Phil Gross
@mistergross.bsky.social
Game design, rulebook editing. Past lives: improv, writing
Husband & father
He/him
Husband & father
He/him
Pyrotechnics is as tightly wound as a classic abstract. Excellent trade offs and tension. Feels like a beefier game than its smol size. Great work by @backwardscapgames.bsky.social and @thinkdeepplaylight.bsky.social
November 27, 2025 at 10:34 PM
Pyrotechnics is as tightly wound as a classic abstract. Excellent trade offs and tension. Feels like a beefier game than its smol size. Great work by @backwardscapgames.bsky.social and @thinkdeepplaylight.bsky.social
Family gaming, this one’s a hit
November 27, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Family gaming, this one’s a hit
“Happy Thanksgiving,” Rick Danko said. The concert had lasted over four hours, then they launched into this propulsive encore.
youtu.be/ki3zzZ-GsGI?...
youtu.be/ki3zzZ-GsGI?...
The Last Waltz (1978) - Don't Do It Scene (1/7) | Movieclips
YouTube video by Movieclips
youtu.be
November 27, 2025 at 4:28 PM
“Happy Thanksgiving,” Rick Danko said. The concert had lasted over four hours, then they launched into this propulsive encore.
youtu.be/ki3zzZ-GsGI?...
youtu.be/ki3zzZ-GsGI?...
A great distillation of what makes my friend Ben’s game so tasty.
Fair (and fairy) cake-cutting in Pacts! 🧚
Exploring how the divide and choose ("I cut. You choose.") mechanism in Pacts from @dvcgames.bsky.social combines with area control to create tough choices and meaningful decisions: www.skeletoncodemachine.com/p/pacts-cut-...
#boardgames #gamedesign 🎲✂️
Exploring how the divide and choose ("I cut. You choose.") mechanism in Pacts from @dvcgames.bsky.social combines with area control to create tough choices and meaningful decisions: www.skeletoncodemachine.com/p/pacts-cut-...
#boardgames #gamedesign 🎲✂️
Fair (and fairy) cake-cutting in Pacts
Exploring how the divide and choose ("I cut. You choose.") mechanism in Pacts from DVC combines with area control to create tough choices and meaningful decisions.
www.skeletoncodemachine.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:53 PM
A great distillation of what makes my friend Ben’s game so tasty.
PAXU was a hoot. As always, it is a game about time. My body and mind cannot keep up, and there is so little time to spend with so many wonderful people. I love you all so much.
It was also way more productive than I anticipated, and I hope to share cool news in the coming months…!
It was also way more productive than I anticipated, and I hope to share cool news in the coming months…!
November 24, 2025 at 4:03 PM
PAXU was a hoot. As always, it is a game about time. My body and mind cannot keep up, and there is so little time to spend with so many wonderful people. I love you all so much.
It was also way more productive than I anticipated, and I hope to share cool news in the coming months…!
It was also way more productive than I anticipated, and I hope to share cool news in the coming months…!
November 21, 2025 at 7:20 PM
This is my friend @gabegodoi.bsky.social ‘s game Pondcala. It is perfect.
November 21, 2025 at 4:38 AM
This is my friend @gabegodoi.bsky.social ‘s game Pondcala. It is perfect.
Me: “maybe someday when you’re older, I can take you on a trip. Would you like that? There’s so many games.”
5yo: “so many games in the world…but not in Florida.”
5yo: “so many games in the world…but not in Florida.”
November 20, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Me: “maybe someday when you’re older, I can take you on a trip. Would you like that? There’s so many games.”
5yo: “so many games in the world…but not in Florida.”
5yo: “so many games in the world…but not in Florida.”
My two main projects could not be more radically different. I’m also bringing this to Unpub. From 3-8 players to…one.
Honored to be working on this with @yutingxiang.bsky.social
Honored to be working on this with @yutingxiang.bsky.social
November 19, 2025 at 6:17 PM
My two main projects could not be more radically different. I’m also bringing this to Unpub. From 3-8 players to…one.
Honored to be working on this with @yutingxiang.bsky.social
Honored to be working on this with @yutingxiang.bsky.social
I feel really good about the Dumpster Heist iteration that me and @stickydoodler.bsky.social are bringing to PAX Unpub. Hope to see you there.
November 19, 2025 at 4:31 AM
I feel really good about the Dumpster Heist iteration that me and @stickydoodler.bsky.social are bringing to PAX Unpub. Hope to see you there.
I see a lot of top ten board games and across all of them, I’ve seen only one party game.
It’s your favorites! That’s fine. Count them however you like.
But I contend that Say Anything brought me at least as much joy as Battlestar Galactica, that Anomia is right up there with Twilight Struggle.
It’s your favorites! That’s fine. Count them however you like.
But I contend that Say Anything brought me at least as much joy as Battlestar Galactica, that Anomia is right up there with Twilight Struggle.
November 15, 2025 at 8:56 PM
I see a lot of top ten board games and across all of them, I’ve seen only one party game.
It’s your favorites! That’s fine. Count them however you like.
But I contend that Say Anything brought me at least as much joy as Battlestar Galactica, that Anomia is right up there with Twilight Struggle.
It’s your favorites! That’s fine. Count them however you like.
But I contend that Say Anything brought me at least as much joy as Battlestar Galactica, that Anomia is right up there with Twilight Struggle.
Wow. One week from tonight, this silliness will be popping up around PAX. That’s the dream. To spark joy around the convention. Pockets of weirdo statues. Mirrors raised high.
9) Finally, tooting my horn, here is the most amazing game of Medusa’s Garden to date. It has been so excellent to work with @dvcgames.bsky.social on this, and I can’t wait to see where our dev takes us next.
November 15, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Wow. One week from tonight, this silliness will be popping up around PAX. That’s the dream. To spark joy around the convention. Pockets of weirdo statues. Mirrors raised high.
LABOR OF LOVE 🎲✂️
I cannot wait to try this out
IGNM
I cannot wait to try this out
IGNM
How is a single copy of Fold & Fly! made? I decided to make my ideal version of the game, so there are a decent number of steps. It's all hand-made & put together (with one slight exception) so let's walk through it!
November 14, 2025 at 1:14 AM
LABOR OF LOVE 🎲✂️
I cannot wait to try this out
IGNM
I cannot wait to try this out
IGNM
Check it out, game designers
I will be at PAX Unplugged looking at games for Buffalo Games and Gamewright. If you have anything you'd like to show us please reach out.
November 12, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Check it out, game designers
lol we made a real game and it is bonkers
See you at IGNM 😁
See you at IGNM 😁
Got some nice shots of Medusa’s Garden to toss around leading up to Indie Game Night Market. Built and tested in the Team Jasper game night kitchen, it is fun to have made some copies to share with the world.
Pictured: ‘Statues’ posed to hide Medusa from Perseus and his mirror
Pictured: ‘Statues’ posed to hide Medusa from Perseus and his mirror
November 11, 2025 at 1:18 PM
lol we made a real game and it is bonkers
See you at IGNM 😁
See you at IGNM 😁
Time for the annual rewatch of the @raphkoster.bsky.social gdc talk on creativity
🎲✂️
🎲✂️
November 10, 2025 at 9:43 PM
Time for the annual rewatch of the @raphkoster.bsky.social gdc talk on creativity
🎲✂️
🎲✂️
This prototype has been through A LOT. Hard to believe in 2 weeks it’s time for her glow-up.
IGNM @ PAXU
IGNM @ PAXU
November 8, 2025 at 8:41 PM
This prototype has been through A LOT. Hard to believe in 2 weeks it’s time for her glow-up.
IGNM @ PAXU
IGNM @ PAXU
Playing my buddy Dave’s very silly breakfast pitching party game Corporate Breakfast 😁🥰
I made Fruitable Grandma Hearts And Fish 🐟
You can sign up for the KS www.kickstarter.com/projects/tas...
@tastefullydone.bsky.social
I made Fruitable Grandma Hearts And Fish 🐟
You can sign up for the KS www.kickstarter.com/projects/tas...
@tastefullydone.bsky.social
November 8, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Playing my buddy Dave’s very silly breakfast pitching party game Corporate Breakfast 😁🥰
I made Fruitable Grandma Hearts And Fish 🐟
You can sign up for the KS www.kickstarter.com/projects/tas...
@tastefullydone.bsky.social
I made Fruitable Grandma Hearts And Fish 🐟
You can sign up for the KS www.kickstarter.com/projects/tas...
@tastefullydone.bsky.social
Super excited to be bringing The Dumpster Heist RPG to Unpub at PAXU.
Join us as raccoons in a trenchcoat to rob a casino…or raid the dumpster 😁
1/4
Join us as raccoons in a trenchcoat to rob a casino…or raid the dumpster 😁
1/4
November 7, 2025 at 2:04 AM
Super excited to be bringing The Dumpster Heist RPG to Unpub at PAXU.
Join us as raccoons in a trenchcoat to rob a casino…or raid the dumpster 😁
1/4
Join us as raccoons in a trenchcoat to rob a casino…or raid the dumpster 😁
1/4
I got to test this, and it is very special. Loads of variety, real chamber music scores with each scenario, and a super sharp bidding system (I typically detest bidding!).
Only you can help the dillo reach the pedals
Only you can help the dillo reach the pedals
📣 It’s announcement time! 📣
The pre-launch page for Counterpoint is up on Kickstarter! All the cool kids are saving it! You should too! 🎻🎶
www.kickstarter.com/projects/squ...
The pre-launch page for Counterpoint is up on Kickstarter! All the cool kids are saving it! You should too! 🎻🎶
www.kickstarter.com/projects/squ...
Coming soon: Counterpoint: a Co-op Trick-Taking Classical Music Card Game
Counterpoint is a cooperative trick-taking game for 3-5 players where the challenges are based on different pieces of classical music.
www.kickstarter.com
November 6, 2025 at 1:03 PM
I got to test this, and it is very special. Loads of variety, real chamber music scores with each scenario, and a super sharp bidding system (I typically detest bidding!).
Only you can help the dillo reach the pedals
Only you can help the dillo reach the pedals
@jeffgrisenthwaite.bsky.social spotted in Barnes and Noble!
November 1, 2025 at 7:25 PM
@jeffgrisenthwaite.bsky.social spotted in Barnes and Noble!
Testing the second level in a game I’m working on with @yutingxiang.bsky.social
The difficulty needs some tweaking lol
The difficulty needs some tweaking lol
November 1, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Testing the second level in a game I’m working on with @yutingxiang.bsky.social
The difficulty needs some tweaking lol
The difficulty needs some tweaking lol
We have Hades 2 at home
October 21, 2025 at 11:37 PM
We have Hades 2 at home
We are blessed to have cool publishers in Syracuse! My shipment of @galens-games.bsky.social mint tins arrived. Yes that is six copies of Verdant Arizona by @robindavid.bsky.social
Keep your eye out for his next KS. The next batch is 💯
Keep your eye out for his next KS. The next batch is 💯
October 17, 2025 at 12:44 PM
We are blessed to have cool publishers in Syracuse! My shipment of @galens-games.bsky.social mint tins arrived. Yes that is six copies of Verdant Arizona by @robindavid.bsky.social
Keep your eye out for his next KS. The next batch is 💯
Keep your eye out for his next KS. The next batch is 💯
Just wrapped editing rules for my favorite 3WS game yet, designed by @andrewstiles.bsky.social 🦖🦕
October 17, 2025 at 12:21 AM
Just wrapped editing rules for my favorite 3WS game yet, designed by @andrewstiles.bsky.social 🦖🦕