board-game publisher and distributor

Asmodee

A large board-game publisher and distributor behind brands and studios including Catan distribution, Ticket to Ride, Dobble/Spot It!, and many acquired tabletop publishers. Asmodee remains weak because of ecological harm, identity capture, and ideological disavowal, even where the product or service has practical value.

Why this matters: Asmodee is a consolidation benchmark for tabletop games: it publishes excellent games, but private-equity and conglomerate ownership history creates scale and market-power concerns.

Letter grade D Extractive Medium confidence (AI) Rubric gcd-rubric-v1 Last reviewed May 7, 2026

Final Score 22* D - Extractive

DEXTRACTIVE22 pts

* Tentative scaffolding score. Not human-checked or final.

Base Material25

Bonus+1

Cap35Ownership <= 2 and Governance <= 2

After Cap26

Penalties-4

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Evaluation Overview

D - Extractive

The score turns mainly on Extraction, with the largest penalty coming from Ecological Harm.

Strengths

Extraction4/10
Product Integrity4/5
Labor Sovereignty3/7

Penalties

Ecological Harm-1
Youth Capture-1
Identity Capture-1
Ideological Disavowal-1

Evidence state

ConfidenceMedium confidence (AI)
ThoroughnessDeveloped (AI)
Linked claims8
Direct axis claims7
Coverage7/14

Scoring Axes

Axis	Score	Why this score
Ownership ? Control rights: shareholder-dominated at 0, worker cooperative control at 10.	2 / 10	Asmodee is a large privately/conglomerate-owned game publisher and distributor rather than a democratic tabletop commons. Asmodee is a large privately/conglomerate-owned game publisher and distributor rather than a democratic tabletop commons. That keeps Asmodee low on Ownership: decisive control remains with shareholders, private owners, executives, or state insiders rather than affected people. The value is above zero only where the linked record still shows some real function, constraint, or public value on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Toy, video-game, tabletop, and game-retail expansion; compare against Nintendo, Valve, Sony, Microsoft, Disney, GameStop, Hasbro, LEGO, Roblox, itch.io, Green Toys, PlanToys, and The Game Crafter. Uncertainty Focused category expansion based on public sources; a later pass should add more jurisdiction-specific labor, supply-chain, privacy, and product-safety evidence. Linked evidence Asmodee is a large privately/conglomerate-owned game publisher and distributor rather than a democratic tabletop commons. [1] context Asmodee publishes and distributes many widely played board and card games. [2] context Asmodee’s acquisition-driven scale gives it significant tabletop market power despite many high-quality games. [3]
Governance ? Binding decision authority: centralized control at 0, democratic stakeholder control at 10.	2 / 10	Asmodee is a large privately/conglomerate-owned game publisher and distributor rather than a democratic tabletop commons. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Toy, video-game, tabletop, and game-retail expansion; compare against Nintendo, Valve, Sony, Microsoft, Disney, GameStop, Hasbro, LEGO, Roblox, itch.io, Green Toys, PlanToys, and The Game Crafter. Uncertainty Focused category expansion based on public sources; a later pass should add more jurisdiction-specific labor, supply-chain, privacy, and product-safety evidence. Linked evidence context Asmodee is a large privately/conglomerate-owned game publisher and distributor rather than a democratic tabletop commons. [1] context Asmodee publishes and distributes many widely played board and card games. [2] context Asmodee’s acquisition-driven scale gives it significant tabletop market power despite many high-quality games. [3]
Extraction ? Surplus allocation, wage share, CEO pay ratio, margins, and structured extraction judgment.	4 / 10	Asmodee is a large privately/conglomerate-owned game publisher and distributor rather than a democratic tabletop commons. Asmodee is a large privately/conglomerate-owned game publisher and distributor rather than a democratic tabletop commons. That places Asmodee in the middle of Extraction: the institution creates real value but still leaves room for rent extraction, unequal bargaining, or surplus capture. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Toy, video-game, tabletop, and game-retail expansion; compare against Nintendo, Valve, Sony, Microsoft, Disney, GameStop, Hasbro, LEGO, Roblox, itch.io, Green Toys, PlanToys, and The Game Crafter. Uncertainty Focused category expansion based on public sources; a later pass should add more jurisdiction-specific labor, supply-chain, privacy, and product-safety evidence. Linked evidence context Asmodee is a large privately/conglomerate-owned game publisher and distributor rather than a democratic tabletop commons. [1] context Asmodee publishes and distributes many widely played board and card games. [2] context Asmodee’s acquisition-driven scale gives it significant tabletop market power despite many high-quality games. [3]
Labor Sovereignty ? Worker power: coercive conditions at 0, co-determination or ownership at 7. Employee dissatisfaction matters only when source-backed evidence shows concrete limits on worker agency, such as coercive scheduling, retaliation, wage theft, harassment, unsafe conditions, suppression of worker voice, or extreme turnover.	3 / 7	Asmodee is a large privately/conglomerate-owned game publisher and distributor rather than a democratic tabletop commons. Asmodee is a large privately/conglomerate-owned game publisher and distributor rather than a democratic tabletop commons. That places Asmodee in the middle of Labor Sovereignty: workers or participants have some protection or agency, but not enough binding power to control the relationship. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Toy, video-game, tabletop, and game-retail expansion; compare against Nintendo, Valve, Sony, Microsoft, Disney, GameStop, Hasbro, LEGO, Roblox, itch.io, Green Toys, PlanToys, and The Game Crafter. Uncertainty Focused category expansion based on public sources; a later pass should add more jurisdiction-specific labor, supply-chain, privacy, and product-safety evidence. Linked evidence context Asmodee is a large privately/conglomerate-owned game publisher and distributor rather than a democratic tabletop commons. [1] context Asmodee publishes and distributes many widely played board and card games. [2] context Asmodee’s acquisition-driven scale gives it significant tabletop market power despite many high-quality games. [3]
Solidarity with the Unemployed ? Treatment of exits and nonworkers, including severance, redeployment, and non-competes.	3 / 7	Asmodee is a large privately/conglomerate-owned game publisher and distributor rather than a democratic tabletop commons. Asmodee is a large privately/conglomerate-owned game publisher and distributor rather than a democratic tabletop commons. That places Asmodee in the middle of Solidarity with the Unemployed: some access, severance, retraining, openness, or mutual-aid value is present, but it is not central or durable. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Toy, video-game, tabletop, and game-retail expansion; compare against Nintendo, Valve, Sony, Microsoft, Disney, GameStop, Hasbro, LEGO, Roblox, itch.io, Green Toys, PlanToys, and The Game Crafter. Uncertainty Focused category expansion based on public sources; a later pass should add more jurisdiction-specific labor, supply-chain, privacy, and product-safety evidence. Linked evidence context Asmodee is a large privately/conglomerate-owned game publisher and distributor rather than a democratic tabletop commons. [1] context Asmodee publishes and distributes many widely played board and card games. [2] context Asmodee’s acquisition-driven scale gives it significant tabletop market power despite many high-quality games. [3]
Loss-Bearing Fidelity ? Willingness to absorb costs to preserve values, workers, users, and public obligations.	3 / 7	Asmodee is a large privately/conglomerate-owned game publisher and distributor rather than a democratic tabletop commons. Asmodee is a large privately/conglomerate-owned game publisher and distributor rather than a democratic tabletop commons. That places Asmodee in the middle of Loss-Bearing Fidelity: there is some willingness to preserve obligations, but the record still leaves meaningful risk-shifting concerns. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Toy, video-game, tabletop, and game-retail expansion; compare against Nintendo, Valve, Sony, Microsoft, Disney, GameStop, Hasbro, LEGO, Roblox, itch.io, Green Toys, PlanToys, and The Game Crafter. Uncertainty Focused category expansion based on public sources; a later pass should add more jurisdiction-specific labor, supply-chain, privacy, and product-safety evidence. Linked evidence context Asmodee is a large privately/conglomerate-owned game publisher and distributor rather than a democratic tabletop commons. [1] context Asmodee publishes and distributes many widely played board and card games. [2] context Asmodee’s acquisition-driven scale gives it significant tabletop market power despite many high-quality games. [3]
Market Conduct ? Pricing fairness, switching costs, lock-in, and rent extraction.	2 / 5	Asmodee is a large privately/conglomerate-owned game publisher and distributor rather than a democratic tabletop commons. Asmodee is a large privately/conglomerate-owned game publisher and distributor rather than a democratic tabletop commons. That places Asmodee in the middle of Market Conduct: the product has real value but still uses meaningful lock-in, gatekeeping, market power, or dependency. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Toy, video-game, tabletop, and game-retail expansion; compare against Nintendo, Valve, Sony, Microsoft, Disney, GameStop, Hasbro, LEGO, Roblox, itch.io, Green Toys, PlanToys, and The Game Crafter. Uncertainty Focused category expansion based on public sources; a later pass should add more jurisdiction-specific labor, supply-chain, privacy, and product-safety evidence. Linked evidence context Asmodee is a large privately/conglomerate-owned game publisher and distributor rather than a democratic tabletop commons. [1] context Asmodee publishes and distributes many widely played board and card games. [2] context Asmodee’s acquisition-driven scale gives it significant tabletop market power despite many high-quality games. [3]
Product Integrity ? Preservation of quality rather than degradation for monetization.	4 / 5	Asmodee publishes and distributes many widely played board and card games. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Toy, video-game, tabletop, and game-retail expansion; compare against Nintendo, Valve, Sony, Microsoft, Disney, GameStop, Hasbro, LEGO, Roblox, itch.io, Green Toys, PlanToys, and The Game Crafter. Uncertainty Focused category expansion based on public sources; a later pass should add more jurisdiction-specific labor, supply-chain, privacy, and product-safety evidence. Linked evidence context Asmodee is a large privately/conglomerate-owned game publisher and distributor rather than a democratic tabletop commons. [1] Asmodee publishes and distributes many widely played board and card games. [2] context Asmodee’s acquisition-driven scale gives it significant tabletop market power despite many high-quality games. [3]
Scale Integrity ? Whether growth improves or degrades fairness and accountability.	2 / 5	Asmodee is a large privately/conglomerate-owned game publisher and distributor rather than a democratic tabletop commons. Asmodee is a large privately/conglomerate-owned game publisher and distributor rather than a democratic tabletop commons. That places Asmodee in the middle of Scale Integrity: scale brings useful reach but also weakens accountability, transparency, or local constraint. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Toy, video-game, tabletop, and game-retail expansion; compare against Nintendo, Valve, Sony, Microsoft, Disney, GameStop, Hasbro, LEGO, Roblox, itch.io, Green Toys, PlanToys, and The Game Crafter. Uncertainty Focused category expansion based on public sources; a later pass should add more jurisdiction-specific labor, supply-chain, privacy, and product-safety evidence. Linked evidence context Asmodee is a large privately/conglomerate-owned game publisher and distributor rather than a democratic tabletop commons. [1] context Asmodee publishes and distributes many widely played board and card games. [2] context Asmodee’s acquisition-driven scale gives it significant tabletop market power despite many high-quality games. [3]

Penalties

Penalty	Applied	Why this penalty
Ecological Harm ? Footprint, trajectory, irreversibility, culpability, and scale, including whether ecological harm is central to the model and continued after credible notice. Range: -30 to 0.	-1	Asmodee’s acquisition-driven scale gives it significant tabletop market power despite many high-quality games. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Toy, video-game, tabletop, and game-retail expansion; compare against Nintendo, Valve, Sony, Microsoft, Disney, GameStop, Hasbro, LEGO, Roblox, itch.io, Green Toys, PlanToys, and The Game Crafter. Uncertainty Focused category expansion based on public sources; a later pass should add more jurisdiction-specific labor, supply-chain, privacy, and product-safety evidence. Linked evidence Asmodee’s acquisition-driven scale gives it significant tabletop market power despite many high-quality games. [5]
Youth Capture ? Manipulative youth-directed marketing, youth-data or attention monetization, collectible/add-on traps, parasocial or identity capture, surprise mechanics, or treating young people as lower-disclosure consumers. Making useful toys or welcoming children is not itself penalized. Range: -5 to 0.	-1	Asmodee’s acquisition-driven scale gives it significant tabletop market power despite many high-quality games. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Toy, video-game, tabletop, and game-retail expansion; compare against Nintendo, Valve, Sony, Microsoft, Disney, GameStop, Hasbro, LEGO, Roblox, itch.io, Green Toys, PlanToys, and The Game Crafter. Uncertainty Focused category expansion based on public sources; a later pass should add more jurisdiction-specific labor, supply-chain, privacy, and product-safety evidence. Linked evidence Asmodee’s acquisition-driven scale gives it significant tabletop market power despite many high-quality games. [6]
Identity Capture ? Customer pressure, employee pressure, and pervasive identity saturation. Range: -3 to 0.	-1	Asmodee’s acquisition-driven scale gives it significant tabletop market power despite many high-quality games. Asmodee’s acquisition-driven scale gives it significant tabletop market power despite many high-quality games. That warrants a limited Identity Capture penalty because users, workers, customers, or publics are pressured into identity attachment that protects institutional power. The value is limited because the linked record shows a real problem but not one that dominates the profile on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Toy, video-game, tabletop, and game-retail expansion; compare against Nintendo, Valve, Sony, Microsoft, Disney, GameStop, Hasbro, LEGO, Roblox, itch.io, Green Toys, PlanToys, and The Game Crafter. Uncertainty Focused category expansion based on public sources; a later pass should add more jurisdiction-specific labor, supply-chain, privacy, and product-safety evidence. Linked evidence Asmodee’s acquisition-driven scale gives it significant tabletop market power despite many high-quality games. [7]
Ideological Disavowal ? Concealed ideology presented as neutrality, expertise, professional necessity, public-service administration, market inevitability, or non-ideological common sense while exercising power. Range: -3 to 0.	-1	Asmodee's public framing is assessed as ideological-disavowal evidence because Asmodee shows bounded neutrality theater: some contested choices are softened through expertise,… Asmodee's public framing is assessed as ideological-disavowal evidence because Asmodee shows bounded neutrality theater: some contested choices are softened through expertise, public-interest, professional, market, safety, or institutional language, but the record does not show dominant concealment of standpoint. That warrants a limited Ideological Disavowal penalty because the institution presents situated, contested choices as neutrality, expertise, inevitability, safety, or common sense. The value is limited because the linked record shows a real problem but not one that dominates the profile on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Ideological Disavowal 0 to -3 recalibration: 0 for explicit standpoint or no penalty-level neutrality theater; -1 for bounded softening of contested choices; -2 for strong neutrality theater by a powerful institution; -3 for major gatekeeping or coercive power presented as neutral, necessary, objective, or non-ideological. Uncertainty This recalibration uses public self-presentation and profile evidence; later review should add direct language-analysis evidence for high-impact institutions. Linked evidence Asmodee's public framing is assessed as ideological-disavowal evidence because Asmodee shows bounded neutrality theater: some contested choices are softened through expertise, public-interest, professional, market, safety, or institutional language, but the record does not show dominant concealment of standpoint. [8]

Bonus Credits

Bonus	Credit	Why this credit
Cost Transparency ? Credit for clear posted prices, all-in fees, unit costs, public rate cards, margin/cost visibility, or surplus-allocation transparency, especially in markets where opaque quotes, hidden fees, or individualized pricing are normal.	1 / 3	Asmodee is a large privately/conglomerate-owned game publisher and distributor rather than a democratic tabletop commons. Asmodee is a large privately/conglomerate-owned game publisher and distributor rather than a democratic tabletop commons. That supports partial Cost Transparency credit because pricing, margins, fees, funding, or surplus allocation are made meaningfully legible. The value remains partial because the linked record does not show the practice as comprehensive, durable, or central enough for full credit. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Toy, video-game, tabletop, and game-retail expansion; compare against Nintendo, Valve, Sony, Microsoft, Disney, GameStop, Hasbro, LEGO, Roblox, itch.io, Green Toys, PlanToys, and The Game Crafter. Uncertainty Focused category expansion based on public sources; a later pass should add more jurisdiction-specific labor, supply-chain, privacy, and product-safety evidence. Linked evidence Asmodee is a large privately/conglomerate-owned game publisher and distributor rather than a democratic tabletop commons. [4]

Confidence Basis

Confidence is computed from the evidence trail and review state, not typed into the profile by hand.

Medium 67/100

8 verified linked claims 7 direct axis claims 0 disputed claims 7/14 components covered

This confidence label measures the source-backed evidence trail. AI-scaffolded scores remain tentative until human review.

Claim confidence 13/20

8 verified linked claims

Source quality 11/18

Best source per verified claim, weighted by institutional reliability

Direct axis-specific claims 9/18

7 direct claims across 14 active components

Dispute load 12/12

0 disputed claims on this entity

Recency 10/10

Newest accepted timestamp: May 13, 2026

Reviewer status 7/12

Human-reviewed components score higher than AI scaffolding

Component coverage 5/10

7/14 evidence-bearing components have direct support

Evidence State

Profile stateAI draft / human-pending

VerificationUnverified

ConfidenceMedium confidence (AI)

ThoroughnessDeveloped (AI)

Correction routeUse “Challenge this rating” for factual errors, missing counterevidence, source problems, or calculation mistakes.

Company responseCompany representatives can submit source-backed corrections; payment never changes scores or reviewer authority.

Claims and Sources

Claims are the evidence record. Each claim needs a source link, axis category, status, confidence level, and timestamp before it can support a score.

* Tentative scaffolding score. Not human-checked or final.

1Asmodee is a large privately/conglomerate-owned game publisher and distributor rather than a democratic tabletop commons.

Ownership Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 7, 2026

AI scaffold

Asmodee aboutOfficial self-description · 68%
Asmodee gamesGeneral web source · 58%

2Asmodee publishes and distributes many widely played board and card games.

Product Integrity Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 7, 2026

AI scaffold

Asmodee aboutOfficial self-description · 68%
Asmodee gamesGeneral web source · 58%

3Asmodee’s acquisition-driven scale gives it significant tabletop market power despite many high-quality games.

Calculation Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 7, 2026

AI scaffold

Embracer completes Asmodee acquisitionGeneral web source · 58%
Asmodee sustainabilityGeneral web source · 58%

4Asmodee is a large privately/conglomerate-owned game publisher and distributor rather than a democratic tabletop commons.

Cost Transparency Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 7, 2026

AI scaffold

Asmodee aboutOfficial self-description · 68%
Asmodee gamesGeneral web source · 58%

5Asmodee’s acquisition-driven scale gives it significant tabletop market power despite many high-quality games.

Ecological Harm Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 7, 2026

AI scaffold

Embracer completes Asmodee acquisitionGeneral web source · 58%
Asmodee sustainabilityGeneral web source · 58%

6Asmodee’s acquisition-driven scale gives it significant tabletop market power despite many high-quality games.

Youth Capture Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 7, 2026

AI scaffold

Embracer completes Asmodee acquisitionGeneral web source · 58%
Asmodee sustainabilityGeneral web source · 58%

7Asmodee’s acquisition-driven scale gives it significant tabletop market power despite many high-quality games.

Identity Capture Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 7, 2026

AI scaffold

Embracer completes Asmodee acquisitionGeneral web source · 58%
Asmodee sustainabilityGeneral web source · 58%

8Asmodee's public framing is assessed as ideological-disavowal evidence because Asmodee shows bounded neutrality theater: some contested choices are softened through expertise, public-interest, professional, market, safety, or institutional language, but the record does not show dominant concealment of standpoint.

Ideological Disavowal Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 9, 2026

AI scaffold

Asmodee official siteGeneral web source · 58%
Asmodee aboutOfficial self-description · 68%
Asmodee gamesGeneral web source · 58%

Alternatives

Competitors

AGOOD63 Future Club employee-owned cooperative game studio · same market AGOOD63 KO_OP worker-owned game studio · same market AGOOD63 Motion Twin worker cooperative game studio · same market AGOOD61 Means Interactive cooperative game publisher · same market AGOOD52 itch.io independent game marketplace · same market BQUALIFIED48 ConcernedApe independent game developer and publisher · same market BQUALIFIED48 PlanToys sustainable wooden toy company · same market BQUALIFIED48 Supergiant Games independent video-game studio · same market

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