Glass Cannon Unplugged
Glass Cannon Unplugged is a Polish tabletop game studio that adapts influential video game IPs into premium board games, serving Kickstarter backers and hobbyist retailers worldwide through licensed adaptations of Frostpunk, Dying Light, Apex Legends, Don't Starve and Diablo.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersIlawa, Poland
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Glass Cannon Unplugged does
Glass Cannon Unplugged (Sp. z o.o.) is a Polish tabletop game studio, founded in 2019-2020 and headquartered in Iława, Poland, that adapts influential video games into premium physical board games. Its released or announced portfolio includes Frostpunk: The Board Game, Dying Light: The Board Game, Apex Legends: The Board Game, Don't Starve: The Board Game and the upcoming Diablo: The Roleplaying Game. The company's core competency is translating complex video game systems into original tabletop mechanics — examples cited include Exposure systems, Momentum Tracks and Aim Track combat systems — rather than reskinning licensed content, and it complements gameplay with companion mobile applications that carry soundtracks, sound effects, in-game knowledge bases and optional modules. Manufacturing is outsourced to production partners such as Eastar Game Manufacturing, with premium miniatures supplied through Titan Forge (April 2025 partnership), and last-mile distribution handled via regional logistics partners for international fulfillment.
The business model is Kickstarter-led. Each title is funded through a tiered-pledge campaign (observed price tiers ranging from $79 to $599), with late-pledge sales continuing afterward through the company's own webstore pledge manager and eventual wider retail distribution. International reach is a deliberate feature: Frostpunk's English edition filled 12 containers and the European edition filled 7, with less than 1% damage in transit, and stated regional partners cover markets including Korea, Brazil, China and Australia. The company also received a 998,750 PLN (~$250K) EU grant in 2020 to develop an augmented reality companion application. Reported headcount is small (1-10 employees), consistent with a founder-led, asset-light model that concentrates value in IP licensing relationships, design IP and community.
Glass Cannon Unplugged firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Glass Cannon Unplugged
- Legal name
- Glass Cannon Unplugged Sp. z o.o.
- Website
- https://glasscannonunplugged.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Glass Cannon Unplugged is a Polish tabletop game studio that adapts influential video game IPs into premium board games, serving Kickstarter backers and hobbyist retailers worldwide through licensed adaptations of Frostpunk, Dying Light, Apex Legends, Don't Starve and Diablo.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Glass Cannon Unplugged industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Tabletop Board Games
- NAICS
- Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (33993)
- SIC
- Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Miniatures Games & Tabletop Skirmish Games Retail (CRALALAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Hobby Games & Miniatures Retail (Tabletop RPGs, Wargaming) (CRALAFAH), Mobile Game Publishing & App Game Stores (BPAMAKAB)
Keywords
Where Glass Cannon Unplugged is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ilawa
- HQ country
- Poland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Glass Cannon Unplugged 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
- Board Game Sales: One-time sales of physical board games and expansions through Kickstarter campaigns, pledge manager, and retail distribution
- Pledge Manager Late Pledges: Post-campaign late pledge sales through their own webstore platform for backers who missed initial Kickstarter
- Add-ons and Expansions: Additional components, miniatures, character packs, and expansions sold as add-ons to core games
- Retail Distribution: Sales through retail stores for games that have completed Kickstarter fulfillment (e.g., Frostpunk in retail)
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Monthly | Standard Pledge - Core game with acrylic standees |
| One time/ perpetual license | Monthly | Deluxe Pledge - Enhanced components |
| One time/ perpetual license | Monthly | All-In Gameplay Pledge (Acrylic) - Full game with acrylic components |
| One time/ perpetual license | Monthly | All-In Gameplay Pledge (Plastic Miniatures) - Full game with plastic minis |
| One time/ perpetual license | Monthly | All-In Pledge - Premium tier |
| One time/ perpetual license | Monthly | Give Me Everything - Ultimate all-inclusive pledge |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Glass Cannon Unplugged product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Glass Cannon Unplugged develops, designs, and publishes premium tabletop board game adaptations of influential video game franchises under license from the original IP holders. The studio manages the full lifecycle from prototype design and playtesting through Kickstarter crowdfunding, manufacturing oversight, global fulfillment, and retail distribution, producing high-end physical board games and expansions with premium components such as plastic miniatures and acrylic standees, alongside companion mobile applications for digital gameplay support.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Frostpunk: The Board Game Cooperative survival board game adaptation of 11 bit studios' Frostpunk video game franchise, featuring city-building mechanics, an Exposure System, and a companion mobile app for soundtrack, sound effects, rules knowledge base, and Trade module. Targeted at fans of the video game and tabletop gaming hobbyists seeking premium components.
- Apex Legends: The Board Game Competitive 2-4 player skirmish tabletop miniature game based on the Apex Legends battle royale video game franchise, featuring character-specific Legends, ring mechanics, and 3D terrain. Licensed from Electronic Arts and Respawn Entertainment, designed by Fantasia Games and published by Glass Cannon Unplugged for competitive players and tournament organizers.
- Dying Light: The Board Game Cooperative 1-4 player survival board game adaptation of Techland's Dying Light video game, featuring parkour movement, day/night cycle, Momentum Track stamina system, and Aim Track combat. Developed with creative direction from Techland, designed by Przemysław Zub and Bartosz Tomala, for video game fans and cooperative tabletop players.
- Don't Starve: The Board Game Tabletop board game adaptation of Klei Entertainment's Don't Starve video game franchise, featuring survival mechanics, character packs, expansions, and premium component options including plastic miniatures and acrylic standees. Licensed from Klei Entertainment and published by Glass Cannon Unplugged for fans of the video game franchise and tabletop hobbyists.
- Frostpunk: The Board Game Companion App Free companion mobile application for Frostpunk: The Board Game players, providing official soundtrack, sound effects, a rules knowledge base, a phase tracker, and an optional Trade mode gameplay module. Available on iOS and Android for tabletop players of the Frostpunk adaptation.
Quantifiable outcome
- 21,198 backers and $6.9M+ funding for Don't Starve campaign
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Glass Cannon Unplugged
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Glass Cannon Unplugged technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Glass Cannon Unplugged partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Titan ForgecorePartnership with Titan Forge, known for outstanding miniatures, to bring premium miniatures to board game adaptations. Described as a deep, long-term partnership beyond simple collaboration, combining GCU's video game adaptation expertise with Titan Forge's miniature manufacturing expertise.
- TechlandcoreDevelopment partnership with Techland for Dying Light: The Board Game. Led by Rafał Jaki (formerly CD PROJEKT RED, now Senior Director at Techland). Techland's team provides creative direction for parkour experience and combat mechanics faithful to Dying Light IP.
- Electronic Arts Inc. and Respawn EntertainmentcoreLicensing partnership for Apex Legends: The Board Game with Electronic Arts and Respawn Entertainment. GCU publishes under license while working closely with IP holders for authentic representation.
- Fantasia GamescoreCo-authors Thanos Argyris and Michalis Nikolaou from Fantasia Games designed Apex Legends: The Board Game. Partnership formed at Essen Spiel 2019, with Fantasia providing core game design and GCU publishing.
- Klei EntertainmentcoreLicensing partnership with Klei Entertainment for Don't Starve: The Board Game. Klei approved the tile-based prototype design in January 2024 after development began in 2022.
- 11 bit studioscoreIP licensing partner for Frostpunk: The Board Game. Provided approval for companion app development and trade module functionality.
- Eastar Game ManufacturingcoreManufacturing partner responsible for producing Frostpunk: The Board Game components. Provided premium quality packaging and game components with less than 1% damage rate.
- David Thompson and Trevor BenjaminminorOriginal prototype developers for Dying Light: The Board Game. Known for award-winning Undaunted series, War Chest, and Resist! games.
- Acid House TerrainminorSpecialist game terrain designer Marius de Simón provides collapsible 3D terrain components for Apex Legends: The Board Game.
- Localization Partners (Frosted Games, KOR, BR)coreRegional publishing partners for Frostpunk: The Board Game localizations including Frosted Games (Germany), and Korean/Brazilian editions. Handle translation, manufacturing, and regional distribution.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Glass Cannon Unplugged competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CMON (Cool Mini Or Not): CMON publishes big-box, miniatures-heavy board games (Zombicide, Bloodborne, Marvel United). It overlaps with GCU on premium miniatures components, Kickstarter campaigns, and the high-priced all-in pledge model, making it a relevant direct competitor in the hobby tabletop space.
- Steamforged Games: Steamforged is the closest direct peer to Glass Cannon Unplugged: it specializes in adapting major video game franchises into tabletop board games (e.g., Resident Evil, Dark Souls, Monster Hunter). Both studios compete for the same video-game-to-tabletop adaptation niche and rely on Kickstarter-led launches with premium components.
- Modiphius Entertainment: Modiphius publishes tabletop adaptations of high-profile video game and entertainment IPs (Fallout: Wasteland Warfare, Doom, Conan). It is comparable to GCU in pursuing licensed video game IP for miniatures-driven tabletop products, with similar Kickstarter-heavy GTM and premium pricing.
Emerging players
- Leder Games: Leder Games publishes premium, design-forward hobby board games (Root, Oath, Frosthaven). It is comparable to GCU in targeting experienced tabletop hobbyists with high-price-point, deep-strategy products, though it focuses on original IPs rather than video game adaptations.
- Plaid Hat Games: Plaid Hat Games (now under F2Z/Asmodee umbrella) produces hobby board games with strong narrative and miniatures elements (Summoner Wars, Mice & Mystics, Stuffed Fables). It is a relevant emerging-player peer in the premium hobby segment GCU targets.
- Hunters Entertainment: Hunters Entertainment publishes licensed video-game and pop-culture board games (Tekhenu, Frosthaven co-publish, Pacific Rim). It is comparable as a smaller publisher pursuing licensed video game IP for premium tabletop adaptations with Kickstarter-led launches.
Regional players
- Awaken Realms: Polish board game publisher (also based in Poland) producing premium Kickstarter board games (Tainted Grail, Nemesis, Etherfields). Highly comparable in regional proximity, scale, and crowdfunding-led GTM with premium miniatures, though it focuses on original IPs rather than licensed video game adaptations.
- Portal Games: Another Polish board game publisher (Detective, Robinson Crusoe, Imperial Settlers). Shares the same Poland-based ecosystem and premium Euro-game design heritage as GCU, making it a relevant regional peer even though Portal's portfolio is more strategy/original-IP focused.
Broad incumbents
- Asmodee: Asmodee is the global leader in tabletop publishing (Catan, Ticket to Ride, Star Wars: Legion via Fantasy Flight). It competes broadly with GCU in hobby board games and miniatures and dwarfs GCU in retail reach and licensed IP depth, making it the dominant incumbent reference point.
- Games Workshop: Games Workshop (Warhammer) is the global benchmark for premium miniatures tabletop gaming. While not a video game adaptation studio, it is the standard-setter for the premium miniatures pricing and component quality that GCU is emulating via its Titan Forge partnership.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Glass Cannon Unplugged social profiles
Digital presenceGlass Cannon Unplugged financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Glass Cannon Unplugged leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Glass Cannon Unplugged funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Glass Cannon Unplugged 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 Glass Cannon Unplugged
What does Glass Cannon Unplugged do?
Glass Cannon Unplugged develops, designs, and publishes premium tabletop board game adaptations of influential video game franchises under license from the original IP holders. The studio manages the full lifecycle from prototype design and playtesting through Kickstarter crowdfunding, manufacturing oversight, global fulfillment, and retail distribution, producing high-end physical board games and expansions with premium components such as plastic miniatures and acrylic standees, alongside companion mobile applications for digital gameplay support.
Is Glass Cannon Unplugged a public or private company?
Glass Cannon Unplugged is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Glass Cannon Unplugged founded?
Glass Cannon Unplugged was founded in 2020. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Glass Cannon Unplugged based?
Glass Cannon Unplugged is headquartered in Ilawa, Poland, in the Europe region.
How does Glass Cannon Unplugged make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Board Game Sales are the primary driver. The others are pledge Manager Late Pledges, add-ons and Expansions and retail Distribution.
Who are Glass Cannon Unplugged's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CMON (Cool Mini Or Not), Steamforged Games and Modiphius Entertainment. Emerging players are Leder Games, Plaid Hat Games and Hunters Entertainment. Regional players are Awaken Realms and Portal Games. Broad incumbents are Asmodee and Games Workshop.
Does Glass Cannon Unplugged have an API?
No public API is recorded for Glass Cannon Unplugged.
What industry is Glass Cannon Unplugged in?
Glass Cannon Unplugged's product category is Tabletop Board Games. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALALAH, Miniatures Games & Tabletop Skirmish Games Retail, with a secondary code of CRALAFAH, Hobby Games & Miniatures Retail (Tabletop RPGs, Wargaming). Its NAICS code is 33993 and its SIC code is 3944.