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Artwork for Board Game Hot Takes

Board Game Hot Takes

Board Game Hot Takes
Board Games
Board Game Arena
Terraforming Mars
Bggcon
Kickstarter
Dune Imperium
Tapestry
Board Game Geek
Azul
Let's Go To Japan
Seven Wonders Duel
Tabletop Simulator
Distilled
Biohack
Apiary
Wingspan
Tigris & Euphrates
Agricola
Everdell
Board Game Community

We tell you how a board game experience felt - just minutes after we finish playing. Three unique points of view. No non-game nonsense.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes316Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
GamesLeisure

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Board Game Hot Takes

Latest Episodes

In Episode 315 we discuss our top 3 resource economies in board games.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:25 Beat The Expert Contest Winners

04:43 Top 3 Resource Economies in Board Games (Brass: Birmingham, Clans of Caledonia)

13:12 Tinner's Trai... more

In Episode 314 we give our hot take review on Entropy covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.

We discuss a poll on how other people's experience at the game table impacts you and also discuss some games that ha... more

In Episode 313 we discuss a bunch of recent games that we've been playing. We also catch listeners up on the BGHT Beat The Expert Contest.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

08:52 Dawn of Madness

24:18 Trio / nana

29:23 Wingspan Pocket

48:17 Sanibe... more

In Episode 312 we conclude the 2026 countdown of our top 50 Board Games of all time with choices 1-10.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:40 Tournament of Champions Contest Update

03:25 Ark Nova

06:17 Azul

08:14 Pan Am

12:33 The Castles of Burg... more

Key Facts

Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Andy Schwarz
Designer of Envelopes of Cash; economist
Independent game designer
Episode: The Economics of Self-Publishing a Board Game
Dave Beck
Designer of Distilled and Luthier
Board Game Designer
Episode: Theme Driven Mechanisms
Mark Johnson
Host of Board Games To Go, a veteran in the board gaming community
Board Games To Go
Episode: Tigris & Euphrates
Steph Hodge
A famous board game blogger and YouTuber
Independent
Episode: Top 5 Quirky Mechanisms
Connie Vogelmann
Designer of Apiary and Wyrmspan
Episode: Top 5 Desert Island Games w/ Connie Vogelmann

Hosts

Tim
Host with a long-running presence, contributing a distinct voice and perspective on games and production.
Chris
Co-host or host with a complementary viewpoint, often balancing critiques with practical insights.
Adam
Co-host providing another angle and chemistry to discussions, often moderating with humor and warmth.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 570 ratings
  • Board Game Hot Takes for the win!

    Board Game Hot Takes is absolutely top notch! If you are into hobby board gaming on any level, this award-winning podcast deserves your attention. Tim, Chris, and Adam consistently deliver a professional product in an authentic, easygoing manner.

    I initially cherry-picked episodes based on which game I was interested in learning about, but soon fell in love with the show and had to go back and listen to every episode from the beginning. Now I look forward to getting my fix every Monday when eac... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    RadDocRox
    United States2 months ago
  • Great show!

    Been listening to you all off and on but lately I’ve been all in and going through the back catalog. One of you wanted some out of print Downforce tracks and they’re on the GenCon VFM as of yesterday. Good luck!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Fhqgwagads
    United States2 months ago
  • Lacerda episode

    Really enjoyed your episode on Speakeasy and Kanban! I would say if you guys are into the slightly less abstract more thematic Lacerda games you really really really gotta play Lisboa. Perhaps his best.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dt- 2a1b
    Canada3 months ago
  • Well-deserved award-winning podcast. My new favourite.

    So glad I found this podcast! The banter between the guys is genuinely lovely to listen to, and they give honest opinions on what they’ve been playing. Really nice to find a bunch of guys who don’t just bang on about heavier games (Lacerda, Mindclash et al) most of the time, but play a broad range of games and discuss them all with gusto. Just found out that they’ve won the 2026 BGG Golden Geek Best Podcast and it’s very well-deserved. Keep it coming!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    nicolej999
    United Kingdom3 months ago
  • Must be time to visit Australia!

    Love this podcast! Love board games! What else can I say…

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MeagAnnie
    Australia4 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise clear, balanced opinions and genuine camaraderie among hosts.
Listeners highlight community and consistency, noting episodes feel like chatting with friends.
Fans appreciate accessible reviews that cover a wide game range and avoid hype.
Audience values thoughtful, non-jargon discussion and high production quality.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#64
United States/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#29
Canada/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#147
Canada/Leisure
Apple Podcasts
#165
United Kingdom/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#22
Australia/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#92
Italy/Leisure/Games

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

A Barrage of Board Game Topics - Mailbag #8
Q: Are there any goals for the pod as you look forward to the next five years or 300 episodes?
Tim and the team discuss continuing core content like reviews, hot topics, and cons, with a desire to grow community engagement and possibly monetize in the future, while acknowledging current satisfaction with the format.
Missing Themes, Promising Designers, and More! - Mailbag #7
Q: How do you balance your love for gaming with family commitments?
They share insights about managing time for gaming activities while prioritizing family interactions alongside their hobbies.
Missing Themes, Promising Designers, and More! - Mailbag #7
Q: Do we pay too little for board games?
They discuss market trends and how many board game designers can't survive solely on game design, emphasizing that the industry is complex.
Missing Themes, Promising Designers, and More! - Mailbag #7
Q: What are the once-a-year games you keep?
The hosts reflect on games they rarely play but still enjoy keeping in their collection, like 'Batman Gotham City Chronicles' and 'Eclipse Second Dawn'.
Missing Themes, Promising Designers, and More! - Mailbag #7
Q: What theme that doesn't exist would you like to see in a game?
Chris Prime asked about a theme that doesn't exist but would be fun to see, leading to various ideas like a game set in the Stephen King universe and other themes like 'Mask' and 'Murderbot'.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Board Game Hot Takes

What is Board Game Hot Takes about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A lively, opinion-driven board game show featuring three hosts with distinct tastes who share immediate impressions after playing. Episodes repeatedly surface candid takes on a wide range of titles—from light, accessible family games to heavier euro and 4X titles—alongside banter, group dynamics, and personal anecdotes from conventions and playgroups. The format emphasizes practical insights on mechanics, pacing, teachability, and table presence, with recurring segments like top game lists, on-the-table-of-the-week takes, and listener engagement. Unique strengths include transparent biases, accessible banter, and a strong sense of community around a shared hobby, making it a reliable resource for listeners deciding what to read, buy, or try... more

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How many listeners does Board Game Hot Takes get?

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How many subscribers and views does Board Game Hot Takes have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Board Game Hot Takes has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Board Game Hot Takes?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Board Game Hot Takes:

1. Board Game Barrage
2. So Very Wrong About Games
3. The Secret Cabal Gaming Podcast
4. Shut Up & Sit Down
5. The Dice Tower

How many episodes of Board Game Hot Takes are there?

Board Game Hot Takes launched 6 years ago and published 316 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Board Game Hot Takes?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on Board Game Hot Takes?

Recent guests on Board Game Hot Takes include:

1. Andy Schwarz
2. Dave Beck
3. Mark Johnson
4. Steph Hodge
5. Connie Vogelmann

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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