Podcasts about Gen Con

Today, Brent, Chandler, Derek, Mario, and our special Guest Kevin "Brushido" discuss our shenanigans from GenCon 2025! Edited by: Chandler Reller Patreon https://linktr.ee/uroboros_of_old Email: ontheoriginofbattlemechs@gmail.com Student Patrons: Harris Hoffman, Squared, Andrew B, Mario, Paladin58, and Phaz Ace Pilots: John Keith III

Two segments with two amazing Canadians - Matt Robertson and Roger Leroux. Plus a GenCon recap with Erwin and Gubbins.

Join Aaron and Brittany for this episode as they recap their experience at the largest gaming convention in North America: Gen Con! Aaron also had the chance to do a short interview with a board game creator right from our very own hills, Chris Kincaid of Lonely Hero Games!Let us know what you thought!Email us at hillshavenerds@gmail.comCome on our Facebook!www.facebook.com/The HillsHaveNerdsCome inside our Discord!https://discord.gg/cruXwRyQjmCheck us out on Youtube for live stream game nights and other stuff!www.youtube.com/@ThehillshavenerdsWe want to thank our Ko-fi supporters! You help us make the show even better.Brittany JohnstonNick De RosaYou can support us on Ko-fi for membership rewards!www.ko-fi.com/thehillshavenerdsCheck out Lonely Hero Games! Tell 'em the Nerds sent ya!https://lonelyherogames.com/

The Glass Cannon Network was back at the Athenaeum in Indianapolis during Gen Con 2025 with a cast of GCN all-stars ready to once again take on a modern Call of Cthulhu nightmare one shot. In this scenario custom written by Scott Dorward, a ragtag group of criminals learn about the location of a mysterious vault that belonged to a 1920s gangster, but what they find inside is anything but rewarding. Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/o3sW2RRRNfA Join Troy Lavallee, Joe O'Brien, Skid Maher, Matthew Capodicasa, Sydney Amanuel, and Kate Stamas as they tour the country. Get your tickets today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://hubs.li/Q03cn8wr0⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Access exclusive podcasts, ad-free episodes, and livestreams with a 30-day free trial with code "GCN30" at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠jointhenaish.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. For more podcasts and livestreams, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://hubs.li/Q03cmY380⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After another amazing GenCon trip we are back to start off a new journey as we start from the beginning of Heir to the Dragon by Robert N. Charrette Heir to the Dragon can be purchased @ https://a.co/d/7497wAR You can reach us @ Email: advice@heat.management You can follow us @ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/ofmechsandmen/⁠ Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/ofmechsandmen/⁠  TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@ofmechsandmen⁠ Twitch: ⁠https://www.twitch.tv/ofmechsandmen⁠ Join us on the Valhalla Club Discord: ⁠https://discord.gg/bt9WaQMFhJ⁠ A special thanks to Robert N. Charrette for writing this amazing book. Catalyst Game Labs for being phenomenal stewards of the Battletech franchise. All works belong to their respective owners. Seyla!             Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We love Gen Con so much, we couldn't fit everything into our Games of the Show episode. And Corey Thompson loves Gen Con so much that he became a part-owner of the giant North American gaming convention. Corey leads Above Board TV, cohosts the Board Games Insider podcast, co-owns Play to Z Games, and...lots more that will just take up way too much space to write all out. So he was the perfect guest to invite on our show to chat about about more Gen Con highlights -- and some of our recent and classic two-player favorites. Timeline: 3:48 - Going Analog's game pick: Panda Spin. 7:30 - Corey's game pick: Giberrers. 10:57 - Going Analog's topic: final Gen Con thoughts and highlights. 29:36 - Corey's topic: great two-player games (classic and new).

In Express episode 111, Don, Tony, and Jamie are inspired by a listener question and discuss patterns and fads in game design and try and answer the question - is there truly anything original out there?

Send us a textI waved goodbye to Mike and Christina and made my way through the throngs of people getting their last chance to shop in the exhibit hall. By 1pm on Sunday of GenCon 2025 I was tapping out.I was exhausted, hungry, and my capacity for patience was at an all-time low.By the time I got back to my car and put Indianapolis in the rearview mirror I started to settle down and even though GenCon was only an hour behind me I realized I was already starting to miss it.For those gamers out there not familiar with GenCon, shame on you. For the rest, here is a quick rundown.GenCon is the largest and longest running tabletop gaming convention in North America. It was started by Gary Gygax and friends in 1968 and was originally called the Lake Geneva Wargames Convention. The name was quickly shortened to GenCon and in the early years the convention bounced around from location to location, but in 1985 it landed in Milwaukee Wisconsin. GenCon called Milwaukee home until 2003 when the convention moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, and that's when it really blew up. If it is even close to the tabletop gaming space, it's at GenCon.Fast Forward to 2025 where the convention once again broke previous attendance records with over 72,000 people, 595 unique vendors, and nearly 30,000 events. Our friends at the Finding Attoria Podcast described it aptly as “Butts to Nuts” But GenCon just uses the tagline “The Best 4 Days of Gaming” and for once, they're underselling it.In this episode Mike, Christina and I are going to do a little wrap-up of GenCon 2025. We'll throw out some observations, complaints, kudo's and maybe even chat about what's planned for next year.Christina, let's start with you. Give me your big takeaway from GenCon.Kick to ChristinaMike, what about you. What's your big takeaway from the con.

We have a special episode for you this week discussing the latest entry in the filmography of Scott Derrickson: THE GORGE. Starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller, The Gorge tells the story of an unexpected bond that forms between two soldiers who are each posted on opposite ends of a wide, cavernous opening that holds untold horrors in its depths. The film garnered mixed reviews -- even among our panel, which includes Gory Gamer Matt Murray, friend of the show Nicole Amato, and new guest, Will Frank -- but led to a vibrant, thoughtful, and often very funny conversation.This conversation also features a look back at this year's GenCon, which featured some exciting new and upcoming board games, as well as a new kickstarter for Camp Grizzly, a refreshed edition of a once rare and highly valued survival horror game. All this and more this week for a lively discussion that we really hope you enjoy.7:45 - Two Questions with Will Frank of Trick or Treat Studios (including their latest kickstarter campaign, CAMP GRIZZLY)35:08 - Whatcha (GenCon Edition)57:09 - THE GORGESee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Are you ready for a new Star Wars board game? Asmodee announced Star Wars: Super Teams at Gen Con, and Dan Patriss has the news for you. Subscribe to the Major Spoilers Podcast Network Master Feed! Major Spoilers Podcast Network Master Feed RSS Feed

Are you ready for a new Star Wars board game? Asmodee announced Star Wars: Super Teams at Gen Con, and Dan Patriss has the news for you. Subscribe to the Major Spoilers Podcast Network Master Feed! Major Spoilers Podcast Network Master Feed RSS Feed

TEXT US YOUR THOUGHTS!In this episode, Tony Recaps his trip to the GenCon gaming convention in Indianapolis and talks about the boardgames he brought back. Plus, Jaime dominates a birthday party full of nine year olds.Support the show https://discord.gg/3yfGt9gahB

Iain and Oliver bring you a bumper packed episode of Brainwaves with all the latest news, controversies, and occurrences from across the tabletop gaming world in episode 167 of Brainwaves.    Headlines   Devir… damn guys that's racist as hell https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3555308/just-some-ole-racist-history-crap/page/1  https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3555308/article/46440167#46440167  https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3555679/a-message-to-the-community  https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2025/08/08/devir-to-recall-all-copies-of-new-release-ace-of-spades-after-backlash-over-slavery-depictions-in-artwork-apologises-for-causing-harm/ https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/60259/devir-recalling-ace-spades https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3555679/a-message-to-the-community    More CMON Executive Leavers and profit warning  https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2025/08/07/cmons-long-serving-chief-financial-officer-company-secretary-latest-to-resign-from-financially-troubled-business/   https://www.marketscreener.com/news/cmon-limited-announces-resignation-of-koh-zheng-kai-as-chief-financial-officer-with-effect-from-14-ce7c5ed2dd8bf026   https://consent.yahoo.com/v2/collectConsent?sessionId=3_cc-session_a4de1fe9-336e-4f30-98af-42f7d08fc4ce   https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2025/08/21/new-cmon-profit-warning-says-losses-could-reach-8m-for-first-half-of-2025-almost-three-times-its-overall-profit-from-the-last-ten-years/   US Import Tariff Troubles https://www.ctpa.org.uk/news/usa-de-minimis-exemption-suspended-8542   https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2p17xypgko?fbclid=IwY2xjawMWgf5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHjtV7mqx6qv6P4-CSGWofvqYpk1vI-O59FV4q2U0N-UOduSuyZ8kGm8ruuFX_aem_rHTP6ygrvyZB_JDrDY_mYg   Updates   CGE Responds to HP Codenames Backlash CGE's response on various social media platforms: Instagram: https://discord.com/channels/653652846167851008/1397834273645396100/1403479858251825285 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/czechgames.com/post/3lvw44i6tk32r Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1328670495928290&id=100063560561493&mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=c6aJLUWZCsvY5SJG#  Block Collective's response: https://bsky.app/profile/blockcollectives.bsky.social/post/3lvyas4jezs2q    Read this https://www.rascal.news/zatu-denies-toxic-workplace-allegations-from-former-employees/   News   Ultimate Guard jump into Harry Potter controversy https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/60061/new-harry-potter-ultimate-guard-deck-boxes-unveiled   GenCon 2025 Sets New Attendance Record https://www.gencon.com/press/record-breaking-gencon-2025 https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/60227/gen-con-2025-sets-new-attendance-record https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2025/08/05/gen-con-exhibitor-numbers-rebound-to-record-levels-despite-tariffs-uncertainty-biggest-ever-attendance-reaches-almost-72000/ Suzanne Sheldon post on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/425suzanne.bsky.social/post/3lvqiqhyche2g    Funforge has been liquidated https://ludovox.fr/funforge-en-liquidation-judiciaire-le-dernier-mot-de-son-fondateur/   Mobeus makes Big Potato a Hot Potato https://www.mobeus.co.uk/news/mobeus-backs-big-potato-games/ https://www.mobeus.co.uk/investments/big-potato-games/ https://www.dcadvisory.com/news-deals-insights/deal-announcements/dc-advisory-advises-mobeus-equity-partners-on-its-investment-in-big-potato-games/#gref   Jobs, Opportunities, and Events   https://www.facebook.com/groups/TabletopJobs   Pegasus Designer Days 2025   https://pegasus.de/UEber-uns/Karriere/Designer-Days/ Application form: https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/KS5KF9F    Playfest London https://www.minervatabletop.co.uk/playfest Patreon Shoutouts   Kevin Bertram https://www.fortcircle.com/   James Naylor https://naylorgames.com/   Shaun Newman game-a-lot.fun/en facebook.com/gamealotboardgames   Our Patreon https://www.patreon.com/thegiantbrain   Support Us https://giantbrain.co.uk/support-us-new/   Fanroll https://fanrolldice.com/ref/2783/   Outro   Pictionary Potato https://shopping.mattel.com/en-gb/products/pictionary-pic-tato-hot-potato-game-jdx95-en-gb   Our Links   Thanks very much for listening. If you like what you've listened to then the best way to help us out is to share the podcast and drop us a review and rating on itunes.  You can also follow us on   Oliver: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/3bMx2HK75r Blusky Iain https://bsky.app/profile/giantbrain.co.uk Oliver https://bsky.app/profile/tabletopgamesblog.com Jamie https://bsky.app/profile/jamsandwich.bsky.social   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegiantbrain Website: https://giantbrain.co.uk/ Email: giantbrainuk@gmail.com

Welcome Pathfinders to After Party LIVE! Join us each month as we chat about all the nerdy things we love! In this After Party we talk about GenCon 2025 and the new Starfinder 2nd Edition! After Party LIVE! is recorded as a live Twitch stream on the first Saturday of the month, at 11am central. [...] The post After Party LIVE! Episode 28 appeared first on Find the Path Ventures.

A documentary about how Magic debuted at Gen Con. I had the pleasure of participating in it, and this podcast talks all about that.

We're reaction streamers now! Gen Con recap, Rangers cosplay, no shadow drops, the Artist's intent, take fatigue, The Rise and Fall of FFG, Vantage, and humour in games.(00:00:00)Intro(00:07:50)What's Happening!?(00:23:11)Reactions(00:52:00)Mailbag!(01:14:30)Stuff We're IntoEmail: info@earthbornegames.com Website: https://earthbornegames.com/ Discord: https://discord.com/invite/mXN2cUNPXE Merch: https://earthbornegames.teemill.com/ EBR Soundtrack: https://earthbornegames.bandcamp.com/ Gamefound: https://gamefound.com/en/creators/earthborne-games BGG: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamepublisher/49415/earthborne-games Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/earthbornegames Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earthbornegames/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/earthbornegames.bsky.social Threads: https://www.threads.net/@earthbornegames Twitter: https://twitter.com/EarthborneGames#earthborne #earthbornerangers #rangers #hubworldaidalon #hubworld #aidalon #tabletopgaming #cardgame #gamefound

  GENCON – sometimes known as the great gathering of our people!  Gamers come from far and wide to the amazing and fascinating tourist destination of – INDIANAPOLIS…  there they find… about 80,000 other gamers, lots of beer, pizza, food trucks, meeples and lines… especially lines!  But along with that, we have the best selection […]

At Gen Con this year, we kicked off Ascension's 15-year anniversary celebration. I had the chance to meet so many fans who have been part of this community for over a decade; the experience was both humbling and rewarding.We just launched the Gamefound Campaign for the Ascension 15th Anniversary Collector's Edition and I've been reflecting on the incredible journey that brought us here. What began as a casual prototype I created to play with friends between rounds of Magic tournaments has grown into a game that connects millions of players around the world.Here are the five most important lessons I've learned, each has transformed Ascension from a prototype to a global phenomenon.Lesson 1: Prototype and Iterate FastWhen I first started working on Ascension, I never expected it to become the success it is today. It was 2009, and I had just quit my job to start my own game company. The funny thing about starting a company is that until you're making money and collaborating with others, the difference between “CEO/Game Designer” and “guy sitting on his couch” is mostly a matter of attitude.At the time, I had spent over a hundred hours playing the deckbuilding game Dominion. This game pioneered the genre, offering the fun of deckbuilding without the hassle of collecting cards. As a Magic: The Gathering Pro, I loved that it delivered the joy of constructing a deck without buying packs or managing a collection. Eventually, however, the game became predictable. Because each setup of available cards was fixed from the start, I rarely needed to change my strategy. I also found that the game took too long to set up, impacting the ratio of fun to busy work in a way I thought could be improved.The secret to creating Ascension was simple: remove the things from Dominion that get in the way of fun.My first prototype was literally just a shuffled pile of Dominion cards, which instantly cut 20 minutes off setup time. Mind you, this prototype wasn't good, but it gave me a quick sense of how the gameplay might feel, and I could see a spark of something great there. My next prototype was nothing more than sharpie scribbles on blank cards. Since my prototypes were quick and ugly, I had no problem throwing them out and making rapid changes. That freedom allowed Ascension to go from idea to store shelves in under 18 months.The lesson: Your first prototype should be so ugly you're embarrassed to show it to anyone. That embarrassment is freedom—freedom to fail fast, change everything, and find the fun without falling in love with your first ideas.Lesson 2: When in Doubt, Cut it outMost new designers try to solve problems by adding things to their games. The correct answer is almost always to cut instead.Ascension started by cutting Dominion's purchase and play restrictions. This streamlined the game and gave players more choices each turn, but also required me to add a second resource [power] to keep tension high. This change was just the start, the biggest cut came much later in development.Ascension's signature innovation was the ever changing center row, which dramatically increased the variety in each game. At the same time, this mechanic also created the risk of a stalled board state, meaning that if players weren't able to buy anything from the center, nothing would change and the game would drag on. My original solution was a “conveyor belt” mechanic, where, at the end of each turn, the rightmost card was banished and everything slid down. This guaranteed movement and created tension as cards neared the edge.The problem was that players kept forgetting to slide the cards down. Every. Single. Game.I tried everything: special cards that interacted with the conveyor belt, giant reminder text on the board, entire mechanics to make sliding feel essential. Nothing worked. Then one playtester asked the question that should have been obvious but I was blind to: "What if we just cut that rule?"We shuffled up, played without it, and never looked back. The game was cleaner, faster, and more fun. Did the board stall occasionally? Yes, but we could mitigate that by subtly adjusting card costs and adding banish effects players could buy when needed. In this case, the conveyor belt cure was far worse than the occasional stalled board disease.The lesson: Every mechanic costs mental energy. When facing a design challenge, always ask first: "What can I eliminate to solve this problem?" Remember, "dead now" doesn't mean "dead forever." Cut mechanics make great expansion content later.Lesson 3: Perfect Your Pitch Through RepetitionEvery game needs a killer hook, and the only way to find it is through repetition. Brutal, exhausting repetition.I learned this the hard way at my first Gen Con booth, where we sold the first copies of Ascension 15 years ago. Over the course of the show, you pitch the game a hundred times. You refine, adjust, and figure out what works. By the end, I could pitch and demo Ascension in my sleep. I knew exactly how to get someone hooked, and the moment I no longer needed to be there (for Ascension, it's usually turn three, when players start seeing the new cards they purchased and get excited about improving their decks).Whenever possible, use things your audience already knows as a reference, combine two familiar concepts, or give a twist to something they've seen before. You need to get information about your target audience and customize the pitch to them. Once they're hooked, you can guide them into a demo and, hopefully, into buying the game and sharing it with friends.In 2010, if I knew my audience played Magic, my go-to pitch was:“Imagine all the fun of drafting card packs in Magic, all with just one lifetime purchase.”If they were familiar with Dominion, an effective pitch was:“Ascension is like Dominion, but with a fun fantasy theme and you can play an entire game in the time it takes to set up a game of Dominion.”If they weren't familiar with either game category, I would usually start with a more theme forward pitch:“Ascension is a 30 minute card game where you recruit mighty heroes and weapons to defeat monsters and earn honor.”At first, pitching this way feels awkward. You have to train yourself to read the audience, adapt, and take feedback from their reactions. The best games also make it easy for players to teach friends, and those people become your best marketers. The more you practice pitching and running live demos, the more it will shape your design choices, helping you create games that are not only fun to play, but also fun to learn and teach.The lesson: Practice pitching your game early and often. Alex Yeager's 2-2-2 demo framework is a fantastic tool for game designers (you can hear more about it on my podcast with Alex here). Whether you need a two-sentence pitch, a two-minute overview, or a two-player demo, tailoring the level of detail to your audience is key. This approach prevents overwhelming your audience with too much information at once while still providing a clear and concise introduction to your game.Lesson 4: Know Your Core Tension and Protect ItEvery great game revolves around one central tension that hooks players.* In Uno, you're trying to empty your hand without unlocking your opponents' cards.* In chess, you protect your king while threatening your opponent's king.* In poker, you want to win the pot but must risk chips without knowing what others hold.* In Magic: The Gathering, the one-land-per-turn restriction forces agonizing tradeoffs about which spells to cast.For Ascension, the core tension is this: adapting to an ever-changing market while your opponents threaten to snatch the exact cards you need.The game sings when there are multiple exciting cards supporting your strategy, but your opponent might grab them first. Every choice matters because the board state is temporary. Purchasing a Mechana construct early makes each successive mechana construct better, but if your opponent cuts you off from the cards you need then your strategy could fall apart.Understanding this core tension has guided 15 years of expansions. Every new mechanic is built to enhance this central dynamic, but never replace it. Our newest expansion, Ascension Legends, turns faction choice into a higher-stakes decision than ever with the Legendary Track system. As you climb each faction's track, you unlock powerful bonuses. Suddenly, that “meh” Lifebound hero becomes essential because it pushes you toward a game-breaking legendary power. Multi-faction cards become contested treasures. The tension ratchets up, but the heart of Ascension remains intact.In the 15th anniversary campaign, I've designed an entirely new card type that impacts every game called Chronicles. Chronicle cards were an interesting challenge to design, because I wanted to make something that honored Ascension's history, impacts every game, and could work with whatever expansion(s) you chose to play it with. But I've always believed constraints breed creativity and these constraints were no exception. There are 17 Chronicle cards available in this campaign. At the start of the game, you can select any two of them and set them beside the center row. Each one adds a new game rule or unique cards to the game. Each of these 17 cards was designed to highlight one of our previous expansions and compress its impact on the core tension into a single effect. Because they are promos and players can opt in to which ones they want to play with, I also felt more free to make more powerful abilities that I would never put into a normal set. For example, one card representing Darkness Unleashed, where we first introduced transforming cards, adds the rule: “At the start of the game, each player removes one Apprentice and one Militia from their Starting Deck and Transforms them into one Mystic and one Heavy Infantry.” These cards are a great way to radically shake up the game and have some fun reevaluating old cards and strategies in the light of new mechanics. You can learn more about the new card type in our update here.The lesson: Identify your game's core tension in one or two sentences. Write it down. Frame it. Before adding any new mechanic, ask: "Does this enhance or dilute our core?" As your game inevitably grows more complex, staying true to its core ensures it evolves in the right direction.Think Like A Game Designer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Lesson 5: Create Space for Community and ConnectionAt GenCon, a father approached me with his 11-year-old daughter in tow."I just wanted to thank you," he said. "Ascension has become our special thing. We play together almost every night, and it's given us this amazing way to connect."His daughter beamed and jumped into the conversation, eager to tell me about her favorite faction (lifebound) and the strategies she'd discovered.What struck me wasn't just their enthusiasm—it was the math. She wasn't even born when Ascension first released in 2010. Yet here she was, fifteen years later, experiencing the same joy of discovery that's captivated players from day one. That's when I realized we hadn't just created a game—we'd built something that bridges generations.From the beginning, Ascension was deliberately designed to feel less confrontational than other strategy games. You're not attacking other players—you're all racing toward your own goals while your opponent does the same. Only the shared center row and occasional monster effect encourage direct competition.This makes Ascension approachable to partners, friends, and family members who might be intimidated by more aggressive games. I've heard from hundreds of players who say Ascension was their entry point into tabletop gaming. Even the partner of a hardcore gamer can enjoy Ascension because even when you lose, you still get to build something cool and feel progression throughout the game.This design philosophy has created a community where parents can genuinely enjoy playing with their children, where couples can bond over evening games, and where someone whose only card game experience is Uno can sit down and have fun within minutes. The rules are simple enough to teach quickly, but the strategy is deep enough to reward returning players.The secret to lasting community is making everyone feel welcome at the table. Even competitive card games like Magic have benefited enormously from more social formats like Commander which allow new players to enjoy the experience without as much direct conflict. Even for SolForge Fusion, the game I co-created with Richard Garfield as a very competitive game, we created a campaign mode and storyline tournaments that make players allies against a common cause, helping them root for each other and take on challenges that are less directly antagonistic with other players.The lesson: Your game's community will outlive any individual player if you design it to include rather than exclude, to welcome rather than intimidate, and to create shared positive experiences rather than zero-sum conflicts. Think about how your design allows players of different skill levels to enjoy the journey together. The best victories are the ones you can celebrate with the person across the table, not at their expense.Fifteen years ago, I was just a guy on a couch with a dream and a Sharpie. Today, Ascension connects hundreds of thousands of players across the world—parents and children, partners and friends, veterans and newcomers. As we launch our 15th anniversary campaign on Gamefound, featuring exclusive anniversary editions and the brand-new designs, I'm not just grateful for the game we've built. I'm grateful for the community you've helped us create.I am beyond grateful for the community that has supported the last 15 years, and I can't wait to continue to grow together over the next 15!Join our 15th anniversary celebration at Gamefound and get exclusive anniversary rewards available nowhere else.— Justin Gary This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe

Lord Mortis, Father time, and Old Man Eric share their experiences from GenCon 2025, chat about the new Force Builder for Mythic Earth (Crux Creator), Mythic Earth News and much more.https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1514619081/heroes-of-mythic-americas?ref=clipboard-prelaunch

Jason, John, and Ron recap their Gen Con Experiences and Ron also shares some big news! Listen Now! Ron Lundeen is an employee of Wizards of the Coast and his opinions are his own.

In this episode... Kellye and Aaron talk about the games they played in July, which ended with the start of Gen Con!Find us online:Bluesky: @varianthexInstagram: @varianthexTwitch: @varianthex (we might start streaming games soon)Website: varianthex.comEmail: podcast@varianthex.com Additional Info:Our theme music is "Shimmer" by Mr. Smith, obtained via the Free Music Archive. "Shimmer" was made available under a public domain license. If you enjoy our theme music, please leave the artist a tip!

Matt and Rob report back to you, dear listeners, on what we learned from GenCon, the biggest collection of TTRPG enthusiasts/sweaty nerds in the world! https://playstorypress.org/books/gathering-of-gamers/ Jon Peterson The Cunning Folk Follow Dungeon Master of None on Blue Sky:  https://bsky.app/profile/dmofnone.bsky.social  https://www.patreon.com/DungeonMasterOfNone  Join the DMofNone Discord!

If you need a change, just run away from home. That's Andrew McKee's advice on the latest Brobdingnagian Bards Podcast. You'll hear more about road trips, vacations, Gen Con and learn what's new at Dragon Con this year.  Dragon Con takes place on Labor Day weekend, August 28-September 1. See our schedule. Find out more about upcoming shows of Marc Gunn and Andrew McKee on our websites. Find out more about Brobdingnagian Bards and subscribe to our newsletter on Patreon.  

Ryan and Ben look into some Gen Con leftover news and then discuss running in game romance. Community Pages: Collaborations and Partnerships interview with Laura Hohman; Todd Kenreck's Starter Set Deep Dive and Stranger Things Interview; Ginny Di's How to do D&D romance without making it weird; Sadie Lowry's Critical Role announcement post; Tales from … Continue reading "Episode 140 – Small Bit of News and In Game Romance"

* Mailbag!* GenCon recap* Email from Chris: Space travelers using magic to travel to Earth?* Email from Patrick: Alachia, Immortal Elves, and the Books of Harrow* Email from Konrad: Plans to rework other old adventures for Fourth Edition?* Email from Matt: Many questions about the Passions?* Email from Brandon: Any information about old dwarf Kingdoms mentioned in Throal Sourcebook?* Expanding on undeveloped areas like Landis, Ustrecht, Scavia, etc?* Sourcebooks on other parts of the world?* Any information on the Slithering Wastes?Find and Follow:Email: edsgpodcast@gmail.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EDSGPodcastFind and follow Josh: https://linktr.ee/LoreMerchantGet product information, developer blogs, and more at www.fasagames.comFASA Games on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fasagamesincOfficial Earthdawn Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/officialearthdawnFASA Games Discord Channel: https://discord.gg/uuVwS9uEarthdawn West Marches: https://discord.gg/hhHDtXW

On this episode we wrap up our final thoughts on Gen Con. Greg fills us in on some news from Roxley games.We talk about some recently played games, and we wrap it up with a first look at the new Spirits of the Wild!

Send us a texthttps://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/godzilla-franchise-enters-new-era-with-multiple-sequels-in-the-works/ar-AA1ISBUfOh No, there Goes Tokyo, Go Go Godzilla.No, this story isn't about Blue Oyster Cult, but we could do a full episode on the Long Island Psychedelic Rock Band that gave us Don't Fear the Reaper and of course Godzilla. No, this story is about Godzilla himself. There are 33 Japanese movies about Godzilla with another 5 English language films.Currently a sequel to the fantastic Godzilla Minus One is in development along with a sequel to 2016's Shin Godzilla. There is also collaboration with Legendary Pictures upcoming Godzilla x Kong Supernova and Monarch: legacy of Monsters Season 2 on Apple TV.With that much Godzilla out there I can actually hear Chrsitina smile. We will start with you Christina, what do you make of all the Godzilla love?Kick to ChristinaMike, why do you think Godzilla is back dominating the box office again?Kick to MikeNext, we have a major announcement from Critical Role. Matt Mercer will be stepping aside as the GM for the 4th campaign and Brennan Lee Mulligan will be stepping in.https://www.enworld.org/threads/brennan-lee-mulligan-to-gm-critical-role-campaign-4.714671/This was announced right before Critical Role's live show in Indianapolis during GenCon.Matt Mercer has been the only GM behind the first 3 campaigns of Critical Role so this is a big departure for the series, but Brennan Lee Mulligan is no stranger to Critical Role and the Live Action Play space himself. Mulligan is a writer, actor and comedian who has been featured as the gamemaster on Dimension 20 and has also run several short spin-off adventures for Critical Role in the past.Mike, what are your thoughts on this. Good, Bad, Indifferent?Kick to MikeChristina, I believe you've been a fan of Mulligan for a while, what do you think this move means for him and critical role.Kick to ChristinaAnd there you have it, all the news you've already heard.

Shadowdark is a fantasy role playing game built on OSR design principles with several new mechanics, including a real time torch light rule and experience point rules that emphasize exploration over violence. I sat down with the game's creator, Kelsey Dionne at Gen Con to discuss the game's creation, its

On this episode, Richard & Tyler go over everything non-Daggerheart they experienced at this year's GenCon!Giveaway

You bring a suitcase with your clothes, and an empty suitcase for all the crap you're gonna buy.  This week on the Vintage RPG Podcast, Stu sifts through the gigantic pile of stuff he bought at GenCon, including The Sutra of Pale Leaves for Call of Cthulhu, Age of Vikings, Bunny Borg, Kala Mandala and one zine that arrived while he was away, Tiger's Figure Folio. * * * Instagram? Old news. Join the Vintage RPG Newsletter! That's where all the cool kids are now! Stu's book, Monsters, Aliens, and Holes in the Ground is for sale now! Buy it! Patreon? Discord? Cool RPG things to buy? All the Vintage RPG links you need are right here in one place! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast! Edited by the one and only R. Alex Murray. Send questions, comments or corrections to info@vintagerpg.com. Available on iTunes, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify, YouTube and your favorite podcast clients. The Vintage RPG illustration is by Shafer Brown. Follow him on Twitter. Tune in next week for the next episode. Until then, may the dice always roll in your favor!

Your hosts Chris Yi, Wendy Yi, and Mike DiLisio start off your week with a variety show about board games and the people who play them.

Welcome to Gehenna: It's Like Hell, but With Worse Real Estate and More Bureaucracy” Announcement: Missed an episode? Repent your sins and redeem yourself on YouTube, where archived episodes of The RPGBOT.Podcast are now available for your listening pleasure. Come for the laughs, stay for the existential dread. Show Notes – Episode Title: “Gehenna: Evil Slopes and Infernal Bureaucracy” Summary: In this infernal episode of the RPGBOT.Podcast, the hosts return from Gen Con only to plummet straight into the burning basalt slopes of Gehenna—a plane so depressing it makes the Shadowfell look like Disneyland. They dive into the lore of the plane's inhospitable geography, wildly impractical city design, and the kinds of inhabitants that only a sadistic game designer could love. Along the way, we meet Nymicry (a city that wants to eat you), the Tower of Arcana (where bureaucracy is tattooed into your skin), and the city of Portent (built on a corpse, because why not). The hosts explore the goddess of torture, debate whether the Rogue class needs therapy or just a rebrand, and try to answer the ultimate question: “Why would anyone go to Gehenna… on purpose?” 2014 Dungeon Master's Guide (affiliate link) 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide (affiliate link) Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes (affiliate link) Forgotten Realms Wiki - Gehenna Ghengis Sean  RPGBOT.Podcast Episodes The Abyss Archeron Arcadia The Beastlands Bytopia Carceri Celestia The Ethereal Plane The Feywild Hell Part 1 Hell Part 2 Limbo Mechanus Pandemonium The Shadowfell Key Takeaways: Gehenna is the DMV of the multiverse—agonizingly slow, unbearably hostile, and absolutely full of paperwork. Gen Con was great! Unlike Gehenna, which is a hostile volcanic rockslide with a bad attitude. Every layer of Gehenna slopes downward, because gravity hates you too. Nymicry is a mimic the size of a city, proving once again that your GM can be too creative. The Tower of Arcana is where contracts are etched into skin, because parchment is for cowards. Portent is a yugoloth-shaped city with a throne that whispers spoilers into your ear. The only native species are bar guests, who seem suspiciously like people who got stuck at Gen Con after dark. Leviatar, the goddess of torture, rules with cruelty and creativity—think “Hellraiser meets HR onboarding.” Torch is a city where crime is a feature, not a bug. Bonus: there's a blood swamp. Rogues are cool, but maybe need a PR team—they're mechanically solid but struggle to stand out. Gehenna is full of flavor, if your flavor is emotional suffering and lava. At RPGBOT.net and The RPGBOT.Podcast, our brains are made of real meat. We are not the fever dream of a rogue algorithm trying to understand humor. We are, tragically, real people—with dice in one hand and sarcasm in the other. RPGBOT: It's Soylent Green for the RPG crowd—made from actual humans, not generative AI. Want more planar deep-dives, class analysis, and volcanic despair? Visit RPGBOT.net for guides, breakdowns, and the kind of nerdy brilliance that even Gehenna can't melt. If you enjoy the show, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. It's a quick, free way to support the podcast, and helps us reach new listeners. If you love the show, consider joining us on Patreon, where backers at the $5 and above tiers get ad free access to RPGBOT.net and the RPGBOT.Podcast, can chat directly to members of the RPGBOT team and community on the RPGBOT.Discord, and can join us for live-streamed recordings. Support us on Amazon.com when you purchase products recommended in the show at the following link: https://amzn.to/3NwElxQ Meet the Hosts: Tyler Kamstra – The tactical mind behind RPGBOT.net, Tyler sees the Pathfinder action economy like Neo sees the Matrix. Randall James – Technologist, lore enthusiast, and fully prepared to duel Peter Jackson over which LotR edition reigns supreme. Ash Ely – Resident cynic, chaos agent, and AI's worst nightmare. Fueled by sarcasm and sweet, sweet table-flipping energy. How to Find Us: In-depth articles, guides, handbooks, reviews, news on Tabletop Role Playing at RPGBOT.net Tyler Kamstra BlueSky: @rpgbot.net TikTok: @RPGBOTDOTNET Ash Ely Professional Game Master on StartPlaying.Games BlueSky: @GravenAshes YouTube: @ashravenmedia Randall James BlueSky: @GrimoireRPG Amateurjack.com Read Melancon: A Grimoire Tale (affiliate link) Producer Dan @Lzr_illuminati

This week we get a report from the field about Gen Con 2025.  Despite a microscopic demonic onslaught, Jorge was able to see some of the newest table top games.  What have we discovered?  Well, the Souls-like genre seems to be transcending the boundaries of video games.  Prepare to sit across the table from your old friend, Patches.

Send us a textTy and Troy return from Gen Con 2025, and special guest host Raf Cordero takes the interviewer's chair! From first impressions and surprise discoveries to gaming highlights, hidden gems, and funny convention moments, Raf guides Ty and Troy through their Gen Con 2025 recap. Plus, the crew shares what they've been playing, hobbying, and reading. Whether you were in Indy or following from home, this episode has the insider scoop you don't want to miss.There is also a video version of the podcast: https://youtu.be/eLTWy7-ZtaAOur theme music is by FADEBACKGames (Played / Talked About)Yu-Gi-Oh! TCGD&D – Dragon's SandboxD&D Clank: Catacombs7 Wonders Duel – Lord of the Rings EditionThunder RoadInterceptorWrothVantageLegions ImperialisMörk BorgRangers of ShadowdeepSnapShipsChinatownAxolotl with a GunBattle MonstersLord of the Rings PandemicGundam TCGCrowdfunding / PurchasesNemesis: RetaliationThe Dead KeepForsaken

Ken is back from Gen Con to share his main takeaways from the 2025 show in OUR latest Travel Advisory. The Cinema Hut fantasy film essentials series covers the early 1970s. Speaking of Gen Con, the ENnie Awards just celebrated their 25th anniversary. Organization director Stacy Muth joins Ken and/or Robin Talk to Someone Else […]

Listen to the full episode here!  DMofNone is back from GenCon and over GenCon sicknesses for another edition of Your Kickstarter Sucks: Tabletop Edition (here are entries one and two). This time, DMs Rob and Matt are talking about Tabletop News, a crowd-funded video news show, that unlike our previous projects, actually delivered what it promised in a timely fashion. Our discussion gets into the show's weird production, cringe tone, hiring practices, refusal to do "journalism", and strange metrics. Was it awful? Not really. Did they do some shady stuff? Tune in to find out! Links: https://www.youtube.com/@watchtabletop Matt's TtN Metrics Data: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14ON2dsDSU2TGb4NGT0GRFA2ZkUO7W8cM1W0jy-8wKhA/edit?usp=sharing Read some better TTRPG news: https://www.rascal.news/ https://www.enworld.org/

Tonight Dan is joined by Chris, Adam and Ryan for a nice long talk about Crowdfunding, some TV and of course what we all played saw and loved at this year's Gen Con! It's a long one b/c it's been too long since we have talked to each other! 

Tom, Milla, and Zee share what they thought of Gen Con 2025!

We're back from North America's giant gaming convention: Gen Con 2025! Did you miss us? Don't answer and don't worry -- we've got the coverage for ya. We sit down and talk about SO MANY GAMES -- over 20 of 'em in this episode alone. Which did we like? Which were the best in show for us? Listen to find out! Timeline: 4:21 - 2025 Party Games of Gen Con. 13:00 - 2025 Light Games of Gen Con. 35:42 - 2025 Medium Games of Gen Con. 53:10 - 2025 Heavy Games of Gen Con.

In episode 230, Dean and Deron talk about recent plays (Holmes: Sherlock & Mycroft, Sanctuary, Nature, & Tag Team) Deron also discusses his trip to Gen Con, and Dean and Deron both talk about news coming from Gen Con. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider rating us and giving us a review. If you like our YouTube channel, please consider subscribing. If you have questions you would like us to answer on the podcast, please email us at meepletownmail@gmail.com. To support us further, check out www.patreon.com/meepletown or www.buymeacoffee.com/meepletown9. Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/uasmBx326h  00:00     Intro 03:49     Holmes: Sherlock & Mycroft 17:27     Sanctuary 21:59     Nature 26:20     Tag Team 35:28     News Thanks for coming down to MeepleTown!

BGI 381 The One About Fun at Gen Con 2025 Board Games Insider – Join our Guild on Board Game Geek Guild | Like us on FB Social media: Ignacy Trzewiczek / Portal Games: website | FB | Twitter | Youtube Corey Thompson / Above Board TV:  website | Youtube Stephen Buonocore / “The Podfather […]

Mike DiLisio anticipates a lot of questions related to Gen Con. Mike is prepared to answer some, as long as people are aware that he's probably going to be guessing at the answers.

We are back from Gen Con, and ready to talk about our adventures! We discuss the crowds, the events, and the games we enjoyed, and maybe a little about the food we ate as well. We also share a new Tale of Boardgaming Horror, and share our latest crop of Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:46 - Announcements: Dice Tower West and Dice Tower Cruise 01:40 - Gen Con: Crowds and Fans 10:25 - Gen Con: Sales and Sellouts 12:50 - Gen Con: What Did We Buy? 16:20 - Gen Con: Tom's Trends 20:42 - Gen Con: Dice Tower Awards 23:27 - Gen Con: Food 26:36 - Tale of Boardgaming Horror 37:25 - Giraffe Raffe 40:13 - Tag Team 43:24 - Oddland 44:50 - At The Gates of Loyang 47:27 - Fliptoons 49:35 - The Four Doors Questions? Tales of Horror? tom@dicetower.com

00:01:00 Day One 00:01:35 Setting up the Portal Booth 00:03:00 Spill on aisle 2200 00:05:15 Level 99 Kickstarter 00:09:00 Asmodee Press Releases 00:14:15 All Play Releases 00:15:30 Hatchett Releases – Tag Team 00:19:00 Osprey – General Orders Sengoku Jidai 00:24:00 Miniature Market 00:25:15 Day Two 00:27:45 Restoration Games 00:29:45 Thunderworks Games 00:30:15 Asmodee – Did you know this… 00:31:15 Lucky Duck Games 00:33:00 Hatchette Games 00:34:30 UVS Card Games 00:37:30 North Star Games – Nature 00:40:50 Taste Buds – Lime Coke Zero from East Europe 00:44:30 Strike Tournament Results 00:51:00 Portal Games 00:53:20 Day 3 01:00:30 Chip Theory Games 01:02:30 Around the Stump 01:06:30 Dead Alive Games 01:10:30 CGE Meeting 01:16:00 Ares Games 01:23:00 Rift Bound 01:27:00 Capstone – Up or Down 01:28:30 Uninvited Guests at a Wedding 01:31:30 Day 4 01:33:15 Slam Throne – OMG! 01:36:45 Bezier Games 01:41:00 Brotherwise Games 01:41:30 Pandasaurus Games 01:45:15 Devir Games 01:46:30 Luma Imports 01:49:30 Game Toppers LLC 01:51:00 Taste Buds – Jerky Another Gen Con in the books. The crowds were as thick as ever, but the overall energy felt a bit more subdued this year. Still, there were plenty of solid games to discover and enjoy—even if nothing sparked a mad dash to grab the latest release. We spent much of our time connecting with publishers, hoping to gather insights and highlights to help our listeners spend wisely. And of course, Gen Con wouldn't be complete without a few surprises—Slam Throne and Battle for Hoth definitely caught our attention in the hall. Huge thanks to everyone who helped, donated, and participated in this year's annual Strike Tournament. Whether you rolled dice, cheered from the sidelines, or chipped in behind the scenes, your energy and generosity made it all possible. The success of this event isn't about the two old guys running it—it's about the incredible community that shows up year after year. We're grateful for every one of you who helped make it another memorable tournament. If you were at Gen Con, love to hear your thoughts over in our Discord channel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Once again, Stu journeys to the biggest tabletop gaming convention in the US.  This week on the Vintage RPG Podcast, Stu reports back from GenCon 2025. How was the train? Did he survive his panel? Did he play any games? Did he make it back without having to take the bus? Listen to learn the answers to all these questions, and much more! * * * Listen to the Games People Play broadcast that was LIVE from GenCon (er, well, live from Stu's hotel near the Speedway, 15 minutes drive from GenCon). * * * Instagram? Old news. Join the Vintage RPG Newsletter! That's where all the cool kids are now! Stu's book, Monsters, Aliens, and Holes in the Ground is for sale now! Buy it! Patreon? Discord? Cool RPG things to buy? All the Vintage RPG links you need are right here in one place! Like, Rate, Subscribe and Review the Vintage RPG Podcast! Edited by the one and only R. Alex Murray. Send questions, comments or corrections to info@vintagerpg.com. Available on iTunes, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify, YouTube and your favorite podcast clients. The Vintage RPG illustration is by Shafer Brown. Follow him on Twitter. Tune in next week for the next episode. Until then, may the dice always roll in your favor!

Live from a Columbus suburb and Texas, it's the Zone of Truth! This week on the show, I welcome on Rick Sandidge of Find the Path Ventures to chat about his network of shows, GenCon 2025, his GM style, and of course answer some listener questions. I'm your host Steve, in the studio with friend of the show, Rick Sandidge. Roll a will save, you're in the Zone of Truth.   Website: hideouslaughterpodcast.com Patreon: patreon.com/hideouslaughter Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/hideouslaughterproductions  BESTOW CURSE RSS: https://feed.podbean.com/bestowcurse/feed.xml Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/HideousLaughterPod Discord: https://discord.gg/ruG6hxB Email: thehideouslaughterpodcast@gmail.com Facebook/Instagram: @hideouslaughterpod Reddit: reddit.com/r/HideousLaughter Die Hard Dice Code: Hideous Theme Song By Kevin McLeod

We had a blast at Gen Con this year! We recorded a lot of panels and games this year but this live recording of RPPR was a highlight for sure. In this episode, members of the RPPR cast talk about their gaming highlights over the last year, plans for RPPR

GenCon 2025 is done and we’re back! This convention gets better and better every year.  More people. More things to see. More games to play. More fun.  To everyone who … Read More

In this week's episode of The Game Informer Show, our host Charles is joined by Wesley and Eric to talk about Mafia: The Old Country, a prequel set in early 20th century Sicily, as well as the experience of Gen Con 2025, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, and Wheel World. We discuss knife fighting and stealthy sneaking, the power scale of Metroidvanias, and... I'm reading a note here about Italian frogs?The Game Informer Show is a weekly podcast covering the video game industry. Join us every Thursday for chats about your favorite titles – past and present – alongside Game Informer staff and special guests from around the industry.Subscribe to Game Informer Magazine: https://gameinformer.com/subscribeFollow our hosts on social media:Charles Harte (@chuckduck365)Wesley LeBlanc (@wesleyleblanc)Eric Van Allen (@seamoosi)Jump to a specific discussion using these timestamps:00:00 - Introduction04:18 - Mafia: The Old Country35:05 - Gen Con 20251:10:26 - Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound1:17:05 - Wheel World

Renata Price joins Rob and Chia on this episode of Remap Radio. Ren has been busy playing four different Monster Hunter games basically simultaneously. Chia is back from Gen Con, and with Patrick on his European vacation, that means it's time to talk way too much about board games. Rob's loving his time in F1 '25, and he and Ren dive deep on F1 talk. Discussed: Ren's Monster Hunter Adventures 0:54, Chia's Gen Con Adventures 21:04, Galactic Cruise 29:15, Galileo Galilei 54:44, F1 Talk 1:06:39, F1 '25 1:36:08, Rimworld 2:04:18, The Question Bucket 2:36:58See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.