About us
Golden Gate Gamemakers is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that brings together board game creators and players in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Together we run 200+ events a year all over the Bay Area, including: San Francisco, San Jose, Berkeley, Oakland, Redwood City, Palo Alto, Dublin, Fremont, Santa Cruz, Mill Valley, Petaluma, Concord, Mountain View, and more!
We support playtesting, co-working, promotional, and educational opportunities for tabletop gamemakers, as well as interested players. Help local designers make great games and have fun doing it!
Whether you are a first time or veteran game designer, industry professional, tabletop game enthusiast, casual player, or just want to check things out, we welcome you to our events and are happy to share our knowledge.
If you have any questions, please message @Velgus or your event host, or contact through our website.
Our Code of Conduct:
Code of Conduct - Living Document
Our Website:
Golden Gate Gamemakers
Our Discord:
Golden Gate Gamemakers
Featured event
KublaCon Prime - Board Game Convention and Protospiel
KublaCon Prime board game convention is happening Memorial Day weekend, and with it the KublaCon Protospiel! Join in for 4-days of fun at the Bay Area's largest board game convention.
Tabletop Games of All Kinds!
- Board, Card, Miniature, Historical, and more!
- RPGs and LARPs
- D&D, Pathfinder, Starfinder organized play
- Seminars and Panels
- Paint and Take, Painting Classes
- Seminars and Panels
- Special Events
- Protospiel Playtesting
- Vendor Hall
- Flea Market
- Raffles and Giveaways
- Huge Game Library
The convention continues non-stop Friday 12pm - Monday 4pm.
COST - You MUST have a KublaCon badge to enter the convention, which can be purchased online in advance or on site as long as the con doesn't sell out. The Protospiel is a convention event that requires no additional cost.
Additional Protospiel Information:
Running nearly the whole con in the Harbor Ballroom!
The Protospiel is a mostly open format, drop in and out for designers and players anytime. This is an excellent opportunity to try new board / card / tabletop games in development, get feedback on your own prototypes, meet others in the game industry, and learn how games are made, all in a relaxed supportive atmosphere. Designers, publishers, and interested players welcome, no experience needed!
This is a popular event! We have had 100 participants in the room at our peak, and are expecting 50+ designers with games of all sorts. Tables are shared among the designers, and if at capacity designers will have to vacate their table after a session so everyone can get their tests in. Designers are expected to give as much as they get and playtest others's games as well.
We are also having several tables dedicated to scheduled playtests that will appear on the convention schedule, which you can submit on the convention website and search for by selecting the Protospiel category.
As an additional incentive to play test games, for each game you test you will get a raffle ticket for a chance to win some fabulous board game prizes!
KublaCon Protospiel Team: Scott Caputo, Velgus, and friends.
There are special events that run alongside the Protospiel. Check back for more information close to the con.
Upcoming events
142
Marin Board Game Designers & Playtesters - Starbucks Strawberry Village
Starbucks, 800 Strawberry Village #205, Mill Valley, CA, USWhether you're a Meetup member or no, feel free to join! No RSVP required.
Calling all local game designers and cardboard enthusiasts!
New designers and interested players of any skill level welcome.Bring your rough prototypes, rules drafts, hand drawn boards and cards to get them out in front of fellow gamers. Or just bring yourself and a willingness to give some experiments a try!
This is a relaxed space to get concepts out of our heads onto the table and get feedback on what seems to work, what doesn't, and bounce ideas around. Don't expect polished, publisher complete games.
This event is a monthly deadline and opportunity to force myself and anyone interested to get that next iteration tweaked or rules draft done, and to of course have fun!
We meet every second Saturday of the month!
Location: Come to Starbucks, 800 Strawberry Village #205, Mill Valley, CA 94941 (across from Safeway). Plenty of free parking in surrounding lot.
Cost: Free! Though consider buying some delicious drinks and snacks from the venue.
See GGG's full code of conduct here.
Up-to-date details and our many other events can be found at meetup.com/playgoldengate
1 attendee
GGG/BMG Board Game Playtesting! King Kong Games Dublin
King Kong Comics and Games, 6700 Amador Plaza Rd, Dublin, CA, USCome to King Kong Games in Dublin on 2nd Mondays to playtest some games in development! This is co-branded event run by Golden Gate Gamemakers and Break My Games.
This is a relaxed chance to try new board / card / tabletop games, get feedback on your own prototypes, and get advice on the game industry. Designers and interested players welcome, no experience needed.
Please be courteous to other designers and stay to test their games if you are bringing your own prototype to be tested.
Point of contact and organizer: Matt and Zach
- COST - Free! Though please consider buying something from the store if you'd like.
- PARKING - Free and plentiful parking in adjacent lot.
- BART - 7 Minute walk from West Dublin Station.
See GGG's full code of conduct here.
Up-to-date details and our many other events can be found at meetup.com/playgoldengate
2 attendees
Board Game Playtesting at Peoples Coffee in Santa Cruz
People's Coffee, 1200 17th Ave #130, Santa Cruz, CA 95062, Santa Cruz, CA, USCome to Peoples Coffee, the official Santa Cruz location for the Southmost events for the Golden Gate Gamemakers! Come join us as a branch under GGG known as Game Designers of Santa Cruz!
Watch what our events look like here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/uej75sUopbgDt6QF8
It's a relaxed chance to try new board games and card games, get feedback on your own prototypes if you are a game designer, and get advice on the games industry. New designers and interested players welcome!
Please be courteous to other designers and stay to test their games if you are bringing your prototype to be tested.
Note to Designers: If you are bringing a game to test, please consider writing in the comments of this event what the game is, play time, and player count wanted!
We run a small raffle thru the sign in sheet each night for participants to win new and used board game prizes.
Peoples Coffee is generously keeping all services of food and drink available from 6pm to 9pm! They normally close at 5:30. Thank you Peoples Coffee! For all of our events at Peoples, affogatos (ice cream and espresso) are half off!
We now have a Game Library located inside Peoples for anyone to use any time they are open!
Cost
This is a completely free event! Attendees are encouraged to buy some delicious drinks and food from Peoples Coffee.Parking
You can park in the main parking lot in front of Peoples Coffee. There is a also side parking behind Peoples, and around the residential area. You are also free to park across the street near Salsas Taco Bar.See GGG's full code of conduct here.
Up-to-date details and our many other events can be found at meetup.com/playgoldengate
Point of contact and organizer: Courtney Laschkewitsch
11 attendees
Board Game Playtesting at Gamelandia Palo Alto
Gamelandia, 290 California Ave suite a, Palo Alto, CA, USCome to Gamelandia in Palo Alto to playtest some games in development! This event happens 2nd Thursdays.
It's a relaxed chance to try new board games and card games, get feedback on your own prototypes, and get advice on the games industry. New designers and interested players welcome.
Please be courteous to other designers and stay to test their games if you are bringing your prototype to be tested. If you are bringing a prototype game, try to comment below with a quick blurb including player count and time, and when you think you might arrive at Gamelandia.
ex. "Ticket to Ride is a lightweight game about building train routes. 2-5 players, 30-60 minutes"
Organizer: John Brieger
Cost: Free!
See GGG's full code of conduct here.
Up-to-date details and our many other events can be found at meetup.com/playgoldengate
6 attendees
Past events
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