Off the Grid: Risk Black Ops and Hasbro's wrong direction

by Scott Jon Siegel { Apr 18th 2008 at 8:30AM }

Every other week Scott Jon Siegel contributes Off the Grid, a column about card games, board games, and everything else non-digital.

Risk: Black Ops is one of the most beautiful board games you'll never play. In anticipation of the newly updated release of Risk, Hasbro produced only 1,000 copies of this special edition game, distributing them to bloggers, journos, and gaming hobby sites for perusal and easy publicity.

The response was unanimously positive. The updates to the rules -- handled by Risk 2010 designer Rob Daviau -- lower the game's initial barrier to entry, and make it possible to play through in under two hours (which is significant for Risk). Most media attention, however, was lavished on the slick, modern redesign, devised under the command of art director Lindsay Braun and visual designer Jason Taylor.

Risk has always wanted to be taken seriously, but Black Ops is the first version of the game to look deadly serious. A matte black finish on the box is accented by imagery of barbed wire, dog tags, and the faintest hint of blood spatter, all rendered in a subtle gray. "History is written by the victors," the box declares in a modest sans-serif font. The game board itself is designed to look like something out of our modern war-rooms, with a visual style not unlike Introversion's apocalyptic strategy game Defcon. This is not the Risk you remember.

Gallery: Risk: Black Ops

And sadly, it won't be the Risk future generations remember, either. When Hasbro unveils the new version of Risk this fall, the commercial release will eschew the subdued aesthetic of Black Ops for the standard bright colors and decided optimism of the classic conquest title.

Make no mistake: the new Risk will still be new in many ways. Rob Daviau's revised rules will be in full effect, and the board is still receiving a visual upgrade from Lindsay Braun and Jason Taylor. Unfortunately, gone will be the fresh-faced look of Black Ops, leaving us to wonder what a new approach to visual design could have done for the languishing board game industry.

According to a representative from Hasbro's PR firm, the decision to introduce the slick visual look of Black Ops, and then revert to old faithful was entirely intentional: "The Black Ops version was designed to set the stage for the skirmish before the big battle" she said. "The design suggested a time of stealthy maneuvers - the Black Ops - and a preview of things to come.

"The bolder and flashier colors of the Risk game board are symbolic of larger battles and struggles between opponents. It is meant to be bold, proud, defiant and inspiring."

Meanwhile, a cursory look at eBay reveals the continued appeal of Black Ops: copies of the limited edition game have reached $300 each in bids. Here's hoping Hasbro takes the hint and reconsiders the road less traveled.

Scott Jon Siegel is a fledgling game designer, a professional blogger, and a mediocre cook. His words and games can be found at numberless, and he's holding out for Hasbro to release Monopoly: Black Ops. He thinks that would be sweet.

Tags: hasbro, off-the-grid, offthegrid, risk, risk-black-ops

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Josh Smith @ Apr 18th 2008 8:44AM

Well so much for adding another board game to the closet, pity as you observed the original black ops looked real sexy.

Zeromaru @ Apr 18th 2008 8:47AM

So... why is Newfoundland removed from that Risk board? It was in the old ones (also given Newfoundland's strategic importance in both World Wars it's quite an oversight to not have us there).

GRANTED @ Apr 18th 2008 9:09AM

no one cares about you anymore. get over it.

TwEE @ Apr 18th 2008 2:37PM

All the maritime islands are gone, such is the fate of all who anger poseidon..

He hates high unemployment rates..

John Z @ Apr 18th 2008 9:04AM

OK. On the one hand, ever since I heard about Black Ops, I was looking forward to it. I could understand it being a limited edition and a preview for playtesting-- a limited, open beta sort of thing. That's fine. I was, though, like everyone else under the impression that the new rules and visual style were both going to be part of the new game. Hearing this initially made me irritated that the 'traditional' look was going to be retained.

Then I realized that this is, in fact, perfect marketing, from Hasbro's perspective. The thing is, if Black Ops was released as it was presented to the previewers, it would give the appearance of a "separate" Risk game, not the new direction that the "core" Risk game would be going in. If you look at the way other games have been updated-- The Game of Life, Monopoly, etc.-- the "modern" versions are available alongside the originals, and (anecdotally-- I've no numbers to back this up) both versions sell about the same. Someone's as likely to pick up the 'traditional' Clue/Cluedo game as the Simpsons-licensed version. Having the new Risk rules presented as the core game will hasten their adoption.

Plus, in four months they'll release an 'unlimited' edition of the Black Ops design anyway after demand reaches fever pitch. So people who bought the 'new traditional' version now shell out for the Black Ops version. Not saying I won't be among them-- visual style or not, I'm psyched about the new rules-- but that's what's going to happen.

7718 @ Apr 18th 2008 12:52PM

I didn't realise that people got into "fever pitches" over boardgames.

lsc @ Apr 18th 2008 9:12AM

Wow, I was all set to pull out my wallet and buy a copy, I thought it might be nice break from Saturday night poker games with my friends.

That was until I found out that the Black Ops version is not available for sale.

I see what Hasbro is trying to do, but all they ended up doing is whetting people's appetite for a product they can't buy.

Hopefully they will reconsider.

Phillip @ Apr 18th 2008 9:23AM

I hope they release a "Black Ops" to the public. Someone email Hasbro an eBay link. =)

eM @ Apr 18th 2008 9:36AM

Unfortunately, gone will be the fresh-faced look of Black Ops, leaving us to wonder what a new approach to visual design could have done for the languishing board game industry.

I suppose if you only look at mass-market junk, you might feel that way, but the board game industry is bigger and more creative than ever.

Equating "board games" with the likes of Monopoly, The Game of Life, etc. is like equating "video games" with Pong and Breakout.

Still, hopefully new Risk will be more Space Invaders Extreme than Space Invaders.

Tim The Enchanter @ Apr 18th 2008 9:55AM

Wow, I'm disappointed. Black Ops looks amazing. I wish it would see market now. Oh well.

PojoMofo @ Apr 18th 2008 10:21AM

Risk 2010 FTW!!! Man I cant tell you how many hours I plugged into this game in college. I miss it.

Dandercore @ Apr 18th 2008 10:28AM

Is it me, or does Black Ops totally look like an emo album cover? Or even this Maserati cover? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B0000C9JER/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=5174&s=music

Archr5 @ Apr 18th 2008 10:30AM

"hey lets release a cool game for press coverage that nobody in the consumer market can play in order to "pump them up" about our new game that's less cool..."

Coming soon is the new Ford Mustang, it's 800 HP, comes in amazing colors, and gets 100 miles per gallon!

Oh wait no, that's just the "press" version, the 2010 mustang will just have 300 Horses and will get 13 mpg... But it still comes in amazing colors! so didn't the press release for that other thing make you want to buy this one?!

emagius @ Apr 18th 2008 10:53AM

More like they kept everything except the colors. I think the more vivid color scheme is better in any case.

rockintom @ Apr 18th 2008 10:34AM

...Damn it. That looked really cool, too. :(

ill trooper @ Apr 18th 2008 10:45AM

It looks like the artist Futura designed it or something. Very nice. The new one looks cool too, although I also like the weird old 'Napoleonic' look that RISK had when I was a kid. Like the old 'Stratego' or something.

Neon Jebus @ Apr 18th 2008 10:51AM

I have a hard time understanding the logic behind providing an updated version of the game only to swap it out with the older art style. I would say it's like automakers showing off concept cars that look nothing like what finally hit the streets.

If I'm the everyday consumer walking down the aisles I'm going to be looking for the Black Ops packaging, if I don't see it, I don't buy the next closest thing. Oh, but you updated the rules in THIS one...wow...neat. But I wanted the one I saw reports on...this isn't it. If I'm a Peter Pan man and the store only stocks JIF, I don't buy peanut butter.

Scott Jon Siegel @ Apr 18th 2008 10:59AM

For everyone interested in obtaining a copy of the hotness that is Risk: Black Ops, we'll be giving away a copy on Joystiq in the near future. Stay tuned ;)

Dio @ Apr 18th 2008 4:55PM

Whew, thanks. I was about to complain that copies of Black Ops are already on eBay for over $300... Whoops.

Zamzoph @ Apr 18th 2008 11:00AM

...Axis & Allies is still better. The new version coming out this fall is apparently adding the Italians for a total of six players.

emagius @ Apr 18th 2008 6:08PM

A&A is an entirely different game.

Marty @ Apr 18th 2008 11:26AM

Man, I haven't played Risk in years, but that board looks slick! Me want!

Saria the Cat @ Apr 18th 2008 11:51AM

Even though the original Black Ops design looks like a total Diplomacy rip-off, it's totally sexy. Way more sophisticated than the original board. Boo to lack of Hasbro balls.

ZeroCorpse @ Apr 18th 2008 1:47PM

Hasbro has NEVER had balls. They always dilute their products. It sucks when the acquire other companies and dumb down their product line after the takeover. Hasbro is a TOY company first, and a board game company second.

Of course, MB is pretty awful these days, too. Just look at all the nonsensical special editions of Monopoly. They don't even TRY to make them logical. "Awww. I landed on Mr. Potato Head with two houses and a hotel." WHAT?

GreyFox @ Apr 18th 2008 2:51PM

Hey Scott is there anyway we can petition or give Hasbro feedback saying we want a retail release of this? It looks fantastic and I really would love to pick this up.

W. Eric Martin @ Apr 21st 2008 4:09AM

I spoke with the Hasbro PR people at NY Toy Fair in February, and the company is well aware of the seething desire that some have for the hotness that is Black Ops. The rep was non-committal about whether the Black Ops design might receive a wider release, which is exactly how reps are supposed to answer such questions.

Eric Martin
Editor, http://www.BoardgameNews.com