Our mission is to see a noticeable shift towards more leaders and better leaders during our lifetime. 

To support this, we apply our insights from innovative game design work to help teams and organisations. With over 3 billion gamers on the planet, we have a common language to help gamers get promoted, become a better boss, and amplify value in teams.

Our Services

Kybolt supports organisations with:

 
Learning and Development — creation of digital learning content, gamification, and improving LMS systems.
 
Game Development — bespoke games and experiences, especially with a learning or skills focus.
 
Training and Speaking — workshops and lectures in leadership, game design, and career development.

 

Collected Resources

Below is a list of resources we wish we had when first learning about "games × leadership". They significantly inform the kind of content we create.

We hope you find it useful, and of course write us if you are curious to learn more.

Games We Love

This is a collection of games which explore leadership themes.

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    The Pale Beyond

Face adversity and uncertainty while managing a crew on an arctic exploration. Based on the Shackleton expedition.

  • Single Player
  • Dilemmas
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    Suzerain

Explore the nuanced dilemmas of political leadership in a fictional country, in a setting that reacts vividly to your choices.

  • Single Player
  • Dilemmas
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    Frostpunk

Guide your society to survival in an unforviging climate — by managing resources, making laws, and maintaining morale.

  • Single Player
  • Dilemmas
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    Soulprint

Inspired by Norwegian cultural heritage, this multi-chapter game is designed to develop good character traits in young people.

  • Single Player
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    Causeway

A team-based strategy game exploring emergent, organic leadership. (This is our game!)

  • Multiplayer
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    World of Warcraft

A classic MMO which is well known for the emergence of leadership dynamics in its persistent guilds and challenging raids.

  • Multiplayer
  • Guild Management
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    Hell Let Loose

A shooter based on World War II, with 50v50 battles and high dependency on an effective military command structure.

  • Multiplayer
  • Military Simulation
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    Squad

A shooter game with an impactful squad leader role.

  • Multiplayer
  • Military Simulation

Excellent non-games resources

Definitive books on leadership, purpose, and bringing people to new heights.

John Maxwell presents a comprehensive theory of leadership, rich with examples and practical advice. 

For those who like lists, there is no better overview of what leadership is really about.

  • Book

John Maxwell's extremely practical advice on better public speaking, based on his experience of delivering over 13,000 talks. 

Indirectly, the book covers many leadership concepts in a practical way.

  • Book

Stanley McChrystal outlines the transition of the US Military from a siloed organisation to an interdependent and flexible network. 

Perhaps the most impressive case study ever of how to scale the agility of small teams into a large organisation.

  • Book

Kim Scott introduces a framework for building a work culture which values both forthrightness and empathy. 

It advises on how to avoid being too nice or too ruthless, while ensuring feedback flows.

  • Book

Simon Sinek helps people and organisations get to the point and communicate clearly about their purpose.

The book offers much more practical guidance than the TED talk, and its guidance led to Kybolt's vision statement.

  • Book
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    Founders

David Senra reads the biographies of history's greatest entrepreneurs, and summarises their character and why people followed and believed in them. 

Addictive, inspiring, and unrelenting. 

  • Podcast

Game Industry

For those in the business of creating games.

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    Rise and Play

Sophie Vo speaks with a wide range of accomplished people in the games industry, exploring leadership themes in their work and the realities of running studios.

  • Podcast
  • Masterclass
  • Newsletter
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    Here's Waldo

Lizzie Mintus interviews executives and thought leaders from across the game industry, exploring their stories and dilemmas.

  • Podcast
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    Game Design: Impossible

Guido Schmidt shares invaluable advice about production and leadership in game industry teams, illustrating through a story with a fictional studio and characters.

  • Book
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    Up Down Up

Kim Nordström interviewed over 100 games industry founders and CEOs, and shares the lessons learned and wisdom gained.

  • Book
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    The Long Game

Martijn van Zwieten shares best practices, models and frameworks that will help with running and growing a business in the videogames industry.

  • Newsletter