Tom Filsinger’s Independent Game Company Beats the Odds and Thrives After Four Decades!
July 29, 2026
It all started when creator Tom Filsinger was bored in his high school classes and came up with an original game system to pass the time. What followed was a full-page ad in Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazine in 1987 for a groundbreaking new tabletop card game called Champions of the Galaxy featuring a futuristic battleground combining professional wrestling action with comic book characters and storylines.
Forty years later Filsinger Games has earned a loyal fan following and expanded to online simulations of their tabletop card games as well as game editions featuring real-life professional wrestlers such as Randy Savage and Ted Dibiase in their Legends of Wrestling Card Game series. Filsinger Games also releases game cards for independent wrestlers and promotions.
Filsinger Games is a success story that defies the odds. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics only about twenty percent of independent companies survive for forty years.
Champions of the Galaxy is the dreamchild of creator Tom Filsinger. He has created over 200 original characters and over 60 game editions including the latest Champions of the Galaxy expansion called Superhero Earth. Filsinger’s game earned a loyal fan following right out of the gate. The game has received praise from no less than Marvel Comics creator and legend Stan Lee who called Champions of the Galaxy, “a really cool game.” Filsinger and Lee collaborated on a book of political satire called Election Daze which was released in 2008. The book sold over 10,000 copies and comedian Dennis Miller called it, “absolutely hysterical.”
Filsinger Games also boasts a long-running annual convention devoted to their games called GalactiCon which began in 1990. The 37th annual convention was held live on July 28-29 in two locations, Honey Brook, Pennsylvania, and Burbank, California. Fans that did not attend in person participated virtually online, including game fans in Canada, England, and Australia.
“This has been an amazing ride,” said Tom Filsinger. “And it’s not over yet. We’ve got the best fans in the galaxy. We’re looking forward to new areas of growth and gaming excitement!”
Game fans concur with this sentiment. “The best thing about Filsinger Games is that it combines creativity with community,” said lifetime game fan Mike Melesky. “The game allows you to play dream matches with legendary wrestlers and also to imagine what wrestling will be like in the future with science fiction stories.”
Tom has collaborated with real-life professional wrestlers and has their support. Filsinger works closely with the Cauliflower Alley Club, a nonprofit organization that supports professional wrestlers, and the Tragos-Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in Waterloo, Iowa. According to Filsinger, “We share the same goals to keep the amazing history of professional wrestling alive and recognizing the achievements of legendary wrestlers from the past as well as up-and-coming wrestlers today.” Brian Blair, President of the Cauliflower Alley Club, formerly a wrestler on the popular Killer Bees tag team, said: “When I feel like getting back in the ring, I play with Filsinger Games cards and it’s game on!”
Champions of the Galaxy and Legends of Wrestling Card Game are tabletop games played with playing cards featuring eye-catching art on the front and game stats on the back. The matches are played with action charts and dice, moving along at a rapid-fire pace. Game fans can simulate a real-life arena wrestling event in less than an hour as the promoter and main booker either playing alone or with friends. Over 50,000 game editions have been sold since 1987.
In addition to being a game creator, writer, and entrepreneur, Tom Filsinger has had a dual career as a psychology professor at six colleges in four states including John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio and Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona. Filsinger received high student evaluations at all these colleges and was nominated for “Teacher of the Year” at Northern Arizona University. He has given talks on the Psychology of Creativity at colleges, libraries, and game conventions. “Creativity is a passion of mine,” says Filsinger. “It’s an important part of our game community and the creativity of our fans is amazing.” Filsinger, a bored high school student, wound up becoming a successful college professor!
The success of Filsinger Games is a testament to the importance for independent game companies of building fan communities as well as evolving and growing. “I never take it for granted,” says Filsinger. “This is what life is about: Fun, games, and community. There’s no expiration date for that.”
Contact Information:
Barry Walsh
Social Media Manager
Filsinger Games
715-5751846
Email barry@filsingergames.com
Website; www.filsingergames.com
Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1MqSvNwWg3/??mibextid=wwXlfr
X: https://x.com/FilsingerGames
