Questions people
ask before they join.

Otto is a design-forward American Mahjong brand. We make a cohesive set of tiles, mat, racks, and accessories — all designed together as one system — for people who care about what sits on their shelves and what happens around their table. Otto is not positioned as a lifestyle brand or a collectible series. It's a considered object for people who actually play.

One Table. Three Others. Mahjong is a four-person game — one table, shared by four players. Otto is also palindromic and typographically symmetrical, which felt right for a game built entirely on pattern and balance. The name can be stamped as a mid-century motif on tile backs without losing its meaning in either direction.

Most American Mahjong sets are designed for a specific aesthetic lane — floral, preppy, destination-inspired. Otto was built for the households those sets don't reach: design-minded homes where both partners need to love what's on the coffee table. More specifically, every Otto component was designed in the same conversation. The tiles, mat, racks, and accessories share the same palette, the same material logic, and the same visual language — because they were developed as a system, not assembled from separate sources.

Yes, and we think this matters. Mahjong originated in China in the 19th century. The American version evolved from that tradition over the past century into its own distinct form — different rules, a standardized annual card, its own cultural life. Otto is an American Mahjong brand. We participate in the American tradition while holding clear respect for where the game comes from. We don't claim to be reinventing or modernizing Mahjong. We're making a considered set for people who want to play it.

The full Otto system includes a 160-piece American Mahjong tile set, a premium play mat with storage sleeve, a set of four solid walnut racks with rack sleeves, and reference cards (one per player). Each component is designed to work together visually and materially. Bundle pricing will be available at presale for waitlist members.

Acrylic and tortoise shell racks dominate the current market. Walnut brings material warmth that matches how the rest of the Otto set — and the room it lives in — actually feels. The racks are designed as furniture, not accessories. Solid walnut with a satin oil finish, rounded radii, and a refined brass inlay for the Otto mark. They're heavy enough to feel permanent, refined enough to feel intentional.

Recessed engraving with paint infill — not flat UV printing. UV printing sits on the surface and can wear over time. Recessed engraving means the iconography has physical depth, and the paint infill stays true through regular handling. Three-layer acrylic construction. Solid color backs with the Otto mark, engraved and infilled or pad printed for durability.

The tile set is targeted at $300–$400. Mat pricing is targeted at $60–$70. Rack and accessory pricing is still being confirmed. Bundle pricing for the full system will be offered at presale, with a discount for waitlist members purchasing early.

Yes. Otto is a standard 160-piece American Mahjong set, fully compatible with the National Mah Jongg League card and NMJL rules. The design is original — the game is exactly the same one you already know or are learning.

Yes. Each Otto set includes reference cards with an in-game quick reference guide and an NMJL card decoder — both designed to make the most common confusion points easy to resolve mid-game without stopping play. If you want to learn before committing to a full set, Little Table is also a great stepping stone for the whole household.

One card per player. Designed to sit in your hand during a game and resolve the most common mid-game questions in seconds. One side covers in-game rules — Joker usage, calling mechanics, dead hand causes, Charleston basics, and simultaneous call resolution. The other side is an NMJL card decoder — suit color coding, set types, parenthetical notations, and exposure rules. See the full Reference Cards page for complete details.

Little Table is a separate children's tile game designed as a stepping-stone toward American Mahjong. It uses four kid-friendly suits — Animals, Shapes, Nature, and Numbers — and grows with children from ages 4 through 12 across three levels of play. It's not a simplified Mahjong set. It's a standalone game that builds the pattern recognition and strategic thinking that makes Mahjong click naturally later.

Level 1 (The Matcher) is designed for ages 4–6 and uses pure draw-and-match mechanics — no calling, no strategy, just recognizing suits and collecting sets. Most four-year-olds can follow the basic matching rules with a caregiver at the table. Level 2 (ages 7–9) introduces hand-building and calling. Level 3 (ages 10–12) adds full strategy, the Charleston, and wildcard tiles that directly mirror Joker logic in the adult game.

No. Little Table is a completely separate product with its own tile suits and design. The tiles are larger, bolder, and use the Animals, Shapes, Nature, and Numbers suits — designed for small hands and immediate visual recognition. The visual identity of Little Table is warmer and more saturated than the main Otto line, but shares the same design philosophy: bold where it needs to be, calm where it can be. Not cartoonish. Not primary-colored for its own sake.

Otto is currently in development. We're working through sampling and production timelines. Waitlist members will be the first to know when presale opens — and will receive early access pricing before the general public. We'll update the list with honest timelines as we have them.

Presale will be deposit-based — a smaller amount down, with the balance due closer to shipment. This lets us confirm production runs without requiring you to pay in full before the product exists. We'll be transparent about production timelines, any delays, and what your deposit covers. Waitlist members receive early access pricing and first-run availability before presale opens to the public.

Nothing is charged and nothing is committed. Joining the waitlist means you'll receive updates as the collection develops, be notified first when presale opens, and have access to early pricing before the general public. You can unsubscribe at any time.

We're focused on domestic US shipping for the first presale run. International shipping will depend on demand and logistics — if you're outside the US and interested, joining the waitlist is the best way to stay informed and signal interest.