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
Upcoming events
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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
3 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.
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Note to Designers: If you are bringing a game to test, please write in the comments of this event what the game is, play time, and player count wanted!
---We run a small raffle at 8pm 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 (event ends at 10pm)! They normally close at 5:30. Thank you Peoples Coffee!
Consider visiting our 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
3 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
4 attendees
KublaCon Fall Board Game Convention and Protospiel
Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport 1333 Old Bayshore Highway Burlingame, CA 94010, Burlingame, CA, USKublaCon Fall tabletop game convention returns for its third year. Run by the same team as the original KublaCon, the biggest Bay Area tabletop convention.
This convention will feature great community and tabletop gaming of all kinds including:
- Board, Card, Miniature, RPG
- D&D - Pathfinder - Starfinder
- Special Events - Seminars
- Vendor Hall - Flea Market
- Protospiel Board Game Playtesting
- Raffles and Giveaways
- Huge Game Library
- Paint & Take
Cost: You must purchase a pass online or in person at the convention to enter the venue. Playtesting is included as a free event as part of the convention.
Location: Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport, 1333 Old Bayshore Hwy, Burlingame, CA 94010
Hours:
The con is open Friday 12:00pm - Monday 4pm! Game as late and early as you want in open areas.Protospiel Information
A large Protospiel board game playtesting area will be run as an open event at the convention until 11pm each day and closing time on Monday. This is an excellent opportunity to try new board / card / tabletop games in development, get feedback on your own prototypes, jam on ideas, meet others in the game industry, share knowledge about the game industry, and meet new friends. Designers, publishers, and interested players welcome, no experience needed.As an additional incentive to play test games, there will be a board game giveaway for Protospiel board game participants.
The event has scheduled playtests you can setup and join on the kublacon website, yet mostly it will be open tables with no reservations, come and go as you please. If there is an open table, you are free to set up a game prototype to run or work on. Please be courteous to other designers and share the space. If you want help finding a game or finding testers, feel free to ask the friendly staff in the room. Designers are expected to play others games in addition to their own.
KublaCon Fall Protospiel Organizers: Scott Caputo and Velgus
This event follows the GGG Code of Conduct seen here , as well as the convention's rules.
Up-to-date details and our many other events can be found at meetup.com/playgoldengate
6 attendees
Past events
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