Kubble: The Innovative Word Game Blending Scrabble and Rummikub

Chris Webb, a passionate game enthusiast from Emmaus, Pennsylvania, has combined his love for classic tabletop games with his creative flair to develop a unique and engaging word game called Kubble. Inspired by the strategic elements of Scrabble and the tile-based gameplay of Rummikub, Kubble promises to captivate players of all ages and skill levels.

Unlocking the Potential of Wordplay and Puzzle-Solving

Blending the Best of Scrabble and Rummikub

Chris Webb's journey to creating Kubble began in his childhood, where he grew up in England playing a variety of table games. This early exposure to the joys of strategic gameplay laid the foundation for his later endeavors. As an adult, Webb continued this tradition with his own family, bonding over classic games like Scrabble and Rummikub during their evenings together.One fateful night, after a particularly frustrating round of Scrabble, Webb found himself daydreaming about the possibilities of combining the elements of the two games. "I was kind of daydreaming with the tiles out while we're sitting there in conversation. And I just wondered if you could do it, you know, make runs with letters or anything differently," he recalls. This moment of inspiration led to the creation of Kubble, a game that seamlessly blends the word-building mechanics of Scrabble with the tile-manipulating strategies of Rummikub.

Bringing Kubble to Life

With the help of his family, including his wife Rosemary and stepdaughter Julianna, Webb set out to turn his vision into reality. The first step was to gather a collection of used Scrabble games from thrift stores, allowing him to experiment with the tiles and explore different ways to incorporate them into a new game."I had about five or six Scrabble games at one point. I had all the tiles and we were putting different colors and numbers and things on the back of the tiles to differentiate which person would have what color and things like that," Webb explains. This hands-on approach allowed the team to prototype and refine the game, seeking feedback from others to ensure Kubble's design and mechanics were engaging and intuitive.The name "Kubble" itself is a clever combination of the words "Rummikub" and "Scrabble," reflecting the game's hybrid nature. "We started with 'Rumble' and it was kind of like a mixture of Rummikub and Scrabble," Webb says. "But then we typed 'Rumble' on Google and there's millions of hits for that. So in just like the style of the game, we wrote out the word Scrabble and Rummikub with the tiles on the table, and then we messed the tiles around until we came up with a word that we liked and then settled on a couple."

Bringing Kubble to the Masses

With the game concept and design solidified, Webb set out to bring Kubble to the market. He attended PAX Unplugged, an annual game convention in Philadelphia, to connect with potential manufacturers. After evaluating several options, Webb settled on a manufacturer based in Amsterdam, with the games being produced in China to keep the costs down.The Kubble Kickstarter campaign launched on July 1, with the goal of delivering the games by the holiday season. The game will be available for purchase at a 10% to 20% discount during the Kickstarter campaign, with the full retail price set at .99 upon its official release in 2025.

Gameplay and Unique Features

Kubble is a puzzle-solving word game that combines the best elements of Scrabble and Rummikub. Players have their own set of 45 colorful tiles, starting with 14 tiles and taking turns laying words on the table. The game's strategic twist lies in the ability to steal other players' tiles and use them to create new words, adding an element of competition and creativity to the gameplay."It's not just about having a vast vocabulary; it's about clever strategy and making the right moves at the right time," the game's website states. Unlike Scrabble, which primarily rewards players with extensive vocabularies, Kubble emphasizes puzzle-solving skills and the ability to adapt to the ever-changing game board.To cater to players of all ages and skill levels, Kubble features bright, colorful tiles with symbols for colorblind players. The game is made entirely of cardboard and wood, with no plastic components, ensuring an eco-friendly and durable gaming experience.

Tapping into the Growing Tabletop Game Market

The timing of Kubble's launch couldn't be better, as the tabletop game industry continues to thrive, even in the face of stiff competition from digital entertainment options. According to a report by research firm Arizton, the global tabletop game market is expected to grow from .91 billion in 2022 to .7 billion by 2028, driven by the increasing demand for educational and family-friendly activities.The report highlights the importance of incorporating learning and social-emotional skills into tabletop games, a key focus for Kubble. "Nowadays, the intelligence quotient is not the only parameter, but social and emotional skills are also some characteristics that parents want in their children," the report states. "Tabletop games allow kids to develop all these traits. Thus, incorporating the learning quotient is driving the tabletop games market."With its strategic creativity, educational value, and appeal to players of all ages, Kubble is poised to capitalize on this growing trend, offering families and game enthusiasts a fresh and engaging way to bond over the joy of wordplay and puzzle-solving.