illusion!
welcome to Ludology, an analytical discussion of the hows and whys of the board game world. Ludology explores various topics about games from a wider lens than just news and reviews, discussing game history, game design, and game players.
We post new Ludology episodes every other week. host in this episode Erica Buyoris and imsenpung Dive deep into a single topic within game design, often with prominent guests from the game industry. We typically focus on tabletop game design (mostly board games and RPGs), but we often attract professionals in all forms of gaming, from video games to escape room to slot machines.
On weeks without a flagship Ludology episode, we alternate between two smaller mini-swords. Erica and Sen are happy to announce that Sarah Shipp from Shippboard Games and Stephanie Campbell from TTRPGKids will be joining next year to provide additional content between longer episodes.
Sarah’s segment, thinking beyond mechanismsA monthly feature that goes beyond the dice and cards we’re all familiar with and dives deeper into other aspects of the game.
Stephanie’s segment, TTRPG KidsExplore how parents and teachers can use role-playing games with children at home and in the classroom.
We hope you enjoy the additional content!
our history
We welcome you to browse our entire catalog as most Ludology episodes aim to be timeless. Most of it should age very well. The podcast was started by Geoff Engelstein and Ryan Sturm in 2011 and Mike Fitzgerald replaced Ryan in 2015. Gil and Scott joined the show in 2017 when Mike was away and Emma joined in 2019 when Geoff finished his tenure as host. Emma left in 2021, and Erica and Sen joined. Since then, Scott has stepped down in 2022 and Gil will be off the mic in 2023, with Erica and Sen continuing this incredible legacy.
Erica and Sen are working on bringing new voices to Ludology and we have some great news to announce as the game expands to include more people!
contact us
Do you have your own thoughts on the subject? We recommend that you visit us Boardgamegeek’s Guild You can participate in ongoing discussions.
You can also email us at hello@ludology.net.
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If you have any questions that you would like Ludology to answer, please let us know by filling out this Google form. You can also leave audio questions that can be used in the show if you like!
A burning question about Ludology
support the show
Ludology is made possible by the support and donations of listeners like you.
There are currently three “first time hearings” series that will be delivered to backers long before the audio is released to a wider audience.
- Memories That Made Us (Monthly) – Memories of gaming experiences that helped shape the people who bring modern gaming to life.
- Tales from the Designer Toolbox (monthly) – tips and tricks from industry experts learned from successes and failures
- Ludology Live – Recordings from conventions around the world
Backers will also get extra consideration for any giveaways we may have!
You can also make a one-time or monthly donation here. Clicking on the link will take you to Erica’s account. People who donate in this way will not be able to access your Patreon page. sorry!