John Company: Second Edition - Kickstarter Critique

3 Spectacular Reads For Any Kickstarter Creator:

From The Publisher:
In John Company, players assume the roles of ambitious families attempting to use the British East India Company for personal gain. The game begins in the early eighteenth-century, when the Company has a weak foothold on the subcontinent. Over the course of the game, the Company might grow into the most powerful and insidious corporation in the world or collapse under the weight of its own ambition.

John Company is a game about state-sponsored trade monopoly. Unlike most economic games players often do not control their own firms. Instead, they will collectively guide the Company by securing positions of power, attempting to steer the Company’s fate in ways that benefit their own interests. However, the Company is an unwieldy thing. It is difficult to do anything alone, and players will often need to negotiate with one another. In John Company, most everything is up for negotiation.

Ultimately, this game isn’t about wealth; it’s about reputation. Each turn some of your family members may retire from their Company positions, giving them the opportunity establish estates. Critically, players do not have full control over when these retirements happen. You will often need to borrow money from other players to make the best use for a chance of retirement. Players also gain victory points by competing in the London Season for prestige and securing fashionable properties.

John Company engages very seriously with its theme. It is meant as a frank portrait of an institution that was as dysfunctional as it was influential. Accordingly, the game wrestles many of the key themes of imperialism and globalization in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and how those developments were felt domestically. As such, this game might not be suitable for all players. Please make sure everyone in your group consents to this exploration before playing.

The second edition is extensively revised and is not a reprint.

[shingodzilla]

John Company is a HEAVY game - not necessarily in rules complexity but in depth. To be honest, all of Cole Wehrle's designs are like this. If you're not recognizing the name think Root, Pax Pamir, An Infamous Traffic, Oath.

[rholford]

The guy designed Root... also Pax Pamir is hands down my favourite game. It was an auto-back.

[vliam]

I'm backing this. I may never get it to the table. This game isn't for most people. I think a lot of people that are backing this are doing it for the wrong reasons.
If you're not sure, I might suggest waiting until after it ships. I think a lot of backers are going to be overwhelmed and may dump their copies. This is not as universally appealing as Pax Pamir 2ed.

A couple of positive notes,
Pax Pamir 2ed reprint was launched last year at the beginning of the Covid thing and delivered on time. It ended in March with an October target and I got my copy on October 16th.

Boardgame Jess is Edward Uhler's girlfriend. She's a regular on Heavy Cardboard. Her top 20 list and mine are almost identical. She has great taste in games.