Maltese board games publisher is nominated for top industry award

A board game made by a Maltese publisher has been nominated for a prestigious international award.

Rebirth, a strategic tile-laying game by Mighty Boards, was shortlisted for the Kennerspiel des Jahres (German for ‘expert game of the year’), an award given to games targeted at an experienced audience. Two other games have also been shortlisted.

Set in a lush, hopeful future after civilisation has collapsed and begun rebuilding in harmony with nature, players take on the role of clan leaders restoring the land and competing for control of key areas, especially castles and territories.

Mighty Boards was founded in 2017 by friends David Chircop, Gordon Calleja and Mark Casha as a side project before becoming their full-time venture in 2021.

Five years on, the company now operates out of an office in Attard and employs 15 people, most of whom are based in Malta.

It has 14 games translated into 13 languages to its name, which have sold hundreds of thousands of copies distributed from five warehouses around the world.

Speaking to Times of Malta, Chircop said the nomination was a major achievement for the company.

“Being nominated for a Kennerspiel is a sign you’re playing with the big boys. We feel like we’re relevant on an international level now and are proud to have made all this stuff from Malta,” he said.

Aside from the nomination, Rebirth represents another milestone for the company: the opportunity to work with renowned game designer Reiner Knizia, who created the game’s mechanics.

“It’s quite an honour for us to work with Reiner and for him to bring decades of experience into the picture,” Chircop said.

Operating out of Malta is particularly challenging when it comes to gaining worldwide recognition.

Rebirth is a strategic tile-laying game set in a lush, hopeful future after civilisation has collapsed and begun rebuilding.

“There isn’t really an ecosystem here, compared to Portland in the US, for example, where there are many publishers and a big board game community. We have to ship everything out. This means we have to work extra hard presenting our games online and going to fairs.”

For Chircop, the nomination also brings with it some trepidation, since the increased visibility will inevitably bring more orders the company will have to fulfil.

“It can be hard to pull off the quantity needed, so it’s a case of higher risks and higher rewards,” he said. 

The winner of the Kennerspiel des Jahres will be announced on July 12 in Berlin.