The next big experiment at Rival Animation isn’t a film or an explainer—it’s a board game. Yes, you read that right. We’re storytellers at heart, and the best games leave you with a story to tell. So when our creative director started building a lightweight D&D‑inspired board game full of twisted heroes, the whole studio jumped in. We call it Looting Legends.
What is Looting Legends?
In Looting Legends, you and up to five friends aren’t valiant heroes on a noble quest—you’re tricksters and opportunists competing to amass the most loot and be the first to defeat a hungry dragon. The game pits two to six players against each other in a race to collect gear, open chests and survive random encounters before facing the dragon at the centre of the board. Along the way you’ll have to trade with (or swindle) your rivals, brave curses, dodge monsters and manage a limited inventory of weapons, armour, gems and boots.
Here’s a taste of what makes the game special:
- Day/Night cycles. Every turn advances a sundial from day to night. Daytime is all mischief and unexpected detours; nighttime unleashes more monsters and Cursed Creatures. Some characters are aligned to day or night and can activate special powers when their side of the clock comes up.
- Loot versus gear. Loot tokens score points, but gear tokens grant buffs to combat, movement or luck. A complete set of matching gear nets you bonus points at the end of the game—and gives you a better chance when you take on the dragon.
- Open the chests. You’ll find six to nine chests dotted around the board, each stuffed with random loot and gear. Unlocking a chest requires a lucky roll—fail, and you’ll stumble back two spaces in embarrassment. Take as much as your inventory can hold, but be prepared to fight off thieves.
- Trading and stealing. End your turn next to another player and you have a choice: offer them a fair trade or attempt to steal their favourite trinket. Fair warning—if you fail the steal, you’ll slink away empty‑handed.
- Cursed creatures and curses. The night deck holds some nasty surprises. Beat a cursed monster and you can unleash a curse on another player. Lose, and the curse will follow you. Curses are unfair, chaotic and hilarious.
- Signature weapons and magic boots. Every hero has a signature weapon granting an extra bonus to a chosen buff category. Or you may be lucky enough to get yourself a pair of Magic Boots—rare items that let you carry more loot, avoid curses or even treat night as day.
The objective? Grab as much treasure as you can while gathering enough gear to face the dragon. Defeat the beast first and you trigger Turbo Mode, a wild endgame where everyone else races to squeeze in a final three turns before the dragon forces them into battle. At the end, you tally your loot, gear sets and dragon hoard bonuses to crown the greediest legend.
Why build a game?
We’re always looking for ways to stretch our storytelling muscles and push the technologies we use. Creating a board game is a playground for both. Not only does it let us craft characters, lore and visuals from the ground up and explore crowdfunding, manufacturing and distribution, we’ll also create a full‑blown live action and animation ad, social content and—crucially—actively market these materials. As a studio that prides itself on understanding what clients need, we see this as another opportunity to understand client challenges and test marketing strategies for ourselves.
What’s next?
This is just the beginning. Over the coming months, our team will be:
- Playtesting and refining the rules. The rulebook you see today is version 2. We’ll be logging feedback from playtesting as we find the perfect balance between chaos and strategy.
- Developing the world. Each character in Looting Legends will have a backstory that ties into the larger universe. We’ll be concepting the art style, designing miniatures and crafting lore that feels cohesive and playful.
- Building the brand. Logos, typography, packaging and tone of voice all contribute to the game’s identity. Our design team will share as we iterate.
- Prototyping and manufacturing. We’ll explore different prototyping methods—from 3‑D printing to outsourced board production—to see what fits our needs and budget. If we decide to crowdfund, we’ll discuss platforms, reward tiers and timeline.
- Creating content. You’ll see behind‑the‑scenes posts, live‑action teasers, animated shorts and maybe even developer diaries as we build momentum. We’re excited to test various marketing channels—TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and beyond—to see where the Looting Legends community gathers.
- Testing ROI like our clients do. By treating this game like a client project, we’ll be able to compare the cost and effectiveness of different marketing strategies. Which social ads drive the most interest? Does a short film outperform a static teaser? We’ll share those lessons openly.
There’s no honour among thieves—only loot. Gear up, fight dirty, win gloriously—and watch this space for more.
