A cooperative survival word game for 1-5 players where spelling is only half the battle.
Please visit our store https://gapclosergames.com to order your copies today.
Latest Updates from Our Project:
The Final Chapter (aka our "final" update)
10 months ago
– Thu, Jun 29, 2023 at 08:30:15 AM
From "The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Goodbyes are oftentimes bittersweet. And this "final" Kickstarter update is no exception.
When we first launched Illiterati on March 1, 2022, we honestly didn't know what to expect. Yes, this wasn't our first rodeo thanks to the unexpected success of Rival Restaurants and Back for Seconds, but it was our first time launching a totally different game--one that had very little in common with our first title. And so, questions abounded:
Will people enjoy playing a cooperative word game?What if Illiterati flops?What if we (Gap Closer Games) go down as just another "one hit wonder?"
To be fair, we are not negative people. It's just when you undertake something as grand and public as a crowdfunding campaign, it's almost impossible not to let doubt get the better of you at times.
Thankfully for us, all those questions were answered in a resounding fashion. Just to give you an idea, here are some factoids about Illiterati:
We had more backers (7,197) for Illiterati than either Rival Restaurants (4,191) OR Back For Seconds (5,360).
Illiterati was the second most funded word game of all time (behind only the legendary Paperback).
Illiterati received the Dice Tower Seal of Approval from none other than Tom Vasel himself!
Illiterati was the second "fastest climber" on BGG's (Board Game Geek's) game rankings in mid-May.
All these factoids aside, perhaps most significantly, Illiterati surpassed even our own expectations. Based on how the Kickstarter performed and from initial interest from retailers, we initially printed 15,000 copies of Illiterati. However, even before those copies landed stateside, we actually had to re-order a second print run so that we could keep up with retailer demand. Even just typing that gives us goosebumps as we realize just how far our small but mighty team has come.
And when we say team, we're not just talking about the four of us (Rob, Jon, Gary, and Audrey)... we're also talking about you. We know 1000% that we would not be where we are today if it weren't for your incredible support, tireless patience, and enthusiastic encouragement. We owe all of our success to you--our backers, our honorary Gap Closer Team Members.
However, as "final" as this update may sound, this is not goodbye forever but rather just a fond conclusion to this campaign. We'll still send out messages from time to time updating you with any pertinent or exciting news, but as far as this campaign is concerned, this is... the final chapter.
On that note, instead of just saying thanks to you all and leaving it at that, we would like to pay it forward with our "Play It Forward" celebration!
"Play It Forward" with Gap Closer Games
Here at Gap Closer Games, our mission is to "close the gap" between people through the power of board games and fun. As we kick off Summer '23, we plan to do more of that -- but first, we need your help.
We are giving away $1,000of Illiterati(aka free copies of Illiterati) to 23 youth-serving organizations that are near and dear to YOUR hearts.
Here's how it works:
1) You choose an organization and forward them the submission link at the bottom of this email. This should be a non-profit organization that primarily serves youth. Here are some examples: Boys & Girls Club, local library that checks out board games, youth group, school board game club, community center, etc.
2) We'll close submissions on July 16th (that means you need to act quickly!), review the nominations, and select winners.
3) Starting in August, we'll reach out to the winning organizations and coordinate delivery (we'll cover all expenses associated with delivery).
All you need to do is forward the below link to the organization you'd like to nominate and have them fill it out. Note: If you are a part of the organization, you are welcome to fill this out on the group's behalf.
This is our way of saying thanks for all of your support. In an age of ever increasing screen time and digital isolation, we're hoping that our games can continue to bring people together, face-to-face, for moments of laughter and fun. Thank you for allowing us to do what we love and share that with others.
Here's to a game-filled summer and a great rest of 2023!
With love,
Rob, Jon, Gary, and Audrey
When COMIC CON calls, you answer!!! (Pst, we need volunteers!)
11 months ago
– Tue, May 30, 2023 at 08:13:08 AM
So this happened:
To be completely honest, our first thought was "this has to be a joke."
After all, there are literally hundreds of game companies with much bigger audiences than us... so why would one of the most massive pop culture conventions (over 140,000 attendees expected this year) want us to come demo Illiterati and Rival Restaurants? When we finally got a chance to talk to them on the phone (and realized they were for real), what they said shocked (and encouraged) us.
They said "To be honest, some of the bigger companies we usually partner with didn't respond in time, so that opened upa few spots. We saw your game being mentioned severalplaces online, liked the look of it (the art), and did some more research. After reading reviews but more importantly the Kickstarter comments, it looks like your backers were really happy with your game as well as how you handled your campaign, so that's when we decided to reach out."
TLDR: YOU GUYS(our amazing backers) are the reason weare going to Comic Con this year!!!
Photo Credit: Getty Images. Creator: ColobusYeti.
If you couldn't already tell, we are really, really excited about the opportunity to share Illiterati and Rival Restaurants with the San Diego Comic Con community! At first glance, one might think... why would people at Comic Con be interested in board games? It's a fair question... but here at Gap Closer Games, we pride ourselves on our namesake... the ability for our games to "close the gap" between different groups of people. We designed both Illiterati and Rival Restaurants to appeal to gamers and not-yet-gamers alike. And the feedback we've gotten these past few years has validated that intent! By being at Comic Con, we hope to share the joys of tabletop gaming with people who maybe haven't played board games since the days of Scrabble and Monopoly... but we know that once they try Illiterati and Rival Restaurants, there'll be no going back :).
Having said all that, we are looking for a few volunteers to join us at San Diego Comic Con this year! If you're interested, fill out this google form ASAP. The deadline to express interest in volunteering is Sunday 6/4.
Fulfilment is coming to a close
Alas - We are happy to report Illiterati fulfillment is over 99% completed with a majority of our final orders en-route as we speak. We want to give a huge shout out to all of our fulfillment partners (Aetherworks, QML, Spiral Galaxy and VFI) for their hard work and attention to detail. But if you have not received your copy or tracking information at this point in time - you're not forgotten! It's most likely due to one of the following reasons:
You're in Brazil, Indonesia, Israel, Malaysia and/or Singapore - These are some of our furthest regions to reach, and require additional processing time. Please be patient - we promise it's worth the wait.
You haven't completed your survey - click here to fix that!
There's an issue with the order we'll need to investigate - please reach out to us and we can get you squared away.
The reviews keep pouring in - Thank You!
We are so grateful for the continued praises we've received, and love reading each and every review. We would really appreciate it if you were to also leave us a rating on Board Game Geek (BGG). If you're not familiar with BGG, it's basically the end all/be all of board game review sites. A lot of gamers use BGG to make informed purchasing decisions (think Yelp or Trip Advisor for board games), so the ratings really do matter!
Now Available - www.GapCloserGames.com
And last but not least - now that all backer copies have been mailed out, we have made extra units available on our website for purchase across all regions. This includes both Illiterati and a restock of RivalRestaurants! So if you've been waiting to grab an extra copy or have a friend who's interested, please pass this along. Shop Now - www.GapCloserGames.com
That's it for this update! Thanks everyone and until next time,
Rob, Jon, Gary, and Audrey
Early reviews, BIG SHIPPING UPDATE, and the official How To Play video!
12 months ago
– Thu, Apr 20, 2023 at 07:26:07 AM
The reviews are in ... and Illiterati is a H-I-T!
Publishing board games can be as exhilarating as it is terrifying. Will anyone play our game? Will they love it? Will they hate it? And while we get confirmations along the way we're doing something right, now is when we get the real feedback... and can we just say wow.
We are so humbled and encouraged by the amazingly kind words people have shared with us over the past few weeks! And for those of you who have received your copies (we're looking at you Asia, Australia and UK), please consider leaving us a rating on Board Game Geek (BGG). We are currently rank overall at #11,655 (as of 4/20/23)... I think we can do better than that. 😉
Fulfilment Continues Moving Along - Status By Region
Here's a breakdown of each region and how much longer you'll need to wait (Hint: Not Much Longer):
The boat has landed, the games have been sorted and we can officially announce that fulfillment willstart NEXT WEEK for all backers in theUS,Canada*,Brazil and Puerto Rico!
As you can imagine, this region represents the largest portion of our backers (>6,500 orders), thus orders will go out in multiple waves and can take a few weeks to complete. Truthfully, there's little rhyme or reason as to which orders go out first, so don't be alarmed if your neighbor's copy arrives and you still haven't received your tracking information.
However,be on the lookout forADDRESS VERIFICATIONS tomorrow. You should be getting an email from QuartermasterLogistics (our local packaging and shipping partner) giving you one last chance to update your address if need be. If no change is needed, no action is needed on your part. If you don't get an email, check your spam folder.
* For Canada, in order to prepay customs charges on your behalf, orders are bulk trucked into Canada on a weekly basis before being dispatched locally from a Canadian FedEx facility. This is the most efficient way to fulfill your orders, but it does mean you'll sometimes get a tracking number that "doesn't move" for 10 days, as it wouldn't register movement until it's scanned by the Canadian facility. We thank you for your patience as your orders are fulfilled.
Rewards Shipped to Local Distributor: Indonesia (Monopolis Board Game Store, May ETA), Israel (Liam Games, June ETA), Singapore (Team Board Game, May ETA), South Africa (Solarpop, May ETA)
Fulfillment is100%completed forAustralia and New Zealand! If you have not received your order/tracking number, please reach out to us and we can get you squared away.
Fulfillment is 75%completed for all backers in theUKand therest of Europe! Games began fulfilling at the start of April, and all games are expected to be delivered/en-route at this point in time, though you may not get a tracking alert for a few more days. Reminder, games are coming from the UK with customs pre-paid (for EU member countries), so allow time for your package to make the journey and clear customs accordingly.
As always, if you're like us and want to know exactly where in the world your game is, or aren't sure what region you fall under, feel free to use the Fulfillment Status Tracker Tool for specific details for your country.
Official How to Play Video now on YouTube
Although this may be playing right into the Illiterati's hands... we made a how to play video for your convenience. But for those of you who still like to read (bravo by the way), the most up to date rulebook can be found here. Speaking of which...
Rule Clarification
A few of you have been asking "What happens to leftover letters and words at the end of each round?" Also, "If we don't finish our book, do we have to draw a new book and start over each round?" Great questions! Thankfully the answer is no, you do not have to start over each round and draw a new book... that would be cruel and unusual (let's not give the Illiterati any ideas...). Instead, at the end of each round (i.e. after the Illiterati Attack), any leftover letters, words, and books carry over into the next round. This is how you'll accumulate enough letters to complete your book and move onto the next book or the Final Chapter.
If you want to see these minor clarifications in the most up to date version of the rulebook, you can access the rulebook here.
Torn pages? Bent covers? We'll take care of that.
Our promise remains - if there is anything wrong with your order, don't hesitate to reach out to us. Fill out the Replacement Part Request Form so that we can do our best to make it right.
That's it! As always, if you're not sure whether you completed your survey, click here.
Much love,
Rob, Jon, Gary and Audrey
Onwards we MARCH! And see what happened at Dice Tower West in Vegas...
about 1 year ago
– Tue, Mar 28, 2023 at 09:38:59 AM
Greetings Librarians!
If you've been keeping up with our Kickstarter comments section, you may have noticed that a small percentage of backers have already received their games. (If you're jealous, we don't blame you.)
We just want to reiterate that this is perfectly normal as different regions fulfill at different times. (But again, if you're jealous, we don't blame you.)
Regional Fulfilment - Status By Region
Here's a breakdown of each region and how much longer you'll need to wait:
Fulfillment is underway for all backers in Asia, though depending on your country, "last mile" shipments may not happen until mid-April. Here's a breakdown of when each local hub should receive stock:
Fulfillment Underway: China, Hong Kong,Japan, South Korea & Macao
Rewards Shipped to Local Distributor: Malaysia (Kohii Games), Philippines (Gaming Library), Taiwan (Mr. Dexker Games), and Thailand (Our Games Trading Co Ltd). Estimated Hub Arrival varies (Early to Mid April)
Pending Ship-Out: Indonesia, Israel, Singapore, South Africa
Fulfillment is underwayfor all backers in Australia and New Zealand. Tracking numbers are automatically generated and sent out in batches, so please only reach out to us if you have not received a tracking number by the end of next week.
The boat has landed in the UK and Spiral Galaxy is currently in the inventory process. They are planning to send out address confirmations to all backers on Friday (though given how swamped they've been, this may push into next week). Fulfillment is expected to begin in the next 2-3 weeks as they are currently processing Frosthaven orders (a HUGE undertaking) which has tied up most of their bandwidth and has pushed other projects behind.
Estimated start of fulfillment: Earlyto MidApril 2023
US, Canada & ROW- Quartermaster Logistics
Be not dismayed our fellow North Americans! It may feel like nothing is happening with your orders, but rest assured they are inching closer and closer to you. The boat has cleared the Panama Canal, and is only a few weeks away from landing. If all goes well, the April month-end update should have a more clear picture of when fulfillment should begin.
Games are on the Guthorm Maersk (Landing Date: April13th, 2023)
Estimated start of fulfillment: Early-to-MidMay 2023
If you're like us and want to know exactly where in the world your game is, or aren't sure what region you fall under, feel free to use the Fulfillment Status Tracker Tool for specific details for your country.
Skip the rulebook, watch this instead!
Dice Tower West - First Time Exhibiting in Las Vegas!
Our new convention setup 😍
There's something about attending a game convention in Las Vegas that's just magical. Part of it is seeing the tabletop community come together for 4 days of pure gaming... especially while being surrounded by other types of "gaming" (ours is far less likely to put a hole in your bank account). Part of it are the insane buffets that you have to try to believe (Bacchanal, we're looking at you). No matter what way we look at it, we thoroughly enjoyed our time exhibiting at Dice Tower West!
There were 3,000 attendees at Dice Tower West, and although there's no telling how many hundreds we interacted with, it never got old to see the excitement on people's faces as they tried Illiterati and/or Rival Restaurants for the first time.
Some newly converted fans of Rival Restaurants getting their cook on!
In addition to our team, we had 2 volunteers (Rob'sparents!) who were instrumental to our booth's success. While we're not sure what other conventions we'll attend this year (maybe let us know in the comments!), we're most likely going to put a call out for volunteers so keep an ear out for that.
Missing or Damaged Components? We'll Make It Write!
Although we are a small operation, our commitment to excellence is big. And while we don't anticipate there being any major issues, if there is anything wrong with your order, don't hesitate to reach out to us and we'll do our best to make it right (Replacement Part Request Form).
Address Changes / Order Updates
At this point in time most addresses are locked down, and trying to make the changes to orders can be difficult. If your region is currently being fulfilled, odds are it's too late to make the change. But if your region is still a few weeks out, let us know ASAP and we'll see what we can do (Contact Form).
That's it! As always, if you're not sure whether you completed your survey, click here.
Much love,
Rob, Jon, Gary and Audrey
The whole Gap Closer Games crew + Rob's parents!
One (month) if by Land and Three if by Sea...
about 1 year ago
– Fri, Feb 24, 2023 at 03:56:24 PM
Greetings Librarians!
Although this won't go down in history like Paul Revere's famous midnight ride, we are very happy to report that EVERYONE'SGAMES ARE FINALLY EN ROUTE!!! Here's "actual" footage of one of the boats as we speak!
(Sorry if your games arrive a bit wet)
All jokes aside, this is a huge moment for Illiterati and we can't thank each and every one of you enough for being so patient as we did our best to ensure the production quality was up to our standards. We are confident that the extra 3-4 week wait will have been worth it once you receive your games in the mail.
Regional Fulfilment
As mentioned in our last update, we use the hub fulfillment method which basically means goods are first freighted in bulk to individual regions. From there, the games are split by country. Thus, when you can expect to receive your game will vary by your country, as each region will be under differing timelines. Here's the TLDR of when to expect your game:
Asia:
Games have been picked up from the factory, and are en-route to VFI (By Truck)
Estimated start of fulfillment: Early-to-MidMay, 2023
If you're like us and want to know exactly where in the world your game is, or aren't sure what region you fall under, feel free to use the Fulfillment Status Tracker Tool for specific details for your country.
Dice Tower West - Las Vegas, NV (March 8th-12th)
Dice Tower West serves as the unofficial kick-off to the board game convention season, and we are thrilled to be heading back to Las Vegas once again--this time as exhibitors! This will be our third time attending at DTW, which is quickly becoming one of our favorite conventions. If you plan to attend, make sure to stop by, say hello (booth#31), and get in a demo of Illiterati or Rival Restaurants. To be clear, we will not have stock of Illiteratifor sale at the convention as the games will be somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean at that time. Additionally, since you were the first to take a chance on us, we want to make sure you are the first to reap the rewards!
That's it! As always, If you're not sure whether you completed your survey, click here. If you have any trouble accessing it or need to make a change, don't hesitate to reach out to us directly through Kickstarter or through our Contact Form.
