How Golden Spike Games Pricing Compares to Deep Thought Games Pricing

Golden Spike Games prices are not the same as the historical Deep Thought Games (DTG) prices. According to Golden Spike Games' own site, DTG's listed prices "have never been adjusted," while Golden Spike Games' prices "reflect adjustments for the ever-rising cost of materials." So if you are comparing a DTG catalog listing against what Golden Spike Games charges for the same title, expect the Golden Spike Games figure to be the adjusted one. The site also states that its own prices have not changed since it began taking direct orders in 2014, and that further adjustments may eventually be needed as material costs keep rising.

Why the two price sets differ

The two sets of prices come from different points in time and different cost assumptions:

• Deep Thought Games prices: Never adjusted since they were originally set.
• Golden Spike Games prices: Set to account for rising material costs, and unchanged since 2014.
• Possible future change: Golden Spike Games says "at some point that might be needed" and that "some adjustment of prices will need to occur since the cost of materials keeps rising."

The practical takeaway: a DTG price is a historical reference point, not a current quote. Golden Spike Games is the party actually fulfilling orders, so its pricing is the one tied to current production.

What Golden Spike Games actually sells

Golden Spike Games does fulfillment for Deep Thought Games and offers direct orders of most of the DTG catalog — all games except 1817 and 18MEX. Those two titles are handled by All-Aboard Games. Deep Thought Games is not currently taking new orders.

The games are described as identical to those DTG produced in the past, with upgrades such as quad-fold boards.

How order sequencing affects price timing

Price timing is tied to fulfillment order, not just to the catalog:

1. Golden Spike Games fulfills its own direct, premium orders first.
2. Only after those are done does it reach games sitting in the DTG queue.
3. When it reaches the DTG queue, the site says some price adjustment will need to occur because material costs keep rising.

So if your order is in the DTG queue, the price you eventually pay may reflect an adjustment made at the time that queue is worked through — not the old DTG figure.

Current status signals

The site's recent news gives a sense of where fulfillment stands:

• 18 Sep 2026: Shipping has resumed. Games are ready to ship for all but two orders in the queue; those two contain 10+ games each and had not been started yet. Invoices were expected within the next week for queued orders.
• 18 Apr 2026: Attendance at TRAXX in Denver, Apr 30–May 3, with free delivery of games at the event if arranged by email with "for TRAXX delivery" in the subject line.
• 30 May 2026 / 29 May 2026: Travel absence, then return to shipping orders.

What to do if you want a current price

Because the site does not publish a price list in the material available here, and because it explicitly warns that adjustments may be needed, the reliable path is to ask directly rather than rely on a DTG catalog figure:

• Email Golden Spike Games about the specific title you want and ask for the current price.
• If you already have an order in the queue, watch for the invoice — the September 2026 note says queued orders should receive one within the following week.
• If you are attending an event where Golden Spike Games will be present, ask about bringing games for pickup, as with the TRAXX arrangement.

Quick comparison

The short version: treat DTG prices as outdated reference figures and Golden Spike Games prices as the adjusted, currently applicable ones — while expecting that even those may rise when the DTG queue is reached.