I feel like an introduction paired with a quick history of Element 8 is a good place to start things.

Hi, I’m Caleb Justice, and I created the first version of Element 8 when I was a wee lad. I wish I could remember exactly when, but apparently, I wasn’t too concerned about dating things back then. What I do remember is that the idea for the game came to me while I was playing with my brothers. I quickly threw together the first version using blue poster board and dice I “borrowed” from other games. After playing it, I was sold on the idea. What started as a simple fun project turned into a background passion that I’d work on 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 truly realized the potential of Element 8. From that moment to where we are now, the journey has been long. My perfectionist nature led me to spend years refining and re-refining ideas, obsessively fine-tuning every detail until I was satisfied with the balance of the game.

From there, the challenge was figuring out how to mass-produce the game on my own. I was determined to self-publish, as I saw a future for Element 8 that I wanted to continue cultivating, and I didn’t want to lose creative control over the vision I had for the game. This turned out to be a much bigger project than I had ever anticipated. Fortunately, I’ve been lucky to have incredible people come into my life, offering their expertise and guidance. 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 available by Christmas. That question sparked the drive I needed to push through and finish the first few copies just days before the holiday.

3rd prototype

First official board sold. First Generation

Through word of mouth, local game nights, and the support of excited fans, we were able to sell nearly all of our first production run in the first year. The positive feedback and overwhelming support fueled our drive to start working on the next production run. We were eager to address the feedback and make improvements without losing what made Element 8 so special.

Over the course of 2023, we carefully began to enhance the game, making sure not to disrupt what so many had come to love. The result is a refined version that we’re incredibly excited about, and we can’t wait to share it with even more players.

Second Generation

My wife, Carmen, and I have set up a small workshop in our apartment, where we handcraft and paint the characters and tokens ourselves. We also found a local print shop that shares our excitement for Element 8 and helps us produce all the printed materials.

Currently, our production rate is limited to about one game a day, but we have big plans for future expansion and development.

I’m eternally grateful to everyone who has helped us get to this point, as well as to all of you who support us by purchasing Element 8. Your belief in the game means the world to us.