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I have been following the development of AWS BuilderCards for several years. Players of all skill levels use the cards to learn about AWS in a fun and engaging way, competing (in a friendly way) to combine their cards to create architectures, gaining knowledge and points as they play:
To date, over 15,000 sets of BuilderCards have been printed and put into use across three re:Invents, fifteen AWS Summits, and numerous community events. For example, here’s a group of AWS enthusiasts having a good time in Tokyo during JAWS Days 2024:
Player feedback has been incredibly positive, with a 4.8-star Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) across more than 1,500 responses.
Second edition now available
I am excited to announce that the second edition of AWS BuilderCards will be distributed at re:Invent 2024 and will soon be available for purchase online. In response to feedback on the first edition, we’ve made many changes to the second edition. Here is a summary:
Design — The revised design focuses on the card content with additional gradients and patterns to make the cards more attractive and playful. The font size has been increased, game effects are now represented as icons, and QR codes now point to the BuilderCards website:
Game mechanics — The mechanics have been revised to improve balance, simplify the game and remove some distortions. There are also some launch cards that represent a common local data center environment.
Generative AI Add-On Pack — This new deck includes 50 additional BuilderCards designed to show how generative artificial intelligence and AWS architecture match. This expansion pack also includes a set of mission cards. These cards add context with QR codes that link to published best practices or solutions. The cards are larger, with additional text and an architectural diagram. Use is optional, players get extra points for completing missions. Each deck also includes five blank builder cards and two blank mission cards to support customization:
Get your BuilderCards
If you’ll be at re:Invent 2024, plan to visit the BuilderCards gaming area on Level 1 of Caesar’s Forum next to the PeerTalk area:
Sunday – 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m
Monday – 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m
Tuesday – 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m
Wednesday – 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m
Thursday – 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m
You can play against other re:Invent attendees and also get your own game and add-on packs to take home (we’re giving away 1,000 per day). Thanks to the hard work of Masanori Yamaguchi (AWS Hero) and Kosuke Enomoto (AWS Community Builder), we will also have BuilderCards in Japanese for local play. You can read Kosuke’s blog post (AWS BuilderCards Japanese Edition for JAWS DAYS) to learn more about the translation process.
If you won’t be able to attend re:Invent, you’ll soon be able to purchase your own package. Check back here for more information!
Stay tuned
The BuilderCards team is working on more goodies including expansion packs and additional language packs.
— Jeff;