Here is the board game (and board game-related!) news that caught our attention for the week ending March 18, 2022.
Gaming News
- Board game companies have continued their response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the humanitarian response the war has created. UK-based Games Workshop has stated that they “are terribly saddened by the horrific events” and that they are “suspending all sales of Warhammer products into Russia.” The brief statement acknowledges that this will have a negative impact on hobbyists in Russia who don’t support Putin’s aggression, but ends by saying “we must stand with those suffering.” Meanwhile, Italian-based Ares Games has announced that they will sell off the last nine copies of The Battle of Five Armies: Collector’s Edition. Each copy of the rare game—numbered 1492 to 1500—is available for $1200, and the company will donate the proceeds to the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders.
- Kickstarter, after receiving waves of negative press following its announcement months ago that it would move to the environmentally-unfriendly blockchain, is now hiring for positions on its Kickstarter Community Advisory Council. The paid positions, which will include a $5000 annual honorarium, will put members in a position to advise the company on future initiatives, including the controversial blockchain move, although it’s unclear how much authority the council will really have. Applicants have until April 6 to apply.
- Hot on the heels of the very, very exciting news of the forthcoming release of Star Wars Villainous, Dicebreaker is saying that Disney Villainous and Marvel Villainous have combined to sell over 3 million units in just under four years since the original game came out. Publisher Ravensburger is set to release the newest sequel, Disney Villainous: Bigger and Badder, very soon. Bigger and Badder is our featured image this week.
- The Op will soon release Venn, which basically combines the mechanics of Dixit and Codenames and sees players using cards with abstract art to get others to guess clues. The game supports both team and cooperative play. No release date has yet been announced.
- Following a successful Kickstarter campaign last year in which it raised over $1M, Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood of Venice is getting a retail release. The retail game will feature mostly standees to bring the price down from $239 to “only” $140. The game is being jointly produced by Triton Noir and Synapses Games and is due out in the fourth quarter. Limited quantities of the Kickstarter edition are still available from Triton Noir’s website.
- For the first time in its long history, the Pokémon Trading Card Game Championships will be held in the UK in 2022, at the ExCel London event center. The four-day event will run from August 17-21 and will have COVID restrictions in place.
GeekDad & GeekMom Reviews
Here’s what we reviewed this week:
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Paul Benson reviewed the Dune: Imperium Deluxe Upgrade Pack.
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Michael Knight reviewed Undaunted: Reinforcements.
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Robin Brooks reviewed Marvel: Crisis Protocol.
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Elizabeth MacAndrew reviewed Animal Adventures: Secrets of Gullet Cove.
What We’re Playing
Finally, here’s what the GeekDads and GeekMoms played this week:
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Paul Benson played Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest, Dune: Imperium – Rise of Ix, and Dungeons & Dragons Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage.
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Michael Pistiolas played Marvel Champions, Mice and Mystics, Transformers Deck-Building Game, and Can’t Stop.
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Jonathan Liu played Mountains Out of Molehills, Proving Grounds, Ascension Tactics, Gen7, Shadowrift, and Unsettled.
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Michael Knight Familiar Tales and Lord of the Ring LCG.
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Robin Brooks Lord of the Rings LCG and Warhammer Underworlds.
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Aaron Spurlock played Travis Hill’s Union Station, Return to Dark Tower, Dark Tower, and Pictures.
