Lioness Games, a new entrant in the board game industry, has made a remarkable debut with its first game, Biome which has raced to over $200,000 in orders on Kickstarter within days of its launch.
The game, inspired by the founder’s passion for board games and nature, was funded in a mere nine minutes, attracting over 3,500 backers from more than 20 countries.
Biome is a nature-themed strategy game with 120+ different plants and animals. The game is for 1-4 players, emphasising card placement and tableau building.
Players navigate through the four seasons, each impacting their biome differently, as they strive for biodiversity and activate unique abilities of flora and fauna to win.
As players progress through the game’s four seasons, they must adapt their strategies to the changing conditions, making for a dynamic and engaging gameplay experience.
For example, each Spring, players place baby animal tokens in straw nests and in Summer time, they must protect their baby animals from their opponent’s predators by playing plant cards. The unique wooden components and player interaction make for a dynamic and engaging game gameplay experience.
Leonie Grundler, the founder of Lioness Games, former tech industry professional and a long-time board game enthusiast. She worked at Airbnb in Germany and found inspiration for Biome during her time spent in board game cafes in Berlin.
“Living in Berlin is where my love for board games went from being just a hobby to a passion” recalls Leonie Grundler. After nearly 18 months of development, Biome is ready for people to enjoy.
Kickstarter has proven to be an invaluable platform for small game publishers, with games being the largest category, accounting for 30% of all money raised. The success of Biome highlights the importance of building a community of followers months in advance of launching a game on Kickstarter.
Despite the board game market being a $14 billion industry, less than 4% of top board game designers are women and Lioness Games aims to bring a fresh perspective to the industry.
Leonie Grundler added: “I never thought I would make a board game or run a Kickstarter campaign, but here we are, a few days in and $200,000+ in sales. I love nature and board games, so it was natural that my first game would be nature, specifically biodiversity, themed. At Lioness Games, we’re changing that narrative by creating games that resonate with a broader audience. Our flagship game, Biome, is a testament to this, offering a unique blend of strategy and environmental education.”
The game’s engaging mechanics and educational value have already garnered praise from nature lovers and gaming enthusiasts alike.
Jamie Williams, who runs the TableTopTikTok channel on TikTok remarked: “I have not been this excited about a game in so long. This game scratched every itch I could possibly have! It is so thematic and the pieces are incredible. This game is phenomenal.”
While the designer of the board game Dusty Droz, co-founder of Dux Somnium Games and the creator of Botany, added: “I absolutely love how Biome’s art and gameplay make your habitats come to life as you play through the game. You can imagine your birds nesting in the tree cards, your opponents’ predators slithering across the table, and your giraffe ambling across your board. If the immersion by itself wasn’t enough, the way you use your cards and their positioning to build mini-engines and combos throughout the game is just plain fun”.
Looking ahead, Lioness Games is committed to designing unique games that spark joy, facilitate connection, foster strategic thinking, and drive wonder among players.
In line with the game’s theme, Lioness Games is committed to giving back to nature. A portion of Biome’s profits will be donated to the Wildlife Conservation Network to support their mission of protecting vulnerable wildlife.
Paul Thomson, Senior Director of Conservation Programs at Wildlife Conservation Network, commented: “Biome is so rewarding! Its beautiful cards and pieces, the objective of creating a diverse and resilient environment — it has us hooked. Our team at the Wildlife Conservation Network loves how the game helps you strategize how to protect the species. It’s perfect for nature lovers and game enthusiasts alike.”
