Leading Ladies of the Tabletop: An IWD Celebration

Happy International Women’s Day! March the 8th marks the 115th anniversary of a global celebration of women’s social, economic, and political achievements. Did you know the first "National Women’s Day" began in the US in 1909, and it has evolved over time to become the event we celebrate worldwide today?

At Chaos Cards, we love to champion all games, but to celebrate International Women's Day this year we’re shining a light on the inspirational women behind some of our bestselling and most popular games. Did you know there are currently around 200 womxn who have successfully designed and published tabletop games? From heavy strategy epics to cosy card games, let’s celebrate the designers that have created some of the most popular games here at Chaos Cards.

• Elizabeth Hargrave: The person behind the wildly popular Wingspan. (We’ve been loving the all-new Wingspan Americas recently!) Wingspan really is a true celebration of female talent, featuring a powerhouse team of illustrators such as Beth Sobel, Ana Maria Martinez Jaramillo, and Natalia Rojas. It is a game that consistently tops the most post popular boardgames lists and as Wingspan fans we can see why!

• Connie Vogelmann: The designer behind Wyrmspan (Think Wingspan with dragons!) as well as the strategic and futuristic buzz of Apiary. Her games tend to focus on mechanics rather then themes with both games playing as beautifully as they look.

• Nikki Valens: Nikkis main focus throughout their games is on developing character driven stories and this is definitely something that shines through in their gameplay. Each game is a masterclass in atmosphere and mechanics with heavy-hitters like Arkham Horror, Eldritch Horror, Mansions of Madness, and the rather clever Gloomhaven: Buttons & Bugs.

• Amy Droz: Amy found the perfect way to capture an interest in gardening when she created the elegant games Botany and La Fleur. Each game looks whimsical and has an adoring fanbase of men and women alike! It seems Amy is the designer and the researcher behind the hit games and her enthusiasm shines through in the beautiful games she has worked on.

• Clarissa A. Wilson: The whimsical worlds of Everdell and Flourish are charming and detailed games with highly detailed imagery. Each game offers great strategic elements as well as a good amount of replayability. Everdell and it’s expansions are a firm favourite amongst the Chaos Cards team.

• Molly Johnson: Molly is one of the minds behind the addictive Point Salad and the new Cascadia Rolling series. Molly Johnson is a founding member of Flatout Games, a collaborative that are dedicated to producing games that are innovative but detailed. Cascadia Rolling also features art by Beth Sobel who has also worked on Wingspan and the beloved Calico.

• Roberta Taylor: If you are after cosy and family friendly games then Roberta is your designer. With a background in analogue game design, she is most interested in creating games that will create positive memories with family and friends. Creature Comforts, Maple Valley, and Café Baras are games that definitely demonstrate her desire to create family friendly games!

• Inka Brand: One-half of the legendary duo behind the EXIT series. Her work in the escape-room genre is instantly recognizable and infinitely clever! Inka and her husband intend each EXIT game to feel like an experience rather than a game and we can safely say that these immersive games feel just like that! (We love an EXIT game!)

• Susan McKinley Ross: Susan is a designer who is passionate about both toys and games and her passion shines through in the modern classic Qwirkle; a firm family favourite and a staple in many collections. We love the idea that the concept for Qwirkle came to Susan in a dream!

• Stefania Niccolini: Kingdom Crossing and The First Empire. Each game has beautiful artwork and components and are considered heavyweight Eurogames. With over a decade of industry experience, her designs are celebrated for their deep strategy, beautiful artwork, and premium components. She has a true gift for creating heavy-hitting games that keep seasoned players coming back for more.

• Emily Vincent: The charming Knitting Circle is Emily's debut as a designer and happens to be a follow up to the ever popular Calico. The tile laying, puzzle game is the ultimate in cosy family games. Emily aims to create games that inspire storytelling, and we think Knitting Circle is a brilliant start to her designing career!

Today, we celebrate the creativity of women, and their logic in building the intricate worlds for us to play in. While we celebrate these influential women today, the tabletop world continues to grow more inclusive and innovative each and every year. At Chaos Cards, we believe that every box on our shelves deserves a celebration, and we are happy to play a small part in sharing these women's creations with you.

Will you be playing any of these games tonight? From the puzzling Qwirkle, to a cosy afternoon with Creature Comforts, or maybe a brain-bending EXIT puzzle, theses games are just waiting for you to try them.

Join the conversation over on our socials and let’s celebrate International Women's Day together!