Tabletop gaming is more than just rolling dice and shuffling cards—it’s about community, connection, and unforgettable experiences. No one understands this better than Eric Poulin, the founder and CEO of Aftergame, a digital platform designed to enhance the way we organise, track, and find tabletop games. From casual game nights to large-scale conventions, Aftergame is quickly becoming a go-to tool for players and event organisers worldwide.
We sat down with Eric to talk about his journey developing Aftergame, how events like TableTopCon have influenced its growth, and what the future holds for the platform.
From Google Sheets to Game-Changer: The Birth of Aftergame
Every great idea starts with a problem that needs solving, and for Eric, that problem was tracking competitive board game stats.
“It originally started as a way to replace a shared Google Sheet my gaming group used to track our plays,” Eric explains. “The existing options didn’t give us a combined view of our stats, so a friend and I built the original MVP.”
But what started as a small personal project quickly evolved into something much bigger after a visit to a tabletop gaming convention.
“When taking this early beta to a convention, we stumbled into the problem of finding other people to play the game we wanted in a large, crowded hall. After speaking with event organisers, we found that this was a common issue—so we got to work on what is now the ability to plan games at an event.”
This realisation—that finding games at conventions was a real challenge—completely shifted Aftergame’s focus. No longer just a play-tracking tool, the app grew into an event-based platform, making it easier for players to find, organise, and sign up for games at conventions, game stores, and home meetups.
The Roadblocks of Building Something New
Like any startup, the development of Aftergame wasn’t without its challenges. The first major technical hurdle? Merging and separating play histories.
“The biggest challenge was combining what were previously two play histories into a single definitive history—while still allowing them to be separated when needed,” Eric says. “We needed to build a way to easily connect and disconnect an account to a player.”
But while technical challenges were tricky, the real test came in getting the word out.
“Promoting the app with little-to-no budget has been an ongoing challenge,” Eric admits. “We’ve relied on word of mouth and event partnerships to grow our user base, which has been incredibly rewarding but also a slow process.”
Despite these challenges, Aftergame has continued to evolve, driven by both Eric’s passion for tabletop gaming and the feedback of its users.
A Community-Driven Platform
One of the most interesting aspects of Aftergame is how deeply connected it is to its users. From the very beginning, the app has been shaped by the needs of players and event organisers.
“Almost everything we build is guided by our users,” Eric says. “The ability to host events and plan games were some of the biggest feature additions. More recently, groups and a full web version have been some of the major new developments.”
And when it comes to event organisers, Aftergame has become an invaluable tool.
“They use it for game scheduling, ticketing, and even running Play-to-Win competitions,” Eric says. “It’s amazing to see how flexible the platform has become for different kinds of gamers.”
Aftergame & TableTopCon: A Perfect Match
One of the biggest ways Aftergame has grown is through its partnerships with tabletop gaming events—and TableTopCon has been one of the most exciting collaborations yet.
“Tabletop gaming events have been the lifeblood of Aftergame,” Eric says. “The majority of our users first heard about us through an event we supported, and making that experience as good as possible has driven a majority of our development time.”
Through working with event organisers, Aftergame has added features that directly solve real-world problems.
“For example, the event floorplan, Play-to-Win competitions, and event reminders were all direct requests from organisers,” Eric explains. “We work closely with them, and we even have an active Discord community where we get feedback every day.”
The goal? Make gaming events as smooth and accessible as possible—whether it’s a major convention or a casual local meetup.
The Future of Aftergame
Aftergame is constantly evolving, and Eric has big plans for the future.
“We just launched early access for our web version, so we’ll be improving that in the short term,” Eric says. “Beyond that, we’re working on expanded play logs, better stats tracking, improved event scheduling, and more ways to manage your game collection.”
When asked where he sees Aftergame in five years, Eric doesn’t hesitate.
“Our goal is to be the go-to platform for discovering, organising, and tracking tabletop games worldwide,” he says. “We want to help players find new games, get their favorites to the table more often, and strengthen local and global gaming communities.”
And as for expanding beyond tabletop gaming?
“For now, our focus remains firmly on tabletop games,” Eric says. “There is some overlap with sports and video games, but our passion is here in the tabletop world.”
How You Can Support Aftergame
So, how can players and event organisers help Aftergame grow?
“The best thing people can do is share it with their gaming groups and event organisers,” Eric says. “If you love the app, we also offer Aftergame+ as a subscription, which helps support development.”
And for first-time TableTopCon attendees, what’s Eric’s best advice?
“Sign up for a game you haven’t played before!” he says. “Or, if you have a favorite game, schedule a session and meet new people who love it too. And most importantly—don’t overpack your schedule! Leave room for spontaneous gaming!”
Final Roll: Eric’s Favorite Game
As we wrap up our chat, there’s one last question we have to ask: What’s your favorite tabletop game?
“My current favorite changes all the time—there are always so many new games to try,” Eric laughs. “But if I had to pick one, it would be Root. I love high-player interaction games, and Root’s asymmetric factions mean no two games are ever the same.”
And fun fact? Tracking games of Root was what originally led to Aftergame!
Want to Learn More?
The best way to experience Aftergame is to try it for yourself—and what better place than TableTopCon 25? Join us on May 24-25 on the Gold Coast and see firsthand how Aftergame makes it easier to find games, sign up for sessions, and connect with fellow players. Whether you're planning your weekend schedule, discovering new games, or looking to join a last-minute session, Aftergame will be your ultimate convention companion!
📲 Download Aftergame now and start exploring!
🌐 Visit Aftergame to learn more.
🔍 Follow @Aftergame on social media for the latest updates!
Join us at TableTopCon 25 and take your gaming experience to the next level with Aftergame! 🎲🚀
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