“We cannot work without each other”: The White Castle’s husband and wife design duo Isra and Shei on creating as as team, design pitfalls, and which games impressed them in 2024

Husband and wife board game design team Sheila Santos and Israel Cendrero have been collaborating on their creations for almost a decade - and have sealed their status as notable eurogame architects in recent years with standout titles The Red Cathedral and The White Castle. The pair - who go by their board game design monikers Isra and Shei - sat down with BoardGameWire to talk about their journey into the industry, why working as a duo is essential for them, and the major error they see new designers making when pitching to publishers.

Reflecting on 2024, preparing for 2025: All About Games Consulting looks at opportunities and challenges in the board game industry

Another strong year for the board game industry, which has now grown to about €13bn, nears its end, with all eyes turning to the opportunities and challenges presented by 2025. In this article Cedric Delobelle, co-founder of one of BoardGameWire's sponsors All About Games Consulting, looks ahead to what US tariffs might mean for the industry, and reflects on the successes and difficulties encountered in 2024.