We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Joe Bragg a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Joe, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the story of how you went from this being just an idea to making it into something real.

When I originally set out to design a game, I didn’t realize a business was going to come out of it. As I was creating Meek Heroes: Victory, people started to come alongside me and encourage me to really dig in and start doing this. I had some friends that shared with them that they thought I should start a gaming business because they felt that the theme/concept/brand I have was worth it. I then learned how to get an LLC and an EIN and just like that Meek Heroes Gaming was a business. Since then it has been a ton of learning. I understand a lot of the basic business principles but owning your own entity brings a lot with it and therefore it is vital to learn and grow.

I was blessed to already have my own website so I just started to shift things over to the Meek Heroes Gaming brand and I fine-tuned the site to reflect what we do and who we are. This involved logo creation (which I did myself), generating a slogan, and just figuring out how I wanted to present the information. I have now been pursuing trademarking as that feels like the logical next step for me and one that I am happy to pursue.

We have recently launched our first game (the initial run of pre-orders ends June 19th) and we have another one just about ready to go and a third one in the prototype/playtesting phase. I have been blessed to have a few people come alongside me and join the team on a volunteer basis. I now have a project manager, an illustrator, a game consultor/play-tester, and a digital content creator (who brings my games to life online to help with playtesting). I have been blown away by the support and encouragement.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I have been in youth ministry for nearly 15 years and I have always been a fan of board/card games but didn’t really enter into the gaming hobby until 2020. As I was playing games I would always say “How do people come up with this stuff.” It was in June of 2022 when God began to stir a game idea in my heart. I sat on it for a bit but the longing to create it got stronger and stronger. Eventually, I sat down at my computer, typed out the idea, pitched it to a couple of friends, and then started just making cards through Canva. It just poured out and by that weekend I had a playable prototype. My brother-in-law Matt and I played it twice that day. The game took forever the first couple of times but it was very clear that the game not only worked, but it was a lot of fun. This then began the process of full-blown playtesting and adjusting the game.

When I was younger I was diagnosed with O.C.D. (not the cultural but the actual) and I have found that game design and my brain go well together. I’m not the guy to create the most technical, huge game that feels crazy intimidating to non-gamers, but rather I’m the guy that says “How can we create games that are accessible for people yet for experienced players provide a depth of strategy.” That last sentence is my goal but our second game is one that requires little to no strategy and is just a ton of fun! I don’t like to put myself in a box but I do value consistency and so a lot of the consistency will come from the brand itself. We make Biblically inspired games and seek to make them engaging and fun. I am a family man and I really enjoy playing games with my family and so I want to create games that families will enjoy as well as the hobby gamer.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of game creation has been watching people enjoy what I have created! When someone finishes playing one of my games and says “That was really fun, I look forward to playing again.” I can’t help but get excited! The cool part about board games is that you can tell early if people are enjoying themselves and this for me has been a huge part of the process. I love getting feedback from players as we are playtesting because this is what makes the game better. If it weren’t for the feedback, I know my game wouldn’t be a tenth of what it is today. I am so thankful for those who have joined me on this journey, it has been amazing!

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I am a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. I know that there are those that do not share my beliefs and that is okay, however, this is what drives my creative journey. I believe that we have a Creator and that we have been created for His glory and to bring glory to Him through what we create. Over the years I have noted that Christian content can sometimes leave a lot to be desired, as a result, I set out to create something awesome in the name of Jesus. God has been faithful and has provided continued clarity and direction for me throughout the years. I am simply seeking to use the gifts God gave me for His glory and to reach others for Him.

Meek Heroes Gaming is a Christ-centered entity that seeks to bring glory to God through board games.

Contact Info:

• Website: meekheroes.com
• Instagram: meekheroes
• Facebook: meekheroes
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtAoGzyb_tCUi5uUT1mf8AQ