IPA Family

Created in 2024, The IPA is a group of passionate board game enthusiasts coming together. A new initiative designed to champion and elevate independent board game publishers. By fostering collaboration and community, we hope to empower independent publishers and ensure a thriving and diverse industry!

The IPA’s mission is simple: to put a spotlight independent board game publishers and help distinguish them within the wider publishing landscape.

Our guiding principles

Publisher owned

Creatives in charge

Committed to independence

Our main actions

distribution Support

  1. An online board game store offers favorable revenue sharing for publishers (+33 % of the profits).
  2. Shared booth space is available at major conventions (Essen, Cannes, Gen Con, etc.).

Fueling Creativity

An annual prize will support creators by funding the publishing and production costs of the most promising board game concept.

Amplifying Your Voice

A dedicated «IPA» media platform will showcase alliance members at conventions and online.

A Mark of Distinction

The IPA label will clearly identify independent publishers to both retailers and consumers

Guidelines for publishers to join the I.P.A. label

Creative in charge

  • In-House Expertise: Our publishers maintain internal ressources who oversee the entire publishing process, ensuring a deep understanding and dedication to each project.
  • Passion-Driven Decisions: We prioritize the insights and instincts of board game enthusiasts over detached marketing strategies, resulting in games that truly resonate with players.
  • Direct Collaboration: We encourage open communication and collaboration between authors, illustrators, and editors, fostering a creative environment where the best game experiences can flourish. 
  • Fairness and Equity: We champion a publishing model that ensures a fair distribution of profits throughout the entire value chain, recognizing the contributions of everyone involved in bringing a game to life.

Publisher owned

  • IPA prioritizes publishers who are free from external investors or large corporations.
  • The company should be owned by Individuals or a Family.
  • The owners must be actively involved in the creation process.

Committed to independence

  • Intending to remaining independent and the history to prove it.
  • The IPA platform fosters a collaborative environment where members support each other’s projects.

To join, publishers should have a history of producing multiple games and demonstrating a commitment to the industry. The IPA is more than just a label; it’s a community dedicated to upholding the highest standards of quality and creativity in independent board game publishing.

Meet our members

all distributed publishers