Playground Empires: Cute Kids, Ruthless Combat.

Why You'll Love It

Combining dynamic playground setups, six distinct grade school factions, secret plans, and a Hall Monitor to keep the game moving fast, Playground Empires delivers endless replayability in a fast-paced wargame.

A Different Playground Every Game

If you don't spot this as your first chance to clobber your opponents, well...don't say we didn't warn you! A board building aspect that provides a different playground each time.

Secret Plans Foil Your Rivals

Super thematic, funny, or useful. Come on, you're a 3rd grader what secret plan doesn't need a frog? Nostalgic and fun flashbacks to childhood incorporated into the game.

The Hall Monitor Keeps the Game Moving

First player gets the glory but the last player gets the Hall Monitor, and the Hall Monitor has the power to officiate. Keeping everyone involved even when not their turn. Most games finish in under two hours!

Six Factions to Try New Strategies

The fifth graders hit hardest, the 3rd graders move the fastest, the pink squad uses persuasion. But once you've learned to play one it is not an ordeal to learn them all. 

Recess Rules

“Rules mean fewer kids at the nurses office.” - Ms. Birdseye, Teacher

These rules are not final. We'd love your feedback. You can email support@hutchu.com.

Playground Basics

"Take over Kidopolis and...bam! We're the most popular and more of those kids sitting on the sideline join our team!" - Matthew, League of Matts

“You two, get up on the monkey bars and keep an eye out. If anyone gets too close, you plaster them.” - David, Rangers

“Okay, Daniel’s group will take the soccer net, while Max goes as far as the trees. Samantha, watch our backs and block anyone trying to get past the mud. The rest of us will cut through the field all the way to Kidopolis. Here’s to the wind at our backs.” - Jacques, 3G.A.F.

“There’s something pure and primal about a fight. You versus them, battling for supremacy. Also, it’s just fun.” - Kevin, Wolf Pack

Pledge Tiers

Add Ons

What's in the Box

Look below. This is more pieces and components than have ever been delivered in a HutChu Games box... but they all have a role to play: Plenty of wood sluggers, throwers, and leaders; lots and lots of dice so you don't run out in the middle of a big battle; a fancy base board which keeps the playground territory tiles from sliding around, and much more.

Stretch Goals

Gamer Feedback

Check out these brief gamer interviews after playing Playground Empires!

Preview by Our Family Plays Games

"Its very thematic. A little war game hidden in some playground fun" Miklos "Mik" Fitch, Our Family Plays Games.

Playthrough Video by Board Game Gumbo

How to Play Video by Meeple University

Timelines

This game has completed design proofs which have been used for the How to Play Video, Walkthrough, Previews and more. Final touches to production files will happen after the Kickstarter successfully funds.

Our Team

Developed by creator, Sterling Birdwell, this game was a labor of love over many years. Sterling, has spent hours upon hours developing and play testing. With the support of HutChu Games for final development and production, it is now coming to life to be shared with game lovers everywhere.

HutChu has had two previously successful launches with Plunderbund and Chaos Cove.  This game even bumped their highly anticipated Hurricane game to next year. Be on the look out for our upcoming Immunology game made for Doctors!  (And those that want to be or want to pretend to be a doctor!)  Adam Chunn is the snarky part of hutCHU.  Woody Hutsell is the bossy part of HUTchu.  Between the two of us, we get stuff done and enjoy ourselves.

We hope you take a few minutes to watch this video interview with Sterling, the game designer of Playground Empires:

Our AI Policy

No AI developed images or words in this game.  Its hard to completely avoid AI in this day and age, but we try not to let AI generations seep into our projects.  Call us old-fashioned, I guess. Art for this game is from UK artist, Joe Shawcross. Graphic images and design done in-house by Bryan Key of HutChu Games (who moonlights as a professor of Graphic Design).  All words came from HutChu Games humans (Adam, Bryan, or Woody) or from Sterling Birdwell.  All 3D items were designed by Sterling as he is a maker-space maestro.

Shipping, Taxes and Tariffs Estimates

Shipping costs (+EU and UK VAT) are not included in the product price and will be charged in the pledge manager after the campaign ends. 

Tariff's are not included in the shipping price and will be charged in the pledge manager (if needed) after the campaign ends.

Shipping costs are based on 2026 estimates provided by our shipping partners and include a generous subsidy from us. Final shipping prices will be calculated in the pledge manager. While prices may slightly change due to logistics or taxation, we will do our best to keep them as low as possible.

Important Notes

Depending on where you are in the world, your game will be shipped from the closest fulfillment hub. We currently plan to ship from hubs in the USA, EU, UK, Australia and China. Orders will be sent from the hub that makes the most sense for your region.

Unfortunately, there are some areas we cannot ship to, including Afghanistan, Brazil, North Korea, Russia, Ukraine, and most countries in the Middle East and Africa. We may also be unable to ship to countries experiencing a state of emergency or armed conflict. If you are unsure whether we can ship to your country, please contact us before backing this project.

We recommend avoiding PO Boxes. Shipments to PO Boxes are often undeliverable and may be returned. If you choose to use a PO Box, you do so at your own risk and agree to cover any costs associated with reshipping the package.

Retailers