Simone Luciani: Board game designer of the year

At the last edition of Lucca Comics and games, the Board Game Designer of the Year Award was presented for the first time, and the winner was Simone Luciani. In the jury's motivation, it emerges that the author from the Marche region ‘in the period of reference has consistently and qualitatively fuelled the board game market with his ability to range with eclecticism between very different settings and genres, appealing to families as well as to more experienced gamers’.
For the occasion, we asked Simone a few questions.

Fuorisalone: First of all, a few words about you.

I am a game designer specialising in the board game segment. I published my first game in 2009 and, since then, over thirty titles bear my signature on the shelves, distributed by various publishers. Since 2013 I have been collaborating with Cranio Creations, where, in addition to being a partner, I hold the role of Head of Development and Lead Designer, taking care of game selection and development.

Fuorisalone: What do you do and how do you become a Board game designer?

My growth as a designer was strongly influenced by certain principles. For me, it is essential to play a lot, experiment with different games and, while playing, ask yourself the right questions. It is equally important to share one's work, to confront oneself with other designers, to question oneself and to try out new ways.

Fuorisalone: What is your view on the state of the board game market?

It is a complex period for the boardgame industry. In the last five years, there has been an explosion of the sector in every direction: the boardgame now has much more visibility, a wide audience and a large circulation. This has led to an exponential growth of authors, publishers and titles, creating a hyper-competitive and saturated market. Today, it is difficult for a publisher to guarantee the long life of a game, and the titles that manage to get a reprint are fewer and fewer. However, I am optimistic: there is great creative and cultural ferment around the world of games.

Fuorisalone: What potential does the board game have as a language for companies?

In addition to gaming, the culture of gamification, i.e. the integration of playful elements in different contexts, has also spread. Over time, we have realised that fun accelerates learning and makes people more productive and motivated. Consequently, integrating playful elements into work contexts is an increasingly common choice. In addition, games foster togetherness, stimulate creativity and communication, and are an effective tool for team building. Finally, creating a board game on one's own brand today allows one to convey content in a much more incisive way than ten years ago.