Origin Story
The Captain
Dominic Crapuchettes grew up in the wilds of Alaska, with mountains, ocean, and endless sky all around. Life there was full of work and adventure:
- At 7, he started helping on his mom’s beach site, living in a cabin built by family and friends — there were no roads, only small planes that could land on the sand.
- At 13, he joined his dad’s salmon fishing boat as crew.
- At 18, he took the helm and ran the boat for 12 seasons.
Even with nets in hand and tides to watch, Dominic always dreamed of something else: making games that people could share and enjoy together.
The Name
One stormy night, the boat’s engine room flooded. Every instrument died. He had to guide the boat home using only the North Star. Making it back changed everything — he promised himself he’d follow that dream.
In 2003, he left the fishing life behind and founded NorthStar Games. Since then, the goal has been simple: create games that guide players — new and experienced alike — into worlds of strategy, story, and shared fun. Every title is meant to be approachable, meaningful, and a little bit magical, so that every game night feels like an adventure.
Our Philosophy
Guiding Players, One Game at a Time
At NorthStar Game Studio, we believe every game should be a journey. Our mission is to help players — new and experienced alike — find their way into worlds of strategy, story, and shared fun. Like the North Star guiding travelers, our games aim to be approachable, engaging, and meaningful.
We create experiences that are easy to pick up, rich enough to explore deeply, and designed to bring people together around the table. Every title is crafted with care, so players can discover, connect, and make memories that last well beyond the final turn.
The Team
Dominic Crapuchettes | Owner
Dominic grew up in the wilds of Alaska, captaining salmon fishing boats before following his lifelong dream of creating games. He founded NorthStar Games in 2003, driven by a passion for designing experiences that bring people together around the table. As Head Designer, Dominic leads the vision for every game, crafting systems that are easy to learn, endlessly replayable, and deeply meaningful. When he’s not designing, he’s likely testing new game ideas with family, exploring the outdoors, or reminding the team that every great game starts with a story.
David Bock | Marketing Director
David lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his child, Ezra, and his partner, Jamie. When he’s not working, their family is playing board games or video games, watching movies and anime, or building legos. They live with two elderly cats (Niko and Kirby), two snakes (a ball python named Luma, and a brendli python named Max), some guppies, a collection of isopods, and one house plant short of a jungle. David is a published designer (Rocket Ranchers) and has worked with Cephalofair, Red Raven, Arcane Wonders, and Son of Oak. At NorthStar he takes care of our community, oversees marketing campaigns, and shapes our message to help bring our games and experiences to players everywhere.
