Board Game Designers Forum

this article discusses a game made by family past time games.

http://www.thegamesjournal.com/articles/RaisingGamers2.shtml

"I'm in the very early stages of designing a couple of co-operative games, and I've recently come across this company in Canada called 'Family Pastimes'"

You're designing co-operative games to pitch to other companies, right? I get the impression that Family Pastimes does not accept outside submissions.

Yup.

Interesting article. The writer seems to be against co-operative games as a matter of ideology, arguing that they're to "nicey nicey" to be fun, even for the wee ones. One gets the sense that a few rounds of Arkham Horror played under dim lights with a Wagner CD spinning in the background might change his mind.

Glad you found the article interesting - you will find it, and an article written by the founder of family pastime games, in the
archives of BGDF:

getting started / articles elswhere online / games journal archive.

If you look at the ratings at BGG they are low, low games get no buzz.

Family pastimes pumped out an amazing 8 titles all by the same designer who apparently also runs the company. Running a business is a more then full time job and we all know how long it takes to develop a game in your spare time. I imagine the problem with his games is they get very little development past the initial concept. Gamers are picky and will find any and all flaws in a game, that’s just the nature of the gamers mind. His games sell to non-gamers so for Family Pastimes this is not an issue.