Pasi’s Fantastic Hobbies: Tabletop Role-Playing at Tyrmä in Joensuu

Pasi’s Fantastic Hobbies Oy celebrated its first anniversary in September 2026. A lot has happened during the company’s first year – and one of its biggest milestones came in January, when Tyrmä, a dedicated space for tabletop role-playing, gaming and other hobbies, opened in the centre of Joensuu. 

Players have found their way to Tyrmä

Tyrmä was created as a place where anyone can easily join in and discover tabletop role-playing games – even if they have never played before.

The popularity of role-playing games has been a positive surprise. Players have found their way to Tyrmä, with plenty of newcomers joining more experienced enthusiasts. Most players are around 20–40 years old and discover Tyrmä particularly through its website and active social media presence.

– It has been great to see so many first-time players joining us. You don’t need any previous experience with role-playing games – the most important thing is to be willing to jump in and become part of the story, says Pasi Seppänen, one of the company’s founders.

Located in the centre of Joensuu, Tyrmä is a 28-square-metre space designed especially for tabletop role-playing games. The gaming table accommodates six players and a game master. In addition to role-playing games, Tyrmä hosts activities such as miniature painting and other creative workshops.

Sparring the business idea before launch

Pasi’s Fantastic Hobbies Oy was founded by Pasi Seppänen, Tiina Huovinen, Kimmo Kuusinen, Hannu Voutilainen and Henri Jumppanen. During the start-up phase, the entrepreneurs used Business Joensuu’s business advisory services for new entrepreneurs. Together with business coach Lasse Immonen, they worked on the business idea and its further development and discussed practical questions related to launching the business.

By this point, the entrepreneurs already had a potential business space in mind and wanted to start piloting the concept as quickly as possible. The idea soon turned into action: Tyrmä opened its doors in January 2026.

A break from a screen-filled everyday life

The appeal of role-playing games may not be all that mysterious. In the middle of an increasingly digital everyday life, they offer something very tangible: an opportunity to gather around the same table, be present and do something together.

In a tabletop role-playing game, participants step into the roles of their characters and build a story together, guided by a game master. There are no winners or losers in the traditional sense. Instead, the choices made by the players determine where the story goes next.

– What I love about role-playing games is that it’s not about competing to see who wins. We sit around the same table, interact with each other and tell a story together. And for a while, we are genuinely offline, Pasi explains.

Role-playing is not just about swords, dragons and fantasy worlds, either. An adventure can just as easily take place in outer space, a historical setting or even in the middle of a police investigation. There are games and settings to suit a wide range of interests.

You also don’t need years of experience or a large group of friends to get started. First-time players are welcome, and even a small group is enough to begin.

A new kind of leisure activity in Joensuu

Tyrmä adds a participatory experience to Joensuu’s leisure offering: instead of simply watching from the sidelines, visitors become part of the experience themselves. Role-playing games add variety to what the city has to offer for local residents, visitors and different kinds of groups alike.

Could the next adventure take place beyond Tyrmä?

The response during the first year has also inspired ideas for the future. The entrepreneurs are interested in expanding the business, with pop-up gaming experiences in different locations being one possible direction.

There may also be growth opportunities among new target groups. A role-playing game can be a fun evening activity for a group of friends, but it can work equally well as a team wellbeing day or a shared experience for colleagues. No one is left watching from the sidelines: everyone takes part in building the story. International groups can join in too, as games can also be run in English when needed.

Above all, the first year has shown that there is demand for activities that bring people together. Perhaps that is exactly why role-playing games feel so relevant today: in the middle of a screen-filled everyday life, people gather around the same table, put the rest of the world aside for a moment – and start building a story together.

For more information:

Pasi’s Fantastic Hobbies – Tyrmä Joensuu
Pasi Seppänen, entrepreneur
+358 40 167 5776
info@pasisfantastichobbies.fi

Follow Pasi’s Fantastic Hobbies on social media:
Instagram | Facebook
Tyrmä Joensuu on Facebook

Text: Ilona Ohvanainen, Business Joensuu
Photos: Business Joensuu

The main photo features three of the company’s founders: Kimmo Kuusinen (left), Pasi Seppänen (centre) and Tiina Huovinen (right).