Find boardgamers near you!

16 October 2026

• Zoom to…: a new dropdown at the top right of the map zooms straight to a country or region — handy for seeing who's on the map in a particular part of the world.
• Modern Abstracts category: a new game category for strategy games with minimal theme, clean design and logical decision-making (think Santorini, Hive, Azul and Onitama). It's available in the filter and when adding or editing pins and meetups.
• Choose your own PIN: you can now pick your own 4-digit PIN when adding a pin or meetup, or keep the random one we suggest. Obvious PINs like 1234 or 1111 aren't allowed, and please note that a PIN can't be changed once it's set — so choose one you'll remember.

2 October 2026

• Top games: you can now list up to 5 of your favourite games right on your pin, so other players get an instant sense of what you're into.
• Search by game: a new search box in the Filter panel lets you look for players — or meetups — mentioning a specific game, e.g. "Ark Nova" or "ASL".
• Simpler step-by-step forms: adding a pin or a meetup is now a short guided flow instead of one long form.
• Meetups, improved: meetups can now list the games regularly played there, and show up in game searches alongside gamer pins. A new "Include meetups" filter toggle lets you hide them entirely if you'd rather just browse individual players.
• Belgium postcode lookup: Belgium joins the list of countries with postcode lookup support — select it from the country dropdown when adding or editing your pin.
• Postcode accuracy fixes: Canadian and Irish postcode lookup now works correctly (both were broken before this update) — note that for these two countries, only the first part of the postcode is used to place your pin.

14 August 2026

• Social media: LocalMeeple is now on X (@LocalMeeple) and Facebook — follow us for updates and to connect with the community!
• Logo and branding: refreshed the site header with a new logo, updated colour scheme, and general visual improvements to bring LocalMeeple out of beta.

3 July 2026

• Expanded postcode lookup: postcode and zip code lookup now works for the Netherlands, Germany, Australia and New Zealand, in addition to the existing UK, Ireland, US and Canada support. A country dropdown has been added next to the postcode field — the US, Germany, Australia and New Zealand require you to select your country (since their formats overlap with others); UK, Ireland, Canada and Dutch postcodes are auto-detected.
• General bug fixes: a number of behind-the-scenes fixes and code improvements, including a fix for pins appearing in the wrong location due to a map wrapping issue.
• Support the site: added a Ko-fi link if you'd like to help keep LocalMeeple running — entirely optional and much appreciated!

17 June 2026

• Enabled pin location editing: you can now relocate your pin either by postal code (where enabled) or map click via the existing Edit Pin option.
• Owned games in BGG collection: Clicking on someone's Collection in their pin profile now only shows OWNED games, not everything (including sold, wishlist etc).
• Created this What's New section! Since launching the site in May I've gradually refined the tool, fixed various bugs and imperfections, and I'm gradually adding features incrementally, including based on user feedback and suggestions — keep them coming! Will keep this section updated as life and work allows...

Coming soon

• Further (minor) usability improvements
• Additional features (as a worthy use case arises or good suggestions come in!)

All of the above when time allows, as this is just a hobby project!

What is LocalMeeple?

It's a free map for finding tabletop gamers near you. Add a pin to show you're in the area, browse other players, and discover local games nights and meetups. No account needed, no cost, no catch.

Why did you create this — aren't there loads of similar sites already?

Honestly, I built it mainly to see what would happen! It's my first attempt at a project like this, so be gentle. But there was a genuine itch to scratch too — seeing people post ad hoc messages on Facebook groups seemed like a really inefficient way to find like-minded gamers nearby.

As someone who's very visual, a simple map tool seemed worth a try — especially one that lets people filter by game type. Historical wargamers, hex-and-counter fans in particular, seem quite poorly served by other apps and sites out there.

Furthermore, while there are places to find local boardgame clubs or café listings, nobody seems to be covering the individual gamer — someone who might not have a club nearby, or who's simply curious whether anyone else locally shares their particular niche. That's the gap I'm hoping LocalMeeple fills.

Of course your exact location is obfuscated, and while gamers are a friendly bunch, common sense is always advised — see the Terms of Use for a few practical safety tips.

What is LocalMeeple not trying to do?

As above, there are a number of similar map and listings sites that cater for boardgame clubs, cafés and conventions — for example the UK Games Expo Community section, which is well worth a look. These venues and events can and may be added on LocalMeeple, but the primary focus here is on the individual gamer and filtering by gaming niche.

I'm deliberately avoiding the requirement to set up an account or any other unnecessary admin — for users or for myself! Once people have a sense of who's around, the messaging and boardgame information infrastructure is already covered by BoardGameGeek. The thinking is that anyone using this site either already has a BGG account or is happy to quickly set one up. Of course, this is a work in progress and I'm very open to ideas and feedback!

How do I find players near me?

Use the Filter button (top of the map) to narrow pins by game category, distance radius, and recent activity. If you grant location access when you first visit, LocalMeeple automatically shows how many gamers are within 50km and offers a Zoom to my area button to jump straight there.

How do I add my pin?

Click + Add my pin in the top-right. Enter a display name, your BGG username, and your postcode or zip code — that's all that's required. You can also add your game interests, a short "about me", and what you're looking for in an opponent (strongly recommended). Hit Save and you're on the map.

Is my home address shown publicly?

No. Your postcode or zip code is never stored — it's just used to find a rough latitude and longitude, which is then randomly nudged by 500–1000 metres before anything gets saved. The dashed ring around your pin shows that uncertainty area. Nobody (including us) can work out your exact address from a LocalMeeple pin.

What games does LocalMeeple cover?

Everything on a tabletop — Eurogames (Wingspan, Brass: Birmingham, Ark Nova) hex-and-counter and other wargames incl. CDGs (Twilight Struggle, Commands & Colours, Combat Commander), miniatures (Warhammer, Star Wars: Legion, Bolt Action), card games (Magic, Star Wars Unlimited, Arkham Horror: The Card Game), "Ameritrash" (Twilight Imperium, Cosmic Encounter, Dune), modern abstracts (Santorini, Hive, Azul), and everything in between. When adding your pin you can tick the categories that fit you best.

How do I edit or remove my pin?

Click your pin on the map and use the Edit or Delete buttons in the popup. You'll need the 4-digit PIN you chose when you added your pin (or accepted from our suggestion) — keep it somewhere safe, as it can't be changed once set. Lost it? Drop a message to FightingMarmot8 on BGG or email [email protected] and we'll sort it.

How do I stop my pin going stale?

Pins fade gently over time and may be removed after 12 months of inactivity. Just click your pin and hit Refresh (PIN required) to reset the clock — once a year is plenty.

What are meetup pins?

A second pin type for organised games nights, clubs, and one-off events rather than individual players. Click + Add meetup to put your event on the map. Meetup pins go at the actual venue location (no privacy offset, since it's a public place) and can include a link to a Facebook group, Meetup.com page, or BGG guild.

Do I need a BoardGameGeek account?

No account is needed to browse or find meetups. To add your own gamer pin however, you'll be asked for a BGG username — it's what links other players to your collection and profile, and it's a deliberate design and safety choice rather than an inconvenience: it gives your pin a lightweight accountability layer, tied to an established BGG profile with its own reputation and moderation.

This means LocalMeeple never has to store or expose your real contact details, since messaging happens entirely through BGG's system, rather than a public email address that would be an easy target for spam-harvesting bots. If you don't have an account on BGG yet, creating one is free and takes about two minutes. If you really want to add a secondary contact method, and are willing to accept the above risks, you can do this in the 'About Me' section of your pin profile.

Which countries are supported?

Postcode and zip code lookup works for:

• 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
• 🇮🇪 Ireland
• 🇺🇸 United States
• 🇨🇦 Canada
• 🇳🇱 Netherlands
• 🇩🇪 Germany
• 🇦🇺 Australia
• 🇳🇿 New Zealand
• 🇧🇪 Belgium

The US, Germany, Australia, New Zealand and Belgium require you to select your country from the dropdown that appears next to the postcode field (since their formats overlap with others). If you're elsewhere, just click your location directly on the map — the pin placement works worldwide.

Community guidelines

Please keep all text friendly and appropriate — this is a community tool for connecting gamers, not a place for anything offensive, political, or inappropriate. Pins with offensive content can be reported via the "Report" link on any pin popup and will be removed. Repeat offenders will be blocked from adding new pins.

Something's wrong / I have a suggestion

Get in touch via BGG (FightingMarmot8) or email [email protected]. All feedback genuinely welcome.

Can I support LocalMeeple?

If you find the site useful and want to help keep it going, you're very welcome to buy me a coffee on Ko-fi — entirely optional, no pressure, and it genuinely helps with hosting costs and motivation to keep adding features. Thanks!

Thanks! Matt

Using LocalMeeple

LocalMeeple is provided free of charge as a hobby project. By using the site, you agree to these terms. If you don't agree, please don't use the site.

You must be at least 16 years old to use LocalMeeple.

Your content

You're responsible for anything you post — your display name, BGG username, descriptions, and meetup details. Please keep everything friendly, accurate, and appropriate. Content that's offensive, misleading, or breaches these terms may be removed at our discretion, with or without notice.

By posting a pin or meetup, you confirm the information is accurate to the best of your knowledge and that you have the right to share it.

Meeting other users

LocalMeeple is a tool for finding and connecting with other tabletop gamers — what happens after that is between you and them. We don't vet, verify, or take responsibility for any user, meetup, or interaction arranged through the site. Please use your own judgement and normal common-sense precautions when meeting anyone new, online or in person.

A few practical suggestions: consider meeting for the first time somewhere public, such as a games café, club night, or convention, rather than a private address; let a friend or family member know where you're going and who you're meeting; and trust your instincts — if something feels off, it's fine to leave or cancel.

No warranty

LocalMeeple is provided "as is", with no guarantee that it will always be available, error-free, or fit for any particular purpose. As a hobby project maintained in spare time, things may occasionally break, change, or go offline without warning.

Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, LocalMeeple and its creator accept no liability for any loss, damage, or dispute arising from your use of the site, including but not limited to: meetups or contact arranged through the site, inaccurate information posted by other users, or any interruption or loss of data.

Indemnity

You agree to hold LocalMeeple and its creator harmless from any claim, loss, or damage arising from your use of the site, your content, or your conduct towards other users, including in connection with any meetup or interaction arranged through the site.

Third-party links

LocalMeeple links to third-party sites and services, including BoardGameGeek profiles, external meetup pages, and social media groups. We have no control over and accept no responsibility for the content, accuracy, or practices of any third-party site.

Intellectual property

Game names and publishers mentioned on LocalMeeple (such as specific board games or game systems) are referenced only to describe game genres and categories. LocalMeeple is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by BoardGameGeek or any game publisher mentioned on the site.

Removing content

We reserve the right to remove any pin, meetup, or other content at our discretion, including in response to reports from other users, without needing to provide a reason.

Changes to these terms

These terms may be updated as the site develops. Continued use of LocalMeeple after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.

Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales.

Contact

Questions about these terms can be sent via private message to FightingMarmot8 on BoardGameGeek, or by email at [email protected].

Who we are

LocalMeeple is an independent tool that helps tabletop gamers find others in their local area. It is not affiliated with BoardGameGeek. See also our Terms of Use.

What we collect

LocalMeeple has two types of user-created content: gamer pins and meetup pins.

Gamer pins — when you add yourself to the map, we store:

Display name — the name you choose to show on the map. This does not need to be your real name.

BoardGameGeek username — used to link to your public BGG collection and profile page.

Approximate location — you provide your postcode or zip code (or click the map directly) to place your pin. Your postcode or zip code is used only to find a latitude and longitude and is never stored in our database. The resulting map location is then randomly offset by between 500 and 1000 metres before being saved, so your precise location is never stored or transmitted. A subtle dashed ring on your pin indicates the uncertainty area. Postcode lookup is provided via postcodes.io (UK), zippopotam.us (US, Canada, Belgium), and Nominatim/OpenStreetMap (Netherlands, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland). Players elsewhere can place their pin directly on the map.

Interests and optional text — the game categories, "about me", and "looking for" text you choose to share.

Top games — up to 5 games you choose to list as your favourites.

Any text you enter in these fields is shown publicly and is not reviewed or verified by us before appearing on the map. If you choose to include contact details such as an email address, that's entirely your own decision and it will be visible to anyone visiting the site, including automated scrapers — we'd recommend BGG's own messaging system instead, for the reasons explained in the FAQ.

Meetup pins — when you add a meetup or community event, we store:

Event title and description — the name and description of your meetup as you enter them.

Approximate location — you provide the venue postcode or zip code (or click the map directly) to place the meetup. The postcode or zip code is used only to find a map location and is never stored. No privacy offsetting is applied to meetup pins as they typically represent public venues rather than private addresses.

Frequency and categories — how often the event runs and what types of games are played.

External link — any URL you provide pointing to more information about the meetup.

How your data is used

All gamer pin and meetup pin data is displayed publicly on the map to all visitors. This is the core purpose of the service — connecting local gamers and promoting community events.

We do not use your data for advertising, profiling, or any purpose beyond displaying it on this map.

The legal basis for processing this data is your consent — you choose to submit your pin or meetup details, and can withdraw that consent at any time by removing your own entry.

Who can see your data

Anyone who visits LocalMeeple can see all pins on the map. Gamer pins show your display name, BGG username, approximate location, top games, and any interests or text you chose to share. Meetup pins show the event title, description, frequency, categories, and any external link provided.

How long we keep it

Gamer pins remain on the map until you remove them yourself. You can do this at any time by clicking your pin and selecting Remove. However, pins not refreshed for over 12 months may be periodically reviewed and removed to keep the map current — click the Refresh button on your pin roughly once a year to keep it active and avoid this. As a general guideline, we aim not to retain inactive gamer pin data for much longer than around 12 months from the date of last refresh, though this isn't an automatic or guaranteed process.

Meetup pins remain on the map until the organiser removes them. We recommend removing or updating your meetup pin if the event is no longer running.

Where data is stored

Data is stored using Supabase, a cloud database service. Servers are located in the EU (Ireland). Supabase's own privacy policy applies to data storage infrastructure.

Optional geolocation

When you first visit, LocalMeeple may ask for your device's location in order to show you how many gamers are nearby and zoom the map to your area. This requires your explicit permission via your browser's standard location prompt. If you decline, nothing happens and no location data is accessed.

If you grant permission, your location is used only within your browser to calculate distances to nearby pins and centre the map. It is never sent to our servers, never stored in our database, and is discarded when you close or refresh the page.

Your rights

You can edit or remove your own gamer pin or meetup pin at any time directly from the map using the 4-digit PIN you chose when you created it. The PIN cannot be changed once set, so keep it safe — it is the only way to edit or remove your entry yourself. If you lose your PIN, please contact us and we will remove it manually within a reasonable timeframe.

For any questions, data requests, or other enquiries, you can reach us via private message to FightingMarmot8 on BoardGameGeek, or by email at [email protected].

If you're unhappy with how a data request or complaint has been handled, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's data protection regulator.

Age restriction

LocalMeeple is not intended for use by anyone under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect data from children. If you believe a pin has been created by or contains information about someone under 16, please contact us and it will be removed.

Changes to this policy

This policy may be updated as the app develops. Continued use of the map after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.