City Square Studios 🎲🃏♟️
@citysquarestudios.bsky.social
duo creating new original tabletop games every month from New Zealand 🇳🇿
Our games use stuff you already own!
34+ original games on Patreon part of the 52 Pickup zine series https://www.patreon.com/CitySquareStudios
Our games use stuff you already own!
34+ original games on Patreon part of the 52 Pickup zine series https://www.patreon.com/CitySquareStudios
February 13, 2026 at 9:07 AM
We have done a chess based skirmish mech fighting game before! Definitely could change out your mech pieces for minis if you want...
February 12, 2026 at 3:25 AM
We have done a chess based skirmish mech fighting game before! Definitely could change out your mech pieces for minis if you want...
We'd be doing a 2-player vs standard playing card game, so luckily not doing a full TCG!
We have done a few chess variants already, we just have quite a few more ideas floating around...
We have done a few chess variants already, we just have quite a few more ideas floating around...
February 12, 2026 at 3:22 AM
We'd be doing a 2-player vs standard playing card game, so luckily not doing a full TCG!
We have done a few chess variants already, we just have quite a few more ideas floating around...
We have done a few chess variants already, we just have quite a few more ideas floating around...
February 8, 2026 at 2:34 AM
Our Bluesky followers and Patreon members are neck and neck at the moment!
February 7, 2026 at 8:40 AM
Our Bluesky followers and Patreon members are neck and neck at the moment!
Monthly Physical Zines Set 📮
This week we sent out the latest batches of physical 52 Pickup mini-zine rulebooks containing original tabletop games like ‘Tavern Ship’ and ‘Nickname’.
This week we sent out the latest batches of physical 52 Pickup mini-zine rulebooks containing original tabletop games like ‘Tavern Ship’ and ‘Nickname’.
February 6, 2026 at 6:40 AM
Monthly Physical Zines Set 📮
This week we sent out the latest batches of physical 52 Pickup mini-zine rulebooks containing original tabletop games like ‘Tavern Ship’ and ‘Nickname’.
This week we sent out the latest batches of physical 52 Pickup mini-zine rulebooks containing original tabletop games like ‘Tavern Ship’ and ‘Nickname’.
This doesn't also touch on our boxed/PNP game Dice Dodgems we did right back at the start, or the non-game stuff we release like original cocktail recipes inspired by board games
🧵4/5
🧵4/5
February 3, 2026 at 6:19 AM
This doesn't also touch on our boxed/PNP game Dice Dodgems we did right back at the start, or the non-game stuff we release like original cocktail recipes inspired by board games
🧵4/5
🧵4/5
But there's even more! We've also released special editions of 52 Pickup such as a collaboration with a local DIY music festival for their own TTRPG (Booked at the DOUG-FEST), and the extra issues we just drop as a bonus (like Tectonic Knights, a chess variant inspired by the xkcd comic)
🧵3/5
🧵3/5
February 3, 2026 at 6:19 AM
But there's even more! We've also released special editions of 52 Pickup such as a collaboration with a local DIY music festival for their own TTRPG (Booked at the DOUG-FEST), and the extra issues we just drop as a bonus (like Tectonic Knights, a chess variant inspired by the xkcd comic)
🧵3/5
🧵3/5
Some of our issues actually contain two games instead of one, such as our very first issue (Escape the Pet Shop! and It Approaches!), and our July 2024 issue which had two treasure stealing pirate games, Black Spot and Captain Seven's Doubloons
🧵2/5
🧵2/5
February 3, 2026 at 6:19 AM
Some of our issues actually contain two games instead of one, such as our very first issue (Escape the Pet Shop! and It Approaches!), and our July 2024 issue which had two treasure stealing pirate games, Black Spot and Captain Seven's Doubloons
🧵2/5
🧵2/5
Let's talk about there's a '+' in our "34+ original games...".
We publish games monthly as part of the 52 Pickup zine series, the 34 number is the (current as of Jan 2026) number of mainline issues there are.
Hey that's easy, 34 means 34 game zines!
Well not quite... 🧵1/5
#boardgame #indiegame
We publish games monthly as part of the 52 Pickup zine series, the 34 number is the (current as of Jan 2026) number of mainline issues there are.
Hey that's easy, 34 means 34 game zines!
Well not quite... 🧵1/5
#boardgame #indiegame
February 3, 2026 at 6:19 AM
Let's talk about there's a '+' in our "34+ original games...".
We publish games monthly as part of the 52 Pickup zine series, the 34 number is the (current as of Jan 2026) number of mainline issues there are.
Hey that's easy, 34 means 34 game zines!
Well not quite... 🧵1/5
#boardgame #indiegame
We publish games monthly as part of the 52 Pickup zine series, the 34 number is the (current as of Jan 2026) number of mainline issues there are.
Hey that's easy, 34 means 34 game zines!
Well not quite... 🧵1/5
#boardgame #indiegame
Our latest tabletop game just dropped!
‘Nickname’ is a pen and paper social deduction game about giving your friends whacky nicknames and skilfully splitting the room.
The game is available now, FREE for the first month!
patreon.com/posts/52-pickup-issue-149542022
#boardgame #indiegame #tabletop
‘Nickname’ is a pen and paper social deduction game about giving your friends whacky nicknames and skilfully splitting the room.
The game is available now, FREE for the first month!
patreon.com/posts/52-pickup-issue-149542022
#boardgame #indiegame #tabletop
January 31, 2026 at 8:46 PM
Our latest tabletop game just dropped!
‘Nickname’ is a pen and paper social deduction game about giving your friends whacky nicknames and skilfully splitting the room.
The game is available now, FREE for the first month!
patreon.com/posts/52-pickup-issue-149542022
#boardgame #indiegame #tabletop
‘Nickname’ is a pen and paper social deduction game about giving your friends whacky nicknames and skilfully splitting the room.
The game is available now, FREE for the first month!
patreon.com/posts/52-pickup-issue-149542022
#boardgame #indiegame #tabletop
First game done! Only lost by 1 point after being tied going into the last round, I'm assured this is a close game
#tabletop #aos #miniatures
#tabletop #aos #miniatures
January 29, 2026 at 12:48 AM
First game done! Only lost by 1 point after being tied going into the last round, I'm assured this is a close game
#tabletop #aos #miniatures
#tabletop #aos #miniatures
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
January 21, 2026 at 2:15 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
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
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
Doing some model building tonight
January 15, 2026 at 10:12 AM
Doing some model building tonight
January 14, 2026 at 10:40 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
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
thinking about it, this guillotine has been one of the most useful things we've gotten. Many a time making zines behind the stall just before we run out of one of the games
January 8, 2026 at 11:39 AM
thinking about it, this guillotine has been one of the most useful things we've gotten. Many a time making zines behind the stall just before we run out of one of the games
Been playing Cryptmaster at the moment, really enjoying the unique range of letter based mechanisms, maybe one them could be expanded out into a board game!
January 7, 2026 at 10:57 AM
Been playing Cryptmaster at the moment, really enjoying the unique range of letter based mechanisms, maybe one them could be expanded out into a board game!
What good is a roll and write without a great sheet to fill out! Some nice feature include:
- A cute area to draw your ship's flag
- An amazing map to track what port your tavern is docked at
- A little box (or chest) to see how much gold you have
Download for free below!
#sologame #rollandwrite
- A cute area to draw your ship's flag
- An amazing map to track what port your tavern is docked at
- A little box (or chest) to see how much gold you have
Download for free below!
#sologame #rollandwrite
January 6, 2026 at 10:19 AM
What good is a roll and write without a great sheet to fill out! Some nice feature include:
- A cute area to draw your ship's flag
- An amazing map to track what port your tavern is docked at
- A little box (or chest) to see how much gold you have
Download for free below!
#sologame #rollandwrite
- A cute area to draw your ship's flag
- An amazing map to track what port your tavern is docked at
- A little box (or chest) to see how much gold you have
Download for free below!
#sologame #rollandwrite
Picked up a second hand book of games today. Originally printed in the 1940s (this one’s a reprint from the 80s), the interesting thing about this one as it also includes strategies alongside the rules of each game.
#book #boardgame #secondhand
#book #boardgame #secondhand
January 5, 2026 at 8:42 AM
Picked up a second hand book of games today. Originally printed in the 1940s (this one’s a reprint from the 80s), the interesting thing about this one as it also includes strategies alongside the rules of each game.
#book #boardgame #secondhand
#book #boardgame #secondhand
