AJ Porfirio and Evan Derrick built Van Ryder Games around independent tabletop projects, including the solo horror board game Final Girl. They discuss designing board games, building a publishing company, and creating systems that allow players to experience cinematic stories at the table. The conversation covers Final Girl, game design, Kickstarter campaigns, manufacturing, and the challenges of running an independent board game studio.

Van Ryder Games is an independent tabletop publisher known for solo and cooperative games. The company was founded by AJ Porfirio and has produced titles including Final Girl and Hostage Negotiator, combining strategic gameplay with strong narrative themes.

In this episode:

• Designing the Final Girl board game system
• Creating solo tabletop experiences
• Building Van Ryder Games ...