And pencils down! Hope all the fighters have their feats and the wizards have their familiars 'cause D&D fourth edition is off and away! This week, the latest and most debated edition of the world's most popular roleplaying game went to press.
According to Kim Mohan: "All three of the 4th Edition core rulebooks are now at the printer, and we're comfortably on track for the big release in June.
And what did the Wizards of the Coast R&D guys do to celebrate? Why, what any self-respecting gamer does after a great D&D victory! Pigs out on junk food! Mmmmm, D&D Cake... made with real dragons. Good job guys... or at least... we hope it is.
The last year or so has been a time of endings for former card gaming giant Decipher. Their Star Wars CCG had long fallen away, Lord of the RIngs came to a close, and even the long-running Star Trek CCG closed up shop, all this amid news and rumors of layoffs aplenty. It seem pretty obvious things were coming to a slow but inevitable end for one of the kings of carddom. Then... this.
Appearing at the prophetically named reinvent.decipher.com, Decipher teases with almost news of something new. Maybe a resurrection of their not-Star-Wars-in-name-only Wars CCG, the advent of some company-saving new license (Jumper CCG anyone?), or even the triumphant return of the evergreen Austin Powers CCG! Only time and a big black website will tell.
At long last someone who doesn't sound like they're on Wizards of the Coast's payroll has gotten their hands on a preview of 4th edition Dungeons & Dragons and posted his review. And not just anybody, in fact, but Chris Pramas, head of Green Ronin publishing, famed game designer, veteran grognard, and all around cool guy. His review several times likens the new D&D to a card game, but in short says:
It's an interesting system that didn't so much feel like D&D in play; nonetheless, the brand power of D&D all but ensures this will be a success and it may even redefine what D&D means for the next generation.
A rather grim truth, yet I suppose no matter what Hasbro invests its mountains of money in will be some sort of success (the inbred riff-offs that currently pose as modern Transformers come to mind as an example). You can read Dr. Pramas's review on his livejournal page here. Seems pretty appropriate that the first straight talk we get about this game comes from a ronin.
Happy Birthday Avalon Hill! The old girl has seen a lot of changes since 1958, but from Tactics to RuneQuest, the name of the game has always been putting out the best (and often most complexly nuanced) board games on the market. Likely responsible for the greatest conquests of more armchair generals the world over than any other gaming company, AH's march of releases reads like the titles of a Time Life series on WW2: Midway, Achtung Spitfire!, Afrika Korps, The Battle of the Bulge, Blitzkrieg, and, of course, Axis and Allies. To celebrate, aside re-releasing the time honored "lie to your friends and take their stuff" classics Diplomacy and Acquire, Avalon Hill has announced its most expensive version of Axis and Allies ever!
The AXIS & ALLIES ANNIVERSARY EDITION will feature the debut of Italy as the third Axis nation, the introduction of the cruiser unit to the naval lineup, and the largest Axis & Allies board to-date measuring 24x46 inches. With over 600 pieces, players will be able to recreate and decide the outcome of WWII like never before. The Axis & Allies Anniversary Edition is designed and developed by Larry Harris, the original designer of Axis & Allies, and will release on October 23, 2008 with an MSRP of $100.
That's right, just seven months left to practice your Musolinni nod and save every nickel and dime. While the week-long history-lesson board game has never been my bag, I can't wait to hear the fantastic noise this box is gonna make when you knock it off the table. Aside from that, though, wake me when they add Nazi UFOs, Tesla Troopers, and Zombie Hitler to the game.
Hit the jump to read the complete details of the quintessential A&A, Acquire, Diplomacy, and a half dozen other not-so-birthday-themed Axis & Allies Miniatures releases slated for later this year.
What's better than playing some of your favorite board games? Well, watching someone else play them of course! And what's the best way to watch anyone do anything? Why, on the silver screen. That's the thought
between Hasbro and Universal Pictures' arrangement to turn some of the toy behemoth's best-known (or, in Stretch Armstrong's case, nearly forgotten) properties into movies. Yeah, thanks for that Transformers.
Hasbro Inc. (HAS) and Universal Pictures formed a six-year strategic partnership to produce at least four motion pictures based on brands such as Monopoly, Candy Land, Ouija, Battleship, Magic, the Gathering and Stretch Armstrong.
Hasbro, a Pawtucket, R.I., producer of entertainment products, said the first movie will be released in 2010 or 2011, and Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios, will release at least one film a year thereafter.
So while Monopoly and Candyland both sound like Rowan Atkinson joints, and Ouija can only promise to pale in comparison to 1986's table-top terror Witchboard, Magic the Gathering!? Monsters, swords, magic! Throw in a few actual characters and they might be on to something here. Think Peter Jackson might do this if we all promise to trade him our mint condition Black Lotuses?
Those wacky wizards, what will they come up with next?! Citing their partnership with Stainless Games, Ltd. and Mind Control Software, Inc, Wizards of the Coast announced today the impending release of a new Magic the Gathering game for X-Box Live. When? Who knows? What? No idea? But rest assured, it’s coming. And from the press release it sounds like everyone everywhere is very excited.
In hisMagic column on the Wizards website, the wily and witty Worth Wollpert, Brand Manager for Magic's digital initiatives (whose title totally doesn't sound made up), kindly paraphrases the press release, promising that there will be marketing, that there will be more press releases, and proving that he truly speaks the language of the gaming public.
"It's a little bit too soon for more detail than what's contained in the release below, but rest assured that as these products develop, you will see more and more in the way of announcements on our end, building the excitement right up until their release dates.
"Beyond the card game, the Magic IP is a largely untapped wealth of fantasy with stories begging to be told. These products are a part of our strategy to start doing just that."
Is it just me, or does your bullshit sphincter tighten up every time you hear the abbreviation "IP" ("Intellectual Property") too? Regardless, you can read more about the promise of an X-Box Live game, some more sales speak, and what this crazy new Magic the Gathering fad everyone's so excited about is in the offical press release.
It's a sad day for gamers of all stripes, this afternoon, in light of legal action from Lucasfilm and supposedly being unable to pay charity proceeds to the Make A Wish Foundation, Gen Con LLC filed for bankruptcy.
SEATTLE (February 15, 2008) Gen Con LLC announced today that it has filed for Chapter 11 protection in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the State of Washington. This action became necessary as a result of significant unforeseen expenses associated with attempts to expand its core business to encompass externally licensed events. Gen Con’s flagship show, Gen Con Indy, remains a vibrant, profitable event. Gen Con Indy will take place as scheduled August 14–17, 2008, in Indianapolis, Indiana.
While the note that Gen Con Indy will still be taking place this fall offers some relief, it's disconcerting to see the convention that has been the face and soul of gaming since 1968 in such dire straits. Although its doubtful that even the end of the Gen Con LLC will mean the end of Augusts’ quintessential nerd-fest, there has always been something noble and "right" feeling about knowing that Peter Adkison, the man who founded Wizards of the Coast, sheparded the card game industry into creation, and saved D&D, was at the helm of the greatest tradition in table-top gaming.
We'll keep you posted as more news on this unfortunate turn of events comes about, but for now, you can see the sad news for yourself at the Gen Con LLC website. Again, though, remember that there will be a Gen Con this year, so probably the best thing you can do to help is pre-register as soon as possible, and maybe see if you can't convince one, or five, or twenty friends to come along. Best wishes to all the folks at Gen Con and hopes that all this can get sorted out soon.
I sense a disturbance in the force. As if one of the most monolithic entities in entertainment had loosed its lawyers and a gaming convention was silenced.
Okay, so that's more than a little bit over dramatic, but the gist is there. Apparently last month Lucasfilm set its law dogs loose on Gen Con LLC, filing suit with a Northern California District Court that Gen Con had failed to uphold a variety of financial obligations stemming from their fan convention Star Wars IV Celebration. The Empire, as I believe they prefer to be called now adays, is looking for somewhere in the neighborhood of $900,000 in damages for the convention's affront. Still no word from either camp on what further steps Lucasfilm or Gen Con plan to take in regards to their lovers quarrel, but when giants of nerddom fight it usually ends up being the fans that loose.
Having mastered the MMORPG world and tried its hand at card games, roleplaying games, and board games, World of Warcraft has a new way for you to spend every waking moment immersed in Azeroth. Enter the World of Warcraft Miniatures Game! Announced today at Germany's Spielwarenmesse International Toy Fair, Upper Deck has four WoW Minis on the slate for fall of this year: a two-player WoW Starter Set, a Deluxe WoW Starter Set, randomized WoW booster Packs, and the Onyxia Raid Set featuring a biggie sized Onyxia for your dragon or raid-party slaying pleasure. It also looks like WoW has learned a few lessons from past minis games, offering a few different ways to play, the promise of a robust tournament scene, and some neat conventions in the way thier figures are constructed:
Each premium pre-painted miniature will showcase a detailed version of an iconic World of Warcraft character and be mounted on a uniquely engineered removable base, allowing each figure to serve as both a game piece and a collectible. In the spirit of the action and adventure of the MMO, the World of Warcraft Miniatures Game will offer standalone raid and dungeon scenarios, letting players battle either individually or cooperatively against other teams of players or the game itself.
Already there's a few pages up for World of Warcraft Miniatures, the announcement at Upper Deck and the new WoW Minis page with several other pictures of upcoming figures. Already I'm looking forward to having a waist-deep collection of WoW green skins, cause even if the game's not awesome any roleplayer can tell you that you can never have enough orcs!
Yeah, he might be a big nerd, but Jeff Millies is a big nerd with skills! In less then 10 sped-up minutes he conjures every D&D fanboy's greatest hero upon a blank page. I don't post vids often, but in this case, color me impressed. And while we're talking about the best Drizzt YouTube has to offer, if you ever wanted to see how a fight between your favorite drow and, oh, I don't know, Dark Maul might go down, yeah, that's out there too.
Finally! A chance to crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of the women! Fantasy Flight Games announces that they'll be bringing Italian publisher Nexus Editrice's deluxo-sized strategy board game Age of Conan stateside later this year. Debuted at last October's Essen Spiel German game festival, the game sounds right up the alley of FFG's usual fare: a gorgeous box filled with a huge-sized board and rattling like a giant maraca with literally hundreds, if not thousands, of plastic pieces. Created by the same team that did War of the Ring,Age of Conan lays siege to the states early this summer.
Even though it's still more than four months away, Free RPG Day 2008 is already getting a ton of support from the best in the biz. Still incomplete, the sponsors list includes big names like Wizards of the Coast, Paizo Publishing, White Wolf, and Goodman Games (to name just a few) at the Gold Sponsors level, and a dozen others across all participation levels, with each promising to donate a free new game, adventure, product, aid, or accessory, all in the name of gaming. Already the list of games and publishers promises to make this year's gaming holiday even bigger than last's. Free RPG Day 2008 doesn't go down until June 21st this year, so if you know a publisher who still needs to get on board or you want to get your friendly local game store involved, there's still plenty of time! Hit up freerpgday.com for more details on this swiftly cementing gaming tradition and the most current list of sponsors and games.
