Netflix is making a Ravenloft show? A new Pax is coming to Houston, and Magic enjoys its competition? Also, there's SO MANY good crowdfunding campaigns going on right now! So we go through and talk about some cool campaigns and help you decide if its worth your money or not!

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Groundbreaking card game KeyForge announces online version 10 years after its heydey (from Wargamer)

PAX doubles down on Unplugged growth with new Houston show – just 12 days after Origins (from Board Game Wire)

This free Warhammer 40k fan game is a slapstick Space Marine deathmatch (from Wargamer)

D&D’s ‘Ravenloft’ Series In The Works At Netflix, While Faerun’s Realms Are Forgotten (from Bell of Lost Souls)

Other TCGs "are great" for Magic The Gathering and create "some of our big booms", says Wizards' Gavin Verhey (from Wargamer)

SPACE KING: The Board Game (Kickstarter)

Crypts & Dungeons (Kickstarter)

Catvale: The Board Game with Claws! (Kickstarter)

Dark Conspiracy – A Horror RPG in the Modern Age (BackerKit)

Rollacrit's Con Bag of Holding (Kickstarter)

Faster, Purple Worm! Everybody Dies, Vol. 2 (Kickstarter)

Game Toppers - Game Mat Bazaar (Kickstarter)

Snap Ships Tactics: Massive Expansion + Reprint (Kickstarter over, but late pledges availble)

Murder of crows (Gamefound)

Munchkin 5.5e RPG (BackerKit)

Amazon: https://boardsandswords.com/amazon

Email us your comments and questions at [email protected]. We're on social media! You can find us on Facebook & Instagram @boardsandorswords! You can also help support the show and get extra bonus content by pledging just $1/month at https://patreon.com/boardsandswords. Thank you for listening to the show. Until next time, remember that every gamer has a story…..what's yours?

Space Marines are dead, long live space marines? Also, Lorcana is working on a digital version, there's some cool looking D&D games coming, and what really happened with that "The Monolith" Kickstarter? Then, I take a look at "The Game Master's Book of Magic & Mayhem For Kids" from Media Lab Books. Amazon Affiliate Link

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“Our attempts to do things ‘different from the others’ came back to bite us”: Plaid Hat’s Colby Dauch on The Monolith’s Kickstarter failure and rapid turnaround (from Board Game Wire)
The Monolith was a Kickstarter from Plaid Hat Games that was pulled only a couple of days after it launched. Now, with the campaign re-launching, the CEO of Plaid Hat Games posted about what happened during that first campaign and how they will be doing things differently. In my (uninformed) opinion, methinks that some of the arguments used in this article aren't exactly painting the picture that Colby Dauch wanted to paint about their thought processes.

Disney Lorcana's new online game could dominate 2027, but only if it moves fast (from Wargamer)
The Disney themed trading card game Lorcana is getting an online version.....at some point! They announced it recently at D23, but gave no timeline on when this would be actually playable. Given the downturns that the game has seen this year, if this digital version comes out any later than 2027, it might be too late for the game. The CCG/TCG market is quick and merciless when it comes to killing games, and timing is everything.

GW massacres firstborn Space Marines, sends 17 Warhammer 40k units to Legends (from Wargamer)
The new Space Marines codex for Warhammer 40k 11th edition is inboard any day now, this version a little lighter than previous versions. That's because Games Workshop has chopped out several units that are either old, haven't seen widespread play in awhile, or have been tricky to balance rules wise (I'm looking at you, aircraft models). If you only play games casually at home, dont worry! This doesn't affect you one single bit.

The next Gloomhaven board game turns you into the greatest hero of all - an overworked HR manager (from Wargamer)
I love goofy ideas turned into a reality - that's why I've gotten so lost in random animes over the past year. But this next one from the makers of Gloomhaven definitely falls into this category - you act as a HR manager hiring mercenaries to participate in a tournament! Compared to the timesink of the original Gloomhaven game, this one claims to take only 45 minutes, which is a great way to bring people in that have been intimidated by all the various Gloomhaven games. I fully expect to try this one at Pax Unplugged this year.

D&D reveals a cozy tavern videogame, and I'm falling for it hook, line, and sinker (from Wargamer)
D&D: Warlock Gameplay Reveal And Deep Dive (from Bell of Lost Souls)
Ok yes, there's a new in depth D&D game coming out called Warlock and it looks super cool and everything, but who cares about that - there's a new D&D themed game where you get to make your own tavern! Imagine The Sims meets D&D, and now I can't stop thinking about this game and how 'Long Rest Tavern' will probably make soooo much money. Everyone I've shown the trailer to has been adding it to their Steam Wishlist.

For the child in all of us, this book will surely add a ton of chaos and whimsy to your D&D5e games. For under $20, this book is worth it just for the free downloads of all the colorful maps and locations that come when you buy the book! There's some traps and NPCs in this book that I will most definitely be adding to my games in the future - both for kids and adults alike!

Official Link
Amazon Affiliate Link

Is this encounter going to TPK my party? (from reddit.com/r/DMAcademy)
Short answer: It better. Longer answer: Who cares? You can always tweak things if things are too difficult on the fly! But if you are staging an encounter that's more than a "you run into random creatures along the way", then there should definitely be some threat to the players, or else you are just going to bore everyone.

Amazon: https://boardsandswords.com/amazon
Renegade Games Studios: https://boardsandswords.com/renegade
Monument Hobbies: 5% off using code "boardsandswords" at their checkout: https://monumenthobbies.com/

Email us your comments and questions at [email protected]. We're on social media! You can find us on Facebook & Instagram @boardsandorswords! You can also help support the show and get extra bonus content by pledging just $1/month at https://patreon.com/boardsandswords. Thank you for listening to the show. Until next time, remember that every gamer has a story…..what's yours?

That's....a lot of people. And I'm talking about the 74,000 that were at Gen Con this year, not the 80,000 the convention wants to get to. Also, if you loved the 2nd edition of Arkham Horror, you'll have another shot at getting it. And I take a look at the "Book of Blades" by Kobold Press, an expansion to their Tales of the Valiant RPG.

Join us on Discord! https://boardsandswords.com/discord 

Gen Con tops 74,000 attendees as record-breaking show preps for much-needed venue, hotel expansion (from Board Game Wire)

When is a convention too big? Apparently for Gen Con, 74,000 people isn't the answer. That's the record setting number of people that attended this year's convention, but officials are already saying that with the new expansions in hotel/event space in downtown Indianapolis, they are hoping to reach 80,000 people some day. My opinion? Maybe let the already packed downtown fill up the new areas instead of using it to shove even more people into the area.

Trio of board game industry veterans launch full-service agency Best in Play (from Board Game Wire)

One problem that we see over and over again in tabletop gaming is people that have an idea, but suck at logistics and other business areas. Several industry veterans are hoping to change that with Best in Play - a new consulting firm for board games. Now, if you've got an idea, concept, or even an IP you want to make a game out of, you can use this company to help find the right people to help make said ideas a reality.

Arkham Horror: 2nd Edition Remastered Coming To Gamefound (from Bell of Lost Souls)

Not a fan of the latest editions of Arkham Horror? Really wish you could go back to the 2nd edition of Arkham Horror? Now you can - Fantasy Flight Games announced that the 2nd edition will be coming to Gamefound as the first game in their new "Vault" series. Featuring new artwork and components, the company hopes to breathe new life into a version of the game many people consider the "original" version of the game.

RPG: Paizo’s Entire Catalog Is Coming To DriveThruRPG (from Bell of Lost Souls)

Tired of going to 5 different websites to get your TTRPG PDFs? Now, you can visit one less site! Paizo announced that all of its content is now available for purchase on DriveThruRPG. What's even better than that, is that soon you'll be able to link your Paizo account and have access to the content you've already purchased on DriveThruRPG as well! Given all the print on demand options that DriveThru offers, this is a real win/win for consumers!

D&D Executive Producer On Dark Sun’s Dark Themes And “2nd Party Publishers” (from Bell of Lost Souls)

The Executive Producers on D&D was asked a bunch of questions at Gen Con about the upcoming Dark Sun sourcebook and how other companies making official content for D&D will work. Most of it is....exactly what you would think. Honestly, I don't always have a lot of faith in the D&D management, but this interview lowered the bar even further. When you spout out basic level marketing ideas that the company should always be doing and then pass them off as new original concepts you've come up with...it's really quite sad.

Review - Book of Blades (Tales of the Valiant) by Kobold Press
https://koboldpress.com/kpstore/product/book-of-blades-tov/
https://amzn.to/4gA5n6v (Amazon Affiliate Link)

Tired of all the magic users getting abilities that let them do cool actions in combat? Pick up "Book of Blades" from Kobold Press and you'll get access to subclasses, items, and mechanics that will give your "martial" characters in Tales of the Valiant (OR D&D5e) some meaningful choices other than "I hit it with my weapon". Even out of combat, there are topics in this book that give characters narrative things to do to enrich their characters!

Good sources of free to use images without AI (from reddit.com/r/DMAcademy)

Any image is a good image if you believe in yourself! Honestly, where should you go for free to use non-AI generated images for your games? (Easy answer - any image is free to use if you aren't making money off of the game.)

Amazon: https://boardsandswords.com/amazon
Renegade Games Studios: https://boardsandswords.com/renegade
Monument Hobbies: 5% off using code "boardsandswords" at their checkout: https://monumenthobbies.com/

Email us your comments and questions at [email protected]. We're on social media! You can find us on Facebook & Instagram @boardsandorswords! You can also help support the show and get extra bonus content by pledging just $1/month at https://patreon.com/boardsandswords. Thank you for listening to the show. Until next time, remember that every gamer has a story…..what's yours?

All sorts of new stuff coming to D&D5.5, a board game version of Satisfactory, and a new version of Vampire the Masquerade? Plus, Wil Wheaton is doing a new tabletop gaming show! We talk to about that, and make sure to get in some dirtbag RPG advice along the way!

Join us on Discord! https://boardsandswords.com/discord 

Gundam Assemble Sighted at Gen Con, My Hero Academia Pre-Painted Minis Game Announced (via Bell of Lost Souls)
We're getting closer to the release of the Gundam Assemble miniatures game, and there was some early product seen on display at Gen Con. I was a bit down on the game in the beginning, but given some of the pictures we have seen about the punchboard terrain involved, I'm getting more and more interested in the game.

The new Satisfactory board game drops a key feature from the videogame - and that's a great sign (via Wargamer)
This week in "popular video game gets a board game adaptation", Satifactory is getting a board game version. Keeping it simple, the game plans on going for a 2D version of the game as they work to create a space elevator faster than anyone else. Seems like fun, although I'd like to see a mode where you have some wild challenges to complete.

Steal the show and ignite the crowd when Infinity: HexaDome Tactics brings the tabletop deckbuilder to the biggest screen in the house - YOURS (via Wargamer)
On the flip side of the previous story - have you been interested in the skirmish wargame Infinity? Now, there's a video game adaptation of one of the smaller modes of the game. Looks pretty snazzy and is a great way of learning the rules with only a small monetary investment.

White Wolf reveals Vampire: The Masquerade 6th edition, and it's "modernizing" the iconic TTRPG (via Wargamer)
Every time I think "its too soon for a new edition" of a game, I get reminded that the existing game has been out for almost 10 years. White Wolf has announced that they are working on a Vampire: The Masquerade Sixth Edition, with a lot of new streamlined mechanics. Not only that, the company announced a slate of titles that sound quite interesting.

Felicia Day and Wil Wheaton announce new board game show, a spiritual successor to Tabletop (via Wargamer)
Wil Wheaton's Tabletop show was one of the things that got me really into the board game scene. Now, as a part of the new "The Guild" Kickstarter, Wil and Felicia Day are looking to bring back that magic with a new show about tabletop games called "Conludo". The more people back the Kickstarter, the more episodes that will be produced - but is it too late for this? Looking at the campaign, I can't help but think that it should be further along with this kind of announcement.

Gen Con D&D Announcements
https://www.polygon.com/dnd-gen-con-2026-biggest-announcements/
https://www.dungeonsanddragons.com/world-of-warcraft/
https://wpn.wizards.com/en/products/dnd-world-of-warcraft?product=20H69JFHbJ36GshyfTWGE7

My player wants to use his wish to a second bonus action per turn. (via r/DMAcademy)
Whenever players get the option, of course they are going to want things that fundamentally break the game. Sometimes....you need to break back. Wish spells are great for those monkey's paw style deals.

How do yall like to scare your players? (via r/DMAcademy)
When playing a horror game, sometimes you want to really immerse your players and give them a good scare. Yet, that's not the only times a good scare is warranted. How can you rattle your player's bones?

Amazon: https://boardsandswords.com/amazon
Renegade Games Studios: https://boardsandswords.com/renegade
Monument Hobbies: 5% off using code "boardsandswords" at their checkout: https://monumenthobbies.com/

Email us your comments and questions at [email protected]. We're on social media! You can find us on Facebook & Instagram @boardsandorswords! You can also help support the show and get extra bonus content by pledging just $1/month at https://patreon.com/boardsandswords  . Thank you for listening to the show. Until next time, remember that every gamer has a story…..what's yours?

Remember last episode when we talked about the new Lazy Gamemaster Kickstarter campaign? Well, now you can hear it from the man himself! Mike Shea joins us to talk about the campaign (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/slyflourish/rise-of-the-lazy-game-master), how Paizo is ending long term licensing deals, and CMON continues long term terrible decision making.

Join us on Discord! https://boardsandswords.com/discord 

CMON scraps $2.1m NFT game maker investment, three months after betting on deal to expand revenue, remain ‘relevant’ (from BoardGameWire)

Oh man, the jokes just write themselves on this story. Months after we made fun of CMON investing in a company making NFT games, the struggling board game company has pulled out of the deal. The details on why they abandoned the deal are not fully known, but we all really know. Anyone thinking NFTs are still 'relevant' has no clue at all what they are doing.

Board games go full Funko Pop, with teeny tiny micro-replicas of classics to collect, but NEVER play (from Wargamer)

What if you could pay money for mini versions of board game boxes and put them on a mini IKEA Kallax shelf? Well now you can! Brotherwise Games is selling a starter set of "Shelfy", which are wooden tiny versions of popular board game boxes that you can display on a similarly scaled down shelf alongside several blind packs of other games for you to complete your "collection". I'm not sure that I fully get the appeal, but if you are at work and miss seeing your Kallax full of games that you haven't played, this is a good way to bring that feeling to work.

Paizo Ends Licensing Partnership With Archive Of Nethys (from Bell of Lost Souls)

Paizo ended (and then created a new deal) with popular third party site "Archive of Nethys", citing increasing legal costs as one of the many reasons they couldn't let the existing partnership stand. AoN is a site where lots of the official Pathfinder artwork and rules are posted, typically before they are even available to purchase. With the increased financial issues that have been reported out of Paizo, the penny pinching going on here makes me nervous as to the company's future.

RPG: Roll20 And Czepeku Team Up – Dynamic VTT Maps Have Never Been Easier (from Bell of Lost Souls)

Previously, if you used Roll20 and had map files from other sources, either pre-made or built yourself, the only way to bring in those files and keep all the walls/lightning/etc in place was to subscribe and use a custom import script that one user made. Now, Roll20 has partnered with the popular map site Czepeku to offer a built in UVTT importer, allowing these files to quickly get added to your Roll20 games. You still have to pay for Roll20 to utilize any lighting features on the map, but now there is way more available to users who aren't able to purchase a subscription.

MTG teases 4 Star Trek Commander decks, plus diversity and moral choices as game mechanics (from Wargamer)

It's a weird crossover, but what Magic the Gathering set isn't these days? We've gotten early looks at the four Commander decks that will be coming out later this year in the Star Trek set. There's a TNG/Voyager set, one for TOS, a Klingon one, and one for the Borg. Artifact decks are already scary enough as it is, so I can only imagine how terrifying a Borg-themed artifact deck will end up!

Oops My Players Have Fire Immunity in a Magma Field. What do I do? (from reddit/r/DMAcademy)

You've managed to get a high level campaign, and now your players are able to find ways around the dangerous environments you've created? Sounds like you aren't being creative enough! Just because they don't take damage, doesn’t mean their clothes and armor are immune to fire!

Amazon: https://boardsandswords.com/amazon

Renegade Games Studios: https://boardsandswords.com/renegade

Monument Hobbies: 5% off using code "boardsandswords" at their checkout: https://monumenthobbies.com/

Email us your comments and questions at [email protected]. We're on social media! You can find us on Facebook & Instagram @boardsandorswords! You can also help support the show and get extra bonus content by pledging just $1/month at https://patreon.com/boardsandswords  . Thank you for listening to the show. Until next time, remember that every gamer has a story…..what's yours?

Wingspan will soon fit in your pocket, Spirit Island is getting a new publisher, and the Lazy Gamemaster has a brand new kickstarter campaign! Speaking of being a GM, if you want to be a better one, you’ll want to check out our review of “So You Want To Be A Game Master” by Justin Alexander (amazon affiliate link). Then, we’ll give you some examples of “great” GM advice in our Ask A Dirtbag GM segment! Join us on Discord!

Join us on Discord! https://boardsandswords.com/discord

Beloved bird board game Wingspan announces a pint-sized Pocket version (from Wargamer)
Wingspan is getting a small, standalone version of the game to make it more accessible and beginner friendly. Although Philip had the best idea during the show and this version should only have featured small birds, but I doubt that will actually be the case. The gameplay has been tweaked, so you won't be able to use these cards alongside your normal wingspan cards, but if you've been at the bar and had a itch to learn more about birds, soon it'll be much easier to pull a game out to do so (you'll still probably get weird looks).

Plaid Hat pulls funded The Monolith Kickstarter after pledges ‘stagnated’ on day two, plans post-Gen Con relaunch (from Board Game Wire)

It's kind of telling when you say "we avoided Kickstarter because we didn't want to play into the forced immediacy", and then you pull a Kickstarter because it didn't get enough attention - even though it funded. Yeah, everyone knows that setting a low goal and trying to get multiple times that goal is how you run a Kickstarter, but I really think that the funding goal should at least be profitable for your company in some small regard. Otherwise what's the point?

Spirit Island set for new publisher as designer declines Flat River renewal, plans complete art overhaul (from Board Game Wire)

When a company spends its time and money laying off employees, it shouldn't surprise them when creators don't want to work with them anymore. Flat Iron Group is finding themselves in that position with Spirit Island, which had been one of their biggest hits. The creator of the game let their contract with the publisher expire after Flat Iron spent most of 2025 downsizing and letting go of a lot of staff. Now, the creator is in talks with an unnamed publisher to bring back the popular board game with all new art.

Get foxy in D&D with this vulpine expansion for a JRPG-themed setting (from Wargamer)

Who doesn't like JRPG inspired D&D content, especially when they feature sexy anime foxy ladies! This sourcebook adds lots of 5e content surrounding a goddess of trickery. I may or may not have backed this one during the show - but at least I didn't get the contoured mousepad! (At least, not yet).

Rise of the Lazy Gamemaster (from Kickstarter.com)

Mike Shea has done a great job over the years giving people tips on how to improve their games without going too overboard. He's back on Kickstarter with "Rise of the Lazy Gamemaster", a new book further expanding on these concepts. I've read a couple of his books, and there is some great content in there. So much, that I went and got him to come on the show next time as a guest! I'm so excited!!

So You Want To Be A Game Master by Justin Alexander

How should i describe Scenes without being boring. (from reddit.com/r/DMAcademy)

We've all been there - you need to describe a scene, so you type out a monologue of a description, only to see your players' eyes glaze over. Or, you do the opposite and just talk about the monsters in the room. There's got to be a happy medium, right? I definitely picked this thread because some of the resources we talk about in the news and the Justin Alexander book will be very helpful in answering this question.

How to prevent Control Water from effortlessly destroying ships in naval combat? (from reddit.com/r/DMAcademy)

This DM has an aquatic adventure, but their players have found out that the "shape water" spell can be a bit of a game breaker when you are at sea. Or can it? Maybe this DM needs to implement some consequences to using the spell to "discourage" players from this type of behavior. Or, just make the spell act differently than the way their players *think* it will work (but still within the description of the spell). Anything to change up the game and keep players from just powering through an adventure with very little effort.

Amazon: https://boardsandswords.com/amazon

Renegade Games Studios: https://boardsandswords.com/renegade

Monument Hobbies: 5% off using code "boardsandswords" at their checkout: https://monumenthobbies.com/

Email us your comments and questions at [email protected]. We're on social media! You can find us on Facebook & Instagram @boardsandorswords! You can also help support the show and get extra bonus content by pledging just $1/month at https://patreon.com/boardsandswords  . Thank you for listening to the show. Until next time, remember that every gamer has a story…..what's yours?

One of the pillars of 40K has passed away, Asmodee is making buckets from CMONs failures, and apparently D&D is a big deal? Who knew!?! Also, we've got some dirtbag GM advice to give as we dust off our vacation clothes.

Join us on Discord! https://boardsandswords.com/discord

John Blanche, father of Warhammer 40,000's grimdark aesthetic, has died (from Wargamer)

John Blanche is the man who created much of the early artwork for Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000. He sadly has passed away, leaving a long legacy of artwork and style in his wake. Working with Games Workshop from 1977 all the way until 2023, his contributions to the tabletop gaming industry can be seen EVERYWHERE. Anything proclaiming to be "grimdark" can thank John Blanche for pioneering that style back in the 80s.

Asmodee’s push into crowdfunding scores first success with $4.1m for Zombicide: Dead Men Tales (from Board Game Wire)

Why do they keep making Zombicide board games? Answer: $$$$. Asmodee, now the owner of the Zombicide board game IP, has taken to Gamefound with the first version of the popular zombie miniatures game under their watch, called "Zombicide: Dead Men Tales", a pirate-themed version of Zombicide. The game has since funded with $4.1 million, showing everyone that people are still yearning for the mines zombie miniatures. All CMON had to do was actually fulfill their campaigns and people would have continued to give them money, but hindsight is 20/20.

Board, the startup making a $400 board game console, leans into AI-powered designs after raising another $20m (from Board Game Wire)

Any time I hear "venture capital", "AI", or "startup" in the same sentence as tabletop gaming, it's usually not a good sign. Board is a company making essentially a large tablet for people to play board games on, combining technologies that allow people to use physical pieces along with digital assets. It's a neat idea, and I could see some practical applications for it - I just don't see a large enough group of people paying $400 for it. I also don't really trust the group behind the device, given how they want to use AI to power development of more titles.

Designers support BackerKit's collab-funding, say there's no crowdfunding fatigue (from Rascal)

BackerKit continues to show how they seem to know what they are doing in the crowdfunding space, as this article from Rascal talks about how the company is leaning in on "collab-funding". What is that? It's when projects are grouped together by a common theme, and there are benefits when backers support more than one campaign. The website has seen a lot of success using this model, and creators are talking about the advantages this model provides over more "stand alone" style of campaigns.

Halo: Flashpoint 1.5 Explained – Rules Changes, New Starter Options & Zeta Halo Terrain (from OnTableTop)

Mantic Games has announced a "1.5" version of the rules for Halo: Flashpoint, their miniatures game set in the popular video game IP. The fundamental gameplay has not changed, but the new ruleset correlates a bunch of errata and tightens up some of the various keywords to make the game easier to play. They've also created a product that contains just the new rules, tokens, and a piece of cardboard terrain for those that don't want to buy a whole giant box of minis. The company hopes these changes and products will make the game even more accessible to people new to the game.

Paizo lays off 12 employees in the fallout of Diamond Comics’ bankruptcy (from Rascal)

In a classic tale of crappy decisions ruining it for everyone, Paizo has had to lay off 12 employees as the company is restructuring itself in the wake of losses in 2025. The key source of those losses was the bankruptcy of Diamond Comics in early 2025, a distributor holding about $10 million worth of unsold Paizo product. Paizo has done a lot to try and get that product released, to no avail, and so the company in unfortunately having to deal with the financial impacts of all of that unsold inventory.

DnD 5.5e set to replace the Essence 20 system for Renegade after poor sales (from Wargamer)

I'm sorry if you liked Essence 20, the RPG system that Renegade Games used for its Transformers, GI Joe, and Power Ranger RPGs, but the company has decided to stop using it. Also, it sucked. Going forward, the "new" versions of those RPGs will use the DnD5.5e system, to no ones surprise. Why? Because people will buy it up and actually play it that way. So many people only want to play D&D, that companies would be crazy not to offer versions of their game in that format.

Vampire the Masquerade gets its own crossover D&D book, complete with full vampire class (from Wargamer)

Continuing my above thought, D&D has announced that White Wolf has licensed a company to make an official sourcebook for Vampire The Masquerade for D&D5.5. The news was shared via D&D Beyond, so I'm not sure at this point if there will be a physical product or just digital, but like many other RPGs, White Wolf has decided to scoop up that easy D&D money and now players can make vampire player characters in their D&D games.

D&D Introduces ‘Community Advisory Group’ To Challenge WoTC & Bring New Ideas (from Bell of Lost Souls)

D&D Beyond turns on content sharing for new 'drops' after fans complain in droves (from Wargamer)

It's kind of silly that this is needed, but Wizards of the Coast announced that they now have a "Community Advisory Group" to help steer the direction of D&D. The company hopes that the group will help "challenge" them and give them helpful ideas for D&D's future. The real question will be - will Hasbro allow them to listen to their fans? Especially when the CEO of Hasbro apparently has a very vivid idea of what D&D is supposed to be like, and wont stop telling us about it? As a favorable sign of said group, D&D Beyond announced that the previously un-shareable drops that they have been putting out will now be able to be shared to players if one person in the group is subscribed at the "content sharing" level.

Amazon: https://boardsandswords.com/amazon

Renegade Games Studios: https://boardsandswords.com/renegade

Monument Hobbies: 5% off using code "boardsandswords" at their checkout: https://monumenthobbies.com/

Email us your comments and questions at [email protected]. We're on social media! You can find us on Facebook & Instagram @boardsandorswords! You can also help support the show and get extra bonus content by pledging just $1/month at https://patreon.com/boardsandswords  . Thank you for listening to the show. Until next time, remember that every gamer has a story…..what's yours?

Hasbro's CEO apparently has a lot of thoughts about D&D and how you should be playing the game. (Methinks maybe he should keep his mouth shut....). Also, there's a new survival horror game from the makers of Draw Steel, and Roll20 has a dungeon generator that ISNT AI! Plus, we've got Marc-André and Martin Lavoie, creators of the new board game “Questline” from Thunderworks Games!

 (https://thunderworksgames.com/products/questline-card-game)

Join us on Discord! https://boardsandswords.com/discord

Kickstarter abandons its "botched" mature content policy - but adult board games and TTRPGs still aren't safe. (via Wargamer)

https://www.wargamer.com/kickstarter-reverses-mature-content-policy

Kickstarter thought it was okay to set rules prohibiting "adult" board games on it's platform. Apparently, killing and maiming people in a board game is fine, but showing some cleavage is too far. Regardless, there was enough uproar that they have since reversed the policy, but stated that Stripe, the company that runs their payment system, has the right to prohibit campaigns as they see fit. More reasons to take a look at all the other crowdfunding platforms out there.

MCDM Releases Free Alpha Playtest Of Survival Horror RPG ‘Crows’ (via Bell of Lost Souls)

https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2026/05/mcdm-releases-free-alpha-playtest-of-survival-horror-rpg-crows.html

MCDM, the creators of the hot new TTRPG "Draw Steel", have shown off an early version of their newest game: Crows. If you like roguelike/lite style video games, where your character ventures as far as they can only to die and try again, then this one might be for you. It's still a work in progress, but check the link out if you need a new "experience" in your TTRPG games.

Roll20 Rolls Out A New, Non-AI ‘Instant Dungeon’ Generator (via Bell of Lost Souls)

https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2026/05/roll20-rolls-out-a-new-non-ai-instant-dungeon-generator.html

Roll20 has a new instant dungeon feature that people can use no matter what VTT they prefer - and there's no AI involved! With a bunch of customization features, if you don't like what the generator made, there's plenty of ways to adjust it to your needs. Now there's no excuse for not having your adventure ready for game night!

Hasbro CEO Insists That D&D Video Games Are A Focus In Spite Of Cancellations (via Bell of Lost Souls)

https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2026/05/hasbro-ceo-insists-that-dd-video-games-are-a-focus-in-spite-of-cancellations.html

Hasbro’s CEO Has Big D&D Crossover Dreams (via Bell of Lost Souls)

https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2026/05/hasbros-ceo-has-big-dd-crossover-dreams.html

Hasbro’s CEO Thinks You Should “Migrate Your Thinking” To View D&D As A Live Service (via Bell of Lost Souls)

https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2026/05/hasbros-ceo-thinks-you-should-migrate-your-thinking-to-view-dd-as-a-live-service.html

Hasbro's CEO doesn't seem to get the idea that he probably shouldn't talk as much about how his customers should be playing their D&D games. It's almost like he WANTS people to talk about what he has to say (damn, I fell for his trap). We'll see how their "live service" ideas pan out - as a concept, I think it's not a bad idea, but Hasbro isn't exactly the most trustworthy company.

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Email us your comments and questions at [email protected]. We're on social media! You can find us on Facebook & Instagram @boardsandorswords! You can also help support the show and get extra bonus content by pledging just $1/month at https://patreon.com/boardsandswords  . Thank you for listening to the show. Until next time, remember that every gamer has a story…..what's yours?

We've got ad managers denying Satanic board games, D&D flying into outer space, and *possibly* a Dragon Ball Z board game coming to fruition finally. What a time to be a gamer! We're on vacay right now, so enjoy this pre-recorded episode where we go through a bunch of recent news stories before taking a look inside the new Warhammer 40k box and drooling over what's coming soon.

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Dragon Ball Z board game may finally escape development hell in new Kickstarter (via Wargamer)

Ever wanted to take 6 turns to launch an attack? Now you can! A Dragon Ball Z themed board game will be launching soon on Kickstarter, allowing fans to play through storylines from the anime using several of their favorite characters. It's been in progress for a long time, and funding on Kickstarter still means there's a long way to go before fans can get their hands on the game. However, I think that if you waited 6 weeks for Goku to finish his spirit bomb, then you can wait a couple more years to play this game for yourself.

Board game fan simulated 36,000 games of Catan and discovered roads are OP (via Wargamer)

Not "all" uses of AI are strictly evil. While the environmental effects can still be pretty big, programming models to run thousands upon thousands of versions of board games like Catan to analyze strategies can be beneficial in some fashion…..right? Well, one person set out to do such a thing, using the game Catan and simulating 36,000 plays of the game to see which ways to play are best. There are plenty of comments ripping this execution apart, but I could see a future where board game designers use AI to supplement actual playtesting to try and tweak the balance of a board game at the end of the development process.

Gamefound wants to throw another successful RPG Party after learning hard lessons (via Rascal)

Gamefound is preparing for a new "RPG Party", where they ask potential creators to apply to their program and get special attention and education on how to develop their games. The goal of the program is to connect indie creators with publishers and companies to give them the resources to help their campaigns succeed, while also increasing the amount of RPG projects that launch on Gamefound. However, I think that Gamefound has great ideas on how to help these creators, but is stumbling on how they execute these ideas, and how many other possible creators could be helped by this "hands on approach".

Avantris' Neon Odyssey is the biggest D&D Kickstarter ever after just one day (via Wargamer)

Legends of Avantris, the popular D&D actual play, is back on Kickstarter with a series of books that are setting new records for D&D content. Neon Odyssey is a trilogy of books that take the popular TTRPG and fling it into space, allowing for you to play out scifi adventures. There's all kinds of products available, from miniatures to merchandise, to even the regular dice (which you can get for FREE by backing physical products). Even if you are on the fence about getting these sourcebooks, given the numbers this campaign is doing, there's a good chance someone in your gaming group has purchased them!

First Dungeon Crawler Carl, now D&D Beyond: the time of the Drop has come (via Rascal)

D&D Beyond subscribers are going to be receiving weekly "drops" of content soon. Instead of waiting for huge sourcebooks to purchase, Wizards of the Coast has announced that players will be getting these small bits of content regularly. The implication is that eventually, these pieces will get assembled into a physical book for people to purchase, but will that actually happen? Seems like an okay addition to the D&D Beyond subscription, but like many things, how this actually gets executed will be the big determining factor.

BoardGameGeek fires veteran advertising manager for rejecting campaign due to firsthand experiences of demonic possession (via Board Game Wire)

Oh no, I'm experiencing the consequences of my actions! BoardGameGeek fired their ad manager after said manager denied an ad campaign for a game called "Possess Me, Satan", with the manager siting his religious beliefs and "observations" as the reason behind the denial. Comparing the game to being a sexual predator, the ad manager said that if it were up to them, the game would be removed from the site in it's entirety. The company behind "Possess Me, Satan" took to the internet with screenshots of these exchanges, to obvious and inevitable results.

Asmodee’s annual revenue surges to €1.68bn on TCG distribution power, but sales of its own board games fall (via Board Game Wire)

When you stop producing and/or slow down the development of games outside of TCGs, SURPRISE - you don't make much money in those areas! Asmodee's annual report has revealed that while they are growing in the TCG markets, they aren't making a lot of money outside of those areas. Given how they've stopped games like Decent, put games like Star Wars Shatterpoint into "specialty game" status, this tracks.

AI-generated profiles of TTRPG designers ignite fury across social media (via Rascal)

This story is one to read in depth, because it is so weird and complex. A website called "4 Pillar Games" has popped up recently, showcasing a bunch of TTRPG designers. However, the page contains a LOT of AI generated content, which has got the TTRPG community in uproar. As of right now, the site appears to be more of a tabletop news correlator, which is even more disturbing given how much AI is present on the site. The Rascal article goes into more detail on the players behind the website and their "attempts" to justify their choices, which do little to address any of the internet's concerns. It's a trip from start to finish.

RPG: White Wolf Has Big ‘Vampire The Masquerade’ Dreams For Gen Con This Year (via Bell of Lost Souls) 

Vampire the Masquerade and White Wolf have had a rough 10 years or so. The company has been disassembled, reassembled, put away and taken out so many times it's like a Lego set. Meanwhile, #booktok and romantasy books are bringing in more and more people into the TTRPG genre, people that normally would never have been exposed to these types of games and Vampire the Masquerade is the type of game that would appeal to those fans. Well, this year at Gen Con, White Wolf is hoping to make a big splash again, celebrating the history of the RPG and returning to the metaplot aspect of the game. I know that Vampire fans really enjoy that portion of the game, so here's hoping that new players will enjoy it just as much.

Dungeons & Dragons at Gen Con 2026 (via DnDBeyond)

Ever wondered what it would be like to have a whole theater building dedicated to Dungeons & Dragons? Well, now you can experience just that at Gen Con this year! Hasbro has booked out the Indiana Repertory Theater, which they are saying contains 6 "D&D-ified floors". There will be events featuring their official actual play series "Dungeon Masters", small D&D encounters to try, and….one or two other events. We're hoping that they showcase more during the event because there's only a few sparse details on the D&D Beyond site. It sounds like one of those ideas that could be really great but a company like Hasbro could botch really easily.

Warhammer 40,000 Armageddon - What's inside???

https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/x2allqya/warhammer-40000-armageddon-whats-in-the-box/

Amazon: https://boardsandswords.com/amazon

Renegade Games Studios: https://boardsandswords.com/renegade

Monument Hobbies: 5% off using code "boardsandswords" at their checkout: https://monumenthobbies.com/

Email us your comments and questions at [email protected]. We're on social media! You can find us on Facebook & Instagram @boardsandorswords! You can also help support the show and get extra bonus content by pledging just $1/month at https://patreon.com/boardsandswords  . Thank you for listening to the show. Until next time, remember that every gamer has a story…..what's yours?

CMON apparently has enough money for NFTs, we get convinced to give Brass: Pittsburgh a try, and Philip finds his new favorite barbarian options in D&D! Also, I review Monster Vault 2 from Kobold Press for their Tales of the Valiant RPG, and we’ve got some answers in our Ask a Dirtbag GM segment!

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Chaz Marler Files Legal Complaint Against Rodney Smith (via W. Eric Martin's Board Game Beat)

The hole keeps getting deeper for Chaz Marler. Now we’ve found out that Chaz has filed a lawsuit against Rodney Smith based on the video that Rodney put out earlier this year “allegedly” exposing some of the unethical decisions that Chaz had been making. The board game community definitely has it’s opinions on the matter “Who sues Mr. Rogers?”, but we’ll have to see how this ends up.

The $9 million Brass: Pittsburgh board game Kickstarter just won't end (via Wargamer)

Spoiler - it’s over now, but the breakthrough Brass: Pittsburgh campaign kept going well after its scheduled end thanks to some new Gamefound Features. As long as people kept donating to the campaign, the clock kept rolling. Not only that, but even Philip and Chris took a look at the campaign and started drooling over all the juicy bits inside!

Warhammer rival One Page Rules reveals massive 3D printing campaign with 18 creators and 500+ minis (via Wargamer)

In a massive crossover event, One Page Rules (guess what they make) is hosting a 3D printing campaign where they are working with several other indie companies to make minis and rules that work for those minis in One Page Rules’ games. Some of the new rules/warbands will be for models you might already have at home! Either way, if you need a wide variety of minis for your next game, this is probably going to be a campaign to keep an eye on.

D&D's new Lament Barbarian might be its most emo character yet (via Wargamer)

Wizards of the Coast released some more villainous D&D options, this time focused on the Barbarian. Now, you can channel all your emo vibes into your barbarian’s rage. Now, all the nearby enemies will have to roll a constitution check against your Banshee’s Wail. Oh, and eventually your character will get to turn into an undead, but that’s just a minor thing, right? Just a flesh wound?

CMON to invest $2.1m in NFT video game maker, says digital shift needed to expand revenue, remain ‘relevant’ (via Board Game Wire)

Anyone who thinks “NFTs” are a way to stay relevant needs to just get out of the game entirely. But apparently the people who run CMON think that the key to their money woes is buying an NFT company and incorporating NFTs into tabletop games. Because that’s never been done before (well, not successfully at least). What will they think of next??

Link (not an affiliate link): https://koboldpress.com/kpstore/product/monster-vault-2/

Quitting Chat-GPT (via reddit.com/r/DMAcademy)

Oh no! I’ve gotten used to AI doing all my creative work for me but I realized that’s bad - what do I do? How have we lived without these new problems that AI has given us!

My players walked right into a TPK just before I had to end the session and I don't know what to do about it. (via reddit.com/r/DMAcademy)

I killed everyone in my party right before we finished our session! Now I don’t know what to do! There’s some of the obvious answers that people in the comments also suggested, but Chris comes up with an even more dirtbag-y way to deal with this situation.

Amazon: https://boardsandswords.com/amazon

Renegade Games Studios: https://boardsandswords.com/renegade

Monument Hobbies: 5% off using code "boardsandswords" at their checkout: https://monumenthobbies.com/

Email us your comments and questions at [email protected]. We're on social media! You can find us on Facebook & Instagram @boardsandorswords! You can also help support the show and get extra bonus content by pledging just $1/month at https://patreon.com/boardsandswords. Thank you for listening to the show. Until next time, remember that every gamer has a story…..what's yours?