A new Latter-day Saint-themed board game hit shelves last week at independent and chain LDS bookstores across the country.

The game, "The Settlers of Zarahemla," is a version of the board game "The Settlers of Catan" with an LDS twist.

"The difference between the two games is that our game is so much cooler," said Jeremy Young, the co-creator of the game and co-owner of Inspiration Games.

The concept for bringing "The Settlers of Zarahemla" into existence came after Young talked to a friend about the gaming community in Germany.

"These games are huge over there," Young said.

He said that he decided to take the game to the LDS niche because the LDS market was already established as a unique channel. Young also said he thinks the LDS market will be a profitable market.

"It's really hard to break into the market as just another player," Young said. "We needed something to differentiate ourselves."

Unlike the "The Settlers of Catan," "The Settlers of Zarahemla" includes cards featuring Book of Mormon characters and places.

Young said "The Settlers of Zarahemla" gives LDS church members an opportunity to share the gospel in a non-threatening way.

"What's cool about this game is that it's a fun game first, and the theme is just kind of pasted on top, and so it's not religiously threatening at all," Young said.

Young said he definitely thinks this game will help spread the gospel.

"Ark of the Covenant," a tile-laying game by Inspiration Games, is coming to shelves Nov.1 of this year, and Young said Inspiration Games will also come out with a children's card game in May 2004.

"We think we can sell just as many Zarahemla and Ark to non-Mormon audiences as we can to Mormon audiences," Young said.

Other LDS-game producers, including Covenant Communications based in American Fork, find the LDS-game market profitable as well.

"The games have been successful for us," said Tyler Moulton, acquisitions editor at Covenant Communications.

Moulton said Covenant produces about four or five new games each year, with their most successful game selling about 30,000 games since 2000.

Covenant games that are the most successful are priced at 10 dollars or less.

Jan Van de Merwe, the creator of LDS action figures produced by Latter-Day Designs, said he targets the LDS market for different reasons.

"I do it because it's a good project and I do it because it's a good, wholesome product," Van de Merwe said. "I wanted to make kids something they could probably take to Primary and not get in trouble."

Van de Merwe said as long as there are kids, he will keep producing action figures.
Copyright Brigham Young University 6 Oct 2003