There’s a new batch of party games on the way this summer, with Asmodee officially revealing the first titles from its recently launched studio, Moodbox Games!
The new label is focused on accessible social games that are easy to learn and built for groups of friends and families rather than players looking for long strategy-heavy sessions. Its first four releases are Guess the Mess, Link Out Loud, Photo Dump and Who Says? Friends, all arriving in July.
This is also the first real look at what Moodbox wants to bring to the tabletop scene. The focus here is clearly on games that are quick to set up, simple to explain and easy to play with a mixed group!
A New Studio
Moodbox was launched by Asmodee last year as part of the company’s growing push into social and party games.
According to Moodbox head Kelli Schmitz, the aim is to create games that feel approachable and easy to bring to the table with different kinds of players. Looking at the first lineup, that definitely seems to be the plan!
All four games lean into straightforward concepts, with guessing, communication and storytelling mechanics taking centre stage instead of deep strategy systems or long rulebooks.
That also makes them easier to introduce to people who do not regularly play board games, which feels like a big part of the appeal.
Guessing And Chaos!
One of the first releases is Guess the Mess, a family party game where players race to figure out deliberately confusing clues before the other team does.
It is designed for players aged eight and up and comes from designer Jack Degnan alongside development studio Hedyverse. The setup sounds simple enough, but the challenge comes from trying to make sense of clues that are intentionally messy or misleading.
Games like this usually work best when everyone starts second-guessing themselves, so it could end up being one of the more lively additions to the lineup!
Team Games Return!
Another release, Link Out Loud, focuses on communication and word association.
Designed by Jeremy Posner and Ken Gruhl, the game has players trying to connect ideas and pass them on to teammates under pressure. That style of gameplay has become increasingly popular in party games because it is quick to learn and works especially well with larger groups.
It also sounds like the kind of game where people will either feel incredibly clever or immediately regret the clue they just gave!
Your Photos Become Part Of The Game
The most unusual title in the lineup is probably Photo Dump, designed by first-time published designer Annika Wierichs.
Instead of relying entirely on cards or prompts, the game uses players’ own photos during co-operative storytelling challenges. That means every session will naturally feel a bit different depending on who is playing.
Using personal photos is a smart idea because it instantly gives players something familiar to work with and usually gets conversations going much faster.
It also helps the game stand out from a lot of other party releases currently on shelves!
Quotes And Pop Culture
The fourth release is Who Says? Friends, a quote-guessing game designed by Lloyd Mintz and developed by Bolt Games.
Players try to identify famous lines and pop culture references either individually or in teams, making it the most traditional party game concept in the lineup.
That sort of format tends to work well at casual gatherings because almost everyone can jump in straight away, even if they do not normally play tabletop games.
Asmodee Goes Bigger On Party Games
The Moodbox reveal is part of a much bigger expansion from Asmodee into social gaming.
Earlier this year, the company agreed a deal worth up to €250 million to acquire French party game publisher ATM Gaming, which publishes titles including Speed Bac and Pili Pili. Shortly after that, Asmodee also picked up the rights to Time’s Up! from R&R Games.
The company has pointed to social games as one of the fastest-growing areas of the tabletop market, with stronger projected growth than the wider board game industry over the next few years.
That makes Moodbox an interesting addition to Asmodee’s growing lineup of studios. Rather than focusing on heavier hobby games, these releases are clearly aimed at players looking for something social, fast-moving and easy to get to the table.
All four games are currently set to launch in July.
