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Michael O’Connell - Finspan Guy @anarchytabletop.bsky.social · 9h

It’s dark on the inside, where it counts.

Michael O’Connell - Finspan Guy @anarchytabletop.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Hey, Randy Flynn mentioned I should maybe reach out to you about PAX Unplugged. Looks like you have DMs turned off. My email is anarchygamestudio@gmail.com.

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A Tale of Two Meeples @ataleoftwomeeples.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

First play of the Sharks & Reefs expansion for Finspan. Thought I was killing it only to lose in a tiebreaker 😂 Loved the extra crunch it added, especially breaking up schools! @stonemaiergames.com

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Michael O’Connell - Finspan Guy @anarchytabletop.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

A lot of effort goes into those. I work with several different biologists to get the facts and zones right.

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How Lou Sees It @howlouseesit.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Finspan with Sharks & Reefs Expansion Solo Playthrough (Level 2 Difficulty) youtu.be/sFpVw-8elAI This is such a fintastic game! The Nautoma is simple to manage allowing you to be focused on your gameplay and decisions. Join me at the table and let’s play! @stonemaiergames.com

youtu.be

Finspan with Sharks & Reefs Expansion Solo Playthrough (Level 2 Difficulty)

YouTube video by How Lou Sees It

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Arran van denagames.nl @digitaal-analoog.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Ik heb mijn shoptegoed ingewisseld voor Finspan en heb ondertussen het spel gespeeld. Is het spel het aankopen waard? denagames.nl/analoog/fins...

denagames.nl

Finspan review - maak er sushi van - Digitaal & Analoog

Ik heb mijn shoptegoed ingewisseld voor Finspan en heb ondertussen het spel gespeeld. Is het spel het aankopen waard?

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Fay 🔞📺🦌🫃 @faylette.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

cw: slight dubcon reference maybe?? I saw this shark-focused expansion for the Wingspan spin-off Finspan and knew what I had to do. I imagine this is how everyone reacts to me wanting them to learn a new board game to play with me too. #radiostatic #radiosilence #voxal

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Michael O’Connell - Finspan Guy @anarchytabletop.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

That describes most of creation for entertainment, broadly.

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Michael O’Connell - Finspan Guy @anarchytabletop.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

I’ve thought about this often. In some ways, I think the labels can be helpful. But, in others, I think it creates a sense of permanence and constraint that may not be helpful.

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Michael O’Connell - Finspan Guy @anarchytabletop.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

It’s always difficult get something into shape when I don’t have a particular publisher in mind.

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Michael O’Connell - Finspan Guy @anarchytabletop.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Probably M.U.L.E. by Electronic Arts, around ~1981. I don’t play videogames anymore (except board game ports), but I still play a lot of games.

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Salt and Sass Games @saltandsass.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

🎙️ Ep. CIII is live! We’re back on track! We chat a couple of special crowdfunding projects, new video‑game obsessions, board games, and wrap with a “Rules We Always Forget” Game Pie! 💻 youtu.be/WFyYQfyDuZ0 🎧 saltandsass.riverside.com 🌟 Clip: Suzanne talks about a rule she often forgets. 😵‍💫

youtu.be

https://youtu.be/WFyYQfyDuZ0

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Michael O’Connell - Finspan Guy @anarchytabletop.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

About 10 years. And it’s still cool. At some point, I will pitch it to someone.

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Michael O’Connell - Finspan Guy @anarchytabletop.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Root is one of my favorite war games, but every time a copy sells at Target because of the cute animals on the box, it feels like violence.

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Robin Sevakis @jadedsketch.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

The dumb thing I worked on and wanted to show is here!! 😆 MediaOCD gift card designs!

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Michael O’Connell - Finspan Guy @anarchytabletop.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

For my money M.U.L.E. was the most brilliant computer game of any decade. I was maybe 14 when I first played it, and I still go back to it.

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Michael O’Connell - Finspan Guy @anarchytabletop.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

PAX West was the first one we tried. It was a fun experience. We may try others.

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Michael O’Connell - Finspan Guy @anarchytabletop.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Any time I can beat J at a board game it’s an outlier.

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Michael O’Connell - Finspan Guy @anarchytabletop.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Just ordered this! I’ve known Pia and Ian since I wrote and published comics back in the ‘90s. I’m sure it’s amazing.

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Cardboard Time @cardboardtime.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

In better news, I Finspan'ed recently. Like this a lot solo if I want something breezier.

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Mark M. @homeofmark.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Finspan #boardgame Designed by David Gordon and Michael O'Connell, published by @stonemaiergames.com More games and session reports here: homeofmark.com/more-tableto... More pictures of this session here: www.instagram.com/p/DcB1wRVD7U...

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Liz Davidson @beyondsolitaire.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

This week on the pod, I had a blast talking about solo game design with Morten Monrad Pedersen, the man behind the Automa Factory. Check it out! youtu.be/87ka6TZRTww

youtu.be

Beyond Solitaire Podcast Ep. 243: Morten Monrad Pedersen on Solo Design

YouTube video by Beyond Solitaire

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The Deep-Sea Podcast @deepseapod.com · 27/07/2026

Did you check out our latest episode with Deco-stop on deep-sea-inspired #boardgames? @anarchytabletop.bsky.social, the co-designer of #Finspan, shares how the game developed such a #deepsea focus. Listen to the whole episode here: www.deepseapod.com/episodes/dec...

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Michael O’Connell - Finspan Guy @anarchytabletop.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

J beat me with the tie-goes-to-the-attacker rule in our first game of Duel of Meloch. I did manage to win one game of Wingspan Pocket, though. (We played a few.) #stonemaiergames #duelofmeloch #wingspanpocket

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Michael O’Connell - Finspan Guy @anarchytabletop.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

I almost never participate in crowdfunding anymore. And when I do, I try to ignore updates.

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Michael O’Connell - Finspan Guy @anarchytabletop.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

I don’t really have anything to add to this on the topic.

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Michael O’Connell - Finspan Guy @anarchytabletop.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

I’m finally going to have a game at an indie night market. My son, Jason, and I designed Red Spiral, and we’re printing a few dozen copies of it to sell at PAX West. www.alwaysawake.games/pnw-tabletop...

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Michael O’Connell - Finspan Guy @anarchytabletop.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

I wish that there were a Rotten Tomatoes for tabletop. So, people could say they didn’t like a game and it could be taken in aggregate.

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Michael O’Connell - Finspan Guy @anarchytabletop.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Easier-to-onboard was our overarching goal. It starts to approach Wingspan in complexity as the game goes along, but it doesn’t throw nearly as much at you early. It’s also a lot more forgiving.

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Michael O’Connell - Finspan Guy @anarchytabletop.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

If I want to know what a group of people who collectively believe that Brass Birmingham is the greatest game ever made thinks, BGG ratings have got me covered. I get that it’s the de facto standard in the industry. I just wish it was a more representative one.

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Michael O’Connell - Finspan Guy @anarchytabletop.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

My son is always trying to ensure that isn’t true of anything I design.

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