Yes, I’ll read (or make) the rules

 Before infinite scrolling, snap streaks, and Fortnight dances, there was the great outside. As a kid, I was eager to run around with my friends after homework and just play. Together. In real life. And somewhere in that wide open world of improvised fun, I designed my first game.

I called it Butter. It was a cross between manhunt and a treasure hunt where two teams squared off to hide treasure, decipher clues, avoid capture, and escape jail. It was challenging, exhilarating, and unforgettable – the exact kind of game I wished existed. So I made it.

Playing Butter taught me something that has stuck with me ever since: Fun isn’t something you wait for. It’s something you can design.

I’ve always loved games because of their ability to bring people together and reveal sides of people you don’t expect. A quiet friend suddenly becomes a ruthless strategist. Someone convinced they’re “bad at games” pulls off a brilliant, game-changing move. A board game.  spreads across a table and, before long, hours disappear into laughter, competition, and storytelling. Games create shared moments, like tiny worlds with rules that let people surprise themselves.

During lockdown, when connection felt distant, I recreated a game played on my favorite podcast. The premise was simple: Vent for 60 seconds on a randomly chosen topic. Friends released dramatic rants on muddy snow, inattentive servers, and Toucan Sam – somehow, through passion and performance, turning complaints into comedy. What started as a silly exercise became a pressure valve, proving that the right game can turn collective frustration into shared joy.

After more than 30 years as a gamer, I decided to take a Board Game Production course to learn from experienced designers and formalize instincts I’d been building since childhood. During the course, I developed a gift-exchange game that feels like a super-powered version of White Elephant. It’s the most excited I’ve been to put a game idea together since I finalized the rules for Butter over two decades ago.

And it’s been just another reminder that sometimes, we have to make our own fun.