This past year, I’ve started wondering if it’s time to take a break from certain areas of my life or, at the very least, narrow my focus. Between the ongoing war in Ukraine, constant global instability, and personal challenges, it’s getting harder to juggle everything. Perhaps it’s time to stop chasing every opportunity to carve out time for game design and instead concentrate on fewer, more meaningful projects.
The war hasn’t changed much—Russia continues its aggression, and while international support with ammunition and finances is steady, the talk of World War III still hangs in the air. It’s a heavy backdrop that makes focusing on creativity even more challenging.
This year, I wrote fewer blog posts than last year (just one less, but still!), published an article for Casual Game Insider on AR technologies in board games, and attended two conventions: Too Many Games and PAX Unplugged. I also managed to publish Art of Spots (a new version of an older game), which felt like a small but meaningful victory. Yet, my book remains unfinished, needing proofreading before it can truly be considered complete.
“Virus: Roll and Write”: The rules are polished, and the game has been tested twice with kids’ communities, receiving surprisingly positive feedback. While I’m happy with its current state, I’m still searching for the perfect way to launch it as a product. For now, I consider it ready, with any improvements reserved for future reprints.
“Solo”: This one has been on the back burner all year. Though I’ve jotted down new ideas in my notebook, I haven’t made any updates to the physical prototype. I plan to revisit it after completing and printing some of my newer projects.
“Dog Game”: This game is on the verge of completion and will definitely be printed this year—potentially through a small crowdfunding campaign. It’s been a rewarding journey seeing this one come to life.
“Racing Game”: I haven’t touched this project for over a year, and its sheer complexity—big box, tons of components, and intricate mechanics—is weighing on me. If I can’t make meaningful progress this year, it might be time to let it go and scrap the prototype.
“Old New”: A small game with a fun twist, but unfortunately, I haven’t made any progress on it this year. Its potential is still there, but finding the time to finish it has been a challenge.
“Dino Day”: This game needs substantial work on illustrations and art, but I’m planning to publish it myself once my other projects are complete. It’s a long road, but one I’m excited to take.
“Never? Again…”: This is, without a doubt, the most personal project I’ve ever worked on. It’s inspired by the ongoing war in Ukraine and all the tragedies affecting my country, friends, and family. While I’ve had ideas to improve the player experience, working on this theme is emotionally draining. This game feels like my magnum opus—the kind of project that defines a career, much like Titanic did for DiCaprio or Harry Potter for Rowling.
“Inside Me”: This game is in the final stages before printing and will definitely be published this year. I’m also exploring partnerships with friendly publishers to release versions in other languages.
I started a few smaller prototypes inspired by contests and events, but most are still in early experimental stages. I’m not sure if any will evolve into full-fledged projects. On the reprint side, I worked with older publishers to bring back a few past titles. For games not reprinted, I might consider publishing them under Kozak Games.
It’s been a year of mixed accomplishments, and as I look to 2025, I’m torn between pushing forward and taking a much-needed step back.