Fresh from securing the historic, inaugural Patrick Campbell Award for best stand at the UK Games Expo 2026 in Birmingham, indie tabletop publisher It’s Not Games has officially outlined its long-term strategy. In its first post-convention newsletter distributed to subscribers on Tuesday, the family-run studio detailed plans to turn traditional, often exclusionary sports concepts into accessible, high-energy social games.
The announcement arrives just weeks after the company’s debut title, It’s Not Cricket, launched on 4 May 2026. By winning the prestigious new accolade, named in memory of the late UKGE co-founder, the newcomer successfully disrupted the exhibition floor, using its eye-catching presentation to hook the wider hobby.
The studio’s core objective centres on stripping away the complex regulations and perceived elitism of traditional sports. In It’s Not Cricket, the rules are intentionally straightforward to encourage kitchen-table rivalries rather than demanding deep sports literacy. Players alternate between controlling the “Willows” to score runs and the “Rowlers” trying to get them out, while a non-playing neutral participant acts as the “Umpire” to keep the game moving.
However, as the studio shifts from convention floor success to direct-to-consumer sales, its real-world strategy faces an immediate hurdle: the price. It’s Not Cricket carries a premium retail price tag of £78.00. For a debut title built on accessible, casual party mechanics, a segment of the market where games usually cost a fraction of that amount, this high price puts immense pressure on the physical production quality to justify the investment.
While the company is eager to build a community of unconventional players and is already asking for ideas for future titles, it remains quiet on the logistical realities of global shipping and independent fulfilment. For now, the studio is pairing its award momentum with a Father’s Day discount code (DAD10) to drive immediate retail adoption, pushing hard to convert booth popularity into commercial success.
