À propos de nous
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
Événement vedette
Protospiel Bay Area (Day 1)
DESIGNERS: get your prototype on the table, get feedback, and meet other designers!
PLAYTESTERS: see up-and-coming games in progress, see how games are made!
PROTOSPIEL BAY AREA is a multi-day family-friendly tabletop board gaming event of playing unpublished board games. Previously known as Protospiel San Jose, the last Protospiel took place in 2019. During that time, Protospiel San Jose occurred annually, with a peak of over 700 attendees!
Golden Gate Gamemakers is excited and proud to be bringing this annual event back to the Bay Area in 2026!
- DESIGNERS: $20 registration. This will come with a 6 hours of scheduled playtesting (2 hours each day). You can also sign up for any open spots each day. Register here!
- PLAYTESTERS: $0 free! Registration still required. Register here!
PROTOSPIEL BAY AREA June 26-28, 2026 at Sports Basement’s Community Space, The Grove, in Redwood City at 202 Walnut Street Redwood City, CA 94063.
EVENT DETAILS
- Event hours are Fri 11am-8pm, Sat 10am-7pm, Sun 10am-7pm. Lookout for evening events at nearby places (hotels, restaurants).
- The format is SCHEDULED PLAYTESTING. Designers will be given timeslots to run their games. We will provide signs to designers to visually inform playtesters of the time for your game (including teach and feedback). We encourage designers to play other games as much as they run theirs.
- Raffle tickets are earned for every 1 hour of playtesting. Raffle tickets can be used to win games.
- Other activities will include Game Design Basics, Make a Game!, AMA Industry Panel.
VENUE DETAILS
- Sports Basement is located in a plaza (lots of parking) with various food options. Food IS ALLOWED inside the venue space.
- Downtown RWC and CalTrain ~15 min walk.
- Lodging options include: (5-15min walk or 5min drive): (CLOSEST) Courtyard Marriott Redwood City (600 Bair Island Rd, Redwood City, CA 94063). Good Nite Inn (485 Veterans Blvd, Redwood City, CA 94063). Kasa Niche Hotel (868 Main St, Redwood City, CA 94063). Redwood Creek Inn (1090 El Camino Real, Redwood City, CA 94063). Sequoia Inn (526 El Camino Real, Redwood City, CA 94063).
Golden Gate Gamemakers is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that brings together board game designers and playtesters in the San Francisco Bay Area. Support and donate!
Événements à venir
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Board Game Playtesting at Guildhouse San Jose
Guildhouse, 420 First St, San Jose, CA, USCome to Guildhouse, San Jose's coolest gaming venue to playtest some games in development! This is a monthly event happening every 3rd Wednesdays.
This is a relaxed chance to try new board games and card games in development, get feedback on your own prototypes if you're a designer, and get advice on the games industry. New designers and interested players welcome! Drop in and out anytime during the night.
Please be courteous to other designers and stay to test their games if you are bringing your prototype to be tested.
We typically run a small raffle each night for participants to win new and used board game prize.
Organizer: Jordan Nichols
Cost: Free! Though consider buying some tasty food and drinks from the venue to enhance your stay.
Parking: There are many metered spots in the surrounding several blocks, that are free after 6pm. Keep in mind the area can get busy for parking, consider coming a bit earlier to get a great spot, the venue opens at 5pm if you want to hang beforehand. There are a few nearby paid parking options if needed.
See GGG's full code of conduct here.
Up-to-date details and our many other events can be found at meetup.com/playgoldengate
5 participants
Board Game Design Deep Dive - 3rd Wednesdays San Francisco
Gamescape, 333 Divisadero St, San Francisco, CA, USJoin us at Gamescape SF on 3rd Wednesdays for a night of gaming and design discussion.
This Month's Topic: To Be Announced.
These games tend to have [to be announced]. Popular games in this category include: [to be announced]IMPORTANT: This is a limited capacity event. You must RSVP on the Gamescape website to guarantee a space and pay the $5 event fee.
Design Deep Dive is an event where we will be playing published games within a certain scope (a specific mechanic, genre, designer, etc) and discussing the design and experience of those games. There will be a selection of games provided as options, and attendees may also bring their own games to share if they fit the month's topic. We are assessing published games, no playtesting allowed for this event.
The event is led by a regular host to greet and coordinate, as well as a rotating "Dive Instructor" that will provide a short presentation and guide discussions on the monthly topic.
This is a fantastic and unique opportunity to play fun games while breaking down what makes them fun. No experience in designing or playtesting is needed.
Organizer: Chaz Glassmaker
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 participant
Board Game Playtesting at Black Diamond Games Concord
Black Diamond Games, 1950 Market St suite e, Concord, CA, USCome to Black Diamond Games in Concord to playtest some games in development! This event is 3rd Thursdays and run along the regular board game night - you may participate in both.
This is a relaxed chance to try new board / card / tabletop games, get feedback on your own prototypes, and learn about 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.
Drop in any time, and leave when you'd like. RSVPing by using the Attend button through Meetup is very appreciated, yet we get walk-ins and those that don't RSVP all the time.
Organizer: Velgus
- COST - The store charges $5 to access their regular Board Game Night. Anyone attending board game night may freely participate as a designer and/or player for Board Game Playtesting being run in the same area upstairs.
- PARKING - Free and plentiful parking in adjacent lot.
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 participants
Board Game Designers Meetup at 11th Hour Coffee in Santa Cruz
11th Hour Coffee, 1001 Center Street, #1, Santa Cruz, ca, USIf you are a board game designer, this event is for you! Come to 11th Hour Coffee in downtown Santa Cruz, for a board game designers meetup! Put on by the southmost chapter of the Golden Gate Gamemakers, the Game Designers of Santa Cruz.
This event is for game designers who are currently working on a board game. It is an opportunity to get advice and ask questions to game designers about your own game and help others!
Please comment on each event if you are going and what you would like help with.
Examples:
- I would like my sell sheet to be reviewed.
- I would like a more pinpointed playtest for part of my game with designers to help work on a particular mechanic or problem.
- I'd like help in learning how to pitch my game, what companies/contacts, and what scripts.
- I'd like to talk about how a certain mechanic, theme, or gameplay can work in ___ circumstance.
- I'd like to do a Game Jam.
We also hope to do a quick ice breaker/hot take or 5-min game to start some thought-provoking discussions, as well as go around the room to see where everyone is with their game design journey.
Then you can test out your game at our every 2nd Tuesday Playtesting Events at Peoples Coffee in Live Oak from 6pm to 10pm.
**Cost**
This is a completely free event! Attendees are encouraged to buy food or drink from 11th Hour Coffee.
Coffee bar closes at 7:30pm.
Regular bar closes at 9pm.
Chubbs Chicken food vendor closes at 9pm.**Parking / Travel**
There is free parking, and meter parking (til 8pm) around downtown.
One of the locations of free parking is in the downtown library parking lot.Note: There are two 11th hour Coffee locations. One in downtown Santa Cruz (the main one and where our event is hosted), and one on the westside. The westside location has the word westside in it.
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
3 participants
Événements passés
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