Well, here we are folks— Void Games is officially
one year old! What a year it’s been! There have been so many highs, challenges,
and victories in that time, it's tough to sum it all up in a single post. But
I’m going to give it a try.
#### Looking Back at the Journey
To say the first few months were "rocky" would be a serious understatement. I set ambitious turnover goals for the business, and I’ll be honest, I didn’t meet them for quite a while. It wasn’t until halfway through 2024 that we started hitting the numbers I had envisioned. Fast forward to now, and we’ve almost doubled that original monthly target. We’re smashing it, month after month, and it feels amazing!
When we opened Void Games, Magic: The Gathering and Flesh and Blood were the two key focuses, and I knew MTG would draw the bigger crowd. Flesh and Blood is my personal favourite game, though, and I’ve been able to give it the attention it deserves, which has helped us build a solid community around it.
As time has passed, we’ve expanded beyond MTG and FAB and now host organized play for a variety of games including Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Disney Lorcana, and Star Wars Unlimited. We’re even working with Altered TCG now, with our first event happening this month. I’m excited to be part of something fresh in the TCG space, just like we did with Star Wars Unlimited.
That said, we’ve had our struggles along the way. Getting approval for organized play for games like Disney Lorcana and Pokémon was a slow, frustrating process. But we’ve pushed through, and I’m proud to say we’ve hosted some incredible events in the last year.
#### Major Milestones
We’ve hit several big milestones over the past year:
- Flesh and Blood: Hosted our first Pro Quest (sold out!), two prerelease events, with a third incoming, and have a Skirmish event coming up on November 30th.
- Disney Lorcana: Hosted two Store Championships, both of which sold out and we’re expecting our third one to do just as well.
- Yu-Gi-Oh!: Ran multiple release events and secured an invitation to host an OTS Championship which we’re hoping to get booked in for next year.
- Pokémon: Held multiple Challenge events, prereleases, and we’ve had our first Challenge Cup this month, which was run by Lucas, who did an amazing job.
- Star Wars Unlimited: Three sold-out Prereleases and reasonable local scene.
One goal that’s still in progress: Wizards Play Network (WPN) approval. This one’s been a tough nut to crack, but I’m not giving up on it.
#### Behind the Scenes
In the early days, managing the store’s hours while juggling a family and full-time job was brutal. I quickly realized I couldn’t keep up with such intense hours on my own, so we’ve streamlined things, cutting down to a schedule that works better for the events and the customers.
I’ve also brought in some extra help, notably Lucas, who has been running a fair few of our Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh! events. His support has been invaluable, I literally couldn’t do this without him.
Huge shoutout to the local community as well. Locals like Blakeman, Jason, Clutton, and Martin have stepped up to help in various ways, and I cannot thank them enough for their support. It’s truly a team effort, and Void Games wouldn’t be where it is today without them.
We’ve also revamped our events schedule, which used to be chaotic at best. A special thanks to Dawn from Duke’s Board Games Club and Lauren for their help in putting together a weekly schedule for a time. Chris for helping get the discord more automated with CarlBot at the helm. And of course, a huge thank you to Jake, our marketing whiz, for transforming our brand with fantastic visuals, boosting our online presence through our Google profile, and producing the new updated weekly events schedule.
#### What Sets Void Games Apart
One of the key principles from the very start has been to offer value for money. At Void Games, we want to make sure that every person who steps through the door feels like they’re getting a fair deal. The feedback from our Pro Quest event was fantastic, with players calling it the best value for money of any event in the region. Some even suggested I increase the price next time, which is a good problem to have!
That said, we’re not in the business of overcharging for events when giving out prizes that we got for free. Building this strong, fair, and community-driven reputation has been a huge focus of mine over the past 12 months, and I plan to continue that commitment moving forward.
#### Looking Forward
We’ve made great progress over the past year, but the journey’s far from over. It’s time to set some new goals for the next 12 months. Here’s where we’re headed:
### Magic: The Gathering
MTG continues to be the biggest game in the store, and it’s been fantastic to see the number of new and returning players grow. Our Commander League is the most popular offering, but I’m aiming to reintroduce 1v1 events and work towards securing that elusive WPN status so we can host pre-release events.
Goals for MTG:
1. Reintroduce 1v1 events alongside limited formats.
2. Secure WPN status to host pre-release events.
### Flesh and Blood
Flesh and Blood is my personal passion, and I’ve been thrilled to see its local scene develop. Our first Pro Quest was a sell-out success, and now I’m working on increasing the number of limited events such as draft.
Goals for FAB:
1. Increase the regular player base by 50% (may sound
high, but its like 3 people)
2. Host more limited events (draft / sealed).
### Pokémon
Pokémon has great potential, and I want to put more momentum behind it in the next year. We’ve had a bit of a drop-off in some of the original store players recently, but I’m aiming to get them back in the door. I’ve also been discussing the idea of a Kids Club with our League Leader Mau, to help build a younger, long-term player base. Huge thank you to Mau for judging and helping with these events.
Goals for Pokémon:
1. Bring back dropped-off players and attract new ones.
2. Create a Kids Club to teach younger players.
### Yu-Gi-Oh!
Yu-Gi-Oh! has experienced a resurgence at Void Games, with consistent attendance and now, weekly events. We’ve also been invited to host an OTS Championship. I’m excited to see this game continue to thrive.
Goals for YGO:
1. Host an OTS Championship.
2. Keep growing the local scene.
### Star Wars Unlimited
This game has a great future, and we’ve been lucky to host three sold-out Prereleases. We’ve also had an invite today to host a Store Showdown for set 3 of SWU. This will allow us to expand our brand within the SWU community in the UK.
Goals for SWU:
1. Maintain a core player base while growing the scene.
2. Host a Store Showdown which brings good value for the player base.
### Altered TCG
Altered TCG is a new and exciting game, and we’re just getting started with it. We missed out on Season 1 OP support, but I’m hoping to secure Season 2 OP support and build a strong player base.
Goals for Altered:
1. Grow the player base.
2. Obtain OP Season 2 support.
### Disney Disney Lorcana
Disney Lorcana has had an explosive start, but locally, it’s been a bit of a tough sell. We’ll continue hosting Store Championships when we can, but I’m not holding out too much hope for a bigger local scene. That said, we’ll keep offering it at competitive prices.
Goals for Disney Lorcana:
1. Build a local player base.
2. Increase the cap for Store Championships.
### Void Games (Overall)
For the next year, I’ve got some exciting goals for the physical space. I plan to improve the shop’s décor, expand our food and drink options, and add more stock space. I also want to grow our single card offerings and continue expanding our range on Cardmarket.
Goals for Void Games:
1. Upgrade décor (frames, playmats, etc.).
2. Expand into hot drinks.
3. Expand snack and cold food range.
4. Expand stock space.
5. Grow our single card offerings.
### Final Thoughts
None of this would have been possible without the incredible support of the Void Games community. Whether you’re here for the events, the products, or to help, your support has been the driving force behind everything we’ve achieved. I’m looking forward to what the next 12 months will bring, and I can’t wait to see where we go from here.
Thank you to everyone who’s made this first year so
special. Let’s make the next one even better!
Many thanks,
Tom
Void Games