Worthington Publishing
Worthington Publishing is a Virginia Beach-based independent board game publisher, founded in 2004, that designs and sells strategy, euro, and historical wargames through direct e-commerce, Kickstarter campaigns, and international distributors to dedicated hobbyist and military-history enthusiast consumers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersVirginia Beach, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Worthington Publishing does
Worthington Publishing is a Virginia Beach, Virginia-based board game publisher founded in 2004 that designs, develops, and sells strategy, euro, and historical wargames under three operating brands: Worthington Games, Old School Wargames, and Pungo Games. The company has produced more than 50 titles spanning Ancient Rome through the Cold War, organized into series such as the Civil War Brigade Battle Series (brigade-level hex-and-counter), the Band of Brothers series (squad-level WWII), the Holdfast series (WWII tactical), the Hold the Line series (grand tactical), and a Solitaire/Bookgame line, alongside a travel-games sub-line. Its technology stack is intentionally lightweight: physical production is paired with free third-party Vassal engine modules for virtual play and a Google Drive library of downloadable rules, scenarios, and clarifications.
The business model is direct-to-consumer and event-driven. Worthington sells through its own Squarespace-hosted e-commerce storefront, runs time-limited Kickstarter campaigns to pre-sell and finance new productions (e.g., RUSSIA '41, GERMANY '45, and a BATTLE OF THE BULGE 1944 reprint campaign), and distributes internationally through country-specific partners including Asmodee UK, multiple German distributors, Hexasim (France), El Viejo Tercio (Spain), and Board Game Bliss (Canada). Pricing is one-time perpetual, ranging from approximately $27 for travel-sized titles to $175+ for deluxe editions and bundle specials, with digital gift cards ($25–$100) supporting gifting. The company is privately held by its four founders (Grant Wylie, Mike Wylie, Sean Cooke, Mark Wylie) and self-funded, with no external investment identified in the source data.
Its target customer is the dedicated historical-wargaming and strategy-board-game hobbyist, alongside adjacent personas including military-history enthusiasts, competitive wargamers, and gift purchasers; it does not serve enterprise or institutional customers. The company's stated value proposition emphasizes premium physical components, historically researched designs, and solo-play support — distinguishing it from mass-market hobby publishers while keeping the addressable market narrow by design.
Worthington Publishing firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Worthington Publishing
- Legal name
- Worthington Publishing
- Website
- https://worthingtonpublishing.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Worthington Publishing is a Virginia Beach-based independent board game publisher, founded in 2004, that designs and sells strategy, euro, and historical wargames through direct e-commerce, Kickstarter campaigns, and international distributors to dedicated hobbyist and military-history enthusiast consumers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Worthington Publishing industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Tabletop Board Games
- NAICS
- Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (339930)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wargames & Historical Board Games Retail (CRALALAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Hobby Games & Miniatures Retail (Tabletop RPGs, Wargaming) (CRALAFAH)
Keywords
Where Worthington Publishing is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Virginia Beach
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Worthington Publishing business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Physical Board Game Sales: One-time purchase of physical board games sold directly through the company website and through international distribution partners. Games range from travel-size titles to large deluxe editions with extensive components.
- Digital Gift Cards: Digital gift cards available in $25, $50, $75, and $100 denominations allowing recipients to purchase any in-stock game from the catalog.
- Kickstarter Crowdfunding Pre-orders: Campaign-based pre-orders for new game productions, typically with limited-time availability and exclusive pledge tiers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Digital Gift Cards |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Louisbourg Double Sized Neoprene Map |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Louisbourg 1758 Board Game |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Wilderness: May 5-6, 1864 Board Game |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Seven Days Battles 1862 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | South Mountain 1862 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Tarawa 1943 Solitaire Travel Game |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Gettysburg Solitaire Board Game |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Lands of the Mesozoic |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Big Time Boxing |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Big Time Hockey |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Midway Solitaire |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Pacific War 1942 2nd Edition |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Louisbourg 1758 PLUS Double Sized Neoprene Special |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Texas Arrows Deluxe Edition |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Worthington Publishing product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Worthington Publishing is a privately held board game publisher specializing in components, design, and development of strategy, euro, and war book games. Since 2004, the company has produced over 50 titles across multiple sub-brands and series, including the Hold the Line Series (grand tactical games), Civil War Brigade Battle Series (brigade-level hex-and-counter wargames), Holdfast Series (WWII tactical games), Band of Brothers Series (squad-level WWII combat), and Solitaire/Bookgame Series. Their portfolio spans historical periods from ancient Rome through World War II and includes downloadable Vassal engine modules for virtual play, neoprene gaming mats, and extensive game rules and scenario downloads.
Product overview
Worthington Publishing is a board game publisher specializing in strategy, euro, and wargames that has been in business since 2004. The company produces over 50 products across multiple sub-brands and series, including the Hold the Line Series (grand tactical games), Civil War Brigade Battle Series (brigade-level hex-and-counter wargames), Holdfast Series (WWII tactical games), Band of Brothers Series (squad-level WWII combat), and Solitaire/Bookgame Series. Their portfolio spans historical periods from ancient Rome (Hold the Line: Hannibal) through World War II, the French Revolution, the American Civil War, and into space (Imperial Stars II Legacy). The company also offers complementary products including downloadable Vassal modules for virtual play, neoprene gaming mats, and extensive game rules and scenario downloads. Products range from compact travel games under $30 to large-format deluxe editions featuring mounted game boards and premium components.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Worthington Games: Primary brand for strategy, euro, and wargames including Hold the Line series, Civil War Brigade series, Band of Brothers series, and Holdfast series
- Old School Wargames
- Pungo Games
Products and services
- Louisbourg 1758 Two-player strategy game on the 1758 campaign to take the French fortress of Louisbourg during the French and Indian War, featuring wooden blocks, cards, and operational gameplay.
- Crusader Kingdoms Deluxe Game for 1-4 players set during the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Crusades where players control Christian or Muslim kingdoms, featuring cooperative, competitive, and solitaire gameplay with card decks and castle pieces.
- Gettysburg 1863 Volume IV in the Civil War Brigade Battle Series, featuring the largest mounted game board ever created by Worthington (34" x 44" combined), large 3/4" counters, and 6 scenarios covering the Battle of Gettysburg.
- Wilderness: May 5-6, 1864 Volume VII in the Civil War Brigade Battle Series depicting the first battle between Grant and Lee, with 5 scenarios and a hard mounted board designed with large counters. Sold at $120.00.
- Seven Days Battles 1862 Volume III in the Civil War Brigade Battle Series covering the 1862 Seven Days Battles outside Richmond, VA, with 8 scenarios across 4 separate battles. Sold at $85.00.
- South Mountain 1862 Volume VI in the Civil War Brigade Battle Series covering the Battle of South Mountain in 2-3 hours with brigade-level detail. Sold at $65.00.
- Franklin 1864 Volume V in the Civil War Brigade Battle Series covering the Battles of Spring Hill and Franklin in Hood's Tennessee Campaign, playable in 2 hours for 1-2 players.
- Hold the Line: Hannibal Grand tactical two-player game covering 10 battles of the Punic Wars including Cannae and Zama, featuring innovative facing and formation mechanics with over 30 historical leaders.
- Guns of August Deluxe Deluxe edition of the WWI game simulating the first three months of the war in the West with chit-pull activation and corps/division-level units in 9-mile hexes.
- Blood of Lions: The Somme WWI solitaire wargame depicting British 4th Army actions during July at the Battle of the Somme, using dice, cards, and command point mechanics.
- Take Cover! Fast-playing WWII card game for two players featuring German vs. Russian squad combat, playable in one hour with only 2 pages of rules and 72 cards.
- Gettysburg Solitaire Board Game Boxed full-size board game version of the popular Solitaire BookGame, covering the Confederate army at Gettysburg on July 1st and 2nd with a hardmounted double-sided gameboard. Sold at $59.00.
- French & Indian War Solitaire Travel Game Solitaire game allowing players to command French or British forces in the war for North America, featuring regional militia and Indian allies as new gameplay concepts.
- Imperial Stars II Legacy Deluxified Chris Taylor 4X space combat game including all expansions, featuring exploration, colonization, and combat for two players in under 2 hours.
- Lands of the Mesozoic Tableau building game for 1-4 players where players create and manage Mesozoic ecosystems using land, herbivore, and carnivore cards across Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods. Sold at $70.00.
- Band of Brothers: Stalin's Favorite East Front tactical battles game covering the 2nd Guards Tank Army from 1943-1945, featuring 16 new scenarios and suppression mechanics.
- Boots on the Ground Deluxe Modern urban warfare game for 1-3 players playable in 30-60 minutes, featuring a card-driven AI bot for solitaire and cooperative play.
- One Hour World War II Strategic level WWII game for 2-5 players playable in one hour, featuring actions and responses with minimal downtime between players.
- Crisis: 1914 Diplomatic brinkmanship game for 1-5 players simulating the July Crisis leading to WWI, featuring prestige, tension, and diplomatic pressure mechanics.
- Bismarck Solitaire Board Game Edition Board game edition of the bestselling Amazon bookgame, commanding German Navy ships Bismarck and Prinz Eugen against the Royal Navy in a sea hunt.
- Waterloo Solitaire Board Game Solitaire boardgame playable in 60 minutes, allowing players to command either Napoleon or Wellington with three difficulty levels for the BOT opponent.
- Big Time Boxing Boxing simulation game featuring realistic punch mechanics, ring positioning, defense, knockout potential, and historical boxing matches. Sold at $40.00.
- Big Time Hockey Card-based hockey simulation with streamlined rules covering skating, passing, saves, penalties, fights, and pulling the goalie. Sold at $27.00.
- Levee En Masse Deluxe Solitaire game covering the Wars of the French Revolution (1789-1802), telling the story through key events and decision points.
- Old Breed South Pacific Band of Brothers system game covering US First Marine Division battles on Guadalcanal and New Britain, featuring version 2.2 series rules.
- Screaming Eagles 3rd Edition Band of Brothers squad-level combat game covering 101st Airborne from D-Day through the Bulge in Europe 1944-45.
- Ghost Panzer Deluxe - 3rd Edition Band of Brothers squad-level combat game covering German 11th Panzer Division in Russia 1941-1944, featuring version 2.2b series rules.
- D-Day 1944 Hex-and-counter wargame on the Battle of D-Day featuring variable objectives, custom dice, and playable by 2 players in 2 hours.
- Archie's War - The Battle for Guadalcanal 1-2 player game covering the Guadalcanal campaign in 1942, featuring diceless combat for 2-player mode and an innovative solitaire system.
- Rommel's War 2-player game covering the first year of the North African desert war (March 1941-January 1942) with diceless combat based on unit strength and type.
- Braveheart Bookgame Bookgame refighting the battles of Bannockburn and Falkirk from the Scottish Wars of Independence.
- Taifa Game for 0-6 players (including solitaire with bots) set in 11th century Iberia during the era of El Cid, featuring card-driven gameplay with Christian and Muslim factions.
- Louisbourg Double Sized Neoprene Map High-quality neoprene gaming mat featuring the printed Louisbourg game board. Sale Price: $70.00 (Original Price: $99.00).
- Louisbourg 1758 PLUS Double Sized Neoprene Special Bundle including the Louisbourg 1758 game plus a 44" x 34" double-sized neoprene game map for enhanced gameplay. Sale Price: $50.00 (Original Price: $175.00).
- Texas Arrows Deluxe Edition Expansion in the Band of Brothers series featuring 12 new scenarios and 36th Infantry Division units with mounted boards. Sold at $45.00.
- Worthington Gift Cards Digital gift cards available in $25, $50, $75, and $100 denominations for purchasing Worthington Publishing games. No physical card mailed; recipient receives a digital code.
Companies that use Worthington Publishing
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Worthington Publishing technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Worthington Publishing partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Board Game BlissminorCanadian distributor for Worthington Publishing games. Located at boardgamebliss.com. Provides local sales and shipping for Canadian customers.
- Hexasim GamesminorFrench distributor for Worthington Publishing games. Available at hexasim.com/en/5-Worthington-Publishing
- Frontdepot GmbHminorGerman distributor for Worthington Publishing games. Available at frontdepot.com
- Brave New World DistributionminorGerman distributor for Worthington Publishing games. Available at bnw-distribution.com
- Udo Grebe GamesminorGerman distributor for Worthington Publishing games. Available at ugg.de
- Gamers HQminorGerman distributor for Worthington Publishing games. Available at gamers-hq.de
- El Viejo TerciominorSpanish distributor for Worthington Publishing games. Available at elviejotercio.com
- Asmodee UKcoreUK distributor for Worthington Publishing games. Asmodee is a major international board game distributor with extensive reach across European markets.
- Second Chance GamesminorUK distributor for Worthington Publishing games. Available at secondchancegames.com
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Worthington Publishing competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Decision Games: Decision Games publishes Strategy & Tactics magazine and a catalog of historical wargames, overlapping directly with Worthington's hex-and-counter and historical-simulation focus.
- Dan Verssen Games (DVG): DVG designs and publishes card-driven and deck-building wargames for the hobby market, with a similar focus on solo and two-player historical conflict games as Worthington.
- Academy Games: Academy Games produces historical strategy and conflict-themed board games for the hobby market, comparable to Worthington's series-based approach to historical themes such as the Civil War and World War II.
- Multi-Man Publishing: Multi-Man Publishing specializes in tactical squad-level wargames including the iconic Squad Leader series, directly comparable to Worthington's Band of Brothers tactical combat line.
- Columbia Games: Columbia Games is a long-standing block-wargame publisher with a similar hobby-wargamer focus and historical subject matter, making it directly comparable in catalog style.
- Lock 'n Load Publishing: Lock 'n Load Publishing produces tactical wargames and is a comparable peer in the hobby wargame segment, sharing a similar two-player tactical focus and Kickstarter-driven release cadence.
- Compass Games: Compass Games publishes a wide range of operational and tactical wargames, positioning it as a close peer to Worthington in scale and target customer (dedicated hobby wargamers).
- GMT Games: GMT Games is a leading hobby wargame publisher with a similar Kickstarter-driven model and deep catalog of historical strategy games, making it the most direct comparable to Worthington Publishing in product scope and GTM approach.
Broad incumbents
- Asmodee: Asmodee is the largest global hobby games publisher and distributor — and notably Worthington's UK distribution partner via Asmodee UK. It is a broad incumbent that overlaps thematically but operates across many game categories far beyond wargames.
- Avalon Hill (Hasbro): Avalon Hill is the most recognized legacy wargame brand (now under Hasbro), historically dominating the hex-and-counter wargame category. It is a broad incumbent that shares wargame subject matter but operates at significantly larger scale and broader retail reach.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Worthington Publishing social profiles
Digital presenceWorthington Publishing financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Worthington Publishing leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Worthington Publishing funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Worthington Publishing M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Worthington Publishing
What does Worthington Publishing do?
Worthington Publishing is a privately held board game publisher specializing in components, design, and development of strategy, euro, and war book games. Since 2004, the company has produced over 50 titles across multiple sub-brands and series, including the Hold the Line Series (grand tactical games), Civil War Brigade Battle Series (brigade-level hex-and-counter wargames), Holdfast Series (WWII tactical games), Band of Brothers Series (squad-level WWII combat), and Solitaire/Bookgame Series. Their portfolio spans historical periods from ancient Rome through World War II and includes downloadable Vassal engine modules for virtual play, neoprene gaming mats, and extensive game rules and scenario downloads.
Is Worthington Publishing a public or private company?
Worthington Publishing is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Worthington Publishing founded?
Worthington Publishing was founded in 2004. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Worthington Publishing based?
Worthington Publishing is headquartered in Virginia Beach, United States, in the North America region.
How does Worthington Publishing make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Physical Board Game Sales are the primary driver. The others are digital Gift Cards and kickstarter Crowdfunding Pre-orders.
Who are Worthington Publishing's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Decision Games, Dan Verssen Games (DVG), Academy Games, Multi-Man Publishing, Columbia Games, Lock 'n Load Publishing, Compass Games and GMT Games. Broad incumbents are Asmodee and Avalon Hill (Hasbro).
Does Worthington Publishing have an API?
No public API is recorded for Worthington Publishing.
What industry is Worthington Publishing in?
Worthington Publishing's product category is Tabletop Board Games. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALALAD, Wargames & Historical Board Games Retail, with a secondary code of CRALAFAH, Hobby Games & Miniatures Retail (Tabletop RPGs, Wargaming). Its NAICS code is 339930 and its SIC code is 2741.