// startup autopsy
Discovery Bay Games
iPad board games that couldn't survive Apple's hardware pivots.
platform dependencySilent Shutdown
Quiet closure with no public announcement · Fatal mistake: Discovery Bay Games built its entire product line around iPad dock connectors, making Apple's Lightning transition a company-killing compatibility crisis.
Key Events Timeline
FOUNDING
Discovery Bay Games founded to create physical-digital hybrid board games for iPad.
FUNDING
Raises $15M to expand product line and retail distribution across major toy retailers.
REGULATORY ACTION
Apple announces Lightning connector transition, breaking compatibility with Discovery Bay's dock-based products.
LAYOFF
Sales stall as connector transition and market saturation hit the iPad accessory toy segment.
SHUTDOWN
Discovery Bay Games closes operations as the hybrid board game market fails to sustain the business.