Here is the board game (and board game-related!) news that caught our attention for the week ending March 26, 2021.
Gaming News
- The New York Times is reporting that Matt Leacock is working on a new cooperative game about climate change. Climate Crisis is being developed in collaboration with Italian designer Matteo Menapace. There are no details on who might distribute the game or when it might be released. Pandemic is our featured image this week.
- In related news, ICv2 has released board game sales figures for the fall of 2020. Not surprisingly, Pandemic came in first on the “hobby channel games” list. Magic: The Gathering led the way on the “collectible” list. Codenames was the top seller in the “hobby channel card/dice” category, Warhammer 40 topped the “non-collectible” category, and D&D was the top-selling RPG.
- Catan has a free print-and-play scenario called Easter Bunny available. In it, players can spend some of that unused wool (and we know there’s always plenty of that) by giving it to the titular rabbit, which leaves gifts for settlers and chases away the robber.
- While many of us will always associate Dungeons & Dragons with original publisher TSR, as of this year the game has been owned by Wizards on the Coast for longer than it was owned by TSR, according to a tweet from designer and author Matt Forbeck.
- Modiphius Entertainment has announced Five Parsecs From Home, the latest title in its “Adventure Wargaming” series that also includes Fallout Wasteland Warfare, Elder Scrolls: Call to Arms, and Rangers of Shadow Deep. Unlike the other titles, however, Five Parsecs is designed to be played as a solo game.
- Ares Games has entered into an agreement to distribute English editions of games from ASYNCRON, beginning with FIEF France. Interestingly, ASYNCRON is already the distributor for many Ares titles in France, including WW2 Quartermaster General, WW2 Wings of Glory Battle of Britain, and Battlestar Galactica Starship Battles.
- Renegade Game Studios will soon release Hadrian’s Wall, a flip-and-write game based around the Roman battles against the Picts in northern England.
- WizKids is developing Jinja, a worker placement game about building shrines in Japan. The game can be pre-ordered now, but no release date is available.
- Star Realms publisher White Wizard Games has changed its name to Wise Wizard Games, saying the new name “best represents their vision and their community.”
GeekDad Reviews
What we’ve reviewed this week:
- Jonathan Liu reviewed Floriferous and posted a Kickstarter Tabletop Roundup.
- Robin Brooks reviewed 1815, Scum of the Earth.
What We’re Playing
Finally, here’s what the GeekDads played this week:
- Jonathan Liu played Floriferous, Machi Koro Legacy, Buru, Genotype, and Harsh Shadows.
- Will James played My Little Scythe, Fossil Canyon, and Marvel Battleworld.
- Michael Pistiolas played Marvel Champions, Flourish, Pandemic Legacy: Season 0, L.L.A.M.A., and Love Letter.
- Robin Brooks played Blitz Bowl and Warhammer Underworlds: Direchasm.
- Michael Knight played Heroes of Stalingrad, Tiny Epic Tactics, and High Noon.
- Z. played Dungeons & Dragons: Ghosts of Saltmarsh.
- I played ESPN Trivia Night.
