After numerous attempts at debating, negotiating, and questioning the best gameplay to instill Empathy, we still had to find a quality vendor who will match our vision and passion for helping us create Empower Empathy™.
We started our search in the homeland of the USA. We noticed that a lot of board game vendors here in the States offer a standardized type of board game package. Typically, they will include a few sizes of the game board, a number of meeples, a few dice, and a predetermined number of cards with a set dimensions, etc. Many do not provide the types of individualization that we'd like to see on our board game. In the meantime, the cost to manufacture the board games here in the States was cost-prohibitive since most of them required a high minimum order.
Through a personal connection from a teammate, we made contact with a vendor in Hong Kong. This vendor has won many international awards for their printing. Their work has been featured in numerous prestigious corporate and celebrity events as well. Their quality of work is truly top-notch and beautiful. Just as we were getting ready to work on our prototype, the Hong Kong police protest broke out, and their workforce was frozen indefinitely. We hated to part with such a quality vendor, but the reality was that they were not able to make our timeline due to their current state affairs.
We then started looking overseas, China, specifically. We know that most of the board games in the States are actually being manufactured there. We located a few and started our process with one. And wouldn't you know it, the pandemic hit! The vendor we chose was in a city that is next to the Wuhan. As quarantines and other restrictive measures started to be placed on the nation, this factory had no choice but to shut down production. We were not able to contact any workers by phone, email, or any message systems. Worried with their current state of pandemic, we could only hope that everyone stayed safe and healthy.
Through multiple personal and corporate connections, we were blessed to finally connect with a vendor in Taiwan. Thankfully, Taiwan was the one country that was not stricken down by the Covid-19. Their service and product is truly unparalleled. After the first conversation, they were able to physically make a prototype for us based on our specifications. We are quite impressed with their innovative spirit to constantly research new methods to provide us with the best product. Their attention to detail and meticulousness was what we were looking for. Yet their pragmatism and willingness to find multiple solutions to work for what we needed were refreshing to see.
Here is our first version of the game board.
Here is our second version of the game box.
Here's to a great partnership and happy collaboration!
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