John Zinser
@aegjohnz.bsky.social
Pinned
John Zinser
@aegjohnz.bsky.social
· May 11
I’m looking one turn back at the moments, mistakes, and sparks of luck that shaped my path in publishing, and the second half of my life. Sixty years old and thirty-plus years in, I still feel like I’m learning how to play #1TBZ
Today I want to share that Ryan Dancey and AEG have parted ways.
This is not an easy post to write. Ryan has been a significant part of AEG’s story, and I am personally grateful for the years of work, passion, and intensity he brought to the company. We have built a lot together.
This is not an easy post to write. Ryan has been a significant part of AEG’s story, and I am personally grateful for the years of work, passion, and intensity he brought to the company. We have built a lot together.
February 18, 2026 at 8:06 PM
Today I want to share that Ryan Dancey and AEG have parted ways.
This is not an easy post to write. Ryan has been a significant part of AEG’s story, and I am personally grateful for the years of work, passion, and intensity he brought to the company. We have built a lot together.
This is not an easy post to write. Ryan has been a significant part of AEG’s story, and I am personally grateful for the years of work, passion, and intensity he brought to the company. We have built a lot together.
There’s been conversation today about AI and game design.
I want to be clear where I stand. For 30+ years, AEG has worked with human designers to bring games to life. That creative partnership, the collaboration, the shared spark, is what makes tabletop special. That is not changing.
I want to be clear where I stand. For 30+ years, AEG has worked with human designers to bring games to life. That creative partnership, the collaboration, the shared spark, is what makes tabletop special. That is not changing.
February 18, 2026 at 3:21 AM
There’s been conversation today about AI and game design.
I want to be clear where I stand. For 30+ years, AEG has worked with human designers to bring games to life. That creative partnership, the collaboration, the shared spark, is what makes tabletop special. That is not changing.
I want to be clear where I stand. For 30+ years, AEG has worked with human designers to bring games to life. That creative partnership, the collaboration, the shared spark, is what makes tabletop special. That is not changing.
Relearning AEG’s systems and I keep hitting small annoyances.
Not big failures. Just friction.
The tension is real:
Focus on the big levers… or fix the tiny things so they stop draining energy?
Maybe the rule is simple:
If it steals my attention twice, it earns a fix.
Not big failures. Just friction.
The tension is real:
Focus on the big levers… or fix the tiny things so they stop draining energy?
Maybe the rule is simple:
If it steals my attention twice, it earns a fix.
February 16, 2026 at 5:08 PM
Relearning AEG’s systems and I keep hitting small annoyances.
Not big failures. Just friction.
The tension is real:
Focus on the big levers… or fix the tiny things so they stop draining energy?
Maybe the rule is simple:
If it steals my attention twice, it earns a fix.
Not big failures. Just friction.
The tension is real:
Focus on the big levers… or fix the tiny things so they stop draining energy?
Maybe the rule is simple:
If it steals my attention twice, it earns a fix.
I used to think, “Why don’t we just do what they’re doing?”
Turns out the thing they’re doing isn’t the trick. It’s the judgment behind it.
The taste. The confidence. The timing.
Simple is earned.
Turns out the thing they’re doing isn’t the trick. It’s the judgment behind it.
The taste. The confidence. The timing.
Simple is earned.
February 13, 2026 at 5:37 PM
I used to think, “Why don’t we just do what they’re doing?”
Turns out the thing they’re doing isn’t the trick. It’s the judgment behind it.
The taste. The confidence. The timing.
Simple is earned.
Turns out the thing they’re doing isn’t the trick. It’s the judgment behind it.
The taste. The confidence. The timing.
Simple is earned.
Great photos. Thanks for sharing.
Cascadia #boardgame designed by Randy Flynn, published by @flatoutgames.bsky.social and @alderaceg.bsky.social
More games and session reports here:
homeofmark.com/more-tableto...
More pictures of this session here:
vt.tiktok.com/ZSmYxVJQs/
More games and session reports here:
homeofmark.com/more-tableto...
More pictures of this session here:
vt.tiktok.com/ZSmYxVJQs/
February 12, 2026 at 6:21 PM
Great photos. Thanks for sharing.
I am an early riser. Moving to the east coast has really messed up my work flow. If I am up and working at 4AM that means I have worked a full day by the time my company’s standard day starts at 9AM PST. The result so far many many 12-14 hour work days. Unsustainable and a priority to fix.
February 11, 2026 at 3:21 PM
I am an early riser. Moving to the east coast has really messed up my work flow. If I am up and working at 4AM that means I have worked a full day by the time my company’s standard day starts at 9AM PST. The result so far many many 12-14 hour work days. Unsustainable and a priority to fix.
A few items made it with me to play on Vacation. Play is not work right?
February 9, 2026 at 10:26 PM
A few items made it with me to play on Vacation. Play is not work right?
Wrapped up hands-on work a few weeks ago on the games I have been developing inside of AEG.
The last couple of weeks have been handoff and press approvals, a lot more detail work than I’m used to.
The last couple of weeks have been handoff and press approvals, a lot more detail work than I’m used to.
February 6, 2026 at 2:08 PM
Wrapped up hands-on work a few weeks ago on the games I have been developing inside of AEG.
The last couple of weeks have been handoff and press approvals, a lot more detail work than I’m used to.
The last couple of weeks have been handoff and press approvals, a lot more detail work than I’m used to.
I love that my wife’s guilty pleasure movie is Underworld.
January 29, 2026 at 10:35 PM
I love that my wife’s guilty pleasure movie is Underworld.
boardgamegeek.com/blog/1/blogp... Love Letter was inducted into the BGG hall of fame today. It is a wonderfully deserving game.
The BoardGameGeek Hall of Fame 2026 - Day 4 Inductee | BoardGameGeek News
boardgamegeek.com
January 23, 2026 at 12:56 AM
boardgamegeek.com/blog/1/blogp... Love Letter was inducted into the BGG hall of fame today. It is a wonderfully deserving game.
I thought it would be an in the same family move for our printing partners to find a plush printing partner for The JumbleJack doll. Turns out they are at best distant cousins. At deadline so this is my obsession for the next few days.
January 22, 2026 at 2:13 PM
I thought it would be an in the same family move for our printing partners to find a plush printing partner for The JumbleJack doll. Turns out they are at best distant cousins. At deadline so this is my obsession for the next few days.
I am in a learn by doing phase at AEG. It’s amazing how much work I did not understand that goes into the day to day at my game company. #JumbleJack #AEG #DingDing
January 16, 2026 at 7:01 PM
I am in a learn by doing phase at AEG. It’s amazing how much work I did not understand that goes into the day to day at my game company. #JumbleJack #AEG #DingDing
I missed the end of the Bears game last night!! I miss good Mexican food and donuts on every corner, I miss my mom, I miss the weather, I miss my gaming group, I miss my awesome barber, but most of all I miss reasonable start and end times for football games. #missingLA
January 11, 2026 at 1:18 PM
I missed the end of the Bears game last night!! I miss good Mexican food and donuts on every corner, I miss my mom, I miss the weather, I miss my gaming group, I miss my awesome barber, but most of all I miss reasonable start and end times for football games. #missingLA
Yesterday I had a small issue with my G Hub not opening to allow me to fix my camera lighting. That ended up with me down a rabbit hole of updates and restarts and ultimately a complete system reset. I think my computer is running better now but it did not fix the problem. :) Back down the hole.
January 10, 2026 at 2:25 PM
Yesterday I had a small issue with my G Hub not opening to allow me to fix my camera lighting. That ended up with me down a rabbit hole of updates and restarts and ultimately a complete system reset. I think my computer is running better now but it did not fix the problem. :) Back down the hole.
My plan to work shorter days starting in January has not survived contact with all of my new exciting ideas.
January 8, 2026 at 2:45 PM
My plan to work shorter days starting in January has not survived contact with all of my new exciting ideas.
I would really love to attend one of these film festivals in a year when movies are great again. www.screendaily.com/news/2025-fi...
2025 film festivals and markets calendar: latest dates
Bookmark this page to keep track of all the latest festival dates.
www.screendaily.com
December 28, 2025 at 12:10 AM
I would really love to attend one of these film festivals in a year when movies are great again. www.screendaily.com/news/2025-fi...
Woodstock is my spirit animal. I wake up every day with this thought as my core default. It only gets better if we make it better.
December 22, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Woodstock is my spirit animal. I wake up every day with this thought as my core default. It only gets better if we make it better.
This year lots of Running Man. The Schwarzenegger and the new Running Man movies I liked them both. Also finished the book and liked it more than both of the movie adaptions. Glen Powell’s Ben Richard’s was very close to the book. I don’t know why they felt the need to change the things they did
December 22, 2025 at 12:26 AM
This year lots of Running Man. The Schwarzenegger and the new Running Man movies I liked them both. Also finished the book and liked it more than both of the movie adaptions. Glen Powell’s Ben Richard’s was very close to the book. I don’t know why they felt the need to change the things they did
I have never once in 32 years figured out how one of our products will best fit in its box. This week I am learning just how hard that is. Building boxes for #WordWipe #Assemble and #JumbleJack. For #BigGameNight 2026
December 20, 2025 at 2:08 PM
I have never once in 32 years figured out how one of our products will best fit in its box. This week I am learning just how hard that is. Building boxes for #WordWipe #Assemble and #JumbleJack. For #BigGameNight 2026
Last official workday of the year. Caffeinated,hydrated, and the team is ready.
December 19, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Last official workday of the year. Caffeinated,hydrated, and the team is ready.
Delivery delayed on the materials for a Word Wipe box experiment.
Right now the idea works perfectly because it only exists in my head.
Execution begins the moment reality is allowed to disagree.
Right now the idea works perfectly because it only exists in my head.
Execution begins the moment reality is allowed to disagree.
December 14, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Delivery delayed on the materials for a Word Wipe box experiment.
Right now the idea works perfectly because it only exists in my head.
Execution begins the moment reality is allowed to disagree.
Right now the idea works perfectly because it only exists in my head.
Execution begins the moment reality is allowed to disagree.
I know ideas. I know play. I know brand building.
But I am not Bo Jackson
I don’t know the unglamorous execution: laying out files, building spreadsheets, social media, checking proofs, ordering art, managing production.
I’m finally learning the hard part of how ideas become real games. It’s fun.
But I am not Bo Jackson
I don’t know the unglamorous execution: laying out files, building spreadsheets, social media, checking proofs, ordering art, managing production.
I’m finally learning the hard part of how ideas become real games. It’s fun.
December 13, 2025 at 5:45 PM
I know ideas. I know play. I know brand building.
But I am not Bo Jackson
I don’t know the unglamorous execution: laying out files, building spreadsheets, social media, checking proofs, ordering art, managing production.
I’m finally learning the hard part of how ideas become real games. It’s fun.
But I am not Bo Jackson
I don’t know the unglamorous execution: laying out files, building spreadsheets, social media, checking proofs, ordering art, managing production.
I’m finally learning the hard part of how ideas become real games. It’s fun.
McDonald’s Charcuterie. Nothing but first class as the Zinser household.
December 6, 2025 at 11:33 PM
McDonald’s Charcuterie. Nothing but first class as the Zinser household.
I am in a football pool where every week you pick every game including the spread. 2/3 of the way through the season I am 86-86. Which proves that when I pick games it is not better than a coin flip.
November 26, 2025 at 10:49 AM
I am in a football pool where every week you pick every game including the spread. 2/3 of the way through the season I am 86-86. Which proves that when I pick games it is not better than a coin flip.