Board and Card Game Submissions

We are not accepting new submissions at this time

Thank you for your interest!

Carefully read the following sections before submitting any game to Chaosium Inc. You will find important details that will make both your and our jobs easier. Before submitting anything to Chaosium, please carefully read the Designer’s Release. Any proposal you send is governed by the terms of the Designer’s Release - you don’t need to sign it as you consent to its terms by submitting something to us.

These guidelines pertain to submission of Board and Card Game materials. Chaosium also has specific guidelines for role-playing games and fiction.

Format for Submission of a Game

To submit a game, please send an email to boardgamesubmissions@chaosium.com. This email should be 300 - 600 words (maximum). You should include:

A basic description of the game, including information on:

The game mechanics and setting
How many players the game is recommended for, and who these players would typically be
How long the game takes to set up and play.

A discussion of the stage that the game development is at, including whether you have produced a playable prototype, and information about any play-testing that has been done.
Information about about yourself: your career as a designer and any other games that you have designed/had published.

Proposals do not have to relate to any of our current products or existing game lines, however we are looking for games that would be a good fit with the general interest of Chaosium fans.

Keep your email succinct and to the point. If we are intrigued by your proposal, we will get back to you. We may ask you for more details or to send us a prototype for further review. We may offer you a counter-proposal. We will likely suggest modifications.

Once the project is defined, discussion of practical matters like deadlines, payment, and manuscript brief follows. These are resolved on a case-by-case basis.

Artistic Integrity

We aim to publish material that interests us and has artistic merit (at least in our eyes). We are not interested in publishing transparent efforts to jump onto the newest pop culture trend—we like to think that, at Chaosium, good and interesting material can create new trends.

We are more willing to take a risk on truly creative and innovative projects than on something safe and familiar.

Games based on existing Chaosium Products

You may have an idea for a game based on existing Chaosium products, e.g. a Call of Cthulhu-theme, or set in the world of Glorantha. Such proposals should fit the tone and thematic aspects of those settings—this is discussed further in our Roleplaying Submissions Guidelines. We are not looking for games where the Call of Cthulhu or Gloranthan content feels like it was “pasted on” or could be easily swapped out with another setting: the premise should be intrinsic to the gameplay.

Licensed Properties

Games based on existing literary, comic book, or movie properties pose special problems. We do not want to purchase the rights until we see the game, and you will not want to write an entire game until the property is secured. Various companies have already bought many reasonably promising properties. We often know of purchased properties that are not yet in print. Contact us first if your game proposal is dependent on a licensed property.

Designer's Release

If you (the Designer) submit a proposal to Chaosium for review, you agree that the receipt and evaluation by Chaosium of this proposal will be undertaken under the following conditions:

Chaosium agrees to consider this proposal as a possible step toward publication, and to maintain confidentiality about it, but makes no promise that publication can be expected or guaranteed.
No confidential relationship or other obligation of any kind is created or implied by the receipt or consideration of this proposal by Chaosium. Designer acknowledges and agrees that elements of this proposal may already exist coincidentally in either previously published format, unpublished format, or in the form of a work in progress or concept draft at the time of submission.
This agreement binds all parties who lawfully succeed to the rights of the Designer.
This agreement constitutes the entire Agreement pertaining to this proposal between the Designer and Chaosium.
The Designer hereby warrants that the Designer has the right to submit this proposal to Chaosium on the forgoing terms and conditions, and guarantees that the work is the Designer's sole creation. Any ensuing charges of plagiarism or copyright violation are the sole responsibility of the Designer who will bear all costs of any necessary legal defense and indemnify Chaosium for any costs, settlements, or judgments made concerning those charges.

This Designer’s Release is governed by and shall be interpreted under the laws of the State of Washington applying to contracts made and to be performed in that state.