bad comet
Bad Comet Inc. is a privately held US-based board game publisher that designs, manufactures (in China), and sells nature-themed strategic board games through its own Shopify storefront, Kickstarter launches, a global wholesale retailer network, and convention events, serving hobbyist gamers, families, and specialty retailers across North America, Europe, Oceania, and Asia.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersSheridan, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What bad comet does
Bad Comet Inc. is a privately held board game publisher incorporated in Wyoming, USA (registered at 1309 Coffeen Ave Ste 1200, Sheridan WY, with a general office at 111 N. Market Street, Suite 300, San Jose, CA), that develops, manufactures, and sells nature-themed strategic board games through its direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront at badcomet.co, Kickstarter campaigns, a verified wholesale/retailer network, and event-driven sales at conventions. The company's product portfolio centers on five core titles — Shallow Sea (Great Barrier Reef-inspired multi-layered puzzle game), Wondrous Creatures (2-hex worker placement with tableau-building), Life of the Amazonia (Amazon rainforest bag-building and tile placement), Wild: Serengeti (Serengeti-themed set collection and puzzle), and Shaolia: Warring States (dice placement and tableau-building) — each built around innovative mechanics and premium components including 3D printed pieces, magnetic meeples, and wooden/metal upgrades. Manufacturing is conducted in China, and global fulfillment is handled through a network of regional logistics partners (Gamerati in the US/Canada/Mexico, Spiral Galaxy in UK/EU, Aetherworks in Australia/New Zealand, and VFI in Asia).
The company operates a hybrid go-to-market model combining (1) direct-to-consumer e-commerce via its Shopify storefront with prices ranging $39-$73 for base games and $5-$45 for expansions/upgrades, (2) Kickstarter launches for new titles (e.g., Shallow Sea at $39 early-backer pricing in October 2024), (3) a wholesale program for verified retailers with a $200 minimum order quantity and enforced Minimum Advertised Pricing Policy (MAPP), and (4) live event sales at conventions including its first-ever appearance at Essen SPIEL 2025. Primary customer segments are board gaming hobbyists and families seeking strategic, replayable games, with a secondary B2B segment of specialty board game retailers worldwide. Revenue is generated almost entirely through one-time product sales (base games, expansions, upgrades, card sleeves). The company has received industry recognition including a Dice Tower Seal of Excellence, Gouden Ludo nomination, Origins Award finalist status, and reached #1 on BoardGameGeek's Hotness ranking for Wondrous Creatures.
bad comet firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- bad comet
- Legal name
- Bad Comet Inc.
- Website
- https://badcomet.co
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Bad Comet Inc. is a privately held US-based board game publisher that designs, manufactures (in China), and sells nature-themed strategic board games through its own Shopify storefront, Kickstarter launches, a global wholesale retailer network, and convention events, serving hobbyist gamers, families, and specialty retailers across North America, Europe, Oceania, and Asia.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
bad comet industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Board Games
- NAICS
- Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912), Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (459120)
- SIC
- Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Strategy/Euro Board Games Retail (CRALALAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Board Game Accessories & Components Retail (Sleeves, Dice, Tokens, Inserts) (CRALALAI)
Keywords
Where bad comet is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sheridan
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
bad comet business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
Revenue model
- Direct-to-Consumer Game Sales: Bad Comet sells base games, expansions, upgrades, and accessories directly to consumers through its Shopify-powered e-commerce storefront at badcomet.co. This is the primary revenue channel, with products shipped globally via regional logistics partners.
- Retailer/Wholesale Distribution: The company maintains a network of verified retailers who purchase at wholesale rates for resale in physical and online board game stores. Retailers must register, meet minimum order quantities ($200), and comply with MAPP pricing policies.
- Kickstarter Campaign Sales: New titles (e.g., Shallow Sea) are launched via Kickstarter, with early-backer pricing and exclusive editions. Post-Kickstarter, products transition to retail and direct-to-consumer channels.
- Accessories (Card Sleeves): Bad Comet sells branded card sleeves in mini, standard, and large sizes, compatible with their own games and other board games, providing a complementary accessory revenue stream.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Wondrous Creatures Base Game |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Shallow Sea Base Game |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Life of the Amazonia Base Game |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Wild: Serengeti Base Game |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Shaolia: Warring States Base Game |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Wondrous Creatures: Winterfall Expansion |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Wondrous Creatures Crew Set |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Card Sleeves |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Shallow Sea Expansions |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Retailer/Wholesale Pricing |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels7 records
bad comet product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Bad Comet develops, publishes, and sells nature-themed premium strategy board games directly to consumers and through wholesale retailers. Its portfolio includes worker placement, puzzle-building, dice placement, and tableau-building titles inspired by real ecosystems (Great Barrier Reef, Serengeti, Amazon rainforest), each with expansions, component upgrades, and accessories.
Product overview
Bad Comet is a board game publisher offering a portfolio of distinct nature-themed strategy board games and accessories. Their core product line includes Shallow Sea (Great Barrier Reef ocean puzzle game), Wondrous Creatures (worker placement with tableau-building featuring 100+ creatures), Life of the Amazonia (jungle conservation bag-building game), Wild: Serengeti (wildlife documentary game), and Shaolia: Warring States (fantasy kingdom building with dice placement). Each game has supporting expansions (such as Wondrous Creatures: Winterfall and Gargantuan Beasts for Wondrous Creatures), wooden/metal component upgrades, accessory add-ons, and premium card sleeves. The products are sold through their direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform and through retail partnerships, with manufacturing in China and distribution logistics across multiple global regions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Wondrous Creatures reached #1 on BoardGameGeek Hotness ranking
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use bad comet
Customer profileSegments4 records
bad comet technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
bad comet partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- GameraticoreGamerati is a US-based fulfillment partner handling order fulfillment for customers in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Orders ship within 1-3 business days with tracking provided. For Canada and Mexico, applicable import duties and taxes are calculated at checkout.
- Spiral GalaxycoreSpiral Galaxy is a UK-based logistics partner fulfilling orders for Europe, the United Kingdom, and Rest of World regions. Delivers within 1-6 business days for UK and Europe. International express delivery (DHL Express, UPS) used for other regions.
- AetherworkscoreAetherworks is an Australia-based fulfillment partner handling orders to Australia and New Zealand. Ships within 1-3 business days, delivers within ~5 business days. No customs duties or import taxes charged on these orders.
- VFIcoreVFI is a China-based logistics partner fulfilling orders to Asian markets including India, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Uses direct shipping for China/Hong Kong/Macau and hub consolidation for other Asian countries.
- Board Game ArenacoreBoard Game Arena (BGA), one of the world's largest online board gaming platforms, has integrated Wondrous Creatures for digital play. Players can learn the rules, try strategies, and play with friends worldwide through their browser.
- Hive (Hive Interactive)minorHive is the replacement fulfillment partner handling component replacement requests for European customers (based in Greece). Handles customer support tickets for replacement requests via their platform. Experienced delays during Dec-Jan holiday period and staffing shortages in early 2025.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
bad comet competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Stonemaier Games: Premier indie publisher of premium Euro/nature-themed strategy games (Wingspan, Scythe, Viticulture) sold DTC and through retail; highly comparable in mechanic innovation, premium components, and hobbyist positioning.
- Leder Games: Publisher of Root and Pax Pamir, known for premium production, innovative asymmetric mechanics, and a hybrid DTC-plus-retail model targeting hobbyist board gamers.
- Greater Than Games: Publisher of Spirit Island, a flagship nature-themed cooperative strategy game with premium production values; directly comparable in nature-themed hobbyist positioning and DTC/retail distribution.
- CMON: Publisher of premium Kickstarter-driven tabletop titles (Zombicide, Blood Rage) with extensive retail distribution; comparable in premium component strategy and Kickstarter-as-launch-channel model.
- Awaken Realms: Premium tabletop publisher (Tainted Grail, ISS Vanguard) launching flagship titles via Kickstarter with global retail rollout; comparable in production scale, Kickstarter funnel, and expansion-driven monetization.
- Chip Theory Games: Publisher of Too Many Bones with premium components and hobbyist positioning; comparable in DTC-heavy premium hobbyist model and tiered upgrade/expansion ecosystem.
- Restoration Games: Indie publisher of premium reprints and new hobbyist games (Return to Dark Tower, Fireball Island); comparable in indie scale, premium components, and DTC-plus-retail mix.
- Brotherwise Games: Publisher of Oathsworn and other premium Kickstarter tabletop titles; comparable in Kickstarter-led launch model and premium hobbyist positioning.
- Portal Games: Polish publisher of hobbyist strategy games (Detective, Imperial Settlers); comparable in indie publisher scale, European distribution, and Euro-strategy orientation.
- Devir Games: International hobbyist publisher distributing premium strategy and family games across multiple regions; comparable in global retail/wholesale distribution and hobbyist Euro-strategy catalog.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
bad comet social profiles
Digital presencebad comet financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
bad comet leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
bad comet funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
bad comet 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 bad comet
What does bad comet do?
Bad Comet develops, publishes, and sells nature-themed premium strategy board games directly to consumers and through wholesale retailers. Its portfolio includes worker placement, puzzle-building, dice placement, and tableau-building titles inspired by real ecosystems (Great Barrier Reef, Serengeti, Amazon rainforest), each with expansions, component upgrades, and accessories.
Is bad comet a public or private company?
bad comet is a private company. It is currently operating.
When was bad comet founded?
bad comet was founded in -1.
Where is bad comet based?
bad comet is headquartered in Sheridan, United States, in the North America region.
How does bad comet make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Direct-to-Consumer Game Sales are the primary driver. The others are retailer/Wholesale Distribution, kickstarter Campaign Sales and accessories (Card Sleeves).
Who are bad comet's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Stonemaier Games, Leder Games, Greater Than Games, CMON, Awaken Realms, Chip Theory Games, Restoration Games, Brotherwise Games, Portal Games and Devir Games.
Does bad comet have an API?
No public API is recorded for bad comet.
What industry is bad comet in?
bad comet's product category is Board Games. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALALAC, Strategy/Euro Board Games Retail, with a secondary code of CRALALAI, Board Game Accessories & Components Retail (Sleeves, Dice, Tokens, Inserts). Its NAICS code is 45912 and its SIC code is 5945.