Jay Dragon: Possum Creek/Steve Jackson Deal Arrived at 'Risky' Time

Jay Dragon, the indie designer behind Wanderhome, has leaned into her new leadership role at Steve Jackson Games, despite the “risky” pressures that she and the TTRPG industry face due to today's geopolitics.

Dragon is a designer best known for Wanderhome and Yazeba’s Bed and Breakfast, two independent award-winning TTRPGs that focus on slice-of-life design intertwined with queer elements. They’re also games that I’ve heard a lot of people in the TTRPG industry get excited about whenever I ask.

Dragon made major news when Possum Creek Games announced that it was becoming an imprint at Steve Jackson Games, arguably one of the older TTRPG publishers in the industry, in February. Dragon joined SJG’s board of directors and is now acting as its lead game designer.

But what does that work look like now? Four months have passed since the original announcement, and the state of the industry has undergone drastic changes. SJG faces numerous economic challenges due to the Trump Administration’s tariff policies, which have significantly altered the company's experience.

“We've got this little imprint [of Possum Creek] that operates within this larger structure [of Steve Jackson Games]. It's an exciting experience occurring at a risky time,” Dragon told TTRPG Insider. “It’s impossible to talk about being in TTRPGs without talking about tariffs because the pressure is so dramatic, especially when we’re seeing crowdfunders doing much less well than last year.”

These financial struggles are why Dragon’s focus is on “stability,” which is something that SJG has successfully managed over the years with its popular franchises like Munchkin and GURPS.

“My goal is to make good, solid games that can stand the test of time and can stick around. And working at Steve Jackson Games allows me to focus on stability and durability rather than worrying about beating the market,” Dragon emphasized.

Jay Dragon’s Journey as Lead Game Designer

Shifting into the new role at SJG has been a significant change for Dragon, who described themselves as a “college dropout who worked at Staples” before transitioning into game design.

One of the most significant changes they experienced was that operating within a larger company often means a slower approval process for parts of the project. Dragon and other Possum Creek staff aren’t as nimble as they may have been in the past. The trade-off is that SJG has provided Possum Creek with additional resources, including giving games like the upcoming print of Last Train to Bremen more press than Possum Creek could in the past.

Last Train to Bremen, a storytelling game built around four musicians competing in Liar’s Dice for their souls, is the first project to be printed by Possum Creek going into 2025. The company does have many other projects in the works.

Recent leadership changes haven’t shaken up Dragon’s work either. SJG CEO Meredith Placko stepped down from their position in April with the intent to return to her old company, Turbo Dork. The decision came as a surprise to many in the industry. Placko played a notable role in the partnership between SJG and Possum Creek. Dragon insisted that Placko’s decision hasn’t affected Possum Creek Games’ work in the future and that it remains committed to “challenging and revolutionizing” what games will be.

Dragon’s presence at Steve Jackson Games has made a lot of creators hopeful about what it looks like for an indie publisher in the TTRPG space to partner with a larger one and how that can play out. Last Train to Bremen has been a success so far, reaching full funding within days of its campaign launch. Dragon has several other projects on her radar, but urged people to wait and see.

Thanks to Jay Dragon for chatting with TTRPG Insider.

But what do you think? I’d love to know your thoughts. Tag me on Bluesky or email me at [email protected].