Type | Developer and Designer of Board and Digital Games |
---|---|
Industry | Strategy games for Tabletop Board Games, Digital Computer Games, Paperback and Audio Books, Virtual Modules for Vassal and Tabletop Simulator. |
Founded | 2006 |
Headquarters | Pueblo, Colorado |
Key people | David Heath, Devin Heinle, Stephane Tanguay, Sean Druelinger, Tom Proudfoot, Marc von Martial, and Blackwell Hird |
Products | 165+ |
Website | lnlpublishing |
Lock 'n Load Publishing is a developer and publisher of board and computer games, specifically strategy games and wargames. They are based out of Colorado. From a small three-game beginning, Lock 'n Load Publishing has grown to a game company offering over fifty products including the Nations at War, World at War, Lock 'n Load, Corps Command, Tank on Tank series, Command Ops 2, and a company magazine, Line of Fire. In addition to historical, conflict-centered games, Lock 'n Load Publishing has also branched out into science fiction and horror, with All Things Zombie, Space Infantry, and Nuklear Winter '68.
In 2003, Shrapnel Games published the first Lock 'n Load Tactical board game. Titled Forgotten Heroes, the game became an instant hit, selling out within the first year of publication. The next Lock 'n Load Tactical game quickly followed the module with the ANZAC Attack expansion, which also rapidly sold out.
Following the release of the original games, the next title, Band of Heroes, was published through Matrix Games. The game subsequently won the historical game of the year at the 2005 Origins Awards. In 2006, game designer Mark Walker founded Lock 'n Load Publishing.
In July 2014, entered a new stage with David Heath becoming LnLP's new principal owner and business manager. David Heath was the previous CEO/founder of Matrix Games, The Wargamer, and The Gamer's Network before leaving those companies and becoming the CEO of Lock 'n Load Publishing.
David expanded the design and development team, expanding the game titles and broadening its product lines. The new product lines included writing a series of paperback stories, accompanied by audiobooks editions. Other products and activities included a new sci-fi roleplayer game series, streamlining their popular game series and releasing Starter Kits allowing players to try their game series quickly and cheaply. Lock 'n Load Publishing games are even more accessible, being available for free on virtual gaming platforms such as Vassal and Tabletop simulators and, with the release of the game's Companion books, allowing players to play virtually without needing to own the tabletop board game.
In April 2020, Lock 'n Load Publishing had released, via Steam, its digital computer game line. These include the Tank On Tank, Nations At War, and Lock 'n Load Tactical series games for Windows, Mac, and iPad platforms. The World At War 85 Digital series is currently in development. The computer game, Victory and Glory: The American Civil War, similar to the 2016 predecessor, Victory & Glory: Napoleon (Also with a board game adaptation in 2017), was released for Windows PC in 2020.
Lock 'n Load Publishing games have garnered awards from The International Gamers, Origins 2005 Historical Game of the Year, The Wargamer, Games Magazine, and a few of Charles S. Roberts' Awards, including best of the year award for Heroes of the Gap. Additionally, Mark Walker's novel World at War: Revelation was nominated for best game-related publication at the 2011 Origins Game Convention.
Tools/Misc:
World War II content:
Vietnam War content:
Other wars:
Fictional settings/themes:
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