What Capstone Games does

Capstone Games is a privately held publisher of modern board games founded in 2015 and headquartered at 2 Techview Drive in Cincinnati, Ohio, operating with a small team of 1-10 employees. The company builds and curates a catalog of 138+ physical board game products spanning strategy titles such as Ark Nova, Terra Mystica, Gaia Project, and Pirates of Maracaibo; family games including Savannah Park, Juicy Fruits, and Butterfly Garden; two-player titles like Watergate and Curious Cargo; and a growing line of expansions and accessories (e.g., Phantom Sleeves). Core products are analog and self-contained, with no software platform, API, or digital components disclosed in the company's material.

Capstone monetizes through one-time unit sales of base games (priced roughly $45-$100) and expansions (typically $5-$50), distributed across three channels: direct-to-consumer e-commerce with free U.S. shipping over $99, a flagship retail store in Cincinnati that also serves as a community gaming space, and wholesale to more than 96 retail partners worldwide with retailer-friendly terms such as 50% off MSRP, free shipping over $100, and no case minimums. A secondary revenue stream, the Capstone+ membership priced at $20/year, provides a 20% discount on all purchases, members-only flash sales, and early product announcements, introducing modest recurring revenue.

The company primarily serves families and board game enthusiasts seeking screen-free, strategy-rich social entertainment, with casual gamers and tabletop retailers as secondary segments. Marketing relies on organic social channels (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram), a Discord community, an email newsletter, and in-person events hosted at the Cincinnati store.

Name

Capstone Games

Legal name

Capstone Games

Website

https://capstone-games.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Capstone Games is a Cincinnati-based publisher of modern board games, selling a 138-SKU catalog of strategy, family, and two-player titles plus expansions to hobbyists and families via direct-to-consumer e-commerce, a Cincinnati retail store, and 96+ wholesale partners worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Board Game Sales: One-time sales of physical board games and expansions through e-commerce, retail store, and wholesale channels. Products range from base games ($45-$220) to expansions ($5-$50) and accessories.
2. Capstone+ Membership: Annual subscription membership offering 20% off all purchases including sale items, plus exclusive access to members-only flash sales and early product announcements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Capstone Games publishes and sells modern physical board games spanning strategy, family, and two-player categories. Its catalog of 138+ products includes flagship titles such as Ark Nova, Terra Mystica, Gaia Project, Pagan: Fate of Roanoke, and Wandering Towers, along with numerous expansions and accessories. The company distributes products directly to consumers via its e-commerce storefront and Cincinnati retail store, and wholesale to 96+ retail partners worldwide.

Product overview

Capstone Games is a publisher of modern board games featuring rich, evolving gameplay that brings friends and family together. The portfolio includes a diverse range of strategy games spanning multiple categories: core titles like Ark Nova (zoo management), Terra Mystica/Gaia Project (sci-fi strategy), Pagan: Fate of Roanoke (asymmetric dueling), Wandering Towers (family racing game), Galileo Galilei (astronomy), and Pirates of Maracaibo (Caribbean adventure); family games like Savannah Park, Up or Down?, and Butterfly Garden; and numerous expansions for these titles. The company also offers the Capstone+ membership subscription for 20% off all purchases, Phantom Sleeves accessories, and operates a brick-and-mortar retail store in Cincinnati, Ohio. Their games support 1-10+ players with playtimes ranging from 15 minutes to 4+ hours.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Capstone+ Membership: A membership program offering 20% off all purchases, exclusive access to flash sales, and a private newsletter featuring early product announcements.

Products and services

• Ark Nova A strategy board game in which players plan and design a modern, scientifically managed zoo, with the goal of owning the most successful zoological establishment.
• Terra Mystica A peaceful strategy board game in which players guide one of 14 different factions across seven distinct landscapes, developing their home environments.
• Gaia Project Sci-fi strategy board game and follow-up to Terra Mystica in which players expand, research, upgrade, and settle the galaxy with one of 14 factions.
• Pagan: Fate of Roanoke An asymmetric dueling card game where players take on the roles of Witch and Witch Hunter in colonial Roanoke.
• Wandering Towers A family board game in which wizards race to Ravenskeep, discovering spells and encountering enchanted locations along the way.
• Pirates of Maracaibo An adventure card game in which players raid the Caribbean as privateers seeking fame and treasure.
• Galileo Galilei A Euro-style astronomy board game in which players take on the role of astronomers discovering new celestial phenomena in the 16th century.
• Sanctuary A zoo-building board game where players use 135 unique zoo tiles to construct a modern, scientifically managed zoo focused on conservation goals.
• Watergate A two-player asymmetric card game depicting the Watergate scandal, pitting the Nixon Administration against Journalists.
• Ark Nova: Marine Worlds An expansion for Ark Nova that introduces sea animals, aquariums, a new University board, and additional game mechanics.
• Terra Mystica: Big Box A comprehensive edition of Terra Mystica featuring all expansions and content in a single box.
• Galileo Galilei – Luna An expansion for Galileo Galilei that adds the Moon board, 4 new historical figures, and Grand Inquisitors with a new scoring mechanic.
• Pirates of Maracaibo: Bermuda Triangle An expansion for Pirates of Maracaibo that adds a treasure hunt module in which players race to find the most valuable treasure in the Bermuda Triangle.
• Up or Down? A fast-paced card game for 2-6 players in which they build ascending and descending columns of cards to score points.
• Savannah Park A tile-laying board game in which players create wildlife preserves in one of Africa's natural paradises.
• Orléans A medieval-themed bag-building board game where players assemble followers of farmers, merchants, knights, and monks to compete for supremacy through trade and science.
• Capstone+ Membership An annual subscription membership program offering 20% off all purchases including sale items, plus exclusive access to members-only flash sales and early product announcements.
• Capstone Gift Card Digital gift cards available in $25, $50, $100, and $200 denominations, valid for online purchases only.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Feuerland Spiele: German publisher of Terra Mystica, Gaia Project, and Age of Innovation — many of the very IPs Capstone distributes in English. Direct comparable in Euro/strategy genre and is also a licensor/supplier relationship for Capstone.
• Leder Games: US publisher of premium hobby games such as Root, Oath, and Arnak. Comparable in targeting serious hobbyists with higher-ASP titles, layered strategy, and ongoing expansion support.
• CMON: Publisher of hobby strategy and miniatures games (Zombicide, Marvel United, Bloodborne) often launched via Kickstarter. Comparable product category (premium hobby titles with expansions), though tilted more toward miniatures/IP.
• Stonemaier Games: Independent US publisher of premium strategy/Euros such as Wingspan, Scythe, and Tapestry. Closely comparable to Capstone in product mix (strategy/Euros with paid expansions), pricing band, and DTC-plus-retail distribution model.
• Portal Games: Polish publisher of strategy/Euros such as Imperial Settlers, Detective, and Hansa Teutonica. Similar Euro/strategy focus and international distribution via hobby retail.

Broad incumbents

• Asmodee: Global board game conglomerate owning Catan, Ticket to Ride, 7 Wonders, and many other hobby brands. Competes for the same hobby shelf space at retail and on BGG rankings but at vastly greater scale and portfolio breadth.
• Z-Man Games: Subsidiary of Asmodee publishing titles like Pandemic, Carcassonne, and Love Letter. Broad hobby portfolio that overlaps with Capstone's casual/family range but at much larger scale.
• Days of Wonder: Asmodee-owned publisher of premium hobby titles such as Ticket to Ride, Memoir '44, and Small World. Overlaps with Capstone on hobby strategy depth but distributed globally through Asmodee's network.

Emerging players

• Awaken Realms: Polish Kickstarter-driven publisher of premium strategy and narrative games (Tainted Grail, Etherfields, The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-earth). Comparable in premium-Euro positioning and Kickstarter-to-retail pipeline, though heavier reliance on crowdfunding.

Regional players

• Devir Games: Spanish/Latin American publisher with strong Euro portfolio (Istanbul, Las Vegas, The Search for Planet X). Comparable strategy genre, with stronger regional distribution footprint in Iberia and Latin America than Capstone.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/capstone_games
• Facebookfacebook.com/capstonegames
• Instagraminstagram.com/capstone_games
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/capstone-games-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Capstone Games