Unexpected Games is back again next Fall with a new adventure with The Mandalorian: Adventures - Sworn to the Creed game, the long-awaited expansion inspired by Season 3 of the Disney+ hit series. The newly-expanded cooperative game system challenges 1-4 players to work together to complete thrilling new missions with a new fully-fledged campaign mode!

You Asked, We Delivered! 

While this is an expansion to The Mandalorian: Adventures game, it isn’t just more of the same, and we’re pleased to share that you’ll finally have the chance to play as THE most highly requested character, Grogu! Along with three other highly sought after new characters, including The Armorer, each character brings with them a new set of stories, abilities, and powerful game-changing elements.

"I can't wait for folks to see what we have in store for them with the Sworn to the Creed expansion! We got to explore some really fun playstyles for some of our favorite characters.” – Joshua Beppler, Game Designer

More Ways to Explore Than Ever Before 

But wait, that’s not all... The Mandalorian: Adventures - Sworn to the Creed game expansion also delivers new game systems and more missions, which are totally cross compatible with maps from the base game AND the Clan of Two game expansion! With our new systems, you’ll have the opportunity to pilot the N-1 starfighter and attempt to outmaneuver new ‘High Alert’ enemies!

Campaigning For Change

We’ve buried the lead here! When our community asks, we listen (we love hearing from you), and one of our most defining elements of the Sworn to the Creed game expansion was inspired by the community. By popular (and enthusiastic) demand, we're stoked to get to debut a new campaign mode. Designers from Unexpected Games Corey Konieczka and Joshua Beppler have worked hard to build out a full campaign mode into the game that allows for character progression and saved progress for the first time.

“The campaign mode has become my favorite way to play the game!" – Joshua Beppler, Game Designer

This new experience will allow eager players to truly immerse themselves in the story and feel the tension build as they progress through the game.

The Wait Is Almost Over

It all sounds so exciting, right? Well, don’t worry, you won’t have to wait too long to get your hands on your next adventure!

The Sworn to the Creed game expansion will make its debut at multiple events around the world in Summer 2026, with an initial unveiling at GAMA. From there, you will be able to try it at UKGE and Gen Con, with the game set to be officially released in Fall 2026.

And hey, if you haven’t started your adventure yet, it’s never too late. The Mandalorian: Adventures game and The Mandalorian: Adventures – Clan of Two game are available now at your local game store.

Recruit your crew and get ready to embark on your own adventure!

What is a legacy game? And why Cozy Stickerville does things a little differently

If you’ve spent any time in modern tabletop gaming circles, you’ve probably heard the term legacy game thrown around in equal parts excitement and sometimes regret (often in the same sentence).

“Legacy” can mean unforgettable storytelling, meaningful choices, and a game that remembers what you’ve done. It can also mean sharpie-scribbled cards, torn components, permanent rule changes, and sleepless nights wondering if you’d just made a catastrophic mistake in Season Two that will haunt you forever.

So... what is a legacy game? And why does Cozy Stickerville proudly wear the legacy label, while quietly breaking some of its biggest “rules”?

A brief history of legacy games

At its core, a legacy board game is a game that evolves as you play it. Decisions you make in one session permanently affect future sessions. You might add stickers to the board, tear up cards (yes, really), unlock new rules or mechanics, or permanently change characters, locations, or the game world.

Classic legacy games are campaign-driven experiences designed to unfold over many sessions with a consistent group of players, rewarding (and sometimes punishing) long-term planning through intentional tension and high drama, where the stakes feel very real.

While these games are brilliant and deeply engaging, they can also be intimidating, as they often come with expectations around committing to the same group over long periods of time, pressure to make the “right” choices, ongoing maintenance to track rules and changes, and a sense of finality where decisions are frequently permanent and impossible to undo.

For many players, that’s thrilling. For others, it’s... a lot. And that’s where Cozy Stickerville comes in. 

 A low-stakes legacy game

Cozy Stickerville is a legacy board game, just not the kind that asks you to lie awake at night worrying about your town’s economic collapse.

From the very beginning, our goal was to explore a question we don’t see asked often enough; “what if a legacy game could be cozy?” Not easy, just cozy. Welcoming. Forgiving. A game that evolves with you, without ever trapping you.

A board game you can’t lose?

Let’s get this out of the way early; you cannot lose Cozy Stickerville. There are no fail states, no sudden campaign-ending decisions, and no “welp, guess we ruined everything” moments (we’ve all been there). Every choice you make leads somewhere interesting, and often unexpected.

This doesn’t mean your choices don’t matter, they absolutely do! They shape the town, the story, and the tone of your Stickerville. But no matter what happens, there is always a way forward.

Legacy, without the homework

Many legacy games rely on complex systems, branching rulebooks, and intricate tracking systems, often requiring the same group of players to be present every time. Cozy Stickerville keeps things intentionally simple and flexible.

Your evolving story is driven entirely by a storybook, two decks of cards, and the choices you make together around the table. That’s it. There’s no giant campaign binder, no spreadsheets, no elaborate setup rituals, and players can easily drop in and out from session to session without breaking the flow of the story. Each session feels complete and satisfying on its own, while still nudging the world of Stickerville gently forward.

We wanted a legacy experience that fits naturally into a cozy game night, not one that requires a planning meeting, or a shared calendar invite.

Cooperative, always

While cooperative play isn’t unheard of in legacy games (and in fact, some of our favorite narrative-driven legacy experiences are fully co-op), Cozy Stickerville approaches cooperation with a distinctly relaxed mindset. 

Players are encouraged to collaborate in whatever way feels most natural to them, whether that means deep discussions, or quieter parallel play. You may find yourselves talking through choices, negotiating priorities, and often laughing at the unexpected consequences of a sticker that did not end up where you thought it would.

Because there is no way to lose, the focus naturally shifts away from optimization, and toward shared storytelling. Conversation is welcome, but each player has full control over how they choose to spend their own “day”. Table talk becomes less about “what’s the best move?” and more about “what feels right for our town?” And that's the kind of energy we love to see around the table. 

A balancing act of narrative and discovery 

One of the biggest sources of anxiety in traditional legacy games is permanence, where a single wrong call can feel like it locks you into an outcome forever. Cozy Stickerville still remembers the choices you make, but it never blocks your path forward, and there are no irreversible failures, no locked endings, and no story branches that shut everything else out. Your town evolves in response to your decisions, but it never collapses under them.

While legacy games are often described as “one-and-done", Cozy Stickerville offers replayabilty through a double-sided board, multiple story variations, and decision combinations that interact differently each time. You can return to Stickerville and create a genuinely different town, with a story that changes from playthrough to playthrough (and group to group), even if the warm, familiar vibe stays the same.

Creating a different kind of legacy

Cozy Stickerville doesn’t aim to replace traditional legacy games. Those intense, high-stakes campaigns absolutely have their place, but we wanted to share a new way to play. A low-maintenance, low-pressure, story-telling, cozy board game experience that still grows and remembers. A game where legacy doesn’t mean stress, it means curiosity, warmth, and shared moments.

If you ever wanted to try a legacy game, but felt intimidated...

If you love cooperative play and storytelling...

If you want a game that meets you where you are...

Welcome to Cozy Stickerville, we saved you a seat.

We had the chance to ask game designer Corey Konieczka a few questions about his latest title from Unexpected Games, Cozy Stickerville.

You might recognize Corey from some of his previous hits; Imperial Assault, The Initiative, Star Wars™: Rebellion, and The Mandalorian™: Adventures, to name just a few. Known for creating innovative, immersive, and unexpected game systems, Corey continues that tradition with Cozy Stickerville.

While Cozy Stickerville carries the same “unexpected” DNA found in Corey’s earlier titles, it marks a clear departure in both theme and gameplay from much of his previous work. We asked Corey what inspired him to create something so different.

Corey was refreshingly honest and candid in his response explaining that; “as a designer, I felt like I was in a rut, designing the same games over and over. I desperately wanted to create something that was unlike my previous games, and frankly everything else on the market.”

“[At the time] I had just learned about the game Dorfromantik, and the idea of a game that you ‘cannot lose’ fascinated me. How do you keep players interested? How is it fun? This got me thinking to videogames like Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley which pose a similar question. All these thoughts led me to the idea of a cozy village building game built from stickers, stories, and mystery,” Corey added.  

 The connection between video games and tabletop games feels completely natural. We’re not only seeing more board games inspired by video game themes or IPs, but also, like in this case, games built on the very principles that make video games so compelling. And we definitely want to know more!

“The setting is relaxing and lets you work at your own pace. The world is open and lets you explore whatever elements are most appealing to you. Do you want to spend your time farming? Making money? Exploring? Talking to people? All of these are valid options, and there’s no right answer. Cozy Stickerville tried to capture the spirit of these games [Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley] and the plethora of activities you can pursue. I had so much fun creating the different activities and mini games (inspired by The Initiative), some of which are unique and surprising,” Corey explains.

From the artwork to the gameplay, this influence can be seen not only on the surface but also in the subtle ways Corey has built the game. Still, it’s surprising to hear about cozy, relaxing gameplay from the designer who brought us some of the most strategically intense games published. So how does someone transition from creating high-stakes, adrenaline-filled experiences to something so calm and family-friendly?

Corey explains, “even though this game is ‘low stakes’, it was very important for me to keep players invested. There are goals to accomplish, challenges to overcome, and even a few puzzles. However, the game’s pace is mostly peaceful and relaxing. I want you to take in the scenery and get lost in the story. I want you to make up your own stories: why is there a chicken on the roof of your house? Why do you hate Mustache Steve so much?”

Corey continues, “the one thing that I ALWAYS try to do with my designs is to capture an emotional experience. How do you FEEL while you’re playing the game? For Cozy Stickerville, the emotion is curiosity and wonder.”

Poor Mustache Steve! Corey really has approached this project with the intention to leave an impression on players, more than just “playing a game”. The thoughtful and deeply personal origins of this design welcome players to become designers themselves; crafting immersive stories, and creating real-world memories together. Corey’s passion for personalization in Cozy Stickerville is clear as he explains;

“By the end of the game, each player's village should look unique to their group. First off, this proves that your choices MATTER. If everyone’s village looked the same, then life is pre-destined. That’s not fun.”

He continues, “many choices in the game force you to choose between two options. Some of these choices have drastic consequences, such as unlocking one story path in favor of another. You can build a sleepy farming town, focus on industry, or dabble in local politics. Different themes will appeal to different players, and these choices allow you to focus your game on whatever makes you happy.”   

We love imagining a future where players can share their completed cozy villages online; comparing choices, discovering differences, and celebrating similarities. It’s incredible to think that all of this comes together in real time, visually brought to life through the use of stickers. Because, as if Cozy Stickerville wasn’t already hitting all the right notes with its cozy, video game–inspired vibe, Corey took it a step further with the sticker concept, making the experience truly unique. We asked him how that idea came about and how he thinks it will shape the player experience.

“The stickers serve SOO many purposes in this game, but I think the connecting element is that they are your game’s MEMORY. They track your accomplishments (in the form of Milestones and happiness). They show which buildings you’ve built. They show what characters you’ve talked to, what locations you can explore, and what storylines you’ve unlocked,” Corey enthuses. “This is all mechanical of course, but there’s also the fun factor of placing stickers and watching your village grow. To some players, that’s even more important,” he finishes.

This game is definitely going to scratch a lot of itches! Video games? Check. Stickers? Check. But what about that other element we’ve been hinting at?

There’s been plenty of talk about the story aspects, but they build into something much bigger. Cozy Stickerville is a legacy game wrapped in cozy packaging! Unlike traditional legacy games that follow the “one and done” model, this one breaks the mold. The double-sided player board and over 800 stickers allow for two complete playthroughs of the game so players can explore the road less travelled the second time around and have as much fun with their choices as they like, knowing they can explore alternate pathways the next time around. But from a design perspective, why include a second playthrough? Well, as it turns out, it’s not exactly rocket science...

“All the branching paths in the game mean that you used less than half the stickers in a single playthrough. This felt a bit wasteful to me, so I wondered what it would take to allow you to play the campaign twice. The answer was ‘not much more’, so I decided to pursue it.” Corey explains.

Corey has clearly poured his heart into making Cozy Stickerville as unique, and yes, as “unexpected”, as possible. Knowing that Cozy Stickerville may be one of his final projects before stepping away from game design, we wanted to know how that influenced his personal investment in making the game as close to perfect as he could.

Corey reminds us that, “well, technically there is at least one other Unexpected Games project I was helping on before I left (feel free to speculate),” but continues, “when designing Cozy Stickerville, I knew that it was going to be my last core design (at least for a while) and this brought me a few things. First, peace of mind knowing that I wouldn’t need to keep ‘chasing the next big idea.’ And second, a desire to flex every creative muscle I had to make sure this last project was a triumph.”

And flex he did! Corey left nothing off the table with Cozy Stickerville.

Over the years, Corey has built an incredibly devoted fan base (hi there, that’s quite possibly you reading this right now), so we asked him how he hopes both long-time fans and new players will connect with the game.

“What is a Corey Konieczka game? I think everyone has their own idea, and this can set weird expectations. I started Unexpected Games so that I wouldn’t be beholden to creating epic 2+ hour long strategy games. I've done that already, and I think gaming is so much bigger than that niche.”

“As I’ve grown older, my preferences have shifted to lighter affairs. I’ll still play Twilight Imperium once every few years, but for the most part I play quick and accessible games. Games with one good idea done very well.”

“I think Cozy Stickerville lives in a unique position. First off, there IS a game there for hobby gamers to enjoy. Most of our playtesters were hobby gamers, and it REALLY resonated with them. It’s not a deep strategic affair, but it is an addicting loop with interesting characters and lots of stories.”

“But I think the real strength of Cozy Stickerville will be its appeal to videogame fans. That audience is so much bigger than the tabletop space, so if we could introduce just a fraction of them to the tabletop world, then this game will be a success. For example, my daughter LOVES videogames but never wants to play boardgames. Cozy Stickerville broke through this wall, and she had a blast playing it.”

With a mix of new ideas, familiar touches, nods to other hobbies, and a few subtle gameplay homages to his past titles, Corey has created a truly unique experience that’s sure to resonate with a wide range of players. As both a studio and as gamers ourselves, it’s incredibly exciting to share a game like this with so many people.

Cozy Stickerville holds a special place in the hearts of the team at Unexpected Games, especially because Corey is stepping away to explore new paths and adventures life has to offer. While we’ll always be hoping for more games from him in the future, we took this chance to ask what he’s been up to lately, and what we might expect next.

“I can't believe how busy I am at the moment. There are so many irons in the fire. Here’s the short list... I wrote a book called Twelve Endings, and I’m REALLY proud of it. I’m teaching an online class on game design starting in November. I’m designing/coding a video game. It’s still early stages, but it’s really unique. I’ve been doing some consulting for various tabletop publishers, and I'm also working on a secret project...”

It looks like Corey isn’t going far after all! We can look forward to plenty of exciting and, of course, “unexpected” projects from him in the future. You can pre-order Corey’s upcoming book here: https://twelve-endings-a-collection-of-short-stories.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders or find information about his game design course here; https://uk.elvtr.com/course/board-game-development

Cozy Stickerville is available now, and we hope you have as much fun playing it as Corey and the Unexpected Games team did creating it!

Can’t wait to get your hands on Cozy Stickerville?

Cozy Stickerville is getting a special early pre-release ahead of its global launch, and we can’t wait to celebrate with you!

On January 30th, Cozy Stickerville will be available to purchase early at participating friendly local game stores across the United States. This pre-release is our way of supporting local retailers, and giving players a chance to dive into Stickerville just that little bit early.

The special Hobby Next wooden tokens upgrade will also be available in limited quantities, while stocks last, at the pre-release events.

If you’ve been looking forward to building, exploring, and relaxing in the charming world of Cozy Stickerville, this is your chance to get the game before its worldwide release on February 6th.

Where to find your closest
pre-release event

The following stores will be participating in the Cozy Stickerville pre-release event:

Board Game Barrister - Greenfield, Greenfield, WI

Boardwalk, Greenville, SC

Common Ground Games, Dallas, TX

Dreamers Vault Games - Champlin, Champlin, MN

Game Goblins, LLC - Conway, Conway, AR

Game Goblins, LLC - Little Rock, Little Rock, AR

Game Wizard and Blue Sky hobbies, Lakewood, WA

Gamechefs, Grand Rapids, OH

Gamelandia, Palo Alto, CA

Gamers Guild USA, Phoenix, AZ

Games And Stuff, Glen Burnie, MD

Gamezenter, Roseville, MN

Geek City Games And Comics, North Liberty, IA

Geeky Teas & Games, Burbank, CA

Guardian Games - Portland, Portland, OR

Level One Game Shop, Kansas City, MO

Level Up Games - Athens, Athens, GA

Level Up Games - Dawsonville, Dawsonville, GA

Level Up Games - Duluth, Duluth, GA

Level Up Games - Johns Creek, John's Creek, GA

Little Shop of Magic, Las Vegas, NV

Millennium Games And Hobbies, Rochester, NY

Pair a Dice Games, Vista, CA

Pangaea Gaming, Radcliff, KY

Paradise Games and Gifts (Previously Games and Comic's Pair O' Dice), Fairfax, VA

Phoenix Fire Games*, Meridian, ID

R U Game?, Saline, MI

Spielbound Board Game Cafe, Omaha, NE

Tanuki Games, Austin, TX

The Crypt, Providence, RI

The Fantasy Shop, Saint Charles, MO

The Pieceful Project, Cary, IL

The Printed Meeple , San Antonio, TX

The Wizard's Chest, Denver, CO

Tier 1 Cards & Games, Anchorage, AK

Zulu's Board Game Cafe, Woodinville, WA

Whether you jump in early, or wait for the global release, we can’t wait for you to experience life in Stickerville. Stay cozy, and game on!

Creating new games has been my passion since I was a kid, but I was drawing a blank slate. I’d designed over 20 games in the last 18 years. So many different in so many genres. I was having trouble coming up with something that wasn’t just retreading old ideas.

I’d spent the last 2 months tinkered with a few prototypes while also laying the groundwork for an expansion to The Mandalorian: Adventures. I had some cool game ideas, but every prototype I made just fizzled out or felt like a game that already existed. I was frustrated, disappointed, and lost.

Over holiday break, I finally found my inspiration in Dorfromantic: The Board Game. I was watching some game reviews and learned something that melted my mind: it was impossible to lose a game of Dorfromantic. WHAT? How does a boardgame even function if there is no way to lose?

The last time I had experiences a brain-breaking moment like this was when I was introduced to The Mind. On paper The Mind didn’t even sound like a game, but when I played it, I was completely blown away. The game was revolutionary, and made me think about games in an entirely new light.

So, thinking about Dorfromantic, I gave myself a challenge: how would I design a game if the central premise was that you cannot lose? The first thing I thought of was how this is a common theme in video games. Some of my favorites included Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley, or even The Sims.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I had never played a boardgame that captured the same “cozy” vibe found in these videogames. Most boardgames that claim to be cozy have tense competition, crunchy rules, or punishing mechanics. Yes, they look cozy, but they didn’t have the relaxed energy and open-ended freedom found in cozy videogames.

So how could I do accomplish this?

My main design challenge was to answer the question “if you cannot lose, why are you even playing?” Thinking back to how Animal Crossing handles this, the answer was to give you goals and to make the gameplay rewarding.

The second answer was to make player choice matter. Decisions should have repercussions, and each group’s village should reflect their personality. In addition to choice, it should also let you express your creativity in ways you don’t often see in boardgames.

My third answer to this question was to make the gameplay story centric. I love games like Tales of Arabian Nights, and by injecting similar story into my game, I could make the world feel alive. Residents in your town could have their own goals and ambitions, and the land itself could be full of places to explore and secret to uncover.

Unlike Animal Crossing, I wanted a game that didn’t go on forever. Instead, I wanted different endings based off the choices you’d made throughout the game. (We ended up with 5 endings, each with their own requirements.)

This thought experiment gave me moment-to-moment incentives, rewards, and a grand overarching purpose.

When I returned to the office in January, I had an entire game sitting in my head and I was ready to start making a prototype. Within a week, I had my first playable version.

I played it with Josh, and unlike my other recent prototypes, it was full of magic. Sure, the prototype was ugly and full of holes, but the experience was unique, fun, and full of possibilities.

For the first time in many months, I was excited and inspired. There was work to do, but I could already envision what the final game would look like.

Tune in soon for our next journal in which I talk about the core mechanics and philosophies.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Blusky, Threads, and our website for the most up to date news on Cozy Stickerville!

A legacy game without barriers

Cozy Stickerville invites you to build your own village, welcome new residents, solve mysteries, and leave behind a personalized legacy. Unique from other legacy games, this one has simplified game mechanics, quick story beats, and few ‘points of no return’; making it accessible and easy to pick up and play.

This game has been developed for lovers of all things cozy and narrative, for the players that are “here for the vibes” on game night. It’s been built to allow you to play a game in full exploration mode, where you are the author of your own story. Cozy Stickerville is a game you literally can’t lose, so the world of decision is truly your oyster... and it’s all done through stickers, yes! Stickers!

" There are countless options, and each decision leaves your fingerprints on your village. Regardless of your dreams you must build, advance, and explore,” says designer, Corey Konieczka.

The game draws inspiration from popular cozy video games, where simplicity is key but the player is empowered with meaningful decisions. This balance makes Cozy Stickerville accessible and easy to play, while still offering a good depth of decisions and buckets of personalization, giving you the freedom to make the world of Stickerville entirely your own.

Designer Corey Konieczka agrees, “there’s no wrong way to play! You have control of your actions during your turn, so you can engage with the game (and your friends) however you’d like."

Either way, the game evolves to reflect your choices, and the story you tell together.

A game so nice, you can play it twice

Here at Unexpected Games we’re always looking to deliver something, well, unexpected, and with Cozy Stickerville we wanted to challenge the traditional “one and done” model of legacy games. Thanks to the game’s double-sided board once you finish your first campaign, you can flip it over and begin an entirely new story, no new purchases or “refresh” kits needed!

We wanted to give you the opportunity to go a little wild; to try different paths, make fresh decisions, or play with a new group altogether. It’s like the RPG equivalent of your first playthrough being your “best choices” game, and your second playthrough being the “let’s embrace the chaos” run. Cozy Stickerville gives players the rare chance to experience two distinct and fully unique adventures if they choose!

What type of village will you create?

To keep up with all the latest news, updates and sneak peeks, be sure to follow us on social media and sign up to our newsletter.

Get ready to build your village, shape your story, and discover the comfy co-op world of Cozy Stickerville!

What makes our story a little different is that we’re not just one studio; we’re a collaboration across three asmodee studios: Office Dog Games, Z-Man Games and Unexpected Games. Each of these studios has its own identity and creative profile, and together they form the heart of Studio Big Games.

The Studios That Shape Us

Office Dog Games is a newer face in the asmodee family, bringing a modern and playful spirit into the mix. You could say they have the creative energy of puppies, everything is new and they’re quick to chase down fresh ways to play and connect! You may recognize Office Dog Games from the recent releases The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring™ Trick Taking Game or River of Gold? Well, there is more where that came from and the team have big plans for what to bring to your table next.

If Office Dog Games is the new kid on the block, Z-Man Games is more like one of the “grandparents” of modern board games. Known worldwide for iconic titles like Pandemic, Citadels and Love Letter; Z-Man Games thrives on big, bold concepts that continue to shape the industry. Their legacy of innovation inspires us to keep pushing boundaries.

To round things out, every team needs a loveable wildcard and Unexpected Games is ours! True to its name, Unexpected Games specializes in delivering surprises from one game to the next. Whether we’re talking about The Initiative or The Mandalorian™: Adventures, one thing that remains consistent is their innovative mechanics and storytelling twists that keep players on their toes. Unexpected Games are proof that some of the best gaming moments are the ones you don’t see coming!

Meet the Team

Why We do What We do

Our mission is simple; to create exceptional board game experiences that bring people together. We believe in the power of play; that games can inspire, connect, and bring positivity to both you and the people you share them with. Whether you’re an artisan sailing the rivers of Rokugan, a bounty hunter chasing purpose, or slipping a secret love letter to a princess; the real magic happens in those moments we share around the table.

Your friends at the table,

New Enemy Abilities

We wanted the new enemies in this expansion to have new tricks for you to deal with. It took some trial and error, but we eventually landed on 4 unique abilities that can appear on enemies:

• Fast – This enemy moves 1 extra space. This helps the enemy get right into the action.

• Parting Blow – When this enemy is defeated, it deals 1 damage to a character in its space. This has a huge impact, especially for melee enemies that tend to run into your space, or characters that get too close (I’m sorry, Ahsoka).

• Vigilant – This enemy cannot be disrupted and its abilities cannot be ignored. No shenanigans. All Duel enemies have this by default, but it can be nasty on other enemies as well. For example, the new “Mobilize” planning card usually allows you to avoid being damaged by sentries; this doesn’t work against vigilant sentries!

• Duel – Explained below.

Duel

When rewatching Season 2 of the show, I noted that there were a few pivotal scenes in which heroes had a dramatic close-quarters duel with a villain. This included Ahsoka’s duel with Morgan Elsbeth as well as The Mandalorian’s climactic fight against Moff Gideon and the Darksaber.

These moments felt important enough that they needed their own sub-system to recreate these scenes. To do this, we gave some enemies the Duel ability which has the following effects:

• They can only be dealt damage by characters in their space.

• When you deal this enemy damage, you must draw a Duel card and resolve its effect.

Most Duel cards block at least 1 damage, and then have a cinematic effect. Maybe the enemy makes a reckless assault, or perhaps they attempt to dodge your attack entirely!

It was important to me that these effects didn’t just feel random and unfair. Some of these cards have a choice that players can make to mitigate their effects.

In addition, the back of (most) Duel cards have a value on them. This tells you how much damage is most effective against this card. For example “3+” encourages you to try and deal at least 3 damage to overcome this card’s effects.

With the duel mechanic you’ll be able to relive the iconic scenes of Asohka vs. Morgan Elsbeth or The Mandalorian vs. Moff Gideon on your tabletop.

Tough (revised)

I almost forgot to mention that there’s a secret bonus enemy ability in this expansion: tough. You might recognize tough from expert mode in the base game, but in the expansion it can show up at any difficulty level.

With the addition of the duel deck to the game, I took this opportunity to slightly revise how the tough ability works. Now, when you attack a tough enemy you discard the top card of the Duel deck. Each duel card has a value in the lower right corner which shows how much damage tough will block (between 0 and 2).

This also allowed us to make tough block damage slightly more frequently (50% of the time), and even block 2 damage (1 out of 12 cards).

Tough is one of my favorite abilities because it adds a small “push your luck” mechanic to the game. Do I deal the enemy exactly the damage needed to defeat it, or attack for more just in case it blocks? There is a lot of open information in the game, so this provides just a smidge of uncertainty.

Dangerous Events

During playtesting, some of our most seasoned veterans informed me that they were winning every single game, even on the highest difficulty setting. You might be in this camp, so late in development we decided to design an even higher difficulty level. The end result was Dangerous Events.

These optional cards can be added to your event deck, replacing 7 of the weakest event cards in the game. You will no longer breathe a sigh of relief when the “Draw Attention” card comes up.

The best part is that Dangerous Event cards can be used to make any difficulty harder. You can make standard difficulty more challenging if you enjoy playing with 4 cards in your hand, or you can try dangerous expert difficulty for the ultimate challenge.

Regardless of how you like to play the game, the Clan of Two expansion has your back. Exciting new missions, characters, mechanics, and challenges await!

The Clan of Two expansion arrives this summer! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and our website to stay up to date with the most recent news.

Also visit our website to learn more and access free bonus content!

99% of people who buy an expansion already like the base game, so I don’t believe that an expansion should “reinvent the wheel.” My favorite expansions add “more of the same,” with some unique twists. The best expansions also include a few things you weren’t expecting.

Early in development, I had this idea of giving enemies upgrade tokens which could give them abilities that weren’t printed on their token. This seemed like a cool way of making the game less predictable and requiring you to change your plans on the fly.

Unfortunately, this mechanic ended up being very fiddly and didn’t have much impact on the game. We decided to scrap it, and I went back to the drawing board. I wanted something that felt impactful and would sometimes make you change your plans. So some form of ongoing effect seemed to be the right direction.

The biggest issue with ongoing abilities is that you need to remember them. I have countless gaming memories in which I realize, two turns too late, that I forgot an effect that would have greatly swung the game.

With these goals in mind, an idea slowly formed in my mind: ongoing events.

Ongoing Events

These event cards will situationally become an ongoing effect, staying in an action slot. They remain in play until you resolve another event card for this action, so generally they’ll stick around for a few turns.

The beauty of these effects is that they sit below the action and (usually) have an effect when you play a card on that action. Since they are physically right above the card you’re playing, it makes them very easy to remember.

A few of these effects add strength during the event step. These have a strength number and are visually very easy to understand. My favorite one adds +1 for events for the rest of the game unless you decide to deal damage to 2 characters when you draw the event. Depending upon when you draw this card (and which action you’re resolving), this can be an excruciating decision.

Most ongoing effects only stick to the action slot under specific situations. Commonly, they will happen if the rest of the card had no effect. This means that event cards in the expansion more consistently have an impact on the game.

If ongoing events make the game a bit harder, what do the heroes get as compensation for that?

Mobilize Planning Card

The planning deck was a late addition to the design of the core game. It was that last eureka moment that really brought the game together, but it had a lot of untapped potential.

When designing a new planning card, we took a look at what players wish they could do. There are many times during the game when I’m just shy of reaching my destination. In addition, there are times when a group of sentries (or grapple enemies) have locked down an important area of the map.

The mobilize planning card was designed to solve these exact situations. It lets you move up to 2 spaces, ignoring enemy abilities. As a bonus, this card is especially useful for our favorite lightsaber-wielding friend.

We also included 1 extra copy of “Bad Luck” to the planning deck to add tension and to keep the ratio of “Bad Luck” balanced.

These two new mechanics add lots of new decision points to the game, and are compatible with any mission (even the ones in the base game). In our next article, we’ll talk about some of the other challenges you’ll face, including epic duels.

The Clan of Two expansion arrives this summer! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and our website to stay up to date with the most recent news.

Also visit our website to learn more and access free bonus content!

With the Clan of Two expansion, we wanted to take this even further. Luckily, Season 2 included
4 of the most popular Star Wars characters of all time. Our task, our challenge really, was to faithfully translate them to your tabletop.

We started by designing Ahsoka Tano, and there was a lot of pressure to get her right. Not only is she insanely popular, but her Jedi training meant that she needed to play differently than anyone else in the game. How could we do this? The solution was to give her a persistent ability.

Unlike characters in the base game, persistent abilities can be used multiple times throughout the game. Most of them are positive, but some are restrictions. For example, Ahsoka Tano can only attack enemies in her space (instead of up to 1 space away). Her main weapons are lightsabers, so it just made sense!

This raised the big question – how could we counteract this drawback so that she feels appropriately powerful? The answer was twofold: first off, we let her move 1 space for free every turn. This makes her the most mobile character in the game and makes sure she can always close the distance to overcome her short attack range.

The second solution was to give her some of the most powerful cards in the game. For example, with her lightsaber she can deal up to 6 damage against a single target! Since she has 2 lightsabers in the show, she has 2 copies of this card.

Ahsoka also has several ways of retrieving planning cards so she’s almost always blocking attacks or reflecting blaster bolts at enemies. Many of her cards become more powerful when certain cards are on top of the planning discard pile, so this play style encourages smart decisions and clever combos.

For example, she can use her free movement to move toward a sentry enemy, reflect that damage with a retaliate planning card, then since that card is now in the planning discard pile she can use her lightsabers to attack another enemy in her space for 6 damage. This is just one example of the types of combos she can pull off.

The other 3 characters in the box also have persistent abilities that capture the essence of their characters. For example the renowned sniper Fennec Shand can always attack from range 2 (at the cost of reducing the card’s strength). This makes her ideal for picking off sentries or providing cover fire. Many of her other cards compliment this attack-from-range strategy, including ways of boosting her attacks, piercing armor, or even attacking from a whopping 4 spaces away!

Boba Fett’s persistent ability allows him to break a core rule in the game – he can attack twice on the same turn! This is complemented by his arsenal of unique weaponry, including his EE-3 Blaster Rifle, Rocket Pack Missile, and his Gaderffii Stick!

He also has other cards that combo with his character ability, such as gaining an additional action on his turn or even discarding a card from the attack action. He’s a blast to play.

Bo-Katan Kryze was the character that went through the most changes during development. We tried a variety of different things, from gaining bonuses from using cards with boost icons, to giving bonuses to the next action any player performed. None of these felt unique or fun enough.

We finally found a mechanic that was both fun and unique: Bo-Katan plays with the top card of her skill deck faceup. This not only lets her know what card she’s going to draw next, but many abilities gain bonuses based on the top card of the deck or manipulate this card.

She can pull off some wacky combos by setting her deck, and then making big, bold plays.

These characters are a ton of fun to play, and I can’t wait for you to get your hands on them.

In our next article, we’ll dive into some new mechanics that will keep you on your toes and open up brand new strategies.

The Clan of Two expansion arrives this summer! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and our website to stay up to date with the most recent news.

Also visit our website to learn more and access free bonus content!

Join us here on Corey’s BGG Designer Forum as we celebrate his 19 years of board games.

So, how did we choose missions for the expansion? We had a few goals in mind:

·      Capture epic moments from Season 2 of the TV show

·      Choose diverse locations with unique layouts

·      Make missions mechanically interesting

Near Misses

There were so many exciting moments in Season 2 of The Mandalorian that it was challenging to choose just four.

A great example is the first episode: The Marshal. This episode ends with one of the coolest action scenes to ever grace the small screen: the epic fight against the Krayt Dragon. As awesome as this was, we couldn’t use it as a story mission in the game. Why? Well, the core game system relies on there being lots of enemies on the map of different types. With only 1 enemy (the Krayt Dragon), the game simply wouldn’t work.

But wait!

In addition to story missions, The Mandalorian: Adventures board game also includes mercenary missions that can be played on any map. These missions are not direct retellings of specific episodes, but some are inspired by events of the show. This presented the perfect opportunity to let players have an epic fight against a Krayt Dragon without breaking the game system.

The coolest thing about this mission is that the Krayt Dragon has its own event cards. These ensure that the Krayt Dragon acts unlike any other enemy in the game. You can be swallowed whole or even sprayed with acid bile!

From Screen to Table

Now that you have some insight into how we choose missions, let’s talk about what story missions are in the box. We landed on 4 pivotal moments on unique locales:

·      Calodan – Home of the villainous Morgan Elsbeth, where our hero meets the outcast Ahsoka Tano.

·      Tython – While Grogu uses the Jedi seeing stone, Moff Gideon’s forces arrive! Luckily Boba Fett and Fennec Shand are there to help.

·      Morak – Infiltrate an Imperial refinery to find the coordinates to Moff Gideon (and Grogu).

·      Moff Gideon’s Light Cruiser – Strike at the heart of Moff Gideon’s forces to free Grogu. Oh, and watch out for those Death Troopers.

Making Them Unique

Each location is visually distinct, but we also made sure each had unique mechanics. From jumping over the rooftops of Calodan to rolling boulders down the hillside of Tython, they all have different features. Some even use new mechanics, such as:

·      Scope Tokens – While The Mandalorian and Migs Mayfeld escape the refinery on Morak, up to 2 players can provide sniper support! They can move and attack, but since they are not physically on the map, enemies ignore them.

·      Star Tokens – In the base game, enemy reinforcements always appear in the same space. In some Clan of Two maps, the spawn location can move, leading to more dynamic action.

·      Duels – Some missions end with a climatic duel! These use a special duel deck, which we’ll discuss in a future article.

I’m really proud of how the Clan of Two missions ended up. We went the extra mile to make sure these missions were thematic, varied, and fun. I can’t wait for you to play them and re-live your favorite moments from Season 2.

In our next article, I’ll discuss the new heroes, their play styles, and a new mechanic that makes them really stand out.

The Clan of Two expansion arrives this summer! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and our website to stay up to date with the most recent news.

Also visit our website to learn more and access free bonus content!

Unexpected Games has launched the home page for the Clan of Two expansion for The Mandalorian™: Adventures!

This page will be your primary source for all things Clan of Two, as we'll be sharing news, reveals, designer journals, playthroughs, and more.

Stay connected as we roll towards the expansion’s release this summer, and click here for more information on The Mandalorian: Adventures!

This year, we attended more conventions than ever before, including Canada Plays, UK Games Expo, Gen Con, Essen Spiel, and PAX Unplugged. That’s almost 1 show every other month!

This was all in service of this year’s big new game The Mandalorian: Adventures. There’s nothing better than showing the game in person, even if it requires us to jump in a car, train, or plane. I want to thank everyone who stopped by for a demo or just to say hello; It made our day.

When the game finally released, we were delighted by the positive reviews and playthroughs. If you were posting about it online, there’s a good chance Josh and I read it and smiled. And the release is just the beginning.

The Mandalorian: Adventures was designed as a modular experience, and we’ve already released a handful of free web missions that shake up the game. More will follow!

At Gen Con we got tons of questions about whether Season 2 would ever show up in the game. At the time, we couldn’t confirm it yet, so we had to say dodgy things like: “Hopefully!” or “That would be cool!”

But now, sound the trumpets! The Clan of Two expansion has been announced. We’ll share more details about this next year, but it’s awesome, trust me.

When we weren’t on the road promoting The Mandalorian: Adventures, we were hard at work designing new games. About half that time was dedicated to creating Clan of Two, but the rest of the year was spent brewing up something new, a standalone game.

This game is unlike anything I’ve ever created, and there’s nothing else quite like it. We still have a few more months of work left on it, but I can already tell its something special. We should be able to share more details in the second half of 2025.

Thank you for a great year, and I hope next year will be even better!

Corey Konieczka
Head of Studio
Unexpected Games

Roseville, MN – December 5, 2024 - Unexpected Games is thrilled to announce the Clan of Two expansion for The Mandalorian™: Adventures board game, by designer and head of studio Corey Konieczka. Requiring the base game, this expansion explores season 2 of The Mandalorian as Din Djarin seeks to reunite Grogu with the Jedi.

Fans seeking a first look at Clan of Two can view the announcement trailer here: UnexpectedGames.com/TheMandalorian/ClanofTwo.

The Clan of Two expansion features four iconic characters, each with persistent abilities that offer unique playstyles. Four new locations are beautifully illustrated in an all-new mission book, doubling the total number of maps in the game. The Clan of Two expansion also introduces new enemy types, ongoing events, a duel deck, and more that can be seamlessly integrated with the base game for even more variety and replayability.

“Season 2 of The Mandalorian included some of my favorite Star Wars™ scenes in the last decade. It was a blast recreating these moments for the board game, and this expansion includes so much more. From Boba Fett and Ahsoka Tano to duels and dangerous cards, I can't wait for you to see all the new content.” said Konieczka.

The Mandalorian: Adventures - Clan of Two expansion includes over 110 cards, 137 tokens, 1 mission book, 4 standees, 2 double-sided Mercenary Mission sheets, and more. Players can find Clan of Two in hobby stores for $39.99 summer 2025.

For more information on The Mandalorian: Adventures board game, visit UnexpectedGames.com/TheMandalorian.

“This mission is super wacky and unlike anything else in the box. That's an advantage of web content – we can be a bit more experimental sometimes,” said designer Corey Konieczka. “This one is super fun and almost feels like you're playing a different game.”

Those seeking additional content can find fully-cooperative missions and an optional hidden traitor mission here, with more on the way!

By popular demand, we’ve created fully-cooperative versions of the hidden motives mercenary missions found in The Mandalorian: Adventures. Those looking for even more cooperative content can now experience both the Bounty Hunters and Recover Stolen Cargo missions on all 4 maps.

Additionally, our first new mercenary mission, Stolen Data, released this week and can be played cooperatively or with optional hidden motives.

Stay tuned as more new missions are on the way!

There is a danger in trying to appeal to both casual and serious gamers, but I think we accomplished it by having some complexity hidden in the guide deck and secret envelopes (read the full article on that here).

Today, I want to pull back the curtain and show 3 unlockable components that add depth and strategy to the game. Each of these juicy bits give tasty choices for the serious gamer.

Be warned, this designer journal CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS of hidden content in the game. If you want to go into the game blind, I suggest skipping this article.

Tactical Skill Cards

After your first game, you will unlock a brand new type of skill card: Tactical Skills. These cards do not have a strength number and instead have the tactical icon on them.

When you play a tactical card on an action, you do not get to use the action’s ability (because the card has no strength). Instead, you only use the skill card’s ability (assuming you play it on the matching action type).

The extra advantage of tactical skill cards is that during the event step, you will treat this pile as if it had exactly 5 strength. This means that you need to resolve an event card for this action pile, but you avoid the crisis (see event step rules designer journal #3).

Clever gamers may realize the implications of this: playing a tactical card on an empty action pile isn’t great (because it will cause an event), but if the pile is already at 4 strength this is fantastic (because it avoids the crisis).

Some crises are especially painful and might even make you lose the game. If you’re in a bind, you can play a tactical card on a pile NOT matching the ability. You won’t get to use the card’s ability, but you avoid the crisis.

Wild Skill Cards

After your second game, you unlock another type of skill card: wild skill cards. These card abilities can be used when played on any action slot.

Wild skill cards often play into each character’s specific skill set. For example, IG-11 has many cards that damage himself, and he can then turn this damage into strength. Likewise, Burg often wants enemies to be in his space, and his basic wild card reinforces this.

You may have noticed that The Mandalorian wild card lets you disable an enemy. To do this, you place a disrupt token on the enemy facedown. This enemy cannot move, attack, or use it’s abilities. The next time the enemy would move or attack, the token is removed. Not only is this very thematic for the “Gauntlet Whipcord,” but remember that you can use this ability when played on ANY action pile. There are many wacky ways you can use this, but I’ll let you discover those on your own.

Advanced Character Cards

After your fifth game, you receive my favorite unlock: advanced character cards. You may have noticed that the basic character cards seem suspiciously empty – just a name and health value. All that empty space is soon put to good use with advanced character cards.

Once unlocked, these cards replace your basic character cards. Each advanced character card gives you a powerful once-per-game ability that can swing the tide of battle.

These abilities are very thematic and fit each character’s specialty. My favorite is IG-11’s Self-Destruct ability. I love it so much that it’s been REALLY hard to keep this secret!

Normally, when a character is defeated all players lose the game. This is especially problematic for IG-11 because he has many abilities that damage himself. Luckily, it is against IG-11’s programming to be captured, so he can self-destruct. When this happens, he deals 3 damage to each enemy in his space and is then disabled. This will eliminate him from the game without failing the mission.

These are just SOME of the surprises you’ll find hidden in your game. This journal focused on some of the tools players receive, but the enemies, events, and missions all receive new twists, challenges and wrinkles.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, Threads, and our website for the most up to date news on The Mandalorian: Adventures!