IV Studio creates some of the most original and quickly beloved tabletop experiences available. Having developed branding and designed components for a few of their previous games, we were beyond excited for the opportunity to collaborate with their hyper-talented team on a new IP: Fractured Sky.

The result is an addictively fun game that became a knock-it-out-of-the-park Kickstarter campaign over 10x funded within the first 24 hours.

About the Game:
Fractured Sky puts you at the helm of an airship expedition to recover fragments of a magical falling star. Its gameplay is a unique combination of area control, resource management, blind bidding, and a hint of deduction.

Logo:
Knowing that the logo would be imprinted across a multitude of physical components and advertising tactics, our goal was to capture the thrill of the hunt and inspire a sense of adventure set against a mythical backdrop of floating islands and airships.

Secretly we also wanted to develop something that would resemble an ancient wax seal or talisman. The result was the creation of a central guardian to rule both air and sea (a six-tentacled creature with wings and a crown of falling stars). IV Studio loved the idea so much they rewrote the backstory of the game to include this guardian and created highly detailed 3d artwork of it for the cover box art.

This logomark would be accompanied by a wordmark that still quickly telescoped the game’s narrative and could be locked up with it or standalone.

Visual Language:
There is a deliberate tension at play within the elements of the visual language to complement the fast-paced nature of a game that focuses on winning conflicts. Custom flat nautical etchings are set against dimensional 3d renderings. A broad color palette was developed to quickly differentiate between factions and each hue set was assigned a disruptive “punch” color. Even the typography sets the ornateness of Jason Carne’s Alchemist against the geometric forms in Phantom Sans by Phantom Foundry.

We put these elements (including a custom starfall alphabet) to use as we developed numerous component designs for everything from game cards and faction trays, to even the box design itself. This visual language was then used to guide marketing and advertising efforts.

Reception:
Before the time ran out, Fractured Sky outpaced its Kickstarter goal by over 20x and continues to garner tons of positive industry chatter. To anyone who played a beta version of this highly memorable game, it comes as no surprise.