Is this thing on?

Welcome to the first official news post from Angry Turtle Studios.

The company is officially a thing, the website is live (if rudimentary), and the turtle logo is angrily punching the void.

Who am I and what is this?

Short version: I’m Jabari (a fake name, to be sure, but one I’ve used since I named my Level 1 Troll Warrior that). I’m a long-time software engineer and lifelong game tinkerer who finally decided to stop just thinking about games and start publishing them.

If you want the full origin story — TI-99/4A, poster-board prototypes, far too many RPGs — that’s on the About page.

What’s finished so far?

Right now there are two main “it really exists” projects. Details live on the Games page, but here’s the quick tour:

  • Skirmish for Earth
    A tabletop bidding/bluffing/resource management card game about taking over the Earth before your “friends” do. Currently available print-on-demand.

  • PBEMGS (Play-By-Email Game System)
    A system for running turn-based strategy games entirely by email. No app installs, no logins — send commands in, get updated boards and results back. The library already includes multiple games (from classics like Ataxx and Lines of Action to original designs), and it’s steadily expanding.

What’s in the works?

In no particular order, here’s what’s on the workbench:

  • Skirmish for Earth Extension
    This was ready to go, then I adjusted the main set Action deck. So this goes back into the workshop for a bit. It’ll be a small extension to the main game with a few more territories, some new Actions, and a new Event type that modifies the rules for a bit when they occur.

  • Fantasy RPG Deckbuilder
    A single-player RPG deckbuilder where you can freely mix class talent trees to build your own hybrid. Think: character builds that feel like MMO theorycrafting, but in card form.

  • Children’s Activity / Game Set
    A mix-and-match system where kids can start with very simple games and gradually layer in more rules as they get older. Same components, more depth over time — so the box doesn’t get “outgrown” in six months.

  • Design Research
    I’ve also been digging through the Stonemaier Games blog. It’s an excellent resource for anyone interested in game design, publishing, and the realities of running a small studio. Expect some of those lessons to leak into future posts (and games).

What’s next here?

For now, the plan is simple:

  • Post occasional updates here on the News page
  • Add more detail and behind-the-scenes notes as projects progress
  • Use this as a record of what Angry Turtle Studios is building, with the hows and whys of it

You can also find the social links down in the footer — including @AngryTurtleHQ on X/Twitter — if you’d like to follow along, yell about design decisions, or just say hi.

More soon. 🐢💥