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The company’s goal is to unify a catalog that spans more than 400 games. Asmodee also owns more than 23 in-house design studios and saw the most growth from those games over those published by partners. “It doesn’t happen overnight. You can’t just print new games and all of a sudden throw away all your stock,” Sharp said. “But as they sell, the newer ones will come in.” Julien Sharp, U.S. general manager at Asmodee, likes to refer to the company as the "third-biggest gaming company you’ve never heard of." Asmodee's under-the-radar profile inspired its most recent rebrand. (Anthony Souffle/The Minnesota Star Tribune) Demand for trading card games has led Asmodee to release six expansions for Star Wars: Unlimited in less than two years. The competitive scene is also growing. The company hosted its first world championship in Las Vegas this summer, drawing more than 2,500 players. “It was unbelievable. For a brand-new game, we had thousands of people there. I didn’t know that many chairs existed in Las Vegas,” Sharp said. Asmodee has also released beginner-friendly options to the Star Wars: Unlimited game, such as Intro Battle: Hoth, a two-player board game designed to teach the basics of trading card gameplay. Accessibility is key to reaching new audiences, Sharp said. Sometimes that means creating a video that explains a game’s rules. Other times it means condensing the rulebook while enlarging its physical size.
