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
Protospiel Bay Area - Board Game Design Con (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PROTOSPIEL BAY AREA is a multi-day family-friendly tabletop board gaming event of playing unpublished board games.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!
Upcoming events
114
Board Game Playtesting at Dogpatch Games (San Francisco)
Dogpatch Games, 1095 Tennessee St, San Francisco, CA, USWelcome to the Golden Gate Gamemakers' board game playtesting event at Dogpatch Games in San Francisco! We meet last Thursdays 6pm-10pm.
We are a community of tabletop game designers & board game fanatics who meet monthly at Dogpatch Games (1095 Tennessee St. in San Francisco's Dogpatch district) to playtest each other's prototypes, provide feedback, help each other get published, and most importantly... have fun!
Whether you’re game is days away from Kickstarter, or just ideas on a napkin, or you just want to hangout and playtest other prototypes (we LOVE playtesters!)…all are welcome!
A few notes if this is your first time joining us:
- Our goal is to provide a community around creating new games. Every designer will get their prototype to the table. We give everyone the chance to play games and get their game played.
- Each designer gets equal time, which is about one hour. This includes rules explanations, gameplay, and time for feedback.
- Please arrive on time if you have a game to playtest. At the beginning of the night each designer will pitch their game to the group, then breakout into smaller groups. If you arrive and playtesting has already begun, we will try to accommodate you later in the evening.
- If your game requires more than one hour, or requires a player count of 6 or more, please contact us ahead of time so we can make arrangements.
- Please stay for as long as you can to playtest others’ games.
- When you arrive, please check in with the cashier and inform them you’re with the San Francisco Board Game Designers. Dogpatch Games charges customers an hourly fee (monthly subscriptions are available), but we have negotiated a flat rate of $12 per person you'll need to pay for the evening.
- Dogpatch Games does not yet sell food or drink, but outside food is very welcomed. There are many great options within a couple blocks.
- Street parking is readily available nearby. Or take BART to the Powell Street station and transfer to San Francisco Muni “T”-line and take that eastbound to 20th & 3rd Ave stop. Dogpatch Games is then one block away.
- Please no “blind playtesting”. You must teach your game yourself and not require playtesters to read rules during the event.
- This is an event for playtesting your game and gathering feedback, and not promoting your upcoming Kickstarter campaign.
- Reach out to Phil Schwarzmann (phillip.schwarzmann@gmail.com) or for any questions.
Looking forward to seeing you there!!
PhilSee GGG's full code of conduct here.
Up-to-date details and our many other events can be found at meetup.com/playgoldengate
9 attendeesProtospiel Bay Area - Board Game Design Con (Day 1)
Sports Basement, 202 Walnut Street, Redwood City, CA, USDESIGNERS: 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!
20 attendeesProtospiel Bay Area - Board Game Design Con (Day 2)
Sports Basement, 202 Walnut Street, Redwood City, CA, USDESIGNERS: 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!
15 attendeesProtospiel Bay Area - Board Game Design Con (Day 3)
Sports Basement, 202 Walnut Street, Redwood City, CA, USDESIGNERS: 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
- SUNDAY HOURS 10am-7pm
- ALL DAY - OPEN PLAYTESTING FOR PLAYERS
– 11:30am-12:30pm – GAME DESIGN BASICS: MAKE YOUR FIRST GAME
(Come and make your first game! Learn basic concepts in game design, come up with ideas for a “playable” prototype, get feedback from experienced designers. Great for first-time or new designers.)– 2pm-2:30pm ASK ME ANYTHING INDUSTRY PANEL
(Ask questions to board game professionals. Great for anyone who wants to learn more about the board game industry.)- 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!
11 attendees
Past events
924
