Eldertide: A Thousand Lights

We are proud to introduce our new original IP: “ELDERTIDE”

Three board games will be released under the Eldertide title, each set in the same universe and unfolding across the same timeline, one after the other. While they share a common world, each game will feature its own gameplay mechanics and visual style, offering distinct and original interpretations of the setting.

The first game in the series, Eldertide: A Thousand Lights, is here, and we could not be prouder of what we have achieved with the amazing multicultural team behind it!

Kickstarterキャンペーン日本語情報ページはこちら https://www.esper.games/eldertide-jp

Gameplay Overview

In ELDERTIDE: A Thousand Lights, players lead one of five houses of a once-mighty seafaring nation, now rising to reclaim their homeland from a devastating supernatural storm that has raged for decades. With powerful ships at their command, they embark on a mission to rebuild a network of ancient-tech beacons across the scattered isles—restoring balance and retaking the archipelago.  

In this pick-and-deliver board game, with elements of market fluctuation and civilization-building, each player controls a Foundation Ship, sailing across several Ports to collect and transport resources. These resources can be either exported for immediate points, or invested in constructing Facilities on the player’s own Outposts, leading to more explosive endgame opportunities. The Storm acts as a hindrance, breaking Ports that can later be rebuilt, and posing a direct threat to ships themselves. Careful route planning and resource management are essential to succeed.

A Beautiful Island Nation

Since the start of the year, game director Rodrigo Esper has worked closely with renowned artists Thomas Romain and Gou Eisuke to bring the world of Eldertide to life. Rather than relying on typical Western fantasy tropes, we looked to the traditions of Asia’s many seafaring cultures for inspiration. This fresh perspective helped us shape quite a unique world—one that feels alive, distinct, and immersive.

From the characters to the ships and architecture, every element was deliberately designed to tell a story—without a single line of text! We wanted players to feel the lore through the visuals alone. And thanks to the exceptional work of our four talented artists, we believe we've surpassed that goal.

Every action is a location

Why all this worldbuilding? Because in Eldertide, the gameplay and the world are inseparable. Every action in the game takes place by visiting a specific location, and the art for that location directly reflects the benefits it provides.

This visual-mechanical harmony allows us to spark imagination and storytelling while delivering a smooth gameplay loop. We want every move to feel grounded in the world—and for players to see and feel the consequences of their strategy unfold before them.

Pledges

The difference between the Founders edition and the Retail edition of Eldertide: A Thousand Lights is quite simple. The Retail edition will not have the 100 Resource/Facility wood tokens, nor will it have the Acrylic Standees. They will all be made of cardboard. The Retail edition will also not carry the Stretch Goals unlocked on the campaign. Besides that, everything will be the same, including the double-layer player dashboards and all the wood tokens that go on them.

*We will not be accepting $1 pledges as a reservation for the Pledge Manager.

Product Photos

Stretch Goals

We strongly believe in our game as it is now. We wanted to have a beautiful finished product from day one, so that we can deliver this to all of you as fast as possible. However, there are some minor upgrades we can still do if we reach certain milestones. 

Here it is, our stretch goals:

*(if we reach the final milestone, new ones will be added)

Preview Videos

In English:

In Japanese:

In French:

Full Playthrough:

Play the game now!

We’re thrilled to share that the official TTS Mod, scripted by our friends at Overboard Games, is live and ready to play.

Rulebook

The English rulebook draft is also available both in the TTS Mod and via this link. Please keep in mind it’s still a work in progress—we’re opening it up now to gather community feedback and polish the final version. But it’s already very close to complete!

Lore: A Thousand Lights

This project marks the beginning of the Forever Storm arc in the Eldertide saga. Across three games, we will unveil three pivotal moments in the Zenith Kingdom’s struggle against the colossal spirit storm that threatens their world.

The first game sets the stage on a grand scale, exploring the world through the lens of civilization—how each House contributes to the rise and the survival of their empire.

As you support this project, you also support the continuation of this story and world, making it possible for our team to invest in new hirings of artists, writers, and designers, pushing this production to an even higher level!

Solo Mode: Trials of the Tides

The solo rules introduce three different challenge structures that allow you to explore the game world at your own pace while sharpening your strategy.

• In the first mode, you play under harsher conditions where the storm advances more aggressively from the beginning, placing the Skiff Standees (representing refugees) around it, forcing careful route planning. The goal is to reach a target score while managing tougher restrictions.
• In the second mode, each House offers its own solo objectives and conditions. You select a difficulty setting and work within both the advantages and limitations of that House, aiming once again for a specific score under tailored challenges.
• The third mode invites you to control multiple Houses at once. You must meet the victory conditions for all of them while handling new solo-only interactions between factions (such as trading resources and building facilities in other players' boards). It serves as a deeper strategic test that emphasizes planning and synergy.

Shipping

VAT/Tariff
We will use warehouse companies in Canada, the EU, the UK, the US, Australia, and Japan for shipping. 
Any applicable VAT, tariff, or customs fees will be charged in advance via the pledge manager. This ensures that no additional payments are required upon delivery.

Estimated Timeline

Although we’re very happy with the current state of the game, we believe there’s still room for refinement. The copies sent to content creators were already changed in many ways due to our playtest sessions. Over the next few months, we’ll continue to play with more groups, gather your feedback, and polish every detail to make the final version even stronger. Our goal is simple — to deliver the best possible experience before moving into printing.

Here’s our planned development timeline:

The team

Esper Studio is based in Tokyo, Japan, where our core team of artists and project managers operates. Yet our reach extends far beyond. We take great pride in bridging Japan’s brilliant but often hard-to-access creator community with a talented group of game developers and graphic designers in Brazil, and a trusted network of suppliers across East Asia. Every part of this multicultural collaboration adds to our unique identity, where creativity is born from diversity.

Why Kickstarter?

Esper Game Studio is, to this day, still a two-person operation. Around us, we’re fortunate to collaborate with many talented professionals — illustrators, graphic designers, developers, and more — who help us reach a global standard. But at heart, we remain proudly and passionately indie.

Crowdfunding our games not only helps us reduce the risks of publishing in an increasingly competitive and unpredictable market, it also allows us to push the quality of our projects to the next level. With the confidence that comes from confirmed support, we can lower our margins and production costs, creating better games at more affordable prices.

And what do you, our backers, get out of it? You get the game first. You get it for less. And most importantly, you make it real. For some, this might just be another campaign — but for us, it means everything. Your support is what keeps us creating, freely and independently, without the need for a corporate safety net.

Channels

• INSTAGRAM (English)
• TWITTER (日本語)
• BGG PAGE
• OFFICIAL WEBSITE