The Hidden Problem with Normal Backpacks
When I first started carrying board games around for game nights, I did what everyone does. I grabbed a regular backpack, stuffed in one or two boxes between a hoodie and a water bottle, and slipped a bunch of small card games into the side pockets. Sometimes I’d even haul around a giant IKEA bag for overflow. I thought I was being efficient. But every trip meant making compromises. Which game should I bring? Which one stays behind? Will the boxes get damaged? Will everything fit in the trunk or on the train?
It didn’t take long to realize something: my backpack wasn’t helping me—it was holding me back.
That’s when I discovered something essential that changed everything about how I approach board game nights: a backpack specifically designed for board games.
The Hidden Problem with Normal Backpacks
We tend to think that a good gamer is someone who knows the rules inside out. And that’s true. But there’s another kind of expertise that rarely gets mentioned: logistical mastery. Because once you leave your home, the way you transport your collection becomes a critical part of your experience.
A regular backpack is built for laptops, books, water bottles—not for 12"x12" game boxes or 5-inch-thick monster games. The result? You’re limited to small card games like The Mind, Flip7, or The Game. Don’t get me wrong, these are great games. But a night made of nothing but fillers can fall flat fast.
Try forcing in a medium-sized box like Catan, Clank, or Abyss, and the result is always the same: squashed corners, dented lids, and scuffed artwork. Not to mention the anxiety of it all. If the box takes damage, the experience does too.
That’s why we started thinking differently. What if a bag wasn’t just a container? What if it was a tool for better game nights?
From Constraint to Creativity
The real question isn’t “How many games can I carry?” It’s “How many possibilities can I offer the people I play with?” Behind that question lies something deeper: the joy of sharing. Of introducing friends to something new. Of showing up with not just a game, but an entire menu of experiences.
That’s what we wanted to unlock: not just portability, but creative freedom. The freedom to bring the heavy hitters like Frosthaven or Nemesis, but also the quick laughs of Just One or Codename. The ability to say “yes” to every mood, every player count, every genre.
That dream needed a backpack that wasn’t just slightly better—it had to be built for the mission.
That’s where May the Game comes in.
May the Game: A Backpack Built for Board Gamers
This isn’t just a product—it’s a response to a universal pain point in the gaming community.
At its core, May the Game is about eliminating trade-offs. It starts with the central compartment: a massive, reinforced, structured core designed to hold up to 11 full-size board game boxes—think Catan, Clank, or Wingspan—without crushing them. The structure is rigid enough to protect, but light enough to carry comfortably.
But we didn’t stop there. The real secret weapon? Seven exterior pockets, each sized for a different category of games.
Your party games go in one pocket. Small card games in another. Slightly bigger titles like Just One or Codename? No problem. There’s a place for everything. Every zipper and sleeve is purposeful. It’s more than a backpack—it’s a map of your collection.
Vacation-Ready. Convention-Ready. Game Night-Ready.
Before May the Game, I used to dread packing for vacation. I’d think, What can I fit? What should I leave behind? What if I regret not bringing that one perfect game for rainy afternoons?
Now, the question is: What do I want to play? I pack it all. I can carry ten or eleven larger games plus an arsenal of smaller ones. I know I’ll be covered for quiet evenings, intense strategy sessions, and silly party nights. And I know the games will arrive in perfect condition.
The feeling of showing up to a cabin with friends, unzipping my May the Game backpack, and laying out an entire curated collection on the table—that’s what freedom feels like.
No more IKEA bags sagging open in the trunk. No more juggling three different backpacks. One bag. Everything in its place.
Built by Gamers, for Gamers
You might think a backpack like this is just a niche luxury. But for those of us who live and breathe tabletop, it’s not a luxury—it’s a necessity.
This isn’t about showing off. It’s about showing up prepared. It’s for the community organizers, the rules explainers, the game night hosts who bring new people into the hobby. It’s for the people who understand that sometimes, the right game at the right time makes a memory that lasts.
When you show up with May the Game, you’re saying something without speaking: “I take this seriously, because I love sharing it.”
The Right Tool Makes All the Difference
A good backpack won’t make you a better gamer. But it will make you a better host. A better sharer. A better ambassador for the hobby.
That’s what we set out to create with May the Game. A simple but powerful tool that helps you bring more joy to more people, more easily.
Yes, having a dedicated board game backpack changes things. It changes how you pack. How you travel. How you think about your collection.
But most importantly, it changes what you're able to give.
And in the end, that’s what great gaming is all about.
