Stranger Things co-op board game coming in 2023 from Pandemic Legacy designer
And the Duffer brothers have already played it.
A co-op Stranger Things board game is in development from the co-creator of Pandemic Legacy and studio behind Zombicide.
Stranger Things: Upside Down was revealed by designer Rob Daviau and publisher CMON as part of the Dice Tower’s Summer Spectacular announcement stream.
While Daviau refused to be drawn on too many details, he confirmed that the upcoming board game will be a cooperative experience where the players must work together to save the town of Hawkins from the otherworldly Upside Down, much like in the hugely popular Netflix series.
“[I’m a] big fan of the show,” Daviau said. “I was 12 in 1982 and I was a big D&D person so from the very first episode, basically the first scene, it was a weird flashback to how my life felt.”
CMON confirmed that the upcoming board game will skip a crowdfunding campaign and release directly in stores next year.
“It’s 99% done, there’s a few things we’re changing around,” Daviau added, before revealing that Stranger Things creators the Duffer brothers have already played the game: “That was a thrill.”
Daviau is perhaps best known for creating the legacy game genre with Risk Legacy, before teaming up with Pandemic creator Matt Leacock on the influential Pandemic Legacy trilogy and developing Betrayal at House on the Hill spin-off Betrayal Legacy. He previously collaborated with CMON on Cthulhu: Death May Die alongside Blood Rage designer Eric Lang. Upside Down’s logo reveal featured a subtitle proclaiming it as “A Board Game by Rob Daviau.”
Stranger Things: Upside Down is due for release in 2023, with more details due to be revealed ahead of its arrival.
“When we get closer I’ll be talking about it non-stop,” Daviau teased.