Although we didn’t win Panda’s 25 in 25 competition, our motivation certainly didn’t take a hit. If anything, it fueled us even more. We’re heading into 2026 with fresh energy and a clear goal: getting Whack into the hands of board gamers around the world.
A great first step this year was returning to the Ducosim fair in Amersfoort. This time we had the pleasure to try and fill two demo tables instead of one. In preparation we updated the website to look more professional and we updated our prototype with the fabulous artwork of Matyas Locsmandi!
The day in Amersfoort started a bit slowly due to forecasted snow keeping some people at home, but eventually both tables filled up with curious and enthusiastic players. Seeing new faces discover the game is always fun to experience for us as developers.
At Ducosim we also tested something new: a prototype card called “The Crown.”
This card allows a player to win the game if they still possess it at the start of their next turn. However, if they get Whacked in the meantime, the Whacker becomes the new owner and the original player has to fight to win it back.
It was fascinating to watch how this single card changed the dynamics of the game, suddenly alliances shifted, tension rose, and a fantastic throw of dice was rerolled because of a lack of Whack(s). We received a lot of valuable feedback on it, which will definitely help shape the next iteration of the game.
We want to say a big thank you to everyone who sat down and played with us. The kind words, sharp observations, and genuine excitement means a lot. It’s incredibly motivating to see people not only enjoy the game, but also actively take part in its development by sharing their ideas and thoughts.
All in all, Ducosim was a great success and a perfect reminder of why we’re doing this. We are now going back to work on the last artwork details and building up our crowdfunding crowd so we can start a campaign in the fall of this year!
See you next post!