A company that continues after every match
BoardMasters combines business simulation, financial management and stock market investing within a persistent economy. You build or manage a company, compete to generate results and decide what to do next with the cash, profit and equity you have created.
That continuity is the central idea. The company does not reset when a match ends. It keeps its cash, accumulates results and can invest, borrow, go public, bring in shareholders or become the target of a corporate transaction.
The match is part of the business, not the whole business
Competing generates operating activity. Afterwards, you still need to read the accounts, protect liquidity, finance growth and decide what position you want to hold in the market.
What you can do in BoardMasters
There is no single way to play. You can focus on growing a company, build a personal portfolio as an investor or combine both approaches as new possibilities become available.
Manage
Control cash, results, the balance sheet, financing and corporate development.
Compete
Enter halls at your level, make business decisions and aim for a positive result.
Invest
Analyse companies and participate in shares, bonds, IPOs and other opportunities.
Influence
Build a relevant shareholding, reach the board and take part in corporate decisions.
The main gameplay cycle
The different areas of BoardMasters form a single system. What happens in Compete reaches the Company screen, financial performance affects the level, and the level determines which opportunities become available next.
Found a company or take over its management.
Compete in a hall suited to its equity level.
Generate operating income through the match result.
Review cash, EBIT, profit, debt and equity.
Reinvest, raise finance or build an investment portfolio.
Increase equity and move into a higher corporate tier.
Found and build your own company
The business journey begins by defining the company's identity: legal name, country and ticker. From that point onwards, the company has its own resources and financial statements. Its cash is not simply a score. It is the treasury used to pay entry fees, meet obligations and finance decisions.
The Company screen lets you follow the income statement, balance sheet, recent weekly development, market capitalisation once listed and the status of transactions such as an IPO, bond issue or capital increase.
Compete to generate operating results
Matches are organised into halls linked to the company's level. Each one requires a minimum amount of equity, has an entry cost and offers a reward suited to the scale of the competition. You can also play in lower halls that you have already unlocked.
| Level | Hall | Minimum equity | Entry cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Start-up | 1,000 | 100 |
| 5 | Regional company | 20,000 | 2,000 |
| 10 | Global holding | 10,000,000,000 | 1,000,000,000 |
The table shows three reference points from a progression made up of ten corporate levels.
During a match, you make business decisions and compete for the prize pool. Matchmaking brings participants together and may complete a room with bots when necessary, so activity does not always depend on finding four players at exactly the same time.
What happens when a match ends
When the settlement is processed, a positive reward is credited so the player can continue paying entry costs. At the same time, it is recorded as operating income for the company. Corporate cash increases and the movement becomes part of its accounts.
| Item | Before | Movement | After |
|---|---|---|---|
| Company cash | 1,500 | +500 | 2,000 |
| Accumulated operating income | 0 | +500 | 500 |
| Operating result before other costs | 0 | +500 | 500 |
Simplified example. The real income statement may also include entry costs, other expenses, interest, taxes and movements from previous weeks. When a debt obligation is approaching maturity, part of the incoming cash may also be reserved for repayment.
Read the company like a manager
Growth is not simply a matter of accumulating cash. The Company screen separates operating activity, financial results and extraordinary movements so you can understand where profit comes from and whether that growth is sustainable.
| Income statement | Balance sheet |
|---|---|
| Operating income and costs | Cash and investments |
| EBIT and financial result | Debt and outstanding payments |
| Extraordinary result, taxes and net profit | Capital, retained earnings, provisional result and equity |
Weekly reports make it possible to compare periods and determine whether the company is genuinely improving or whether a strong isolated result is hiding problems with liquidity, debt or profitability.
Grow through equity, not only experience
The company's level is calculated from its equity. When that amount exceeds a new threshold, the company advances through a scale that begins with Start-up and ends with Global holding.
Moving up matters because it unlocks halls with higher entry costs and larger rewards. Progress therefore depends not only on playing many matches, but on preserving and increasing the value already created: generating profit, managing cash and preventing a weak financial structure from destroying equity.
Higher revenue does not always mean a more valuable company
A company may generate income and still lose equity when its costs, interest or obligations grow faster. BoardMasters separates these figures so that the difference remains visible.
Play as a company or as an investor
BoardMasters distinguishes between acting through the company and acting through a personal portfolio. The company uses its resources to compete, obtain finance and carry out corporate decisions. The investor analyses assets and builds personal wealth through market positions.
| As a company | As an investor |
|---|---|
| Generate operating results | Build an investment portfolio |
| Manage cash, debt and equity | Buy and sell assets |
| Raise finance and make corporate decisions | Seek returns, diversification or influence |
A market connected to business activity
The stock market brings together shares, bonds, capital increases, IPOs, takeover offers, news and CEO vacancies. It is not separate from the rest of the game. It is where companies look for capital and where investors compare opportunities.
Many of the companies, positions and decisions you interact with belong to other players. The game also includes system participants and companies where they are needed to support specific functions, but corporate strategy develops within a shared economy.
Ownership, management and control are not the same
Founding a company, managing it and owning its shares are related but distinct positions. That separation allows control to change over time and creates paths that go beyond starting a company and keeping it forever.
Founder
Creates the company and defines its initial identity.
CEO
Manages the company. The CEO may be the founder or a hired player.
Shareholder
Owns part of the capital and may gain influence on the board.
Investor
Looks for financial, strategic or control opportunities in other companies.
A company without a CEO can publish a vacancy in the market. A player may apply and take over its management even without having founded the company, provided that the player is not already managing another business.
Financing and corporate decisions
As the company grows, new tools connect internal finances with market behaviour. This guide only introduces their general purpose. Each subject has its own guide covering the rules, calculations and consequences in greater depth.
IPO
Open the company's capital and seek investment before it begins trading.
Bonds and debt
Raise finance in exchange for coupon payments and repayment of principal.
Corporate actions
Manage dividends, share buybacks and capital increases.
Takeovers and absorptions
Compete for control of other companies through acquisition offers.
Why BoardMasters is different
A traditional simulator often ends when the match ends. BoardMasters uses that result as the beginning of the next decision. The company keeps what it earned or lost, changes its financial position and enters a market that remains active.
| Traditional simulator | BoardMasters |
|---|---|
| Each match works in isolation | The company keeps a persistent financial history |
| The result ends the experience | The result changes cash, profit and equity |
| The company is usually controlled permanently by the same player | Ownership, management and influence can change |
| Investing is separate or unavailable | The company, portfolio and market form one economy |
Do you need financial knowledge to play?
You do not need to understand accounting or company valuation before starting. The first decisions are accessible, and financial concepts appear within a clear context: you have cash, a cost to pay, a result to interpret and another level to reach.
As you progress, understanding the difference between revenue, profit, debt, equity and liquidity begins to provide an advantage. BoardMasters guides are designed to explain these concepts first in the real world and then inside the game, using examples and calculations that can be applied directly.
Who BoardMasters is designed for
BoardMasters is especially suited to people who enjoy making decisions, comparing alternatives and understanding why a company gains or loses value. It does not require previous financial training, but it rewards curiosity about strategy, investing and business management.
It may also appeal to you if you are looking for an economic game with continuity, where building a company matters as much as competing. The guide who BoardMasters is for explores the different player profiles in more detail.
Frequently asked questions about BoardMasters
Is BoardMasters a business game or a stock market game?
It is both. Companies generate results through business simulation matches while also participating in a market with shares, bonds, capital increases, IPOs and corporate transactions.
Can I play without creating a company?
Yes. You can act as an investor, build a portfolio, participate in new issues and apply for CEO vacancies published by other companies.
What happens to the money earned in a match?
A positive reward is recorded as operating income and increases the company's cash. The result therefore continues to have an effect after the match ends.
How does a company level up?
The company's level depends on its equity. Reaching new thresholds unlocks higher competition halls and a more advanced corporate tier.
Do I always compete against real players?
Matchmaking brings players together and may complete a room with bots to avoid unnecessary waiting. The persistent economy, market and much of the corporate activity connect participants.
Do I need financial knowledge to start?
No. You can begin with straightforward decisions and learn how to interpret cash, profit, debt, equity and returns as you progress.