Around the Table Q2 2023

Historical Fantasy Mixed with Unspeakable Horror!

By Jason C. Hill, Lead Designer and CEO, Flying Frog Productions

Thissummer sees the release of two new Adventure Sets (standalone expansions) for the long-running cooperative dungeon crawler Shadows of Brimstone - Gates of Valhalla and Valley of the Serpent Kings.

Gates of Valhalla lets players dive into the frozen Norse Lands leading an expedition of Viking Warriors into a mysterious region overrun by creatures of myth and legend. In a land forsaken by the gods of old, your Viking Clan must hold back the tide of darkness that threatens to consume the world!

Valley of the Serpent Kings lets players set sail into unknown waters and steaming jungles leading a voyage of Spanish Explorers as they find local allies and battle vicious Serpentmen from another world that have declared war on humanity!

Shadows of Brimstone is known for. Each Adventure Set has a narrative campaign that flows through the missions, while retaining the emergent storytelling that comes from the randomly generated elements of each session. Finding new gear and artifacts from mission-to-mission, and leveling up your Heroes with the new Team Heroes format for Vikings and Spanish Conquistadors, gives players a lot of opportunities to build their team of elite warriors to take on the challenges ahead.  We’ve never had more player customization of your Hero Team than we do in these new Adventure Sets. You even get to customize your Expedition Camp, putting resources into building new locations and growing it from a few tents into a thriving settlement. These aren’t a collection of different people that have come together to fight the Darkness, you

the new Team Ability mechanics, letting your Vikings unleash their berserker rage or your Conquistadors harness their unquenchable ambition for victory over the Serpentmen invaders.

Working on this project over the last few years has been a fun journey, delving into the history of the Vikings and the Spanish explorers, and mixing that with a dash of fantasy and horror inspired by the myths and legends of the age; as well as creating fantastical unknown regions for them to explore, voyaging into alien worlds that hold dire threats to humanity, and seeing how Dark Stone, the magical black rock of Brimstone lore, effects ... or rather infects, all of the time periods and worlds that it touches. We are super excited that these sets are arriving into the hands of eager players this summer and can’t wait to hear all of the epic stories and

Free League’s Dragonbane

Offers Mirth and Mayhem

by Tomas Härenstam, Lead Designer, Free League Publishing

Assure as night follows day, the time will come again when dragons and demons fight for power over humanity, nature and the eternal mysteries.

Dragonbane is the next big release from us at Free League Publishing. Coming August 15 with a major presence at this year’s Gen Con, Dragonbane is a fantasy tabletop roleplaying game full of magic, mystery and adventure. It is designed from the ground up to facilitate fast and furious play, with very little prep time and adventures that are a breeze to run.

This is a game with room for laughs at the table, while still offering brutal challenges for the adventurers. We call this playstyle “mirth and mayhem roleplaying” – great for long campaigns, but also perfect for a one-shot.

Dragonbane is a translation of Drakar och Demoner, Scandinavia’s first and biggest tabletop RPG, originally launched in 1982. This new and reimagined edition has one foot firmly planted in the heritage of decades of Swedish gaming and the other in the modern and innovative game design for which Free League Publishing is known worldwide.

The earliest memory I can recollect of playing Drakar och Demoner is sitting by a fireplace in an old house by a lake in the woods, listening intently to my older brother vividly describing the fierce orcs facing me. Grabbing the strange and magical polyhedral dice, getting ready to fight – or die.

This was the summer of 1985, and little did I know what lasting impact that moment would have on my life. Drakar och Demoner was, and still is, synonymous with roleplaying games for a generation of Swedish kids.

In spite of what its name might suggest, the origins of this game are found in the early Chaosium titles. Its very first edition in 1982 was a direct translation of Magic World. The game soon took a life of its own, evolving through a dozen various editions in Sweden over the decades.

Now, returning a reimagined Drakar och Demoner to an international audience under the title Dragonbane, we had to ask ourselves, what is this game, really? For us, and many others in the Swedish roleplaying community, Drakar och Demoner was a touchstone of our hobby and needed no definition or explanation. For the rest of the roleplaying world, this game was completely unknown. Our quest was to journey far and wide into four decades of Nordic roleplaying history and find the essential elements of this game. What truly made it great. Then, to bring those pieces of legacy back to life and mold them into a new game for the 2020s, using four decades of evolution in game design and our own decade of creating Free League RPGs.

This is the next step in a journey that started over 40 years ago. We are thrilled to have you along for the ride.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

OFFICERS

PRESIDENT

Eric Price

Mejia Board Game Factory Director – Production/Manufacturers

VICE-PRESIDENT

Grace Collings

Snowbright Studio Director – Creator

TREASURER

Nicole Brady

SAHM Reviews Director – Media & Events

SECRETARY

Monica Rasso

Meeples at Sea Director – Media & Events

DIRECTORS

Lee Allentuck

The Last Gameboard Director -Publisher

Rhonda Becker

The Gamers Den Director - Retailer

John Coviello

Little Shop of Magic Director - Retail

Matt Fantastic

Forever Stoked Creative Director - Creative

Aldo Ghiozzi

KublaCon Director –Wholesale

Radek Gronus

FABRYKA KART

Director – Production/Manufacturer

Beau Heath

Arcane Tinman Director - Wholesale

Jason Matthews

Fort Circle Games

Director - Publisher

Will Niebling

Emeritus Director

GAMA STAFF

John Stacy

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR john.stacy@gama.org

Chris

DEPUTY DIRECTOR chris.materni@gama.org

Paul

EVENTS MANAGER paul.mcgraw@gama.org

Gregoire Boisbelaud COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR greg.boisbelaud@gama.org

Adam Ziegler TECHNOLOGY AND CREATIVE MANAGER adam.ziegler@gama.org

Cynthia

EVENTS COORDINATOR cynthia.tuck@gama.org

Bryan

MEMBER SERVICES COORDINATOR bryan.borgman@gama.org

Julie

EXHIBITOR MANAGER julie.yeager@gama.org

Cree Luzskia MEETING/EVENTS DIRECTOR cree.luzskia@gama.org

Mike Boseak MARKETING/ COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER mike.boseak@gama.org

Becky Mangan EDUCATION/ COMMITTEE COORDINATOR becky.mangan@gama.org

THE GAME MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION

258 East Campus View Blvd Columbus, OH 43235 Phone: 614-255-4500 • Fax: 614-255-4499 • www.gama.org • media@gama.org

Around the Table © 2023

The Game Manufacturers Association

PUBLISHED BY

Fahy-Williams Publishing

171 Reed Street, Geneva, NY 14456

P 800-344-0559 • F 315-789-4263

To advertise, contact Amy Colburn at 315-789-6431 or email amy@fwpi.com.

Materni

McGraw

Tuck

Borgman

Yeager

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the Q2 2023 issue of Around the Table. Its always great to see another issue of this magazine come together to learn what members are doing, what new products are coming out and look at the latest industry trends.

In this issue we have a brief recap of the recent GAMA EXPO in Reno, NV and discuss some new initiatives we are working on this year. As noted, this was our final show in Reno before we head to Louisville next year. We are excited to be moving to a location which is more centrally located to our members and offers us room to grow and expand the show. I welcome your thoughts on what you would like to see at GAMA EXPO 2024. Please drop me a line at john.stacy@gama.org or call our office at 614-255-4500.

Also, we are entering convention season and GAMA will be at several shows and look forward to meeting members to learn more about what you are doing and how our association can support you. Some of the events we plan to attend this year include the ACD Games Day, UK Games EXPO, ASTRA Marketplace, Origins Game Fair, Gen Con, Alliance Open House, Essen Spiel and Pax Unplugged. For Essen we will be hosting our annual ESSENtials Retailer Summit on Friday, October 6 and an industry reception on Saturday, October 7. While more details will be coming soon, please mark your calendar to join us if you are also attending this convention.

Be well and happy gaming!

John Stacy Executive Director Game Manufacturers Association

Volunteer Opportunities

One of the best ways to be engaged with the association and our industry is to volunteer for a committee or workgroup. GAMA is currently looking for members to serve on the following committees:

• Academy, Origins Awards and Hall of Fame Review and Restructure Committee – Charged with exploring ways to increase the relevancy and representation of the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design including the Origins Awards nominations, review and award ceremony and the Hall of Fame.

• Advocacy Committee – Helps direct association government relations, advocacy and lobbying efforts to support the hobby games industry. Potential issues the committee is tasked with include tariffs, customs/exportation, product labeling laws, Intellectual Property Rights, counterfeit product sales, etc.

• Market Expansion Committee – Researches the most effective and efficient marketing and outreach methods to (A) promote the play of tabletop games and (B) increase the number of people who regularly play games.

• Diversity Committee – Investigates how best to reach out to underrepresented communities within the game industry and to create pathways of success within the organization.

• Education Advisory Committee – Work with GAMA staff to identify educational topics and opportunities to create a robust training program to assistretail stores, distributors, manufacturers and designers in effectively operating in the hobby games industry.

For more information on these committees or to volunteer, please email john.stacy@gama.org

Welcome Once Again to

by Anton Torres, Marketing Manager, Pegasus Spiele North America

Pegasus

Spiele is excited to announce that Rüdiger Dorn’s Kennerspiel des Jahres winner Istanbul has returned to the North American catalog!

First released in 2014, Istanbul made a splash with its novel approach to deliver mechanics across a modular board. Players take the roles of savvy merchants who visit a bustling bazaar with their assistants. On a search for treasures, exotic spices and all manner of finery, each player carefully weaves an ideal path through the market.

At each location, characters either leave an assistant to take care of business or reunite with someone who has finished their tasks, often laden with goods. But these valuables are not the true source of great wealth; at the end of the day, players vie for precious gems. The goal of the game is to be the merchant who has most skillfully traded and acquired the grandest

Baksheesh. It’s the perfect package whether you’re an existing or a new player.

But the market is ever-changing, with new wonders to be found around every corner. Two additional titles extend the Istanbul design into the realm of a pushyour-luck game, as well as a new twist on the flip-and-write genre.

Istanbul the Dice Game takes the core gameplay and scales it down to be appropriate for a family game night. As before, your goal is to gather red rubies that gleam in the center of the board, but rather than navigating serpentine aisles of a crowded marketplace, you have only a roll of the dice with which to craftily concoct your trades. Do you keep your dice as they are or spend a rare crystal to tempt fate hoping for the perfect re-roll? Fast play and clever choices make Istanbul the Dice Game an enjoyable 45-minute

Choose & Write is new and different altogether. Released on the unsuspecting attendees of the 2023 Nuremberg Toy Fair, this rendition transforms the race through the market into a delightful puzzle where players eke out every advantage they can while trying not to give any opportunity to the other merchants. Instead of a common set of locations in the middle of the table, each player has a personal tracking sheet on which to mark their choices after every card flip. Do you visit a stall but give all other players a free action, or do you trade away your precious lira to claim a guild card just for yourself?

All three titles will be available through Pegasus Spiele North America in Q3 of 2023.

Take a Voyage into the Expanding Universe of Artemis

by Glenn Flaherty, Manager, Grand Gamers Guild Media

In2019, a groundbreaking expedition was launched to settle Jupiter’s moon, Europa. What came next was a series of events that grew in complexity and drew participants even deeper into the Artemis experience. Today, this universe includes The Artemis Project, The Artemis Odyssey and The Artemis Project: Satellites & Commanders with more titles to come.

Featuring Euro-style gameplay, these games challenge players to explore distant planets, the surface below and the satellites orbiting around them. The gameplay is strategic, tactical and requires players to pit short-term rewards against long-term gains. Gameplay is as much about playing other players as it is about playing the game. Each decision point is influenced by competitors, making gameplay highly interactive.

Production-wise, each game features engrossing sci-fi art and highly-detailed figures that could easily be considered a deluxe version of any other game. So, let’s take a deeper look at each game!

The Artemis Project

The Artemis Project is a dice (dis) placement and engine-building game that has you fighting the planet – and each other. Place your dice to gain resources, improve workers and bid on buildings while working together to successfully complete expeditions for rewards. Will your efforts be enough to survive?

The Artemis Project: Satellites & Commanders

With barely a foothold in Europa’s snow, your squads of Stabilizers have brought new technology called Chariots which orbit Europa and influence the development of the colonies. Simultaneously, an elite team, forged under Europa’s harsh conditions, has emerged to assume greater leadership roles and have become Commanders.

The Artemis Project: Satellites & Commanders is an expansion that adds two new major opportunities for strategic play to the base game. Satellites are offboard locations that influence the action on the moon’s surface below in powerful ways. Commanders are a new category of colonists that can act as any colonist type, lend their power to dice you send to various locations and assist in end-game scoring.

The Artemis Odyssey

Designed by Bruno Faidutti and Serge Laget, The Artemis Odyssey begins many generations after the events of The Artemis Project. Using alien relics found deep in the oceans of the frozen moon Europa as a technological springboard, humankind has become capable of reaching out to the distant stars ... and to the mysterious orbiting planets. Build powerful starships to cross the vast emptiness of interstellar space and land on uninhabited planets to find valuable resources. Establish your presence with colonies, factories and mighty terraformers. With luck, you may even unearth more alien tech.

More to Come

The universe-building of Artemis is continuing in exciting ways with new games and formats just over the horizon. It’s a truly immersive experience that will keep players engrossed for light years!

Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition Players Guide is an Essential Addition

by Sophia Gambill, Sales Assistant, Renegade Game Studios

Get ready to sink your teeth into Vampire: The Masquerade Players Guide, the newest addition to the Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition Roleplaying Game line. This book collects new character-building options; new powers and rituals; guides for playing together, alone or virtually; and new ways to use the existing rules! Not only that, but the Players Guide consolidates previously published content to provide a more streamlined and accessible experience to fans. Simply put, the Players Guide is the perfect companion to the core Vampire: The Masquerade rulebook!

The book also collects previously published Discipline Powers, Blood Sorcery Rituals and Thin-Blood Alchemy Formulae, while introducing over 40 new additions!

Fans of Vampire: The Masquerade will find that the Players Guide revisits aspects of character and coterie creation with streamlined guidance for both new and experienced players. Additionally,

non-traditional chronicles including all Thin-blood, troupe-style, virtual play and play without a Storyteller are expanded upon in this release. Players will also find new systems and advantages for coteries, including clan coterie merits for each of the 13 great clans plus Caitiff, Duskborn and Salubri.

Seven clans of the Kindred not included in the core Vampire: The Masquerade rulebook are also featured in the Players Guide: Banu Haquim, Hecata, Lasombra, The Ministry, Ravnos, Salubri and Tzimisce. New ways to use existing content from the original game is a highlight feature, providing players with a familiar yet enriched experience.

The Vampire: The Masquerade Players Guide is an indispensable addition

to the Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition Roleplaying Game. All players should have a copy of this book which adds new and exciting features, clarification and expansion upon already established rules and features of Vampire: The Masquerade. Don’t let your customers down! Provide them with the ability to create their own Kindred characters and enjoy the dark, brutal and compelling world of Vampire: The Masquerade. With an expected release in June 2023, this companion is currently available for pre-order. Retailers can order directly from the Renegade Game Studios Retailer Portal or can contact their authorized Renegade Game Studios distributor.

trademarks

www. renegadegames .com

• Includes 6 pre-painted robot miniatures!

• Over 80 different possible race course possibilities!

• Includes four double-sided factory gameboards, and thirteen pre-made race courses.

• Options for short or long, starter, and advanced courses, and variants for play!

GENTLE-ROBOTS...START YOUR MICROPROCESSORS!

What Employee Retention Credit Could Mean for Your Business

by Aaron Witten, Founder, Witten Financial Services

COVID is very likely a word that many reading this article wish would go away or an event that would have never happened. It was a crisis unlike our nation had seen in modern times. Congratulations if you are a business owner reading this article who made it through!

It isn’t hyperbole to say that any business would have been justified in closing its doors during the pandemic. As we emerge from the crisis, the government established a program that offers some stability and cushion to businesses that kept people employed during the pandemic.

For those of you who fit this description, who kept some or all your employees on payroll during 2020 and 2021, my team at Witten Financial has put together an “offer you can’t refuse.”

The Employee Retention Credit (ERC or ERTC) was established by the original CARES Act back in March 2020 to reimburse employers for any payroll taxes and some of the wages paid to their staff during COVID. However, it was mostly ignored due to the law’s complexity and the fact that stimulus was so readily available in the form of easy-to-get PPP loans, SBA loans and EIDL grants. The law was also strict on how you qualified, so many tax professionals overlooked it as a viable funding option for their clients.

In 2021 the half-trillion dollars allocated to the ERC had barely been touched. So, under a new administration in Washington D.C., lawmakers greatly

loosened the qualification rules, took caps off the reimbursement amounts, raised reimbursement rates and extended the period over which employers could qualify. (In my opinion, this is the key part of the law that most tax preparers missed, which may be why your tax professional is still insistent upon you “not qualifying.”)

The ERC is real, and it could be very helpful to you at a time you might need it in your business. We have been helping people apply for this credit for over a year now, helping more than 100 businesses to date successfully with refunds as small as $15,000 to as large as $5 million!

The credit size is related directly to the W-2 wages you paid to the employees you kept on during COVID with as much as 70 percent of the wages paid qualifying for reimbursement back to you. The spirit of the bill, which was passed in a bi-partisan fashion, was passed with the intention of keeping people employed when employers otherwise had little reason to, and to help keep those businesses open during and after the pandemic.

If you or someone you know ran a business during COVID and had W-2 employees, then you likely qualify. Visit us online at wittenfinancial.com/erc to see our whitepaper or scan the QR code in this article for more information or to set up a no-obligation analysis for your business. You need to hurry – the window for this program closes soon!

GAMA Celebrates

GAMA

EXPO was a huge success with a record attendance of 2,041 people and 351 retail stores at the show.  That is up 50 percent from the 1,360 attendees, and up 30 percent from the 271 retail stores that attended last year. This year surpassed our highest previous total of 1,680 attendees from 2019. All in all, we were very pleased to have had such a strong showing in our final show at the Peppermill Resort and Casino in Reno, NV.

The show kicked off Monday with a full day of peer-to-peer classes and the Power Retailer Awards Luncheon. By encouraging the public to submit their FLGS for consideration of the awards, we received a total of 456 entries representing 67 stores from four countries. The Retail Membership Group officers read every submission packet, discussed the options and voted independently on the four award categories. Those votes were tabulated to determine the winners in each category:

a Successful Trade Show

2023 Power Retailer Awards Recipients

• Outstanding Store Design

R ain City Games, Vancouver British Columbia, Canada

• Innovations in Games (Retail)

Zia Comics and Games, Las Cruces, NM

• Outstanding Contribution to Games Industry (Retail)

Games of Berkeley, Berkeley, CA

• Business of the Year (Retail)

Red Claw Gaming, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

(continued on page 47)

Summon the Legends

by Ian Spiegel-Blum, Narrative Designer, Dragon Shield

ummon the Legends of Dragon Shield this spring with brandnew Dragon Shield Brushed art sleeves featuring original constellation artwork by fan-favorite Magic: The Gathering artist, Jason Engle.

The Constellation series launches with three unique art motifs focusing on fanfavorite characters from the fantasy worlds of Dragon Shield. Constellation versions of Alaric, Rowan and Rayalda kick off the series with more planned in the months to come. e Constellation series highlights particular characters that have transcended legend in the fantasy world of Arcania and have become constellations in the night sky. Each of the constellations are real world stars that you can find into the sky as you stand in your backyards. We worked with Jason Engle closely to ensure that the artwork matches the placement of stars in the real world.

(Jason also did the amazing constellation artwork series for the gods of Theros in Magic: The Gathering.)

ach constellation represents different virtues and values that characters in Arcania call upon in their struggles, just as customers might need an infusion of bravery or strength in their day-to-day lives. Choose your favorite sleeve based on the artwork or the values the character represents.

ans of Dual Matte colors Ember, Fury and Wraith will recognize Alaric as the freedom fighter turned wraith whose story was told across the three boxes. Alaric represents cunning, improvisation

and adaptation, and his constellation provides reinforcement of those values to those who seek it.

The story of the lion-maned dragon, Rowan, will be expanded upon in the new Valor, Might and Wisdom Dual Matte sleeves. His constellation might be sought by those who value goodness and honesty. The stalwart and the brave will find power in seeking his celestial guidance.

Lastly, Rayalda was one of the winners of our fan choice art sleeve contest and has been featured on sleeves and a playmat and starred in a mini adventure in our tabletop roleplaying line of products. Here, she makes her triumphant return, this time among the stars. The Rayalda constellation shines brightest for lovers of peace and can be called upon to negate enemies’ offense.

The artwork is designed with realworld star maps in mind. You can overlap the night sky with our images to see the constellations at home, adding an awesome layer of interactivity. Check out dragonshield.com/constellations for more images, videos and teasers for upcoming sleeves in the series.

Dragon Shield Brushed Art sleeves offer a silky-smooth shuffle feel. Brushed sleeves have a lightly textured back that helps cards to slide effortlessly while shuffling; they also have a gradient border designed with the artwork in mind to make for a beautiful frame. Dragon Shield art sleeves never peel or split; while some other brands use an extra layer that is glued on top of the sleeve to create an art motif, Dragon Shield has infused the artwork into the actual sleeve itself, meaning there is no additional layer to peel off.

We hope you enjoy Dragon Shield Constellations!

Legends Summon the

When heroes transcend legend they take their rightful place among the stars.

Empower your deck with the new Constellations Art Sleeves. These legends turned zodiac each embody a set of virtues and can be found in your own night sky. Which virtues match you and your deck?

Rowan

Honesty and bravery

Alaric Cunning and adaptable

Rayalda Calm and peaceful

AT-12089 | MSRP: $ 13.99

AT-12094 | MSRP: $ 13.99

AT-12085 | MSRP: $ 13.99

Art by MTG-artist Jason Engle

FUSE: Countdown from Renegade Game Studios is a stand-alone expansion with all the fast-paced gameplay from FUSE. It features new dice, bomb cards, card types and unique player role cards. renegadegamestudios.com/fusecountdown

Make your tabletop fantasy come to life with All Game Terrain’s superior landscape materials, by Woodland. All items work together to create realistic scenery for any miniature wargame or roleplaying game.

573-346-5555

sales@allgameterrain.com

The Dragon Prince: Battlecharged from Brotherwide Games is a fast-paced tactical miniatures game that brings the epic animated series to life. Control eight characters, each with their own unique play style. brotherwisegames.com/thedragonprince

In Star Trek: Away Missions from Battlefront, players will lead their own landing parties to complete missions, conduct espionage, fight in glorious battle or assimilate distinctiveness.

startrek.gf9games.com

Jot reusable writing tablets from Boogie Board are for serious tabletop gamers. The tablets feature a streamlined design, easy-touse stylus and the ability to clear completely with the push of a button.

rmerlene@kentdisplays.com

In Terraforming Mars Ares Expedition: Crisis from Indie Game Studios, players work together to keep Mars habitable after a natural disaster has landed the planet in crisis.

boardgamegeek.com/ boardgame/358738/terraformingmars-ares-expedition-crisis

Cangaceiros from Ares Games is a strategic game for two to five players. Each player runs a gang of legendary bandits who evade state police, try to survive in hostile territories and seek fame.

aresgames.eu

Fog of Love by Floodgate Games is a romantic comedy as a board game! Players create fictional characters to react to hilarious, awkward and sometimes serious situations. Will these characters find love everlasting?

MSRP $49.95

Shadows of Brimstone: Gates of Valhalla from Flying Frog Productions lets players lead an expedition of Viking Warriors into a mysterious region overrun by creatures of myth and legend. In a land forsaken by the gods, your Viking Clan must hold back the tide of darkness that threatens to consume the world!

ethan@flying frog.net

Everyone is a Tabletop Gamer with Vox Link

by Constantine Greanias, President, Vox Link Ltd.

Vox Link is the ultimate tabletop gaming community app. Gamers can find new opponents, book tickets at events and browse curated tabletop gaming content all in one place.

Some of the biggest problems retailers face are growing their community and slogging through the mess that is Facebook and Google advertising. With Vox Link, everyone is a tabletop gamer and all of them are looking for a great local hangout spot.

Join us as we connect players spanning from casual to competitive in one place so we all can find each other and see what’s happening in the community around us. No more checking Discord, Facebook, Instagram and more. Publish events, advertise and engage with your community all in one place on your own store group.

Vox Link has been successfully funded on Kickstarter with more than $25,000 pledged! Vox Link is preparing for an August launch on Android and IOS. Become a verified store today to publish events to the community calendar, run tournaments and advertise all in one

place.

Vox Link has a game store finder to help gamers find places to meet up with new opponents. Sign up for the app to manage your profile and help gamers learn more about your store. Using the advanced advertising tools, you will be able to easily promote your store and events to new gamers with pinpoint accuracy. Advertise directly to specific gamer communities in specific regions. Growing communities is a breeze when you have the right tools. All the while, we keep user data private and allow the gamers to determine what game content they are interested in.

Launching a new tabletop miniatures game? Vox Link makes targeting growing communities a breeze so you can spend

your ad dollars wisely.

Vox Link is great for community building, and getting found by more gamers. It’s the one place to publish events and be found by all gamers within travel distance. It also offers in-app event ticketing.

Vox Link is the ultimate place to manage community events and help new players find you. The event schedule will show gamers all events for their games near them and give them a chance to book a ticket right then and there. Use targeted ads to advertise to new local customers.

Vox Link is an all-in-one solution to build and manage your gaming community from start to finish.

To schedule a demo and sign up, visit business.voxlink.app.

The Ultimate tabletop gaming community app!

Get on the tabletop event schedule today!

Get in front of gamers with the fastest growing tabletop community building app.

Teamwork Makes the Mission Work

by Phil Yates, Game Designer, Battlefront Miniatures Ltd.

Star Trek: Away Missions puts players in command of an away team, battling to achieve their mission on a derelict starship while fending off hostile away teams. The core game is set in the aftermath of the Battle of Wolf 359, where Riker’s away team from the U.S.S. Enterprise is attempting to stop Locutus’s unimatrix from assimilating the Federation into the Borg collective.

It was important that there was a lot of different options available from day one, so alongside the Battle of Wolf 359 box, the first two expansions will be released: Gowron’s honour guard from the Klingon Empire and Sela’s infiltrators from the Romulan Star Empire. While

to Discovery.

The game is three turns long, and the aim is to complete as many missions as possible in those turns, which could be anything from repairing or assimilating ship systems to taking part in combat. To keep the game easy to learn, both combat and non-combat actions use a unified resolution system.

Customizable decks of mission cards are included for each away team, with a choice of core missions to further focus the player’s choices. This allowed us to create a focus on gaining honour through combat for Gowron’s Klingons, while having Locutus’ Borg able to focus on either avoiding

assimilating the ship or going head-tohead assimilating opposing characters. Riker’s Federation away team has a similar choice between repairing the ship or aggressive action to protect Sector 001. The intersection of these varied goals makes sure no two games are the same.

Support cards match the theme and missions of each deck, giving characters extra equipment, skills, advice or aid. The game’s board is made up of four game boards connected by a main corridor, with each game set up differently to add variety. The boards are also double-sided – allowing players to play on either a derelict Federation ship or a Borg Cube – which provides different layouts and creates unique challenges.

As the different away teams have different numbers of characters, we added a balancing factor so things stay fun when things aren’t going your way. We went with a cinematic feel, with the smaller force getting bonus actions to make up the difference. So as in the show, when you’re down to your last character, you may somehow pull out all the stops and single-handedly rush around saving the day, or at least put up a good fight as you go down.

We have a lineup of away teams waiting in the wings for their chance to beam down, each with a new take on the game, along with organized play packs to help stores run events.

Live long and prosper! Qapla’!

Lead your away team into the aftermath of the Battle of Wolf 359, where the Borg have crushed the only fleet standing between Earth and assimilation. Lead Riker’s away team into the wreckage and search for information that will defeat the Borg to save Earth, or join Locutus of Borg and the Borg Collective to assimilate your opposition.

COMING

QUADRANT

JULY KLINGON & ROMULAN EXPANSIONS

Who has time to work together?

by Ian Birdsall, Marketing Manager, Floodgate Games

Whatdo most people want from their gaming experiences? If you look at the top-rated games on Boardgamegeek.com, you’re likely to see some great games with higher complexity, lots of components and a long-time commitment. However, the pitch for a game session that will realistically last longer than two hours isn’t always appealing. Finding titles that fit into our increasingly busy schedules while still offering engaging gameplay and delivering memorable moments remains a paramount goal for Floodgate Games! This philosophy shines with our most recent breakout games: Décorum and Kites.

B oth Décorum and Kites are instantly approachable titles. Each achieve the goal of providing a high-quality gaming experience in under an hour which

means getting them to the table is super easy! Part of the appeal – beyond their segmented playtime, scenarios for Décorum and just a few minutes each game for Kites – is the games’ cooperative nature. Everyone at the table is working together and everyone shares in the victory or defeat! We’re always trying to make those high-five moments happen. And these two games continue to convince even the most stringent co-op skeptics. We found that the number-one concern with co-op games is “quarterbacking” – the ability for one player to steamroll the other players’ turns.

The designs of both Décorum and Kites overcome this naturally! Décorum is a cooperative hidden information game, meaning that no one player has all the answers, so you had better figure out how

to communicate. While Kites’ real-time gameplay gets everyone excitedly shouting out what they need and who can help, in a moment’s time it’s already been a full round and you need to play another card!

The hallmark of great games are the experiences you share and stories you take with you. These moments are what drive the Floodgate team. Big moments that make you want to share that game with your friends so they can feel that same rush! So many games strive to create these moments, but most rarely do. If we’re lucky enough to have you give Décorum, Kites or both a chance at your table, you just might need to be ready for an epic coop victory high-five!

Want to carry Décorum, Kites or other Floodgate Games titles? Nice! Reach out to your rep at ACD, Allliance, GTS, Lion Rampant (Canada), Spiral Galaxy (UK) or Let’s Play (Australia). Or email us at sales@floodgategames.com. We’re friendly, I promise.

MSRP: WILL FLY OFF YOUR SHELVES! Get your FREE Kites Retailer Promos!

Case

Game

Case

Ages 10+ Dimensions: 470 x 470 x 245mm Weight: 6.2 lb (2.79 kg)

Blade Rondo and Its Expansions Add Depth and Variety to Gameplay

by Mikael Yang

Blade Rondo is a board game series created by independent publisher Domina Games and translated into English by Japanime Games. With its unique gameplay mechanics and breathtaking gothic anime visuals, Blade Rondo offers a rich gaming experience that challenges players to think strategically in order to counter their opponent.

The base set serves as the foundation for the entire series. It includes six unique characters, each with their own set of abilities and fighting styles. The game board is double-sided, and the set includes 108 cards and various tokens.

increases by one each turn. Stronger cards will cost more voltage and thus may only be played later in the game. Each player is presented with three D10 dice that will represent their Attack, Voltage and Defense.

Each expansion adds 40 new twoplayer cards and between 15 and 20 new single player cards. They also contain all the necessary pieces to be played without the base game. The base game is easy to pick up, yet hard to master and each expansion adds more depth to the gameplay.

Night Theater introduces a new mechanic called “Stage Trap” which allows

in Frost Veil is “Icy Terrain,” which represents a frozen tundra that covers parts of the game board. This terrain slows down characters, limits their movement and makes it more challenging to maneuver around the board. The set also includes new cards and abilities that can be used to manipulate the Icy Terrain and gain an advantage over opponents.

The Lost Dream One expansion establishes the “Dream World” mechanic which allows players to manipulate the game board and create illusions that can deceive their opponents. This mechanic adds a new layer of strategy to the game, as players must decide when and how to use their abilities to create the most effective illusions. The set also includes new cards and abilities that can be used to manipulate the Dream World and gain an advantage over opponents.

Blade Rondo and its four expansions are coming out in the U.S. this summer. Players will be able to go head-to-head or play a solo game and to showcase their strategy skills and knowledge of the various game mechanics. The small size factor of these games means they can be carried and played on the go with no issue.

Blade Rondo, Blade Rondo: Night Theater, Blade Rondo: Grim Garden, Blade Rondo: Frost Veil and Blade Rondo: Lost Dream are $19.95 each.

Magpie Games is excited to present Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game, the officially licensed tabletop roleplaying game set in the world of the Avatarverse!

It is a heroic fantasy game set in the universe of Avatar: The Last Airbender and TheLegendofKorra—a setting inspired by Asian and North American Indigenous cultures, featuring elemental bending martial arts, dramatic conflicts between people and nations, and the struggles of an ever-changing world. You and your friends take on the roles of heroes from across the Four Nations to fight for what is right amid complicated and nuanced situations.

Each player creates their own hero using a playbook—an archetype with distinctive options including sets of abilities and story elements. The game offers a chance to create your own tales within five distinct eras—the Kyoshi Era, the Roku Era, the Hundred Year War Era, the Aang Era, and the Korra Era. Each era focuses on distinct themes tied to the challenges the world and its Avatar faces during that time. Your characters each hail from one of the Four Nations and specialize in a training path: waterbending, earthbending, firebending, airbending, weapons, or technology. Your training serves two main uses in the game: it establishes your abilities so you can plan and execute creative solutions in key moments, and it determines what techniques are available to you to learn and use while in combat. Bending and fighting are iconic hallmarks that make up the Avatarverse so the game features a robust combat system designed to represent the fluidity of fights on display in the series.

Beyond combat, the game closely models the look and feel of the show in how it handles a character’s journey to achieve or maintain internal balance. Each character possesses a balance track that represents two opposing principles within them. The player characters are pushed and pulled by circumstances and other characters to act in accordance with those ideals. During the course of the game, balance ebbs and flows between the two principles based on how you act, and other characters may shift your balance by affirming how they see you.

It is time for you and your players to become legends yourselves! The life of an Avatar Legends hero is never easy. You’ll find that most problems in the Four Nations can’t be fixed by a simple fight—the Avatarverse and the people who live there are too complex for that. You might have to investigate the problem, speak to the people about their needs, and strive to understand the nuances of the situation at hand. Embracing the diversity of the Four Nations and learning to accept others and their unique worldviews are all part of the heroism central to the game. Adventure awaits in Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game, and we hope you and your friends will join us!

Kings from Flying Frog Productions lets players take on the role of a classic Spanish Conquistador Archetype, such as El Capitan or Duelist, and explore an abandoned Spanish Fort that has fallen into shadow. Fully Cooperative dungeon crawl fun with an included 8-part Campaign.

ethan@flyingfrog.net

Shadows of Brimstone

Crossing Genres for Unlimited Possibilities

By Ethan Lowe, Distributor and Retail Relations Manager, Flying Frog Productions

Thissummer the criticallyacclaimed Shadows of Brimstone game series adds some exciting new genres to the mix with two Brimstone Adventures Core Sets - Gates of Valhalla and Valley of the Serpent Kings! With an Age of Exploration theme, these sets let players add Vikings and Spanish explorers respectively, to their fast-paced, cooperative, dungeon-crawl games of Shadows of Brimstone.

In Gates of Valhalla, each player creates a Viking character, such as a Jarl, Raider, Berserker or Huscarl. Forming a party of Heroes, the players explore a dynamically-generated Norseland, overcoming dangerous encounters and fighting savage mythical creatures, while collecting Gear and Artifacts to help them on their adventures.

In Valley of the Serpent Kings, each player creates a character, taking on the role of a classic Spanish Conquistador Archetype, such as El Capitan, Explorer, Duelist or Soldier. They enter the dark halls of an abandoned Spanish fort that has fallen into shadow and set out to explore the alien Swamps of Jargono in the Valley of the Serpent Kings, facing deadly encounters and sinister Serpentmen.

One of the great strengths of Shadows of Brimstone is that all of the Core Sets are fully compatible with all of the other Shadows of Brimstone Expansions and Core Sets. A key feature of the game is finding swirling gates that are portals across space and time and stepping through into OtherWorlds to explore and continue your adventures. Combined with the already established Old West setting in the City of the Ancients and Swamps of Death Core Sets, and the fantastical

Feudal Japanese setting of the Forbidden Fortress Core Set, players can now create Hero Parties from a single genre or mix and match to pull their favorite Heroes together from across genres!

Each Core Set comes with an alien world to explore, while a series of largebox OtherWorld Expansions add more variety and genres to the setting. Your Vikings can explore the fiery, underground hellscape in the Caverns of Cynder. Or the sci-fi horror in the cold dark halls of an abandoned spaceship hurtling through interstellar space, with the Derelict Ship. Can your Old West gunfighters and Spanish explorers match up against the ruthless scavengers in the burning sands of an alien prison world in the Blasted Wastes?

e modular design and full compatibility of expansions in the Shadows of Brimstone game series allows players to create their own epic campaigns and experience truly unique and engaging stories that keep players coming back for more. For some players, the new Gates of Valhalla and Valley of the Serpent Kings Adventure Sets this summer will be the beginning of an epic journey into the world of Shadows of Brimstone, while for veteran players they will find new genres to explore and an all new saga of unlimited possibilities.

Quartermaster General: East Front offers a fast and immersive two-player experience

by Andrea Fanhoni, PR & Communication, Ares Games

Theacclaimed Quartermaster General line – featuring Ian Brody’s cardbased asymmetrical boardgames – is growing with the first release in a trilogy of new games. With the upcoming Quartermaster General: East Front, the focus shifts from the grand strategic and multiplayer approach of Quartermaster General WW2 Second Edition to twoplayer and operational-level action. East Front will depict the deadly struggle between the Soviet Union and Germany from 1941 to 1945 in a tense and fastplaying format. Other two titles will follow, portraying the conflict on the Mediterranean and the Western fronts during World War II.

Quartermaster General games offer fast-paced and epic experiences in an easy to learn, card-driven format. Each player receives a unique deck of cards that represents their power’s real-world historical capabilities; these cards drive the action on the map. While playable in two, the games released until now are better suited for five to six players. The new Front series games are developed for two players. Each new release will detail a specific theater of war, with the possibility of combining them together to recreate

East Front is also the first entirely new game in line since the release of The Cold War in 2018. Until now, Ares Games had only released new editions of titles originally published by Griggling Games: Quartermaster General WW2, its expansions Total War and Prelude and Quartermaster General: 1914.

Quartermaster General: East Front provides an in-depth look at one of the major operational theaters of the World War in less than two hours. In June of 1941, Germany invaded the Soviet Union, along with Finland, Romania and other Axis nations. Germany was seeking another lightning victory, like those attained in Poland and France. Four years and millions of lives later, Soviet troops captured Berlin and forced the German surrender. This dramatic conflict is condensed as a fast-paced game, filled with meaningful decisions. East Front is played over 16 game rounds, each representing three months, starting in Summer 1941, and ending in Spring 1945

In East Front, one player commands the Axis and the other the Allies (Soviets). The Axis has two factions: Germany and Pact. The Pact represents the nations that fought alongside Germany in World War II – signatories of the Tripartite Pact, plus Finland. The two sides play very differently and have their own strengths and weaknesses. The Axis must use their initial advantage to seize as much territory as possible – the Soviets begin with 10 Victory stars and the Axis just seven. As the Allies, the player needs to cobble together a defense that selectively destroys advancing Axis elements while still maintaining a solid line – and whenever possible, keep reserves ready for a counterattack.

Like other titles in the Quartermaster General series, the pieces represent an abstraction of the army capabilities, and feature four different types of units: infantry, tanks, airplanes and fleets. Most of the action is driven by card play, but movement is handled differently in East Front than in previous Quartermaster General games – the conflict focuses on movement and maneuver, and the action is far more kinetic than in the grand-strategic titles. Battles are tense and bloody, and players will be able to change the outcome with well-timed

uartermaster General: East Front offers a fast and challenging two-person experience, with high replayability and the long-term perspective of extending the scope to other theaters of war with the future releases in the series.

WOTR101 • WAR OF THE RING — THE CARD GAME SRP $ 44.90

WOTR151 • SHADOW CARD BOX AND SLEEVES SRP $ 15.90

WOTR153 • SHADOW CUSTOM SLEEVES SRP $ 12.90

WOTR152 • FREE PEOPLES CUSTOM SLEEVES SRP $ 12.90

WOTR150 • FREE PEOPLES CARD BOX AND SLEEVES SRP $ 15.90

Loke Battle Mats Presents

New RPG Books of Battle Mats

by Matt Henderson, Founder and Lead Designer, Loke Battle Mats

quickly create immersive encounters and impress the players.

Themust-stock RPG map books – The Big Book of Battle Mats and the Giant Book of Battle Mats – have been revised for 2023 and now feature all new maps!

Set to benefit from both the renewed interest in D&D, as well as growing interest in new RPG systems, Loke Battle Mats’ Books of Battle Mats are as essential for established game masters as they are for first time RPG runners and can be used with any RPG system. Whether you are running a rules-heavy tactical RPG battle or a story-based encounter, these map books instantly create that immersive scene and allow the game master to focus on the players, story and action.

These innovative books feature more than 60 map pages of all the essential RPG settings, offering a map for any encounter and any RPG system. The lay flat books are ideal for use with miniatures and 3D scenery, and the pages are easy to wipe clean, allowing the maps to be customized. Our clever cartography is detailed, yet generic to ensure our maps can be reused for multiple different RPG encounters, thus offering unrivalled value for money.

These time-saving maps not only provide an instant backdrop both for

planned and unplanned scenarios (so no more hastily drawing maps), they also offer inspiration when planning RPG sessions and structure when running complex tactical combat encounters. Two sizes of map book are available to meet the demands of any RPG encounter, game master and table. The pages in each book can be used individually or the book can be laid flat to use the two complimentary opposing pages together.

The Big Book of Battle Mats and the Giant Book of Battle Mats sit at the heart of Loke Battle Mats’ extensive range of RPG maps and accessories. Our years of experience in the roleplaying sector ensure that our maps meet all the needs of today’s game master and are a beautiful, quick, easy and cost-effective way to

All our map books feature a detailed index on the back that shows all the maps, thus allowing customers to know exactly what maps they are getting at a glance. Our award-winning maps sell themselves and inspire adventure!

“ These books are a game-changer for anyone running a roleplaying game,” said Matt Henderson, founder of Loke Battle Mats. “Drawing maps, not to mention designing and running tactical encounters, can be a time-consuming and daunting task. But with our Books of Battle Mats you can focus on the story and let the maps do the heavy lifting.”

More information on our multi award-winning Book of Battle Mats range, along with our full 2023 catalog, can be found at lokebattlemats.com

Loke Battle Mats are represented to the hobby market by PSI, and are distributed in the U.S. by Alliance, PHD and ACD and by Lion Rampart and Universal in Canada.

Sorcery: Contested Realm from Erik’s Curiosa is an “old school” fantasy card game for players with a rich imagination, tactical nerve and an appreciation for hand-painted art. sorcerytcg.com

Birds of Prey: TOPGUN from Ad Astra Games goes beyond the movies to explain how the Navy Fighter Weapons School really works, with scenarios covering both movies.

adastragames.com/products/topgun

Legendary: Midnight Sons from Upper Deck is a new 100-card set expansion set. Adventure into the dark, dreadful and terrifying territories of the Marvel Universe and save the souls of humankind!

upperdeckstore.com/legendarymidnight-sons.html

business.voxlink.app

Vox Link is a tabletop gaming community building app designed by gamers, for gamers. Publish and run events, streamline growth, and build your community all in one place.

Munchkin Druids from Steve Jackson Games adds 112 cards to the game, the new Druid class and more nature-related monsters and weapons than you can shake a holy stick at!

Order from your approved distributor today!

MSRP $19.95

Empower your deck with Constellations

Art Sleeves from Arcane Tinmen. They feature legends-turned-zodiac that each embody a set of virtues and can be found in the night sky.

dragonshield.com/constellations

Dragonbane from Free League Publishing is a fantasy tabletop roleplaying game. It provides laughs at the table, while still offering brutal challenges for adventurers. dragonbane-rpg.com

In Fall of the Mountain King from KTBG, fight against an onslaught of gnomes to protect your ancestral home. A unique action-selection system determines what you can accomplish each round.

boardgamegeek.com/ boardgame/334829/ fall-mountain-king

The Artemis Odyssey from Grand Gamers Guild begins many generations after the events of The Artemis Project. Humankind has become quickly capable of reaching out to the distant stars using alien relics found on Europa. Email Marc Specter at marc@ grandgamersguild.com

Around the Table is a quarterly publication organized by the Game Manufacturers Association to foster and support our industry with a new communication avenue. Each issue features articles by thought leaders across the industry sharing their insights and experiences, previews of upcoming games, as well as practical tips and advice on how to create, promote and sell games.

We hope these articles will stimulate both your imagination and a lively exchange of ideas. We also encourage your input on topics to be covered in future issues. Article contributors, advertisers, and general feedback are always welcome. To get involved, please send an email to john.stacy@gama.org.

Around the Table features a unique bonus for advertisers: reserve a full-page ad and get a full page of editorial free! To reserve your ad space, contact Amy Colburn, amy@fwpi.com.

GAMA Celebrates a Successful Trade Show

(continued from page 17)

Following lunch, we continued with more educational programming as well as the Media First Look program with nearly 40 publishers providing the opportunity for attending media to learn more about their upcoming games and products. At the end of that program, we announced this year’s Origin Awards finalists. The list of nominated titles is available on the Origins Game Fair website.

Monday evening saw the first of three Game Nights in the Capri Ballroom. More than 50 publishers showed off their games and products each night of the show. The show continued Tuesday through Thursday with more seminars and premier presentations for retailers in the morning, and the exhibit hall was open from 2 to 6 p.m. daily followed by the evening Game Night and an assortment of hosted events.

We received strong feedback on having three days of shorter hall hours from both exhibitors who liked having mornings and evenings open for individual meetings and attendees. Other highlights of the week included the Diversity & Inclusion Committee reception, the New Exhibitor Showcase and the GAMA Committee Open House.

Mark your calendar for GAMA EXPO 2024, which will be held at the Galt House Hotel & Kentucky International Convention Center on March 3-7, 2024.

Lastly, we would like to thank the attendees, presenters, sponsors and exhibitors that worked so hard to help make this year a success. Without you it never would have happened.

If you would like to be part of the planning team for GAMA EXPO 2024, please send an email to john.stacy@gama.org.

Punchkins

Collectible Plush with a Dash of Sass and Endless Gift Potential

by Dante Trasatti, VP of Sales, Punchkins

Whenyou think of plush products, you often associate them with adorable and comforting companions. However, Punchkins is here to change the game. This brand-new collection of premium plush takes cuteness to the next level by infusing it with a dose of irreverence and relatable personality. From puns to dad jokes and even a touch of salty sarcasm, Punchkins offers a range of plush that is both enjoyable to collect and a perfect gift for friends and family.

A humorous heritage

Although Punchkins officially launched in 2022, the creative minds behind the brand have been crafting funny products for almost two decades. Nestled in the heart of Glastonbury, CT, the Punchkins team has mastered the art of using plush as a medium to deliver humor. Through their designs, they

jokes and sassy sarcasm to create an unforgettable and laugh-inducing experience.

Signature design

With one glance at the Punchkins collection, you’ll recognize their distinctive style. The recipe for their success lies in their expressive faces, carefully embroidered details and the delightful addition of dangly legs. These elements work together to create a truly memorable and instantly recognizable design aesthetic that is unmistakably Punchkins. These pint-sized plush memes are not only soft and huggable but also burst with relatable personality, making them perfect for display or gifting.

Quality construction and displayworthy

Punchkins take pride in their commitment to quality. Each plush is meticulously crafted with high-quality materials, ensuring durability and longevity. From precise embroidery to weighted bases that

sit comfortably on any surface, Punchkins are designed to be showcased. Whether at home, in the office or anywhere else you desire, these plush companions add a unique and whimsical touch of personality to any space.

An array of styles

With a collection boasting more than 50 unique styles, Punchkins has a joke or mood for everyone. While the brand embraces a lot of LOL-worthy salty and sarcastic designs, they also offer a range of downright cute styles that are perfect for brightening someone’s day. Whether you want to share a pick-me-up sentiment or simply add a touch of humor to your own life, Punchkins has the perfect plushie waiting for you. Best of all, these delightful plushies are reasonably priced, with most options available for under $20.

If you’re looking for plush products that go beyond the ordinary, Punchkins is the brand for you. Their collection of premium plush offers a unique blend of humor, relatability and undeniable cuteness. From their signature design aesthetic to their commitment to quality construction, Punchkins stands out as a brand that embraces the unexpected and delivers an experience that is both enjoyable and giftable. So why settle for ordinary plush toys when you can own a piece of Punchkins’ hilarious and endearing world? Explore the collection today and prepare to be enchanted by these lovable and sassy plush companions.

The Power of

Table Presence

by Sean Jacquemain, Communications Director, KTBG

Summer of 2022

marked three years since our sibling brands, KTBG and Burnt Island Games, had attended a major convention. A lot can change in that time and you can get out of con shape really quickly. When we arrived at Origins Game Fair in Columbus, we were excited to get back to the crowds, the energy and the fun of five days of gaming with friends and fans. That show and Gen Con following a few months later served as important reminders to us of the importance of inperson gaming and the power of table presence.

In October 2019, our tactile dinosaur set collection game, Fossilis, went to Kickstarter. Players become paleontologists moving around a unique 3D dig site, sifting through layers of terrain and uncovering bones to construct full specimens for the museum. We were thrilled with its success. People really loved the concept and were excited about a dinosaur-themed game that allowed them to uncover pits and discover bones as they played.

The Fossils Kickstarter felt like a huge success and when it came to retail, it sold

game found success in game stores that had a demo copy out for customers to see. That’s just common sense. The more people get to see and interact with a game out on a table, the more likely they’ll be to buy it. We were about to see that theory in practice.

At Origins, we had several scheduled demos of games from both of our libraries. We also had a booth with many of our games on display, including Fossilis. At this time, we were hot off of the successful campaign for Creature Comforts and Origins was the first major show it was going to be available to buy. We were anticipating it to be a big seller and we were right. It was flying off the shelves, but we noticed something else too: Fossilis was selling at a higher rate than we had anticipated. As the show went on, we continued to see Fossilis

sales rise. People were coming to the booth right after a demo of the game to snag their own copy. In the convention hall, people seemed drawn to the game and were consistently asking to learn more. The game had never had a chance to shine at a major show and it felt like it was having a moment.

t became really clear to us how important the physical aesthetic of Fossilis was to selling the game. We always strive to make games that are not only mechanically sound, but also look great when you’re playing them. It was really satisfying to see those efforts pay off.

So, what did we learn from this experience as publishers? First, it hammered home the importance of table presence. It was something we already knew, but it’s always nice to get that reminder. The second lesson was how impactful in-person demos can be in converting sales. This applies to big conventions and friendly local game stores. If you can get a game in front of a potential customer, it becomes a lot easier to make them a fan. It goes to show, no matter how long you spend in a business you can learn and respond to new and old lessons.

Ten Years in the Making

by

Ten years ago, it all started with an idea.

Chris and Johnny O’Neal have always been big fans of all things geeky, from tabletop games to board games. So, why not combine the two? This idea led to Boss Monster, a fun and thematic card game inspired by retro side-scrolling video games. In Boss Monster, you play as a villain building the ultimate dungeon so you can lure in adventurers … and then destroy them!

B oss Monster was a game that the O’Neal brothers made to play with each other. They put it on Kickstarter to see if they could cover their costs for a small print run, and it exceeded their wildest expectations. Since then, Boss Monster has grown into a full product line with new mini-expansions, the Next Level and Rise of the Minibosses standalone expansions, playmats, card sleeves and a Boss Monster mystery puzzle.

“We think the secret to Boss Monster’s success was the way it bridged the gap between ‘core’ and casual gamers,” said Brotherwise co-founder Chris. “It welcomed new people into the hobby, which is what we’ve tried to encourage

ever since.”

In 2023, Brotherwise Games is celebrating a decade of success with “The Year of Boss Monster,” a lineup of exciting new releases. Leading the charge is the 10th anniversary edition of the original game. It features new bosses, spells and rooms. Most importantly, the rulebook and cards have been overhauled to make the game even more accessible and balanced.

As the Boss Monster brand has grown, it’s become too big for one game. Two years ago, Brotherwise released Overboss, a tile-laying game with similarities to Kingdomino and Cascadia. It was an instant hit on Kickstarter with 11,000 backers, and has gone on to perform well in retail locations. In September, Brotherwise is set to release Overboss Duel, a head-to-head version that dials up the composition with hero tokens and a shared board. At the same time, a videogame version of Overboss is coming to Steam and Nintendo Switch, bringing this delightful spin-off series to an even

wider audience.

The next big Boss Monster spin-off is racing to Kickstarter this summer with Dungeon Kart. A delightful turn-based racing game with deadly power-ups, Dungeon Kart brings multiplayer kart action to the tabletop. In this fun and fastpaced game, players will need to watch out for obstacles, choose the right speed for changing terrain types and use spells to thwart their opponents.

oss Monster has sold over a million copies since it first hit retail, but that’s just the beginning of the Brotherwise Games story. The indie game studio has expanded from a two-person start-up to a global team with more than a dozen employees, but the company remains dedicated to bringing new players into the hobby. Alongside evergreen titles like Boss Monster and Call to Adventure, Brotherwise is rolling out new titles like Castles by the Sea and Empire’s End.

What will the future hold for Boss Monster and the O’Neal brothers? One thing seems certain: the Brotherwise team won’t be running out of ideas anytime soon.

Jilian Ross, Marketing Designer, Brotherwise Games

Boogie Board

Reigns Supreme at GAMA Expo

by Ryan Merlene, Sales Manager, Boogie Board

The team at Boogie Board is getting settled back in after travelling to Reno for its first-ever – but certainly not the last – GAMA Expo.

While we anticipated three days of meeting with existing customers and connecting with new ones, we could not have anticipated the overwhelming response and excitement from GAMA Expo attendees.

GAMA guests confirmed what the Boogie Board team already knew: the brand’s reusable LCD writing tablets are the “ultimate life pad” for those serious about tabletop gaming given the product’s streamlined design, easy-to-use stylus and ability to clear completely with the push of a button. These features and more make Boogie Board writing tablets the ideal tool to track scores instead of pieces of paper (which not only add to paper waste but can be hard to read if pencil or ink gets smudged).

The Boogie Board brand is passionate about connecting community. It didn’t take long to get a sense of the inclusivity that permeates the game store industry.

We saw so many impromptu games and gatherings at even the smallest of tables onsite. We noticed that people representing different stores were playing games with each other and having a great time. This sense of community and togetherness was definitely a sight for sore eyes. It was inspiring to see GAMA’s vision statement come to life: A game on every table, a table for everyone.

Despite Boogie Board’s “first year” status as official GAMA members, most attendees were very familiar with Boogie Board products like Jot and Jot Pocket thanks in part to our following among Magic and D&D players. These serious tabletop gamers recognized years ago that Boogie Board products were convenient for tracking life totals in real time with the option to quickly erase and reset between matches. This year, store owners were also thrilled with the option to customize Boogie Board tablets with their store names and logos – adding another branding moment for local stores in their communities.

At GAMA, we also had the opportunity to share the Boogie Board brand’s Blackboard line, which is essential for small business owners. Blackboard comes in two versions: Smart Scan and Smart Pen. Both versions work with our Blackboard App, which saves notes to Bluetooth enabled devices and also integrates with multiple cloud-based apps. It’s an essential product for small business owners who are note-taking in meetings with vendors and customers but want a paperless, smart format to promote sustainability and keep organization simple.

Perhaps the Boogie Board team’s favorite interaction of the week came when a store owner proudly marched up to the brand’s booth and announced that her employees were not going to let her come home if she left GAMA Expo without placing an order for Boogie Boards! In addition to getting a good laugh, the Boogie Board team was grateful for the opportunity to have so many positive interactions like that throughout the week in Reno.

We can’t wait for GAMA Expo 2024!

Insuring Toy and Game Manufacturers for a Half Century

by Bob Witkin, Toy Industry and Juvenile Products Specialist, York Jersey Underwriters

Located in Tinton Falls, NJ, York Jersey

Underwriters was founded in 1926. Since then, we have pioneered insuring a variety of businesses in the toy industry. We are licensed in all 50 states and represent many leading insurers as an independent agency. We are a successful insurance program manager for specific industries and are pleased to offer our Liability Insurance Program for the toy, game, hobby and juvenile products industries.

Program highlights include:

• A ++ rated insurer with $20 billion in assets

• Exceeds all leading retailers’ insurance requirements

• Variable rates based on sales projections

• Foreign and domestic liability coverage

• Blanket additional insured vendors

• Employee benefits liability

• All certificates and claims are handled in house

• Quick quotation turnaround

• Product Recall Expense – $250,000

• Umbrella up to $50 million

• Ocean cargo

• Property

• Workers sompensation

• Intellectual property

• Bond

• Commercial auto

• Cyber

To learn more, visit toy-insurance.com, call 800-392-6958 to connect with Jason Welch (ext. 318, jawelch@york-jersey.com) or Robert Witkin (ext. 331, bobwitkin@york-jersey.com).

Life is unpredictable...are you PROTECTED?

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Jason Welch x318 jawelch@york-jersey.com

Robert Witkin x331 bobwitkin@york-jersey.com

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(800) 392-6958

www.toy-insurance.com

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Mars Fights Back How to Navigate an Ares Expedition Crisis

by JP Decosse, Editorial Manager, OffDutyNinja

Few games have swept up the imagination and excitement of the tabletop gaming community the way Terraforming Mars has. It’s that same enthusiasm that inspired the creation of Terraforming Mars: Ares Expedition in 2021.

Just as Terraforming Mars expanded to encompass everything from Hellas and Elysium to the surface of Venus, Ares Expedition is now bringing its own brand-new stories to this growing universe. A trio of expansions for the game – crafted by the collaborative design duo of Sydney Engelstein and Nick Little – are getting ready to hit local game store shelves, starting with the action-packed cooperative mode: Ares Expedition: Crisis.

Is the “Crisis” expansion title just an eye-catching piece of tabletop clickbait? Not a chance! The sky is literally falling around us!

Crisis? What Crisis?

Unlike every other Terraforming Mars title, The Crisis expansion begins with a fully terraformed Mars that’s just been devastated by an asteroid impact. Players must work together to preserve what they’ve created, while navigating a series of challenging and potentially disastrous events.

The Crisis Cards are at the root of this expansion. They represent unexpected fallout from the impact that will occur over the course of the game. Players must be prepared for anything and adapt their collective strategies accordingly.

In each round of the game, a brand-new Crisis

card will be drawn from a shuffled deck, which will present a challenge that the players must overcome as a team. The goal that needs to be accomplished in order to resolve the crisis will vary from card to card and could involve any number of different tasks or objectives.

overall habitability. Therefore, players must work together to strategize and overcome each crisis before it’s too late. Throughout the course of the game, players must stay vigilant and ready to tackle any challenges that may arise, as each new crisis that emerges could have serious consequences for the future of Mars. It is crucial that they address these crises in a timely and effective manner, as failure to do so could result in catastrophic outcomes for the planet and its inhabitants!

A New Hope (for Mars)

What Did I Do to Deserve This?!

It’s important to note that if the players fail to deal with a Crisis card by the end of their turn, the situation will become even more dire. In fact, the failure to resolve the crisis will result in one or more of the essential terraforming metrics on Mars being lowered, which can have serious consequences for the planet’s

Players can take solace in the fact that their efforts may not always be in vain. The occasional Crisis card will be revealed that offers a glimmer of hope and a potential pathway to victory. If players can take advantage of this opportunity, to re-terraform Mars and restore the planet’s ecological balance, players will once again create a habitable environment for future generations.

ce the players have successfully completed this daunting task, the game will reach its conclusion and they will emerge victorious. It will require skill, strategy and teamwork to overcome the many obstacles that lie ahead. But with perseverance and determination, players can achieve their ultimate goal of saving Mars and securing its future for generations to come. an these oncecompetitive corporations put their differences aside to protect the red planet, along with their shared interests? It’s time to find

GAMA Celebrates Successful Tabletop Experience at Anime Central

Wewere very pleased with the reception Tabletop Game Experience received at Anime Central (ACEN) convention (May 19-21) that was held at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, just outside Chicago. ACEN partnered with GAMA to manage four elements of the Tabletop Game Experience at the show:

• Celebrity Side Quest – featuring actors Faye Mata and Vince Caso, industry professionals Elisa Teague, Surena Marie and Tommy Gofton. During the course of the weekend, they hosted a series of workshops and live D&D playthroughs which were livestreamed from the convention center.

• Tabletop Ambassadors – GAMA recruited a paid demo team to teach an assortment of newer games, to help attendees learn about what hobby games are and, to answer questions about what board game opportunities there were at the convention.

• Board Game Library – The library featured hundreds of games donated by GAMA members that could be checked out and played. As many of the games were newer titles, it was a great opportunity for our convention team to make recommendations based on other games attendees may have played. We spend a lot of time saying if you like X, you may like Y. This team included two local gamers Kassidy and HK, as well as Courtney Hartley from Bonus Round Board Game Café. Courtney is a local retailer member and serves as a Retail Officer. All three deserve a big round of applause for making people feel welcome and helping them enjoy the board game library.

• TCG Tournaments – Last we partnered with GAMA member Pro Play Games to offer a robust series of TCG tournaments throughout the weekend. These were well received by attendees.

ACEN completes our second pilot for the Tabletop Game Experience, with the first being MegaCon in Orlando, FL. we are evaluating lessons learned from these outreach efforts to determine the next steps for the program. This initiative is based on a recommendation by the Market Expansion Committee to grow the number of people playing tabletop games by working with conventions in adjacent fandoms to connect their attendees with participating publishers, local retail stores and gaming conventions. We will have more information for members later this summer as we continue to explore this initiative.

GAMA Creates Two New Committees for 2023

During the May 18 board meeting, GAMA created two new Ad Hoc Committees for the association, the Education Committee, and the GAMA EXPO Site Selection Committee. The first was charged by the board to assist the GAMA staff in developing year-round educational programing both at inperson events (GAMA EXPO, Origins Game Fair Trade Day, ESSENtials Retail Summit, etc.) and online, as needed. The committee will be chaired by Publisher Director Jason Matthews with Fort Circle Games, with support from our committee coordinator Becky Mangan.

The second committee will explore GAMA EXPO’s future site needs and develop criteria for reviewing and making recommendations on possible locations for the trade show following the end of our current contract with Louisville in

2026. Please note that the committee is expected to meet quite frequently over the next six months as its final recommendations are due early 2024. The committee will be chaired by Wholesale Director Aldo Ghiozzi, with support from executive director John Stacy.

B oth committees are seeking GAMA members to help with their work. We anticipate that the first meeting of each committee will be held in mid-June.

To volunteer for the Education Committee, please email Jason.Matthews@gama.org and committee coordinator Becky.Mangan@gama.org.

To volunteer for the GAMA EXPO Site Selection Committee, please email Aldo.Ghiozzi@gama.org and executive director John.Stacy@gama.org.

Announcing the Origins AwardsGame of the Year Finalists

GAMA is excited to announce the last group of finalists for the upcoming Origins Awards! This category looks at the best of everything and is curated by GAMA retail store members. The ten finalists on this list are based on a well-rounded and representative selection of products and games that did well on the shelves of many retailers this year, both in sales, and in crosstier partnership. The titles are listed in alphabetical order.

• Boop (Smirk & Laughter Games) [Board Game]

• Castle Panic 2nd Edition Deluxe (Fireside Games) [Board Game]

• Decorum (Floodgate Games) [Board Game]

• Dungeons & Dragons: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle Starter Set (Wizards of the Coast) [RPG]

• Flamecraft (Lucky Duck Games) [Board Game]

• Magic: the Gathering Universes Beyond Warhammer 40,000 Commander Decks (Wizards of the Coast) [CCG]

• Star Wars Pandemic: Clone Wars (Z-Man Games) [Board Game]

• Tal’Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn (Darrington Press) [RPG]

• The Spill (Smirk & Dagger Games) [Board Game]

• Tome of Monsters (Foam Brain Games) [RPG Accessory]

The winner will be announced during the Origin Awards Ceremony, which will be held Friday, June 23 during the Origins Game Fair in Columbus, OH.

GreedQuest is Good!

by Alain H. Dawson, Steve Jackson Games

Summer is coming, and what do people want? Fun! And where do they want it? In air-conditioned buildings! Luckily, Steve Jackson Games has just reprinted an updated version of its classic adventure boardgame, GreedQuest! Full of excitement and never the same game twice, GreedQuest can be played over and over. All that’s needed is the game, three to six friends and a table (the floor will work in a pinch). It’s the perfect way to while away a hot afternoon.

Players compete to get into, and out of, a dungeon full of traps and dangers, including the other players! The object is to be the first to reach The Hoard and get it back to the beginning – but the other folks in the dungeon aren’t going to make that easy. Gameplay is fast and unpredictable, as full of twists and turns

Each player gets their own deck of cards, which control the movement of their pieces along the gameboard. The decks are all the same, but the cards change the rules when least expected. For example, the Loot the Bodies card lets a player discard their hand and draw a new one. Dragon Attack cancels all cards in play (obviously you need to stop what you’re doing and run from a dragon!). Go cards range from number 1-8, and the highest Go card usually determines who moves forward that turn, but The Meek Shall Inherit reverses that rule so the player with the lowest Go card gets to, well, go! What about ties? They’re resolved with a duel, of course! Each turn, cards are played face down and then take effect when they’re revealed. Strategy and luck are the way to win!

e game is played on a board showing the path through the dungeon, from Ye Same Olde Tavern through multiple rooms such as the Hidden Entrance, 20-Feet-Deep Bottomless Pit, Pointless Puzzle Room and the Preplanned Random Encounter. At the bottom of the

dungeon, the players stumble upon the remains of the last party, and finally make it to the Hoard … Then they hold onto their treasure while they fight their way back past all of the dangers, plus the other players ready to grab the Hoard for themselves!

The board also shows the order of play for each type of card, helping players resolve each turn quickly. Between that helpful reference and a clear, short rule sheet, GreedQuest is fast to learn and easy to play.

Long out of print, this new edition of GreedQuest contains beautifully updated components including 168 cards, six standies with bases and an 11- by 17-inch gameboard, all illustrated in glorious color by the inimitable Phil Foglio of Girl Genius fame. GreedQuest was designed by Joseph McEvoy and developed by Steve Jackson’s very own Munchkin Czar, Andrew Hackard. It’s recommended for ages 10 and up, just right for family game night.

Mortal Kombat 11

Brings Video Game Fans to the Collectible Card Game Scene

by Jade Sigmund, Marketing Coordinator, Entertainment Products

For many years, players in Vs. System 2PCG have fought epic battles across the Earth and beyond. They have recruited superheroes and supervillains as well as aliens, hunters, government agents, supernatural monsters and vampires!

Thanks to the game’s battle system and mechanics, players truly feel like they are flying in for an aerial attack, holding down the front line or aiming from afar. Boasting over 50 expansions across several properties, the Vs. System 2PCG collectible card game continues to expand its horizons.

Upper Deck now introduces a new IP that challenges players to test their might like never before with Vs. System 2PCG: Mortal Kombat 11. This exciting new game features the deadliest characters from the hit Mortal Kombat 11 video game and brings the fight from the screen to the table with a 200-card Giant-Sized Issue. This includes everything needed for two players to fight right out of the box, so it’s perfect for new players as well as veteran Vs. System 2PCG gamers. Players can choose epic warriors from Earthrealm or Netherrealm, gain the

upper hand against their opponent and deliver a fatality on their opponent’s main character.

The addition of Mortal Kombat 11 introduces a new audience beyond the conventional movie, television and comic fans that Vs. System 2PCG and other Upper Deck products typically draw. The franchise is one of the longest-standing and most recognizable fighting games of all time. It’s no wonder Mortal Kombat 11 retains its dedicated fan base and continues to attract new players; violent graphics and fight mechanics have stayed true to the original while also improving along decades of technology. Mortal Kombat fans can expect to see their favorite main characters in Vs. System 2PCG, including Raiden, Sub-Zero and Kitana as well as iconic moves like Uppercut, Flawless Victory, and of course, FINISH HIM!

Fans of Mortal Kombat’s strategic and competitive nature will feel right at home with Vs. System 2PCG. Just as fighting video games takes strategy to outmaneuver an opponent, this card game will have players experimenting with

different characters, strategies and deck builds to outplay the opponent.

Similarly, fans who enjoy participating in online matches or local tournaments will be sure to find a community within Vs. System 2PCG player base. The growing organized play scene has four regional tournaments, and multiple organized play opportunities a year with new, updating Featured Formats!

If you’re a tournament organizer or a store owner who is interested in Organized Play for Vs. System 2PCG, we want to help you put on the best event possible. Email OP@upperdeck.com or visit upperdeck.com/OP for documents that will assist in running events.

Get ready to “choose your character,” enter your deck in the ring and spam those arcade moves like never before. Exciting, never-before-seen characters and mechanics await new and old Vs. System 2PCG players alike.

With even more exciting IPs on the horizon, now is the time to start playing! Visit upperdeckstore.com/vs-mk-11 to learn more.

You can never have too much

Tentacles and suckers are everywhere, everything is covered in slime, and even the food is attacking!?

Even more difficult but oh-so-tempting goals and goodies to add to any Munchkin game!

Cows? Yes, Cows.