The graphic designers who gave the Harry Potter films their unmistakable look have made a board game, and Potter fans have descended on it. Defenders of Hogwarts, the debut tabletop design from London studio MinaLima, is live on Kickstarter and has already raced past 900% of its goal.
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Set up your group for freeMinaLima is the duo of Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima, who spent 25 years crafting the graphic design of the Wizarding World on screen. For their first board game they have teamed up with industrial designer David Waterman, working with Warner Bros. under an official licence. The result is a strategy game for two to five players, aged 13 and up, that hands you a choice: stand with the defenders of Hogwarts, or throw in with the Dark Forces and help Voldemort's rise. You will explore the castle grounds, build up your spellcasting and prepare for the confrontation to come, all wrapped in the kind of lavish art this studio is known for.
The campaign launched on 30 June and, at the time of writing, has gathered £489,568 from more than 3,800 backers against a £50,000 goal. It runs until 23 July. A limited release is planned for autumn 2026 through House of MinaLima and Harry Potter shops, with a wider multi-language edition following in spring 2027.
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Find events near youIf your group has a soft spot for the Wizarding World, this is one to rally the table around. Find the players near you and start planning your defence.
Sources: Kickstarter | Kicktraq | The Leaky Cauldron
