Inside Atelier Rayfish - An Up-And-Coming Multi-Lingual Publisher

Spreading his lifelong passion for game design, we speak to Andy Ng, founder of Atelier Rayfish, as he shares the ups and downs of being new to the board game scene, and his thoughts on the games he's published.

Q1: Please give the readers a short introduction about yourself and your company. What is your “origin” story, and how did you come about creating games?

Hi! My name is Andy Ng, and I founded Atelier Rayfish in 2025.

My journey as a game designer actually began much earlier, when I was around 12 years old. As an avid gamer growing up, I created all kinds of games for my childhood friends. Back then, entertainment options were limited, so we made our own fun—physical games, analogue games, word games, and whatever else we could think of. It was an exciting time of constant experimentation. As we grew older, though, life took us in different directions. Friends moved away, attended different schools, and gradually developed new priorities and interests. By the time we reached National Service, most of us had gone our separate ways.

Over the years, I continued playing board games on and off, but it wasn't until a cruise in 2023 that I truly rediscovered the hobby. The cruise felt more like a retirees' club, with the average passenger seemingly well over 65. The only game we could find on board was Checkers. Fortunately, during one of our port stops, we stumbled across a shop selling some out-of-print Japanese board games. Those games completely transformed the trip for us—and from that point on, I found myself buying and exploring more and more board games.

Fast forward to 2024. During a game night, I was chatting with a close friend when we jokingly came up with the idea for an isekai-themed board game. What started as a casual conversation gradually evolved into a serious design project. As the year went on, I met more people within the board gaming community, learned more about the industry, and became increasingly convinced that this was something I wanted to pursue wholeheartedly. That ultimately led to the founding of Atelier Rayfish in 2025. Today, we're dedicated to creating original board games that bring people together through memorable experiences—just as games have done for me throughout my life.

Q2: Are you currently employed in a non-tabletop related career or are you publishing games full time? How do you manage your time with this project?

Fortunately—or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it—I was "forced into early retirement" in May this year.

As fate would have it, I now have the opportunity (or perhaps no choice!) to dedicate myself to Atelier Rayfish full-time. It's a leap into the unknown, but one I'm genuinely excited to take. After all, if there's ever been a time to turn a lifelong passion into something bigger, this is it!

 

Q3: Please give a brief introduction about your games. Which is your flagship game that you want to introduce. (Its premise, featured mechanics, etc)

Currently, we have three casual, light-weight games in our catalogue: P.A.W.S. Protocol (not Paw Patrol, haha), Q.E.D., and That's the Tune!

P.A.W.S. Protocol is a light strategy game built around logical deduction, timely decision-making, and a healthy dose of mind games. If you enjoy short, fast-paced matches that reward clever thinking, this one's for you.

Q.E.D. is a mahjong-inspired maths card game that challenges players to think and calculate quickly. It's perfect for players who enjoy exercising their brains without diving into the complexity of heavy Eurogames.

That's the Tune! is a party game for 3–10 players, where participants use their creativity to compose tunes for a variety of non-specific anime and video game scenes. It's a great choice for anime and gaming fans, and always leads to plenty of laughs.

Of the three titles, Q.E.D. has already secured an overseas publishing deal, while P.A.W.S. Protocol is currently in the midst of finalising another publishing agreement. That being said, these games are only the beginning. Our true flagship project is still in development, and we're incredibly excited about what it's becoming. Stay tuned—we can't wait to share more when the time is right!

Q4: What was the design process like for your game? Did it differ from the traditional game design process? If yes, why?

To be honest, I don't really follow any traditional game design methodology—everything is a little more intuitive (or haphazard, depending on who you ask!). lol.

For me, every game starts with a single idea. From there, it's about exploring the concept, figuring out what makes it fun, and gradually turning it into something playable. Once I have a working prototype, the real work begins: an endless cycle of playtesting, gathering feedback, tweaking the mechanics, and repeating the process over and over until the game feels right.

In that sense, I suppose my process isn't all that different from many other designers. The biggest difference is that I don't consciously follow a structured framework—I tend to trust my instincts and let the game evolve naturally.

And don't even get me started on everything that comes after the design phase—manufacturing, logistics, marketing, localization, conventions… Sometimes making the game feels like the easy part!

Q5: What challenges did you face when making the game, and what insights did you discover along the way?

One of the biggest challenges is accepting that not every idea works. Sometimes a mechanic comes together exactly as you imagined, while other times it simply doesn't. Occasionally a game only needs a few tweaks, but there are also times when even a complete overhaul can't save it. When that happens, no matter how emotionally attached you are to your own creation, you have to be willing to let it go and move on. That's probably one of the hardest lessons for any designer.

Another challenge is learning how to interpret feedback. Different types of players often have very different expectations, so it's not uncommon to receive completely opposite opinions about the same game. Some feedback will be incredibly valuable, while some may simply reflect personal preference rather than an actual design issue. Over time, I've realised that collecting feedback is only half the job—the other half is knowing which feedback to act on, and which to leave as it is.

One important insight I've gained is that game design isn't about trying to please everyone. Every game has a target audience, and understanding who you're designing for is just as important as designing the game itself.

Q6: Your studio has published games of very different Genres. A Battle game, a math game and a music game. What are the inspirations behind these genres? Is there a business or personal interest in these genres?

Personally, I don't like limiting myself to a particular genre when designing games. As I mentioned earlier, my process usually starts with a simple thought: "Hey, I have an idea!" The next question is always, "How do we make it fun?" That's been my approach from the very beginning, and moving forward, I hope to continue exploring games of different genres, themes, and levels of complexity.

P.A.W.S. Protocol actually began as an entry for an 18-card game design competition. Its core gameplay was inspired by a blend of Animal Chess, Military Chess, and Battleship. Initially, I wanted to keep the design very simple, but after several rounds of playtesting, I realized it lacked long-term replayability. At one point, I was even ready to scrap the project entirely. Then, earlier this year, I came up with the idea of introducing the "Protocol" mechanic—and that completely changed the game. It added a new layer of strategy while preserving the deduction and mind games that had always been at its core. Today, it has become our flagship title thanks to both its gameplay and its wonderful artwork.

Q.E.D. evolved from a game my friends and I used to play with a standard deck of poker cards. We would draw four number cards and try to form equations that added up to 24. That simple concept became the foundation of the game. From there, I introduced mahjong-inspired mechanics and later added special cards to create more tactical depth and player interaction. Interestingly, while P.A.W.S. Protocol is our flagship title, Q.E.D. has attracted the most commercial attention so far—we've already secured a licensing deal with a Chinese publisher, and it's exciting to see the game reaching new audiences.

Finally, That's the Tune! came from a spontaneous burst of inspiration. It was by far the simplest of the three games to design because my goal from the start was to create something quick, accessible, and full of laughter. Sometimes the simplest ideas end up being the most enjoyable, especially when they bring people together around the table.

Looking back, I don't think there's a business strategy behind choosing these genres. They simply reflect the kinds of ideas that excite me as a designer. If an idea feels fresh and fun, I'll explore it—regardless of whether it's a deduction game, a math game, a party game, or something completely different.

Q7: Your games have multi-language adaptation. What made you decide to design your game with multi language in mind? How did you go about the design approach?

I've always enjoyed learning languages. Besides English, I grew up reading Chinese novels, and later picked up Japanese as well. Being able to experience different cultures through their own language has been something I've always appreciated, so working with multiple languages in game design felt very natural to me.

In July last year, I attended a board game event in Shanghai as a visitor to experience the local board gaming scene. It was a real eye-opener. I had the opportunity to meet many indie designers, exchange ideas, and gain a better understanding of the market there. That experience made me realize that China was a fantastic market to explore. Since I'm already comfortable working in English, Chinese, and Japanese, I thought, "Why not make my games accessible to more players?"

As for the design approach, I don't deliberately make every game language-independent. Different games have different needs, and some naturally rely more on language than others. Instead, I consider localisation as part of the design process from the beginning, thinking about how each game can be adapted while preserving the original experience.

Of course, one of the biggest challenges—and also one of the most enjoyable parts—is coming up with good translations, especially when it comes to puns, jokes, or thematic flavor. Finding an equivalent expression that captures the same feeling, rather than just the same meaning, can be quite a headache, but it's a creative challenge that I genuinely enjoy.

Q8: With a multi language model, the games seem to be targeting multiple countries. Which are the countries are you looking to launch your games in? Why these countries and how are you going to market in them?

At the moment, my primary focus is on Southeast Asia, China, Japan, Taiwan, and Malaysia, with South Korea being a market I'd love to explore in the future. This direction is very much influenced by my own background. Growing up in Asia and being familiar with these languages and cultures, I naturally gravitate towards designing games that I believe will resonate with players in this region.

That said, I certainly don't intend to limit the games to Asia. If there are opportunities to bring them to Europe, North America, or other parts of the world through localization or publishing partnerships, I'd be more than happy to explore them as well.

As for marketing, my current strategy is very grassroots. I believe there's no better way to introduce a board game than by letting people play it. Attending conventions and game events allows me to demo the games, gather valuable feedback, and build awareness among players. Just as importantly, these events are great places to network with publishers and distributors. In fact, that's exactly how we secured the licensing deal for Q.E.D., and I'm hoping to build more partnerships in the same way as we continue to grow.

Q9: Was there a skill or resource you realised you didn’t have when you started, and how did you address that gap?

Absolutely! Starting out with almost no knowledge of the board game industry, we were incredibly fortunate to meet people who were generous enough to share their experience and guide us along the way.

A special thank you goes to #laiplayleow, whose networking and playtest sessions introduced me to many fellow designers and publishers. Through those gatherings, I gained invaluable insights into both game design and the industry itself. The willingness of the community to share their knowledge played a huge part in helping us get to where we are today. I'd also like to give special thanks to Suren from Laughing Sticks, designer of Burnout. His advice, encouragement, and practical guidance were instrumental throughout our journey. Quite honestly, I don't think we would have been able to launch our games this year without his support.

One thing I've learned is that while board game design may seem like a solitary endeavor, publishing a game is anything but that. Behind every successful game is a community of people willing to share their knowledge, lend a hand, and help each other grow. We're incredibly grateful to have found that community.

Beyond that, one of the biggest gaps we've discovered is in marketing. Between the two of us, our strengths lie elsewhere. My background is primarily in design and customer service, while our Art Director (the "Fish" in Atelier Rayfish) specializes in art direction and UI design. Unfortunately, neither of us comes from a marketing background. Like many indie studios, we've had to learn everything from scratch—social media, convention planning, community building, publisher outreach, and all the other aspects that come with getting a game into players' hands. It's been a steep learning curve, and we're still learning every day.

That said, we also recognize the value of bringing in people whose strengths complement our own. If there's anyone out there who excels in marketing and is interested in joining us as a sweat equity partner, we'd genuinely love to have a chat. Building a studio is a team effort, and we're always open to meeting people who share our passion for creating great games!

Q10: Where can we find out more about your games?

The best place to learn more about our games is our website. You'll find information about our games, our studio, and our latest updates there.

For more detailed information—including full game listings, ratings, forums, and community discussions—you can also find our games on BoardGameGeek (BGG). Just remember to search using the punctuation in the titles, especially P.A.W.S. Protocol, as including the periods makes it much easier to find.

We're also active at board game conventions and on social media, so if you happen to see us at an event, feel free to stop by, say hello, and give our games a try!