Ningbo board game maker takes Chinese stories global

Best-selling board games from Yaofish. [Photo/Yongpai app]

A Ningbo board game publisher is turning Chinese history, geography, and culture into games for families, while bringing its original titles to overseas markets.

Yaofish was launched in 2006 as a manufacturer of poker sets and traditional board games for overseas clients. Founders Wang Yunjie and Ying Jian later moved into original game development, launching the Yaofish brand in 2019.

Its hit game Discover China combines geography education with engaging gameplay. Since its launch, more than 2 million copies have been sold, making it one of China's best-selling children's board games.

Yaofish has also found success with games based on Chinese history. A Dream of Splendor in Song Dynasty, released in 2023, lets players run businesses in Kaifeng, the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), with elements inspired by the famous painting Along the River During the Qingming Festival. The game has sold more than 600,000 copies.

The company now develops three to five new games each year, with a focus on making Chinese culture appealing to younger audiences.

This year, Yaofish will make its debut as a publisher at Spiel Essen in Germany, one of the world's largest board game trade fairs. It will present four original games in English, marking a shift from contract manufacturing to developing and exporting its own intellectual property.

The company hopes its games can introduce stories and traditions from China to players around the world.