Kaydon Webber
Over the years, Omaha has developed into a thriving hub for board game enthusiasts. With growing interest in tabletop gaming, a group of local creators has assembled an organization dedicated to developing, testing, and publishing new board games.
Inside the walls of Spielbound, a popular board game café in Omaha, a new community of designers has taken shape. The group, known as Spielmasons, brings together aspiring and experienced developers who share a common goal: turning creative ideas into fully realized board games.
The location of board game cafe Spielbound. Spielbound is the location of the Spielmason’s weekly meetings.
Spielmasons provides local designers with opportunities to collaborate, refine their concepts, and playtest their games with real audiences. Through structured feedback and community support, members work to polish their projects with the ultimate hope of catching the attention of established publishers.
The organization works closely with the team at Spielbound, strengthening Omaha’s growing tabletop scene. Sierra, General Manager of Spielbound, says the partnership helps cultivate local talent and expand the city’s creative footprint.
By offering space, resources, and a built-in gaming community eager to try new concepts, Spielbound and Spielmasons are creating a launchpad for designers looking to break into the competitive board game industry.
This is a tuesday meeting for the Spielmasons. Pictured are two core members playtesting new game features suggested by a publisher.
Omaha already boasts an expanding catalog of published games created by local designers, and some developers in the area have even had opportunities to collaborate with major franchises such as The Lord of the Rings. That success reflects the steady growth of Omaha’s creative scene and the increasing national recognition of its talent.
As interest in tabletop gaming continues to rise, organizations like Spielmasons are helping ensure that Omaha remains part of the conversation in the board game world.
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