Roseville's role in the board game realm

ROSEVILLE, Minn. (FOX 9) - There are plenty of businesses and landmarks that put the City of Roseville on the map. Besides a world-class ice skating oval and a thriving mall, the city is also home to offices for the North American headquarters for one of the biggest board game publishers in the world.

Home of a board game empire

Local perspective:

Asmodee puts out fan favorites including "Ticket to Ride" and "Catan." Their game catalog also includes games inspired by huge franchises, such as "Star Wars.'

"Star Wars Unlimited" is one of the latest releases from the minds at Fantasy Flight Games. They're one of the many board game developers owned by Asmodee.

Danny Schaefer is one of the design leads at Fantasy Flight. He’s spent countless hours designing the trading card game.  

"I originally pitched the idea in June of 2020, and it only released in March of 2024. So, from the original vision of the game to actually getting it in stores and into players' hands was almost four years," Schaefer explained. 

Schaefer turned his board game hobby into a full-time career right out of college. Ten years in, and he still gets a kick watching a game go from an idea to the table. 

"It's a really fun job. I think the most fun part is just an opportunity to, to be creative in a, a playful way. At the end of the day, the result of your creativity is getting to watch people play the game," Schaefer said. 

Asmodee expands their reach 

Dig deeper:

The world of board games is about as expansive as the far reaches of outer space, and Asmodee is at the center of the board gaming universe. Their game catalog includes more than 3,000 titles.

"We’re probably the third-biggest game company in the U.S., and the third-biggest company you've never heard of. So we are somewhat under the radar," explained Julien Sharp, Asmodee’s general manager for the U.S. division. 

Each year, Asmodee releases 800 new games. Board game concepts range from high-intensity strategy, to casual games for the whole family. If you browse the shelves, odds are you'll find something for any gaming group. 

Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, many families dusted off their board game collection in 2020, sparking a renewed interest in the hobby, and it's stuck.

"A lot more people got exposed to games. And I think that that has kept the interest alive. Even if people are not playing them nonstop every day, holed up in their homes, they're realizing that, wow, these are this is a great pastime," Sharp said.  

Where to game 

What you can do:

So next time you want to be transported to a galaxy far, far away, you don't have to travel far to find it. 

Right across the parking lot from Asmodee’s offices in Roseville, you’ll find a board game café called the Gamezenter. The space has tables for open gaming, and hosts regular organized gaming events. 

To learn more about their ongoing events, click here.