For a limited time, we'll build your game's digital version at no cost. There's no coding, and no risk required - our team handles the entire process for you.
Gain more exposure.
Merchants of Play is available on both web and on Discord, helping your game reach new audiences. Convert players directly to your campaign, store, or retail partners.
We specialize in bringing fan favourites and future hits online — join other top game makers doing the same. We handle the heavy lifting, and thanks to our engine, it happens in days, not months.
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Merchants of Play (MoP) is a free platform for playing board games online. For players, it means clicking once to instantly launch a game through the web app in your browser, or playing together inside Discord using the Merchants of Play Activity. No logins, subscriptions, or additional accounts are required to start playing. For publishers, it is the fastest way to bring a digital version of a board game online in days, not months, with the potential to reach millions of Discord users. Right now, it is completely free to use, with no hidden costs.
Yes. MoP will always have a free version with no hidden paywalls or subscriptions.
There are two seamless ways to play on desktop. Browser-based play: Players can launch games instantly in the browser with a single click. No downloads. No logins. No setup. This makes discovery effortless and lowers the barrier for new players to try a game. Discord-based play: Games can also be played as a Discord Activity inside any voice or video channel, making it easy to jump into live play with friends where groups already gather. One platform. Two ways to play.
No. You can play instantly without creating an account. No sign-ups are required to try games or play live with others. If you choose to login, you unlock additional features like remembering your play history, and saving games mid-session, so your group can pick up where you left off. This makes it easy to play across schedules and time zones.
Yes. Merchants of Play is actively evolving. We are shipping updates regularly, improving features, and expanding the game catalog as the platform grows.
Frequently. New games are added to Merchants of Play every week, with the catalog expanding rapidly as we continue to scale. New releases, updates, and features roll out continuously as the platform evolves during beta. We work closely with creators and publishers to bring a steady stream of high-quality board games to the platform. If you are a publisher interested in adding a game, fill out our form or learn more on our Publisher page.
We are building a curated catalog of respected publishers, standout titles, familiar classics, and hidden gems. The goal is to help players discover new games alongside ones they already know and trust.
You can launch Merchants of Play in any Discord server that has Activities enabled. To start: Join a voice or video channel in your server. Click the Activities icon in the channel controls. Select Merchants of Play from the list of available Activities. Once launched, anyone in the channel can join and play. If you do not see the Activities icon, a server admin may need to enable Activities in the server settings. Confused or need help? Jump into our Discord and we can walk you through it.
Reach out at the "Submit Your Game" form or email officialstuff@merchantsofplay.com directly and tell us about your game(s).
Days, not months. Timing depends on the queue and scope. You will always have final sign off before your game is made public.
Every play can link to your Kickstarter, webstore, or retail partner, so play turns into discovery, and discovery turns into sales. We will be implementing a monetization model for select partners in 2026.
Right now, the Merchants of Play team will build your digital experience for free. We're focused on growing community and delivering value. If paid features arrive, they'll exist to improve the experience and will be shaped with creator input.
You don't need just one digital home for your game but MoP is the fastest to market, has zero costs, and is already inside Discord's community of a quarter billion people. The alternatives can't say the same, and once you see what we build, you may not need the rest.
MoP is a sandbox, not a strict rules engine. Just like real game night, someone should know and explain the rules. We link recorded tutorials, the official rulebook, and player aids to support fair gameplay, along with quality-of-life features that keep play smooth and seamless,
No. We curate. We look for incredible games, passionate communities, and designs with mechanics we can properly support.
No. Merchants of Play is focused on publishing finished games for digital play, not hosting in-development playtests. That said, we're actively exploring the idea of allowing creators to upload and access the tools to playtest their games privately.
Yes, 100%. Our standardized license covers digital publishing on MoP; it doesn't transfer ownership and you can cancel at any time.
We protect your IP with selective sharing controls, DMCA takedowns for infringing content, clear community guidelines, and regular audits for ongoing compliance. If you ever have a concern, you can reach us on Discord or at officialstuff@merchantsofplay.com.
Merchants of Play (MoP) is a free platform that brings board games online. For players, it means launching a game instantly in the browser or inside Discord with no downloads or accounts required. For creators, it is the fastest way to make a crowdfund campaign game playable online in days, not months, so backers can experience the game before they pledge and communities can gather around real gameplay.
Playable games turn curiosity into participation. Backers can invite friends, creators can host sessions, and communities can experience the game together instead of only watching videos or reading rules. Every session links back to your campaign page, helping interest convert into support.
Playable campaigns build confidence and signal that the project is ready, increasing backer trust that fulfillment will follow funding. Campaigns with playable board games may see stronger engagement and conversion. Backers may also invite friends to play, helping to build momentum naturally. Each session becomes a moment of discovery that expands awareness organically while linking players back to your campaign in game. Merchants of Play complements crowdfunding by turning gameplay into trust, visibility, and shared momentum.
No. This is a finished digital presentation designed for public play and campaign visibility. The experience reflects your final game and is intended to support discovery, engagement, and momentum during crowdfunding.
Most games go live in days once assets are received. Timing depends mainly on asset readiness, build complexity, and final creator sign-off before launch.
Creators commonly launch before or alongside crowdfunding to build audience awareness, activate backers on day one, and maintain engagement throughout the campaign lifecycle.
Yes. Digitization is free, non-exclusive, and there are no hidden fees. Our goal is to help great games reach players faster and build campaign momentum through shared play.
No. You retain full ownership and control of your IP and can use any other digital platforms alongside Merchants of Play.
Reach out at the "Submit Your Game" form or email officialstuff@merchantsofplay.com directly and tell us about your game(s).
A rulebook, component PNGs, and thumbnail images are typically sufficient. Our team handles implementation, interaction design, and platform integration.
No. Merchants of Play handles hosting, platform updates, and access management after launch so your team can stay focused on the campaign and physical production.
Games appear as clean digital tabletop experiences with guided play, clear components, and shareable sessions suitable for public audiences, content creators, and campaign communities.
Yes. Every game includes direct links back to your campaign page so players can move from play to pledge seamlessly.
Yes. Stretch goals can unlock digital content like exclusive variants, gated access, bonus scenarios, or special community play sessions that backers can immediately experience during the campaign.
We work with creators and publishers who believe their game is ready to be experienced publicly and want to build momentum through real gameplay during crowdfunding.
