Dux Somnium Games are purveyors of gorgeous, Victorian-era and Art Nouveau–inspired board games. They burst onto the scene with Botany, a runaway hit that raised over $1 million on Kickstarter despite being their debut project. Since then, Dux Somnium have released titles such as Artistry and Fleur, and are now finalising their latest Kickstarter for Endearment, a game that draws inspiration from the world of Jane Austen.
Interview with Dux Somnium Games
Hey Amy and Dusty, thank you so much for taking the time to chat to us about all things Dux Somnium, and your experience of working with Zatu. Let’s get rococo-ing and rolling…
Q: You burst onto the board game scene with Botany, which made quite the impression. How did the idea come about, and what inspired you to take it to crowdfunding?
Before making board games, we had a very successful Etsy business that made custom flower presses and sold other crafts from our flower farm. Totally unrelated to that, I got it in my head that I wanted to start painting miniatures. (This is relevant, I promise!) So while thinking about this, I decided I wanted to 3D print miniatures, and then if I was already doing that, I should sell printed miniatures on Etsy. Well it didn’t take long to realize that meant I would have to have someone design custom miniatures so I would be selling a unique product, and Amy said, “If you’re already making the miniatures, you might as well make a board game to go with them.” Well that put the idea in our head, and we started working on a scifi/fantasy miniatures game. We learned very quickly how long that takes and how expensive it is, so one morning Amy walked into the kitchen, and said, “I have an idea for another game we could make at the same time.” She began describing all these crazy adventures that Victorian flower hunters had, and by the time she was done she had me convinced this would be a very fun theme for a game. Within a week we had the whole game playable and decided to put it on Kickstarter. Amy’s brother had a very successful Kickstarter years ago, so we Googled “How to Kickstarter” and everything just took off from there!
Q: Hitting over $1 million as first-time publishers is an incredible achievement. What do you think contributed most to that early success?
Amy said that she wanted to make pretty games that she and her friends would enjoy. It turns out that she has A LOT of friends in the world who don’t have a lot of board games specifically made for them. It’s an incredibly fun audience, and our fans are phenomenal!
“It’s an incredibly fun audience, and our fans are phenomenal!”
Q: Dux Somnium’s themes and aesthetics feel beautifully consistent, almost like parts of an interconnected series. Is that a conscious decision? And what advice would you give publishers looking to build a strong, recognisable brand?
Absolutely! Amy does all the graphic design for our games, and she’s an absolute expert when it comes to aesthetics and design in art history. Whenever she makes a game, she’ll actually put them side-by-side with the components and boxes from our previous games and make sure that they all flow together well. For publishers looking to build a strong brand, I think it starts with knowing for whom you are making your games, aka your superfan. What do they like in a game? What aesthetic do they like? What makes them excited to spend their hard-earned cash on something? What creates a satisfying experience for them and adds value to their time? When you have a clear vision for those things, it helps focus your purpose and your design decisions in everything you create.
Q: With Botany, you weren’t yet working with Zatu Fulfilment. Did you face any challenges with Botany’s fulfilment, and what led you to choose Zatu as a fulfilment partner for your future games?
Yes, tons of challenges! We didn’t know what we didn’t know when we started, and it turns out it is quite the puzzle to figure out how to deliver a lot of packages to a lot of countries. We came to Zatu with a list of problems, and Zatu had the answer to every one of them, so having you do our fulfillment was an easy decision.
“We came to Zatu with a list of problems, and Zatu had the answer to every one of them, so having you do our fulfillment was an easy decision.”
Q: Your more recent titles have been handled by Zatu Fulfilment. How has your experience been so far?
It’s been phenomenal! Everything is quick and efficient, and we feel like we have our Kickstarter and e-comm fulfillment completely under control.
Q: Crowdfunding games comes with its own unique hurdles. What have been the biggest challenges for you, and what advice would you share with others navigating that space?
Shipping is by far the biggest hurdle! It’s one of the top ways that publishers find themselves in serious trouble, so it is absolutely crucial to find a fulfillment partner who can solve problems before they occur.
Q: With Artistry heading to backers soon, what can we expect next from Dux Somnium?
Our new Jane Austen game, Endearment, is live on Kickstarter now! Check out Endearment.
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For more from Dusty and Amy, and their projects with Dux Somnium, check out their website where you can find their games, and give them a follow on Instagram.
