What Is a Public Catalog?
Your public catalog is like an online portfolio for your games. It's a website that shows off your games to the world.
Who sees it:
Publishers you want to pitch to
People on social media you want to impress
Retailers considering your game
Anyone you share the link with
What it shows:
All your games (the ones you mark as public)
Game covers and images
Descriptions and hooks
Rules (if you want to share them)
Links to where people can buy or play
What's special about Boardssey's catalog: It updates instantly as you make changes to your games. You don't have to manually maintain a separate website.
Important: Catalog Is Available on ALL Plans
You don't need a fancy plan. Adventurer, Pathfinder, or Oracle—everyone gets a public catalog.
Step 1: Go to Your Catalog
In the left menu, find: Catalog (it might say "Games Catalog" or have a gallery/portfolio icon)
Click it.
You see your catalog homepage. If this is your first time, it's probably empty or has a setup message.
Step 2: Set Up Your Catalog (First Time Only)
When you first visit, Boardssey asks for some setup information.
You'll see options to customize:
Step 2A: Catalog Name
Field: What do you want to call your catalog?
Examples:
"Your Name - Game Designer"
"Your Studio Name Games"
"Board Games by [Your Name]"
What to type: Something professional but personal.
Step 2B: Catalog URL
Field: What's your custom web address?
Boardssey suggests something like: yourname.boardssey.com or yourgame.boardssey.com
What to do: You can change it if you want.
Examples:
sarahsdesigns.boardssey.comthundergames.boardssey.commyboardgames.boardssey.com
Important: This is the link you'll share with publishers and on social media. Make it something you won't regret.
Step 2C: Your Bio or Description
Field: A short description of you or your studio.
Examples:
"Indie board game designer creating games for families and gamers"
"Award-winning game designer with 3+ published titles"
"Game studio focused on strategy and cooperative games"
What to write: 1-3 sentences that explain who you are and what you make.
Step 2D: Contact Information
Field: How should people reach you?
Add: Your email, website, or social media links.
What to do: Give people a way to contact you about your games.
Step 2E: Logo or Profile Image (Optional)
Field: Add your logo or headshot.
What to do: Upload an image. This appears at the top of your catalog.
Suggestions:
Your personal headshot (if solo designer)
Your studio logo (if you have one)
Your game's iconic image (if you want to highlight one game)
Step 3: Save Your Catalog Setup
Look for: A Save, Create, or Finish Setup button.
Click it.
Your catalog homepage is now created.
Step 4: Understand Your Catalog Structure
Your catalog now has a public webpage. Here's what people see when they visit:
At the top:
Your catalog name
Your bio/description
Your logo or photo
Contact information
Below that:
All your games displayed as cards or a grid
Each game shows its cover image and title
When people click a game:
They see the full game page
They see images you marked as public
They see your description and hooks
They see mechanics and player count
They see any other public information
Step 5: Publish Your First Game to the Catalog
Now you need to add your games to the catalog.
Go back to: Games in the left menu.
Find: The game you want to publish.
Click on it to open Game Center.
Step 6: Look for the Publish Button
In your Game Center, look for:
A button that says Publish to Catalog, Add to Catalog, Publish Game, or Share
Where it might be:
At the top right of your game
In a menu
Above the game title
Click it.
You might see options or a confirmation.
Step 7: Choose What Shows Publicly
When you publish, you're choosing what information is public and what stays private.
You control:
Game title: Public? Yes.
Description: Public? Yes.
Images: Remember the public/private toggle we talked about? Only images toggled "Public" appear in your catalog.
Rules: You can choose to share your rules PDF or keep them private.
Player count and mechanics: Public? Yes.
Your notes: Private. Never shown.
Playtest feedback: Private. Never shown.
Internal notes about design: Private. Never shown.
Everything else in Game Center stays private. Only the information you explicitly mark for public shows in your catalog.
Step 8: Review Your Published Game
Go to your catalog URL.
(The one you created earlier, like yourname.boardssey.com)
You should see:
Your catalog homepage
Your game appearing in the list
Click on your game to see the full game page.
Does it look right? Does the image show? Are the details correct?
If something needs fixing, go back to Game Center and update it. The catalog updates instantly.
Step 9: Publish More Games (Optional)
Repeat steps 5-8 for each game you want to share.
You can have all 5 games (Adventurer plan) or all 20 games (Pathfinder plan) or unlimited games (Oracle plan) in your catalog.
Step 10: Make Games Private Again (If Needed)
What if you want to hide a game?
Go to: That game's Game Center.
Look for: An Unpublish or Remove from Catalog button.
Click it.
The game disappears from your public catalog instantly. The game stays in your account (it's not deleted), but people can't see it in your portfolio.
Understanding What People See
When Someone Visits Your Catalog
They see:
Your name/studio name at the top
Your bio
Your contact info
Your games as a grid or list
Each game's cover image and title
When They Click on a Game
They see:
Game title and version
Published status (if you want to show it)
All publicly-shared images
Your elevator pitch
Hooks and description
Player count, play time, age recommendation
Mechanics and genre
Link to rules (if you chose to share them)
Link to buy or more info (if you added one)
What They DON'T See
Your private notes
Playtest feedback
Component list (unless you choose to share it)
Internal design decisions
How many versions you've made
Rough drafts or work-in-progress images
Real Examples of How Catalogs Are Used
Example 1: Publisher Evaluation
You send: "Check out my games: [catalog URL]"
Publisher sees: A professional portfolio of your games.
They click to see rules, images, mechanics, all organized professionally.
Result: You look organized and professional. Serious about game design.
Example 2: Convention Networking
You meet someone at a convention.
You say: "Here's my catalog if you want to see what I'm working on" [hand them a card with URL]
They visit later and see all your games beautifully displayed.
Result: Easy way to share without emailing multiple files.
Example 3: Social Media Promotion
You post on Twitter: "Working on three new games! Check them out: [catalog URL]"
People click and see your portfolio.
Result: Drives traffic to your games. Shows you have multiple projects.
Example 4: Embedded on Your Website
You have your own website.
In Boardssey, you can get an embed code.
You put that code on your website.
Visitors see your Boardssey catalog embedded right there on your site.
Result: One source of truth. Update in Boardssey, it updates on your site automatically.
Tips for a Professional-Looking Catalog
Tip 1: Use Good Images
What makes a game look professional:
High-quality box renders (not phone photos)
Clear card designs
Professional component photography
Consistent image quality across all games
What doesn't:
Blurry photos
Phone photos from different angles
Unfinished prototype photos (unless that's your style)
Remember: Use the Media public/private toggle to show only your best images.
Tip 2: Write Compelling Descriptions
Your description is the first thing people read about your game.
Make it matter:
Not this: "A game where players compete to win"
Write this: "A fast-paced strategy game where you manage limited resources to build the most valuable empire—perfect for competitive 20-minute game nights"
Tip 3: Keep Information Consistent
Across all your games, use consistent:
Writing style
Tone
Professionalism level
Image quality
Result: Your catalog looks cohesive and intentional.
Tip 4: Update Regularly
Your catalog updates instantly in Boardssey.
When you:
Add new images
Update rules
Finish a new version
Have big news about a game
Update your game in Game Center. The catalog reflects it immediately.
Tip 5: Share Your Catalog URL Everywhere
Put it in:
Your email signature
Your social media bio
Your website
Networking cards
Convention booth
Make it easy for people to find your portfolio.
Understanding Real-Time Updates
How Instant Updates Work
You change your game description in Game Center.
Someone visiting your catalog sees the new description seconds later.
No refresh. No delay. Real-time.
This is powerful because:
You can fix typos immediately
You can update images instantly
You can announce new versions right away
You can respond to feedback by updating your pitch
Common Questions
Q: Do I have to publish all my games?
A: No. Only publish games you're proud of. Keep experimental games private.
Q: Can people download my games from the catalog?
A: Only if you provide download links (for free rules, prototypes, etc.). By default, they see information. They don't get files.
Q: Can I have different catalogs for different purposes?
A: Your Boardssey account has one catalog. But you can choose which games to publish and which to keep private.
Q: What if I want to keep my games completely private?
A: Don't publish them. Go to Permissions and make sure only you can see them. Nobody finds them in your catalog.
Q: Can I put my Boardssey catalog on my website?
A: Yes. There's usually an "Embed" option that gives you code to put on your website. Your catalog appears directly on your site.
Q: How do I track if publishers are looking at my catalog?
A: Boardssey might show view counts or analytics (check your account dashboard). But your main metric is "did they email me?"
Q: Can I require a password to see my catalog?
A: Check your Boardssey settings. Some plans let you make your catalog private or password-protected.
Q: What if someone copies my game ideas from my catalog?
A: Your catalog is public, so anyone can see it. You might consider not publishing the most sensitive design details if you're worried. But generally, publishers want to see your work. Trust your design.
When to Publish
Don't Publish If
Your game isn't ready to show anyone
You're still in very early concept stages
You're not comfortable with people seeing it
You want to keep it secret until a specific date
Do Publish If
Your game looks polished enough to show
You're looking for feedback
You want to share with a publisher
You're proud of what you've made
You want to build your designer portfolio
Next Steps
Set up your catalog. (You've probably done this.)
Publish one game. See how it looks.
Get feedback. Show it to friends. Ask if it looks professional.
Make improvements. Update images, fix descriptions, polish it.
Publish more games. As you finish them, add them to your portfolio.
Share your catalog URL. Send it to people. Let them see your work.
You're Ready
You now have a professional portfolio showcasing your games.
It updates instantly. It looks professional. It's a real representation of what you've created.
Share it. Be proud of it. Use it to connect with other designers, publishers, and players.
Your catalog is your creative resume.
Make it count.