Bart de Jong
@bartgamedesign.bsky.social
Father. Primary school teacher. Game designer. Designer of Bable (2024) and L'Oaf (2025).
Reposted by Bart de Jong
New comic! Based on real events, partially.😌
📜 You can read this week's blog post at:
semicoop.com/comic/rubbed-the-wrong-way/ #boardgames
📜 You can read this week's blog post at:
semicoop.com/comic/rubbed-the-wrong-way/ #boardgames
January 5, 2026 at 5:14 PM
New comic! Based on real events, partially.😌
📜 You can read this week's blog post at:
semicoop.com/comic/rubbed-the-wrong-way/ #boardgames
📜 You can read this week's blog post at:
semicoop.com/comic/rubbed-the-wrong-way/ #boardgames
So 2025...
The good bits:
- My daughter had her first full year of her life
- My second game got published
- I got diagnosed with ADD (started meds and it's like playing life on easy mode)
The bad bits:
- My mom got diagnosed with incurable cancer
- I'm ending the year in bed after an appendectomy
The good bits:
- My daughter had her first full year of her life
- My second game got published
- I got diagnosed with ADD (started meds and it's like playing life on easy mode)
The bad bits:
- My mom got diagnosed with incurable cancer
- I'm ending the year in bed after an appendectomy
December 31, 2025 at 9:33 PM
So 2025...
The good bits:
- My daughter had her first full year of her life
- My second game got published
- I got diagnosed with ADD (started meds and it's like playing life on easy mode)
The bad bits:
- My mom got diagnosed with incurable cancer
- I'm ending the year in bed after an appendectomy
The good bits:
- My daughter had her first full year of her life
- My second game got published
- I got diagnosed with ADD (started meds and it's like playing life on easy mode)
The bad bits:
- My mom got diagnosed with incurable cancer
- I'm ending the year in bed after an appendectomy
Reposted by Bart de Jong
Weekly Recap! 📼 A week filled with Christmas and other celebrations and lots of small games. And we got gifted the coolest 3D print of our Semi Co-op characters! 😄
Weekly Recap! 📼 A week filled with Christmas and other celebrations and lots of small games.
YouTube video by Semi Co-op
youtube.com
December 28, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Weekly Recap! 📼 A week filled with Christmas and other celebrations and lots of small games. And we got gifted the coolest 3D print of our Semi Co-op characters! 😄
Reposted by Bart de Jong
This laundry goblin has seen things...
December 24, 2025 at 10:32 PM
This laundry goblin has seen things...
So apparently my body wanted to show solidarity with my good friend @zhoekstra.bsky.social, and decided it was time for my appendix to go as well. Now in recovery after an emergency surgery this afternoon. What a way to end an already crazy year.
December 22, 2025 at 6:15 PM
So apparently my body wanted to show solidarity with my good friend @zhoekstra.bsky.social, and decided it was time for my appendix to go as well. Now in recovery after an emergency surgery this afternoon. What a way to end an already crazy year.
Reposted by Bart de Jong
This is also about boardgame culture
This is actually quite brilliant, up to and including the final sentence 🔥
December 1, 2025 at 1:18 PM
This is also about boardgame culture
I'll take "small & great" both as a wonderful compliment and as definite proof that size doesn't matter.
Gosh, so many good games in November! @wulfhorngames.bsky.social is two for two with L'oaf and Goblin Laundromat both being small & great. The new General Orders is very good, we're obssed with Koi Koi. Deckers is probably the co-op game of the year and Pick 'n Packers is another Oink hit. #bgstats
December 1, 2025 at 10:59 AM
I'll take "small & great" both as a wonderful compliment and as definite proof that size doesn't matter.
Reposted by Bart de Jong
Community isn’t something you show up to consume. It requires you to contribute, collaborate, and commit-create.
If you want community, you have to be community.
#craftivism
If you want community, you have to be community.
#craftivism
November 22, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Community isn’t something you show up to consume. It requires you to contribute, collaborate, and commit-create.
If you want community, you have to be community.
#craftivism
If you want community, you have to be community.
#craftivism
It was wild to suddenly be someone who gets interviewed at Essen! Really enjoyed the talk I had with Ramon about my two published games Bable and L'Oaf.
🎙️ New interview!
I sat down with @bartgamedesign.bsky.social , designer of L’Oaf (the brain-melter Bable 😅), to talk baking, lazy workers, and the humor behind his latest game.
🎥 youtu.be/dGlEmHA-9hY
#BoardGames #EssenSpiel #LOaf #BartDeJong #TheHungryMeeple #TabletopGaming #BoardGameDesign #Bable
I sat down with @bartgamedesign.bsky.social , designer of L’Oaf (the brain-melter Bable 😅), to talk baking, lazy workers, and the humor behind his latest game.
🎥 youtu.be/dGlEmHA-9hY
#BoardGames #EssenSpiel #LOaf #BartDeJong #TheHungryMeeple #TabletopGaming #BoardGameDesign #Bable
Interview with L'oaf designer: Bart de Jong
YouTube video by The Hungry Meeple
youtu.be
November 20, 2025 at 9:08 PM
It was wild to suddenly be someone who gets interviewed at Essen! Really enjoyed the talk I had with Ramon about my two published games Bable and L'Oaf.
Reposted by Bart de Jong
🎙️ New interview!
I sat down with @bartgamedesign.bsky.social , designer of L’Oaf (the brain-melter Bable 😅), to talk baking, lazy workers, and the humor behind his latest game.
🎥 youtu.be/dGlEmHA-9hY
#BoardGames #EssenSpiel #LOaf #BartDeJong #TheHungryMeeple #TabletopGaming #BoardGameDesign #Bable
I sat down with @bartgamedesign.bsky.social , designer of L’Oaf (the brain-melter Bable 😅), to talk baking, lazy workers, and the humor behind his latest game.
🎥 youtu.be/dGlEmHA-9hY
#BoardGames #EssenSpiel #LOaf #BartDeJong #TheHungryMeeple #TabletopGaming #BoardGameDesign #Bable
Interview with L'oaf designer: Bart de Jong
YouTube video by The Hungry Meeple
youtu.be
November 20, 2025 at 5:17 AM
🎙️ New interview!
I sat down with @bartgamedesign.bsky.social , designer of L’Oaf (the brain-melter Bable 😅), to talk baking, lazy workers, and the humor behind his latest game.
🎥 youtu.be/dGlEmHA-9hY
#BoardGames #EssenSpiel #LOaf #BartDeJong #TheHungryMeeple #TabletopGaming #BoardGameDesign #Bable
I sat down with @bartgamedesign.bsky.social , designer of L’Oaf (the brain-melter Bable 😅), to talk baking, lazy workers, and the humor behind his latest game.
🎥 youtu.be/dGlEmHA-9hY
#BoardGames #EssenSpiel #LOaf #BartDeJong #TheHungryMeeple #TabletopGaming #BoardGameDesign #Bable
This weekend I'll be at Spellenspektakel, the biggest Dutch tabletop game convention. Come play a game of L'Oaf at booth 41, Hall 11!
November 7, 2025 at 7:53 PM
This weekend I'll be at Spellenspektakel, the biggest Dutch tabletop game convention. Come play a game of L'Oaf at booth 41, Hall 11!
Jason Gamber, the artist for L'oaf, just launched his new game on kickstarter. It's a game about zodiac signs but not about horoscopes. It's also a trick taker but kinda not. It's hard to explain. Anyway, just go check it out because Jason always does cool stuff.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/red...
www.kickstarter.com/projects/red...
Orbit Master
Restore and rule the Zodiac celestial orbit in this interactive card game before the 13th sign creates a black hole.
www.kickstarter.com
November 4, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Jason Gamber, the artist for L'oaf, just launched his new game on kickstarter. It's a game about zodiac signs but not about horoscopes. It's also a trick taker but kinda not. It's hard to explain. Anyway, just go check it out because Jason always does cool stuff.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/red...
www.kickstarter.com/projects/red...
Anyone across the pond going to Pax Unplugged this year? My Game L'Oaf will be playable at their First Look section.
boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/366...
boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/366...
PAX Unplugged 2025 First Look Showcase
PAX's First Look area is the "hot games" section of our event! Read on to learn about what games we're featuring this year, and how you can play them.
How Were These Games Chosen?
First Look games ar...
boardgamegeek.com
November 3, 2025 at 8:06 AM
Anyone across the pond going to Pax Unplugged this year? My Game L'Oaf will be playable at their First Look section.
boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/366...
boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/366...
I wrote a thing (I was planning to write this before Essen, but only managed after, like a true loaf): boardgamegeek.com/thread/36030...
L'Oaf design diary | L'oaf
We put a piece of ourselves in everything we create. Sometimes on purpose, often subconsciously. It was late in the development of L'Oaf that I realized which part of myself I had baked into this desi...
boardgamegeek.com
November 1, 2025 at 2:21 PM
I wrote a thing (I was planning to write this before Essen, but only managed after, like a true loaf): boardgamegeek.com/thread/36030...
My top Spiel moments:
- Meeting @semicoop.bsky.social and demo'ing L'Oaf for them
- Getting interviewed by @thehungrymeeple.bsky.social for their excellent podcast about food and games
- Chatting with @petewiss.bsky.social about games, losing our voices, and the @decisionspace.bsky.social podcast
- Meeting @semicoop.bsky.social and demo'ing L'Oaf for them
- Getting interviewed by @thehungrymeeple.bsky.social for their excellent podcast about food and games
- Chatting with @petewiss.bsky.social about games, losing our voices, and the @decisionspace.bsky.social podcast
October 28, 2025 at 8:43 PM
My top Spiel moments:
- Meeting @semicoop.bsky.social and demo'ing L'Oaf for them
- Getting interviewed by @thehungrymeeple.bsky.social for their excellent podcast about food and games
- Chatting with @petewiss.bsky.social about games, losing our voices, and the @decisionspace.bsky.social podcast
- Meeting @semicoop.bsky.social and demo'ing L'Oaf for them
- Getting interviewed by @thehungrymeeple.bsky.social for their excellent podcast about food and games
- Chatting with @petewiss.bsky.social about games, losing our voices, and the @decisionspace.bsky.social podcast
Becoming a father has changed my shopping behaviour at Essen Spiel considerably. This baby boar from @lookoutgames.bsky.social was my biggest purchase.
October 27, 2025 at 8:06 AM
Becoming a father has changed my shopping behaviour at Essen Spiel considerably. This baby boar from @lookoutgames.bsky.social was my biggest purchase.
Reposted by Bart de Jong
We went to Wulfhorn Games where @bartgamedesign.bsky.social demo'ed his game L'oaf. Who knew playing a bunch of lazy bakers who do just enough work to get not get in trouble is such a good time!
We also talked briefly with @zhoekstra.bsky.social about his game Canal Houses (Foreshadowed!)
We also talked briefly with @zhoekstra.bsky.social about his game Canal Houses (Foreshadowed!)
October 26, 2025 at 8:20 AM
We went to Wulfhorn Games where @bartgamedesign.bsky.social demo'ed his game L'oaf. Who knew playing a bunch of lazy bakers who do just enough work to get not get in trouble is such a good time!
We also talked briefly with @zhoekstra.bsky.social about his game Canal Houses (Foreshadowed!)
We also talked briefly with @zhoekstra.bsky.social about his game Canal Houses (Foreshadowed!)
Finally arrived at Essen! Come say hi in Hall 3 at booth U130, if you want to see me try to explain L'Oaf while totally overwhelmed by all the noise and probably also slowly losing my voice
October 24, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Finally arrived at Essen! Come say hi in Hall 3 at booth U130, if you want to see me try to explain L'Oaf while totally overwhelmed by all the noise and probably also slowly losing my voice
Me reading all the Essen posts, knowing that I'll only be there Saturday and Sunday:
a little girl is laying on the ground with the words `` not jealous at all '' written above her .
Alt: a little girl is laying on the ground with the words `` not jealous at all '' written above her .
media.tenor.com
October 23, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Me reading all the Essen posts, knowing that I'll only be there Saturday and Sunday:
Reposted by Bart de Jong
New comic! ⏳ Ever wonder why a ‘60-minute game’ takes all evening? 😅 Based on careful observation of our last few game nights, we present our findings! What would you add (or remove) from it?
You can read this week's blog post at
semicoop.com/comic/game-time-breakdown/ #gamenight
You can read this week's blog post at
semicoop.com/comic/game-time-breakdown/ #gamenight
October 20, 2025 at 4:25 PM
New comic! ⏳ Ever wonder why a ‘60-minute game’ takes all evening? 😅 Based on careful observation of our last few game nights, we present our findings! What would you add (or remove) from it?
You can read this week's blog post at
semicoop.com/comic/game-time-breakdown/ #gamenight
You can read this week's blog post at
semicoop.com/comic/game-time-breakdown/ #gamenight
I've had the chance to play several itterations of PACT over the last few years. it was a unique experience the first time around, and it has only improved since then. So excited for the 2026 release. I highly recommend checking it out!
🎲✂️ Join me at #essenspiel for a sneak peak at a game about big politics in a tiny kingdom! Play the prototype, and give your feedback for the final release!
Booth #3U310
Thursday 10:00am - 1:30pm
Friday 1:30pm - 6:00 pm
Booth #3U310
Thursday 10:00am - 1:30pm
Friday 1:30pm - 6:00 pm
October 18, 2025 at 7:04 AM
I've had the chance to play several itterations of PACT over the last few years. it was a unique experience the first time around, and it has only improved since then. So excited for the 2026 release. I highly recommend checking it out!
I spotted L'Oaf in the wild for the first time yesterday! Always a magical moment when an idea I've worked on for years is suddenly an actual thing people can buy and play. Goblin Laundromat and Medievallons are awesome games as well, definitely worth checking out at Wulfhorn Games' Essen booth!
October 14, 2025 at 2:52 PM
I spotted L'Oaf in the wild for the first time yesterday! Always a magical moment when an idea I've worked on for years is suddenly an actual thing people can buy and play. Goblin Laundromat and Medievallons are awesome games as well, definitely worth checking out at Wulfhorn Games' Essen booth!
Excited that the news is finally out on Rattlesnake. I got to playtest it a couple of times with Michael during its development, it's a tense 1vs1 shootout with exceptional art by @rolandsrevenge.bsky.social. Definitely worth checking out at Essen!
📢📢 NEW BOARD GAMES IN 2026...
Threaded 🧵 a crafty worker placement game: https://bit.ly/4nOJ9iz
Rattlesnake 🤠 a riotous wild west shootout: https://bit.ly/3J8NKwH
Find out more on @boardgamegeek.com or our website blog. Get an exclusive preview at SPIEL Essen Stand 3.M600!
Threaded 🧵 a crafty worker placement game: https://bit.ly/4nOJ9iz
Rattlesnake 🤠 a riotous wild west shootout: https://bit.ly/3J8NKwH
Find out more on @boardgamegeek.com or our website blog. Get an exclusive preview at SPIEL Essen Stand 3.M600!
October 14, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Excited that the news is finally out on Rattlesnake. I got to playtest it a couple of times with Michael during its development, it's a tense 1vs1 shootout with exceptional art by @rolandsrevenge.bsky.social. Definitely worth checking out at Essen!
Reposted by Bart de Jong
New comic! Every year, we tell ourselves we're going to SPIEL just to “see friends.” Every year, our suitcase says otherwise. 😅
What board games are you most excited to check out at #SPIEL this year? 🎲
You can read this week's blog post at semicoop.com/comic/be-honest/ #boardgames
What board games are you most excited to check out at #SPIEL this year? 🎲
You can read this week's blog post at semicoop.com/comic/be-honest/ #boardgames
October 13, 2025 at 4:00 PM
New comic! Every year, we tell ourselves we're going to SPIEL just to “see friends.” Every year, our suitcase says otherwise. 😅
What board games are you most excited to check out at #SPIEL this year? 🎲
You can read this week's blog post at semicoop.com/comic/be-honest/ #boardgames
What board games are you most excited to check out at #SPIEL this year? 🎲
You can read this week's blog post at semicoop.com/comic/be-honest/ #boardgames
Today I GM'ed a simplified TTRPG for my twenty 4th and 5th graders (between 7 and 9 years old). This week is the Dutch "Week of the Children's Book", and the theme is "full of adventure". So naturally I decided to design a simple adventure game we could play in class. It was an absolute blast!
October 3, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Today I GM'ed a simplified TTRPG for my twenty 4th and 5th graders (between 7 and 9 years old). This week is the Dutch "Week of the Children's Book", and the theme is "full of adventure". So naturally I decided to design a simple adventure game we could play in class. It was an absolute blast!