What Plaid Hat Games does

Plaid Hat Games, Inc. is a privately held, independent tabletop board game publisher founded in 2009 and headquartered in Ashland, Ohio, with 1–10 employees. The company designs, develops, and sells thematic narrative board games and accessories under its own brand, organized around four franchise pillars: the Crossroads Game series (Forgotten Waters, Freelancers, Wandering Galaxy, Familiar Tales), which pairs physical components with browser-based companion apps that deliver fully voiced, professionally narrated branching scenarios; the Ashes card-battler line (Ashes Ascendancy, Ashes Reborn), supported by a Print on Demand card fulfillment system through partner Forgefire; Summoner Wars Second Edition, a fully expandable tactical card dueling game paired with a cross-platform digital version (Summoner Wars Online on iOS, Android, and browser); and standalone titles including Quirky Circuits (cooperative robot programming), Specter Ops (stealth deduction), Hickory Dickory (worker rotation), and Abomination: The Heir of Frankenstein.

Revenue is generated through a mix of channels and mechanisms. Direct-to-consumer physical game and accessory sales flow through the plaidhatgames.com web store with free shipping on US orders of $75 or more. Hobby retail is served via primary distributor Asmodee North America (with secondary ACD Distribution), and the company also distributes through Barnes & Noble and independent hobby retailers. Recurring revenue comes from two Summoner Wars subscriptions ($2.95/month digital access and a $29.95-per-release physical faction-deck subscription, four releases per year, with Team Covenant as a fulfillment partner). Major product launches are run as Kickstarter campaigns with late-pledge options.

The customer base is primarily consumers in the tabletop hobby segment across the US, UK, Australia, and Canada, supplemented by a secondary B2B layer of retailers and reviewers. The company has accumulated multiple industry recognitions, including Golden Geek Best Thematic Game (Forgotten Waters, 2020), Best Thematic Game of 2023 (Freelancers), and Dice Tower Seal of Excellence, Game of the Year, and Most Immersive Game (Wandering Galaxy, 2025).

Name

Plaid Hat Games

Legal name

Plaid Hat Games, Inc.

Website

https://plaidhatgames.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Plaid Hat Games is a privately held tabletop publisher founded in 2009 in Ashland, Ohio, that designs and sells thematic narrative board games—including the Crossroads Game series, Ashes, and Summoner Wars—through its DTC store, Kickstarter, and Asmodee-led retail distribution, serving hobby gaming consumers in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tabletop Board Games

NAICS

Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (459120), Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (339930)

SIC

Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945), Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)

akta.pro primary industry

Board Game & Puzzle Specialty Retailers (CRALALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hobby Games & Miniatures Retail (Tabletop RPGs, Wargaming) (CRALAFAH), Miniature Gaming Accessories (Dice, Mats, Tokens, Measuring Tools) (CRALAKAL), Board Game Accessories & Components Retail (Sleeves, Dice, Tokens, Inserts) (CRALALAI)

Keywords

• Tabletop board games
• Thematic card games
• Companion app games
• Cooperative board games
• Hobby game publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Ashland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Physical Board Game Sales: Direct sales of physical board games through plaidhatgames.com store and hobby retail distribution. Products include core games, expansions, accessories, and replacement parts.
2. Summoner Wars Online Subscriptions: $2.95/month subscription for access to all factions on Summoner Wars Online digital platform. Non-subscribers limited to 2 concurrent games, subscribers can have 12.
3. Summoner Wars Full Subscription: $29.95 per release (4x/year) subscription for physical faction decks mailed to subscribers plus digital app access.
4. Ashes Print on Demand: Print on Demand system through Forgefire partner for Ashes card game products. Players order custom decks printed and shipped directly.
5. Digital Downloadable Content: DLC packs for games like Forgotten Waters DLC 1: Kraken's Eye ($9.95) with new scenarios and events.
6. Media Kits and Press Materials: Downloadable press kits available for media and reviewers featuring game assets and promotional materials.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Plaid Hat Games designs, publishes, and sells physical thematic tabletop board games and card games, including the Crossroads Game series with companion apps for narrated storytelling, the Ashes card battler franchise, and the Summoner Wars tactical card dueling system. The company sells direct-to-consumer via its web store, distributes through Asmodee North America to hobby retailers, and runs Kickstarter campaigns for major releases.

Product overview

Plaid Hat Games is a tabletop board game publisher specializing in thematic, narrative-driven games. The portfolio consists of multiple product lines including the Crossroads Game series (Forgotten Waters, Freelancers, Wandering Galaxy, Familiar Tales) featuring companion apps for narrated storytelling experiences; the Ashes franchise offering competitive card battler gameplay with dice-based magic systems; Summoner Wars tactical card dueling game with both physical products and online digital platform; and standalone titles like Quirky Circuits (cooperative robot programming), Specter Ops (stealth deduction), and Hickory Dickory (worker rotation). The company also produces expansion content, replenishment supplies, premium accessories, and subscription services for digital and physical game access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Forgotten Waters App-assisted pirate adventure Crossroads Game for 3-7 players where players take on roles of pirates sailing together, attempting personal stories and common goals through fully-narrated scenarios with hundreds of crossroads moments and 30+ explorable locations.
• Freelancers: A Crossroads Game Fantasy RPG campaign condensed into a single night, combining species and job choices to create unique characters across five replayable quests with app-narrated storytelling.
• Wandering Galaxy: A Crossroads Game Narrative science fiction game for 1-6 players, ages 14+, 60-120 minutes, where players take on roles of hopeful spacers commanding a beat-up starship with three different campaigns and a browser-based companion app.
• Familiar Tales Cooperative deck-building fantasy adventure for 1-4 players, ages 8+, 45+ minutes, where players take on roles of wizard's familiars entrusted with saving and raising a displaced princess through a decade-spanning narrative.
• Ashes Ascendancy Card battler where players select a Phoenixborn (magic-wielding demigod) and deck of cards, using custom dice as magic source. Supports head-to-head, solo, and cooperative play against Dragonborn.
• Summoner Wars Online Browser, iOS, and Android digital platform for playing Summoner Wars fantasy battlefield combat card game online with other players, featuring tutorial, free deck for new players, deck builder, single-player campaigns, and online multiplayer matching.
• Summoner Wars Second Edition Fully expandable tactical dueling card game where players summon units, outmaneuver opponents, and cut down enemy summoners. Available in updated versions of beloved factions plus new factions.
• Quirky Circuits Cooperative robot programming game for 2-4 players, ages 7+, 15-30 minutes, where players contribute to programming an adorable robo-friend without knowing others' commands, completing tasks before battery runs out.
• Specter Ops Stealth deduction game where A.R.K. agents infiltrate Raxxon facilities while evading genetically enhanced hunters, featuring multiple agents, hidden movement mechanics, and equipment cards. Multiple game modes for 2-5 players.
• Hickory Dickory Worker rotation game where teams of mice compete in a royal scavenger hunt inside a cuckoo clock, riding the minute hand and collecting tiles.
• Abomination: The Heir of Frankenstein Thematic board game set 20 years after Dr. Frankenstein's demise where players continue his legacy by unlocking the mystery of life.
• Ashes Ascendancy Starter Set Starter set containing two Phoenixborn decks, one Dragon Board, 149 tokens, and 6 reference cards. Entry point for Ashes with everything needed for head-to-head or solo/co-op play.
• Summoner Wars Online Subscription $2.95/month subscription providing access to Summoner Wars Online on all connected devices, including all factions and cards. Subscribers can have 12 concurrent games vs. 2 for non-subscribers.
• Summoner Wars Second Edition Full Subscription $29.95 per release subscription delivering 2 faction decks four times per year by mail, includes digital access to Summoner Wars Online. Shipping included for contiguous US.

Quantifiable outcome

• Forgotten Waters won 2020 Best Thematic Game and Golden Geek Awards
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Nazca GamescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-publishing partnership for Specter Ops: Shadow of Babel. Nazca Games and Plaid Hat Games jointly published this stealth deduction game.
• Asmodee North AmericacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary retail distribution partner for Plaid Hat Games products in North America. All retail orders must be placed through Asmodee (ANA) or ACD. Previously used Alliance Distribution.
• ForgefirecoreTechnology or IntegrationPrint on Demand partner for Ashes card game products. Forgefire prints custom decks for Plaid Hat Games' AshesDB POD system, ensuring cards never go out of print.
• ACD DistributionminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSecondary distribution option for Plaid Hat Games retail orders alongside Asmodee North America.
• Barnes & NobleminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor retail chain partner for game sales and pre-orders, particularly for Quirky Circuits and other products.
• Team CovenantminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSubscription partner for Ashes Reborn products. Provides expansion products every three months through subscription model.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Greater Than Games: Independent publisher behind Spirit Island and Sentinel Comics. Comparable as a small-to-mid indie publisher serving dedicated hobby gamers through retail and direct channels.
• Chip Theory Games: Premium hobby publisher (Too Many Bones, Frosthaven components). Comparable on premium price points, enthusiast customer base, and direct-to-consumer emphasis.
• Stonemaier Games: Independent thematic/hobby board game publisher known for Wingspan, Scythe, and Tapestry. Closely comparable in size, product category (thematic strategy/euro games), Kickstarter-driven launches, and direct-to-consumer plus retail distribution model.
• Cryptozoic Entertainment: Hobby game publisher producing card games and licensed tabletop products with retail and Kickstarter channels. Overlaps with Plaid Hat in collectible card games and hobby retail distribution.
• Leder Games: Publisher of Root, Vast, and Oath - thematic hobby games sold via retail and direct channels. Comparable in scope (small team, premium thematic catalog) and customer overlap (dedicated hobby gamers).
• Restoration Games: Indie publisher focused on reprints and reinventions of classic games (Return to Dark Tower, Thunder Road). Comparable in team size, premium hobby positioning, and Kickstarter-plus-retail distribution.
• CMON: Multi-brand hobby game publisher with strong Kickstarter presence (Zombicide, Marvel United, Bloodborne). Direct competitor in the miniatures/hobby tabletop category with broader catalog and bigger marketing budget.
• Awaken Realms: Polish tabletop publisher (Tainted Grail, ISS Vanguard, Nemesis) known for large-scale Kickstarter campaigns. Comparable on crowdfunding-first launches and premium thematic positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Asmodee: Global tabletop games conglomerate and Plaid Hat's primary North American distributor. Comparable end-market (board games, hobby) but operates as a broad incumbent across publishing, distribution, and digital.
• Fantasy Flight Games: Established hobby publisher (Star Wars, Arkham Horror, Lord of the Rings LCG) owned by Asmodee. Comparable catalog breadth and distribution relationship (both route through Asmodee NA), but vastly larger scale and IP licensing orientation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

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 Plaid Hat Games