I like video games, and I love board games. And there have been a number of fantastic board games based on video games.
But never in my wildest imagination did I think there would be a Call of Duty board game.
Arcane Wonders is here to prove even the unlikeliest of board game adaptations can work, as Call of Duty: The Board Game hits crowdfunding website Kickstarter, with a hilariously meager goal of $75,000.
Board game campaigns on Kickstarter are typically much more sophisticated than video games, and used more often as a pre-order store to gauge how many copies to print. That appears to be the case here, as the press release is announcing a 2024 retail release worldwide, with the Kickstarter serving as a pre-order store to drum up interest.
The board game transforms the competitive first-person shooter into a tactical strategy game of hidden movement, customizable loadouts, and action cards.
Two retail boxes are available, Blue Box and Red Box. Each box ($49 each) is built for two players, with two pre-pained miniature figures, along with trackers, tokens, dice, and a battle map.
There’s also the Collector’s Edition ($99) which includes both boxes, for up to four players (with two large maps).
And it wouldn’t be a board game Kickstarter without expansions, including a large Battleground expansion ($60), or smaller character pack add-ons ($20-30).
Note that those prices do not include shipping. Shipping for the Collectors Edition is $25 to the United States, and is typically charged after the campaign ends.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Activision to bring the Call of Duty franchise to the tabletop,” said Bryan Pope, CEO and lead designer, Arcane Wonders. “As life-long COD fans, we’ve worked hard to capture the scope, stakes, and sheer intensity of the video games in ways that COD fans and board gamers new and old will love. We’re looking forward to bringing the unforgettable fun and competitive frenzy of COD to game night for years to come.”
Presuming the campaign is successful, Call of Duty: The Board Game is due to ship in Fall 2024.
