EGLX 2019: Genesis

One of the things I love about gaming conventions is that it’s not just digital games being shown. There are art stalls, that allowed my wife and I to get our niece’s Christmas present very early, there are schools promoting not just their e-sports but their tech programs, and there are games that need tables to be played. One of the physical games I saw this year at EGLX was Genesis from Haunted Castle Gaming.

Genesis is a new take on card games, instead of just worrying about the cards played and the cards in your hand, the actual board becomes crucial to the gameplay. This is a tactical game where how and where you move your cards around the board has a critical effect on how well you do. I’ve never known a card game to have a flanking mechanic before. Also, a great thing about this is, it’s Canadian designed and Canadian printed.

A lot of my time at the booth was talking with CEO Assad Quraishi about the game, the company and his philosophy of gameplay. Something that can bring down hobby games like this before they get a chance to become established is the creators don’t focus on the business side of things enough. Assad has made sure not to neglect that part of the equation. Coming from a tech background, he understands the need to run a business-first approach, and building up at a sustainable rate. Right now the game is only in southern Ontario, mostly along the 401 corridor, but that’s a great start and it’s helping the game and the company grow at a real pace. The other business aspect I love is that instead of trying to squeeze every last cent out of the player, like many digital card games do these days, he realizes the value of gaining player investment into the game instead. The biggest proponents aren’t the ones who spend the most money, but the ones who love their decks and what they can do with them.

One of the best things I heard from Assad was his desire to drive an in-person game experience. There is an etiquette you learn instinctively from playing with people across the table, or beside you on the couch with video games. Playing with others nearby teaches you how to be a good winner and loser in games, and how to learn the lines of trash talking. It’s worth noting to me that most online card games don’t have an open chat with your opponent, and for good reason. When you can’t look the other player in the eye, it’s easier to push the trash talk too far.

Now, if you’re interested in seeing this game played live, and you’re able to get to the Cambridge-Waterloo area for November 16th, they actually have a free tournament going on that day. Go by, see how it’s played and maybe even become a prodigy and win some prizes.