There’s a board game adaptation of Don’t Starve in the works over at Glass Cannon Unplugged, with the tabletop creators confirming an upcoming Kickstarter project “as part of a long-term licensing partnership with Klei Entertainment.”
Before we go any further, let’s pause on that note, because I’m currently imagining board game versions of more great games as part of this partnership. Klei has such a killer lineup of IP, including Invisible, Inc. and Griftlands. Anyway, I digress…
If you want to slap your money on the table right this minute, you’re going to have to stay hungry for a while yet. The Kickstarter campaign isn’t due to begin until some point between the start of July and the end of September (or Q3 of 2024). By the sounds of it there’ll be several tiers, and the presser mentions both expansions and add-ons.
Crossovers between the two mediums are becoming commonplace these days. That said, tabletop adaptations of video games are not always brilliantly received by the wider board game community, and over the years we’ve been served our fair share of damp squibs.
Having registered that concern, Glass Cannon Unplugged do have pedigree when it comes to video game collaborations. The studio has worked on adaptations of Frostpunk and This War of Mine, and they’ve got projects for Apex Legends and Dying Light in the works, too.
Don’t Starve: The Board Game – what we know so far
While there’s not a whole lot to share right now, there are one or two interesting tidbits in the press release, and I’ve tried to pick out the highlights for you.
Don’t Starve: The Board Game will support up to four in co-op, and it will rock a solo mode, too. Either alone or in a group, players will have to “work closely together and use their wits to outsmart fate, strive for subsistence, and simply stay alive.” Sounds about right to me.
The run-time of each game is estimated to be between 60 and 90 minutes.
There’s talk of a randomly generated recreation of the Constant, which sounds most interesting. On top of that, players will be able to play as characters from the game. Here’s a bit of flavoursome text to see us out…
“With its mechanics highlighting player choice, dynamic combat, and open-world exploration in night and day conditions, Don’t Starve: The Board Game is bound to transcend to unexplored levels of immersion, with its visual design fully embracing the unique, whimsical art style long cherished by fans of the series.”
Hit the link for more on the upcoming Kickstarter campaign.
