Backpackers-about the game
Backpackers the board game is developed and produced by Homegrown Games Ltd, a Canadian Company. Backpackers is a traditional style board game with some twists. Players travel around the world finding their way to different capital cities. There are 21 of these “flag cities”. Once a player lands in a flag city the player must correctly answer a geography (also science/nature and sports version available) based trivia question in order to receive the flag of the country. The object of the game is to be the player who collects the most flags. When all the flags are gone, the player with the most flags must then return to his/her home city to win the game. To travel around the world players either roll dice or use airline tickets. Their is a great deal of randomness as players may fall upon different adventures along the way. A player, in need of extra money, may choose to stop and work or play “craps” in Las Vegas, Monte Carlo or Macao. Each player is eager to disrupt the travel plans of opponents. Strategy is key and skill, knowledge and luck are all factors in deciding the outcome of the game. Backpackers affords fun and information for tourists and travelers alike.
Trivia Central-The itunes of trivia
Perhaps one of the most unique characteristics of Backpackers is the website http://www.backpackersthegame.com allows you to create your own trivia questions that can be used instead of the questions provided allowing literally limitless variations on the game. This option is really ideal for teachers/homeschoolers or just people who love trivia. The template has all the adventures found in the different Backpackers games only there are blank cards to allow individuals to make their own trivia questions. A variety of different subjects are available to be downloaded if one does not wish to make their own. In a sense they are the iTunes of trivia. The Trivia Central website also allows people to upload their trivia, and charge others to download it.
Packaging-The product The gameboard and packaging are not only vibrant and rich in color but also unique and very practical. The packaging is a plastic tube with a strap, and the game itself is printed on a synthetic vinyl material that can be rolled up like maps of old. With the web-based Trivia Central library of trivia subjects and the ability to make your own version, Backpackers is a first in boardgame design
Charitable Organisation-CISV $5.00 of every game sold is donated to Children's International Summer Villages.CISV CISV is a global community of volunteers, creating opportunities for all ages to experience the excitement and enrichment of cultural diversity through educational and cross-cultural programmes. They are founded on the belief that peace is possible through friendship--and that the real difference can be made by starting with children. Due to the "effective education at play" component of the Backpackers board game and the international educational travel component of the game, there is deemed a natural fit between the two organisations.
Business Model-Unique to gaming industry
As Backpackers is a non-tradional boardgame in the fabric and tube-shaped packaging design, Alternative non-tradional venues are the marketing channedl of choice. It does not fit easily on "Big Box" shelving so they have chosen primarily restaurants and sports bars to market their game. This has been taken out of a chapter in Cranium's successful launch through Starbucks.
As the Trivia Central component of the game lends itself to a wide variety of trivia subjects that can be played with Backpackers, so too are the marketing channel venues in variety. At zoos, an animal/science version can be sold while a sports version could be sold at football games.