Designing and Publishing Science Board Games with John Coveyou

In this episode, hosts Dirk Knemeyer and David Heron are joined by John Coveyou, founder of Genius Games. John is widely known for designing and publishing highly accurate, science-themed hobby board games (such as Cytosis) and floor puzzles, as well as operating an e-commerce accounting firm that supports board game publishers.

The conversation dives into the unique process of designing games grounded in complex scientific systems, transitioning from mechanics-first design to modeling science concepts directly. John shares how he validated the market for science games with Linkage, how he breaks design blockages through constrained "design sprints", and the rigorous weekly playtesting methodology Genius Games uses to refine player experience. The discussion also covers the critical business realities of game publishing—from applying the four Entrepreneurial Organization (EO) pillars to building sustainable product lines like puzzles and card game series.