @itch.io
noomue.itch.io/dig-dive-due...
#ttrpg #lodelrol
If you want a taste of this quick, fun, combat filled roguelike game you can play Paladin, the second edition of Dig Dive Duel right now!
Get it on @itch.io
noomue.itch.io/dig-dive-due...
#ttrpg #lodelrol
January 8, 2026 at 6:51 PM
Setting up the project schedule for Dig Dive Duel - Warlock
If you want a taste of this quick, fun, combat filled roguelike game you can play Paladin, the second edition of Dig Dive Duel right now!
Get it on @itch.io
noomue.itch.io/dig-dive-due...
#ttrpg #lodelrol
If you want a taste of this quick, fun, combat filled roguelike game you can play Paladin, the second edition of Dig Dive Duel right now!
Get it on @itch.io
noomue.itch.io/dig-dive-due...
#ttrpg #lodelrol