Our Story
The idea
Hi, I'm Caleb Justice. I made the first version of Element 8 when I was a kid — using blue poster board and dice I "borrowed" from other games. I wish I could remember exactly when, but apparently I wasn't too concerned with dating things back then. What I do remember is that the idea came to me while I was playing with my brothers. I threw together that first version, we played it, and I was sold.
What started as a simple, fun project turned into a background passion — something I'd pick back up now and then over the years, with occasional leaps of progress.
1st prototype
2nd prototype
It wasn't until people outside my immediate family started playing — and asking for their own copies — that I realized Element 8 might be more than a family pastime. From that moment to where we are now, the journey has been long. My perfectionist streak took over: years of refining, re-refining, and obsessively fine-tuning every detail until the balance finally felt right.
Part of what I kept chasing was a game that didn't feel like an endless loop, where everyone starts and ends in the same place. So I built four starting corners — one for each element's home territory — and gave players the freedom to choose their direction every turn. Each character's power ties back to its force of nature, refined over years of beta testing until the eight of them felt like they belonged together. That's still what makes the game feel complete to me.
Deciding to do this myself
From there, the challenge was figuring out how to mass-produce the game on my own. I was determined to self-publish — I didn't want to lose creative control over the vision I had for Element 8. It turned out to be a much bigger project than I ever anticipated. Fortunately, I've been lucky to have incredible people offer their expertise and guidance along the way — without them, Element 8 wouldn't be what it is today.
Progress was slow but steady until mid-2021, when people started asking if the game would be ready by Christmas. That question gave me the push I needed to finish the first few copies just days before the holiday.
3rd prototype
First official Board Sold AKA Gen 1
The first sales
Through word of mouth, local game nights, and the support of excited early fans, we sold nearly all of our first production run within the year. That response is what fueled us to start on the next one — and gave us the confidence to keep going.
Second Generation
Refining into Gen 2
Over the course of 2023, we carefully enhanced the game by addressing and implementing feedback without disrupting what people had already come to love. We are extremely proud of this second generation and excited to share it with everyone!
The workshop
My wife, Carmen, and I run this out of a small workshop in our apartment, where we handcraft and paint every character and token ourselves. We've partnered with a local print shop that shares our excitement for Element 8 to help produce the printed materials.
Right now, that means we can only finish about one game a day — but we have real plans for what comes next.
Thank You
We're endlessly grateful to everyone who's helped us get here, and to everyone who's supported us by picking up a copy of Element 8. Your belief in this game means the world to us.
If you're new here — welcome. We'd love for you to be part of what's next.