Seven Castles Games is an independent tabletop game studio based in Dublin, Ireland. Founded by Hugo Silva and supported by co-founder Hugo Godinho, the studio is driven by a simple mission: to create board games that bring people together through strategy, creativity, and unforgettable shared moments.
We work with talented illustrators, 3D artists, designers, playtesters, and specialists across the world to bring our ideas to life. Each project is shaped by collaboration, imagination, and a commitment to quality.
If you’re interested in contributing as a freelancer, playtester, or creative partner, we’d love to hear from you
Our Dream Team
Hugo Silva – Founder, Game Designer & Creative Director
Hugo S. Born in Lisbon, Portugal, Hugo moved to Dublin in 2013. With a background in software development and over 30 years immersed in the board-gaming world, Hugo naturally gravitated toward game design. In 2024, he founded Seven Castles Games and began building a creative studio dedicated to innovative and story-driven board game experiences.
Main Roles:
Game design, development, prototyping, creative direction, narrative, production coordination, community building, marketing, and Kickstarter strategy.
Hugo Godinho – Co-Founder & Game Designer
Hugo G. Also from Lisbon, Hugo Godinho is a software developer with a lifelong passion for comic books and visual storytelling. In 2024, inspired by his long-time friend Hugo Silva, he joined Seven Castles Games as co-founder. He brings a unique blend of technical knowledge and creative vision to the studio.
Main Roles:
Concept design, storytelling, mechanics development, documentation, and playtesting.
Rob Ingle — Lead Designer
Rob is a respected board game illustrator known for immersive, story-driven artwork featured on BoardGameGeek and Tabletop Games Blog.
His style blends painterly depth with strong clarity, ideal for complex strategy games. He specialises in world-building, atmosphere, and cohesive visual direction. Rob ensures artwork enhances both gameplay and player immersion. For Steam Cities, he leads the overall art vision and visual identity.
Main Roles:
Art direction & visual identity, Hero artwork & key assets, Cohesive style across all components, Gameplay clarity & visual UX, Illustration pipeline & quality control
Piya Dechchareon — Lead Illustrator
Piya is a talented illustrator recognised on BoardGameGeek for detailed and expressive board game art. His work features intricate linework, vibrant colours, and dynamic compositions. He brings a distinctive style influenced by rich textures and stylised realism. Piya excels at creating visually engaging and thematic illustrations. On Steam Cities, he delivers high-detail artwork across key components.
Main Roles:
High-detail illustration & texture work, Vibrant and dynamic compositions
Strong thematic alignment with gameplay, Consistent quality across multiple assets, Scalable asset production support
Jordan O’Neill — Digital Sculptor
Jordan is a digital sculptor specialising in production-ready 3D models for 3D printing and mold making, with deep expertise in gaming miniatures, action figures, portrait busts, and wearable art. He brings a manufacturing-aware pipeline that bridges high-fidelity ZBrush sculpting, PBR texturing, and physical production constraints, delivering support-free, multi-part kits optimised for resin, wax, and metal casting. He translates 2D concepts into modular, print-ready miniature lines engineered for consistent quality across small-batch and on-demand manufacturing.
Main Roles:
Digital sculpting for 3D printing & mold making, Production-ready miniature & collectible design, Modular multi-part kit engineering, Concept-to-print pipeline execution, PBR texturing & look-dev for physical output, Manufacturing liaison & print-farm coordination
Becky Bolton — 3D Artist and Animator
Bex is a creative animation producer and studio lead (Lucky Fox Studio) of known for producing high-quality Kickstarter promo animations and campaign assets with polished edits and strong visual storytelling. Her work emphasizes cinematic pacing, clear product demonstration, and cohesive stills that match a game’s aesthetic. Becky specialises in translating prototype components, 3D assets, and concept art into engaging motion and photographic content that supports campaign goals. On Steam Cities, she produced campaign videos and still imagery that showcase prototype mechanics, 3D models, and the game’s steampunk atmosphere.
Main Roles:
Kickstarter video production and editing, Product photography and olished stills, campaign-ready assets for web and social, creative direction, lighting, and color grading.
Key Contributors
Seven Castles Games collaborates with a growing network of talented individuals, including:
– illustrators and visual artists
– 3D modelers and animators
– graphic designers
– translators and editors
– dedicated playtest groups
– production and manufacturing partners
– consultants for distribution and Kickstarter operations
It takes many people to bring a board game to life, and we’re grateful for each collaborator who helps shape our worlds and experiences. As we grow, we continue to welcome diverse perspectives that strengthen our creativity and our games.
Seven Castles Games 