MiniWarGaming Inc. is a local business based in Welland.
They are a media company that creates unique and exclusive content that goes on their YouTube channel and website. They are a small business that employs 11 people and produce 18 - 20 videos a week. Its founders David Nordquist and Matthew Glanfield started the business in the fall of 2007. They’re a couple of local guys who grew up in Welland and have been playing tabletop games together since they were kids. They operate out of 4 custom made and unique studios that are all themed differently similar to what you’d see on a movie set. This adds to the immersive experience when you visit them in person or when you watch their videos.
Games such as Risk, Fighting Fantasy, Mechwarrior, & Dungeons and Dragons are some of the games they’ve played growing up. It was their love for this gaming hobby that sparked the idea to start their business almost 11 years ago. With their combined talents of internet marketing and dramatic arts, they’ve been able to craft their business to suit the needs of their viewership to a whole new level. Half the videos they create are free to view on YouTube while the other half are viewed through a paid subscription they’ve coined as “The Vault.”
Guests fly in from all over the world to play against them as their opponents in their videos. They’ve had fans come from Australia, the U.K., South America, and many places in the U.S. to battle against them. The wait list to participate in what they call video battle reports is 6 - 9 months. They play tabletop games mostly Gamesworkshop produced, such as Warhammer 40000 or Age of Sigmar. Their subscriber base on YouTube is just shy of 300,000. They utilize the full gamut of social media such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to reach their audience. Not a day goes by that they don’t post something and interact with their fans.
Due to their unique way of including their volunteer guests in videos, co-founder David Nordquist had an idea almost 2 years ago that they should accommodate their guests during their visits. He wanted to house them in a themed room similar to the studios they film out of. After talking about this dream of his to enough people, he eventually told the right person who became the investor in what will be an evolved version of MiniWarGaming Inc.. Currently they are just a media company providing entertainment to a paid subscriber base similar to Netflix (but on a much smaller scale). By summer of next year, they will transform themselves into a multi-venture business that provides a unique experience to much more than just their guests who fly in.
Their new 11,000 Sq ft location on King street in Welland is currently under construction and is set to be open for next summer. Their facility will include 6 filming studios; each uniquely themed and immersive. A combination of fantasy and sci-fi elements will be included in their design. A gaming store will be open for board gamers and hobbyists to come play and enjoy themselves. 5 themed overnight stay rooms will be constructed and open for gamers and people who want a unique immersive experience. Imagine sleeping in a sci-fi barracks. Or a room built by goblins. Or a fantasy room. In addition to these things, a large tournament hall will be open for people to participate in fun events. It’ll be a mini convention hall. Last but not least, there will be escape rooms constructed and included in this immersive experience. Imagine trying to escape from a horde of brain eating zombies before the clock runs out. Or investigating the lost
Space Marine on the deck of an alien infested spaceship. This and more are all in the works for MiniWarGaming Inc.
Helping to put Welland on the map is one of the goals for MiniWarGaming. They’ve been mostly hidden in the shadows of the community this past decade and many local people who accidentally walk into their current place of business say the same thing. “I never knew this place existed in Welland!” Now that they’ve established themselves as one of the most unique gaming and entertainment destinations in Niagara, they’re gearing up to fortify their foundations and grow to even greater heights. MiniWarGaming is here to stay!