BGA Game licenses - Revision history

Thoun: /* I want to make my prototype/unpublished game available on BGA */

2026-07-22T13:47:06Z

I want to make my prototype/unpublished game available on BGA

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:47, 22 July 2026
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	== I want to make my prototype/unpublished game available on BGA ==		== I want to make my prototype/unpublished game available on BGA ==

	~~This is possible, BUT most of the time, we consider this is a bad idea for the following reasons:~~		We will only make accessible published games that can be bought somewhere, or will be in a near future.
	* if your game has not been published ~~yet, there is certainly a good reason - most of the time there is still some more work to do on the game itself. Publishing a game on BGA~~ that ~~is not 100% finalized won't help you to finalize it.~~
	* as a rule of thumb, ~~popular board games on BGA are games that are popular~~ in ~~the real world. As a consequence prototypes most likely won't get a big audience on BGA.~~
	* we also advise you against developing your own game: games adaptation are better when there is a designer whose focus is on the gameplay and a ~~developer whose focus is on the implementation~~.

	~~So you definitely~~ can ~~develop your prototype/unpublished game~~ on ~~BGA~~, ~~but we encourage you to think twice about~~ it ~~and do~~ it only if you ~~are in one/several of~~ the ~~situations below:~~		Any other games like prototypes, self-published, print-n-play, ... can be coded on the Studio. But on the production side, it will not go further than private alpha, so it will only accessible to friends you invite to the private alpha, not to all BGA players (until it becomes published).
	* the game is going to be published ~~in the near future~~
	* the game design process is ~~really 100% done: the game is ready to be~~ published ~~in its current shape (ex: self-publishing game, game in a crowdfunding process..~~.)		The only exception is popular public domain games, that are by definition not published. If you want to add a public domain game to BGA, please first ask the Studio support so we can consider if the game is popular enough to have its place on BGA.
	* you want to ~~test your~~ game ~~with a big number of players~~ to ~~fine-tune some minor things ("balance" of the game).~~
	~~'''Note :''' Games that can not be bought will not be published at~~ BGA~~. It will not go further than private alpha~~, so ~~you'll only be able~~ to ~~play with your friends~~.

	== What if I really want to develop a particular game that is NOT on the list of "Available licences"? ==		== What if I really want to develop a particular game that is NOT on the list of "Available licences"? ==

Thoun: /* I want to make my prototype/unpublished game available on BGA */

2025-03-04T16:21:01Z

I want to make my prototype/unpublished game available on BGA

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:21, 4 March 2025
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	* the game design process is really 100% done: the game is ready to be published in its current shape (ex: self-publishing game, game in a crowdfunding process...)		* the game design process is really 100% done: the game is ready to be published in its current shape (ex: self-publishing game, game in a crowdfunding process...)
	* you want to test your game with a big number of players to fine-tune some minor things ("balance" of the game).		* you want to test your game with a big number of players to fine-tune some minor things ("balance" of the game).
	'''Note :''' Games ~~with no publisher~~ will not be published at BGA~~, it~~ will not go ~~more~~ than a private alpha~~. This is not a place~~ to ~~advertise prototypes~~.		'''Note :''' Games that can not be bought will not be published at BGA. It will not go further than private alpha, so you'll only be able to play with your friends.

	== What if I really want to develop a particular game that is NOT on the list of "Available licences"? ==		== What if I really want to develop a particular game that is NOT on the list of "Available licences"? ==

Thoun: /* I want to make my prototype/unpublished game available on BGA */

2025-03-04T09:37:00Z

I want to make my prototype/unpublished game available on BGA

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:37, 4 March 2025
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	* the game design process is really 100% done: the game is ready to be published in its current shape (ex: self-publishing game, game in a crowdfunding process...)		* the game design process is really 100% done: the game is ready to be published in its current shape (ex: self-publishing game, game in a crowdfunding process...)
	* you want to test your game with a big number of players to fine-tune some minor things ("balance" of the game).		* you want to test your game with a big number of players to fine-tune some minor things ("balance" of the game).
			'''Note :''' Games with no publisher will not be published at BGA, it will not go more than a private alpha. This is not a place to advertise prototypes.

	== What if I really want to develop a particular game that is NOT on the list of "Available licences"? ==		== What if I really want to develop a particular game that is NOT on the list of "Available licences"? ==

Victoria La: /* What if I really want to develop a particular game that is NOT on the list of "Available licences"? */

2024-05-12T13:17:02Z

What if I really want to develop a particular game that is NOT on the list of "Available licences"?

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:17, 12 May 2024
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	This is the most frequently asked question, so for a detailed answer please follow the white rabbit down these numbered instructions:		This is the most frequently asked question, so for a detailed answer please follow the white rabbit down these numbered instructions:

			=== 0: The game is popular ===

			If the game is already popular (lets say top 1000 on bgg) its likely BGA already contacted them and we don't have a license OR its secretly developed by BGA already, so before you proceed any further check with dev team on forum or discord to see if anybody has more information.

	=== 1: Determine the Publisher ===		=== 1: Determine the Publisher ===

Een: Support page

2022-09-19T11:29:37Z

Support page

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:29, 19 September 2022
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	If NO: you can click on "template email" at the top of the licensing page to display a form that will help you generate an email to send to the publisher to request a new license.		If NO: you can click on "template email" at the top of the licensing page to display a form that will help you generate an email to send to the publisher to request a new license.

	And if you are unsure, please check with us by ~~sending us an email at~~ [~~mailto~~:studio@boardgamearena.com studio~~@boardgamearena.com~~] (it's always a good idea to ask if you are not sure ;) )		And if you are unsure, please check with us by filing a support request from the [https://studio.boardgamearena.com/support studio support page] (it's always a good idea to ask if you are not sure ;) )

	=== 4: Publisher is not in the list ===		=== 4: Publisher is not in the list ===

Victoria La at 23:40, 16 May 2022

2022-05-16T23:40:46Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:40, 17 May 2022
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	== Where can I find a list of games for which a license has already been granted? ==		== Where can I find a list of games for which a license has already been granted? ==

	[~~http~~://~~en.~~studio.boardgamearena.com/#!licensing Check the list of available licenses]		[https://studio.boardgamearena.com/#!licensing Check the list of available licenses]

	(NB: this page is restricted to developers registered in BGA studio. You'll need to enter your BGA studio credentials to access it)		(NB: this page is restricted to developers registered in BGA studio. You'll need to enter your BGA studio credentials to access it)
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	=== 2: Check Publisher Relation with BGA ===		=== 2: Check Publisher Relation with BGA ===

	Read the list of publishers from the [~~http~~://~~en.~~studio.boardgamearena.com/#!licensing Available licenses] page to check if BGA is already working with this publisher.		Read the list of publishers from the [https://studio.boardgamearena.com/#!licensing Available licenses] page to check if BGA is already working with this publisher.

	If YES, proceed to 3.		If YES, proceed to 3.
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	We have never worked with this publisher before.		We have never worked with this publisher before.

	If you have already developed a game on BGA, you can click on "template email" at the top of the licensing page to display a form that will help you generate an email to send to the publisher to request a new license.		If you have already developed a game on BGA, you can click on "template email" at the top of the [https://studio.boardgamearena.com/#!licensing Available licenses page] to display a form that will help you generate an email to send to the publisher to request a new license.

	If this is your first game on BGA, we advise you to start with a game already on the list. Why? Because unfortunately, sometimes developers request a license, and then don't finish the development. When asking for a license, it's better if you have already shown your ability to realise an adaptation.		If this is your first game on BGA, we advise you to start with a game already on the list. Why? Because unfortunately, sometimes developers request a license, and then don't finish the development. When asking for a license, it's better if you have already shown your ability to realise an adaptation.

Victoria La at 23:37, 16 May 2022

2022-05-16T23:37:15Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:37, 17 May 2022
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	Special case #2: if you are the publisher, represent the publisher, or the license owner (i.e. author of unpublished game) please check out https://boardgamearena.com/#!gamepublishers and if you are interested contact us by email! (you can use the email template available on this page).		Special case #2: if you are the publisher, represent the publisher, or the license owner (i.e. author of unpublished game) please check out https://boardgamearena.com/#!gamepublishers and if you are interested contact us by email! (you can use the email template available on this page).


			[[Category:Studio]]

Ufm: /* Wow, I WANT to develop a game on this list! */

2022-03-14T12:25:30Z

Wow, I WANT to develop a game on this list!

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:25, 14 March 2022
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	Also, first thing to do when starting a project of that list is to request the game image files. Sometimes we already have them, sometimes we'll have to ask the publisher. Since it can be a while between the time the publisher grants the license and when a developer starts a project, this contact also allows to check that everything is still ok on the licensing side.		Also, first thing to do when starting a project of that list is to request the game image files. Sometimes we already have them, sometimes we'll have to ask the publisher. Since it can be a while between the time the publisher grants the license and when a developer starts a project, this contact also allows to check that everything is still ok on the licensing side.

	Try establishing a contact with the publisher or designer before developing a new game. To release the implementation as a ~~beta~~ game, the publisher must approve the game during alpha phase. Without publisher support your game will remain ~~in alpha~~ indefinitely.		Try establishing a contact with the publisher or designer before developing a new game. To release the implementation as a public game, the publisher must approve the game during alpha test phase. Without publisher support your game will remain private indefinitely.

	== What needs to be done to add a game on this list? ==		== What needs to be done to add a game on this list? ==

Ufm: /* Wow, I WANT to develop a game on this list! */

2022-03-14T12:24:34Z

Wow, I WANT to develop a game on this list!

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:24, 14 March 2022
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	But before creating a new project, please takes some seconds to check that someone is not already developing this game. If it is the case, maybe you can propose to join the project?		But before creating a new project, please takes some seconds to check that someone is not already developing this game. If it is the case, maybe you can propose to join the project?

	[http://~~en.~~studio.boardgamearena.com/#!projects Check the list of current projects]		[http://studio.boardgamearena.com/projects Check the list of current projects]

	Also, first thing to do when starting a project of that list is to request the game image files. Sometimes we already have them, sometimes we'll have to ask the publisher. Since it can be a while between the time the publisher grants the license and when a developer starts a project, this contact also allows to check that everything is still ok on the licensing side.		Also, first thing to do when starting a project of that list is to request the game image files. Sometimes we already have them, sometimes we'll have to ask the publisher. Since it can be a while between the time the publisher grants the license and when a developer starts a project, this contact also allows to check that everything is still ok on the licensing side.

Ufm: /* Wow, I WANT to develop a game on this list! */

2022-03-14T12:22:29Z

Wow, I WANT to develop a game on this list!

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:22, 14 March 2022
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	Also, first thing to do when starting a project of that list is to request the game image files. Sometimes we already have them, sometimes we'll have to ask the publisher. Since it can be a while between the time the publisher grants the license and when a developer starts a project, this contact also allows to check that everything is still ok on the licensing side.		Also, first thing to do when starting a project of that list is to request the game image files. Sometimes we already have them, sometimes we'll have to ask the publisher. Since it can be a while between the time the publisher grants the license and when a developer starts a project, this contact also allows to check that everything is still ok on the licensing side.

			Try establishing a contact with the publisher or designer before developing a new game. To release the implementation as a beta game, the publisher must approve the game during alpha phase. Without publisher support your game will remain in alpha indefinitely.

	== What needs to be done to add a game on this list? ==		== What needs to be done to add a game on this list? ==