Issue 008: Dicebroken

Another news outlet bites the dust. Also Planet of the Apes, Stormlight Archives and Heroes of Might and Magic! Check it all out!

It’s a short newsletter this week in part because I spent a solid portion of my week at a convention in Denver covering some enterprise technology for my full-time job.

I’d just like to draw your attention to the news unveiled on Wednesday. Dicebreaker, one of the few board game/RPG news outlets that have paid staff, laid off its editor-in-chief and senior writers. The layoffs occurred less than a month after its parent company, Gamer Network, was purchased by IGN. There’s a lot unknown about what Dicebreaker’s future will look like in light of this, but it’s not good if you ask a lot of folks in the TTRPG space.

While websites like Wargamer, Fandomentals (who I work with), and Bell of Lost Souls offer limited coverage from a release standpoint, there’s still a gap of outlets that can actually invest money in reporting on the issues that require additional attention. Rascal News 100% helps with this, but even it can only do so much. The industry would be better if there was more.

Go support those outlets however you can, as they’re the veterans. Also, subscribe here. This newsletter is my personal attempt to help. I’m still figuring out the bells and whistles, but it’s here.

Game Deals

1. The Planet of the Apes TTRPG is now raising funds on Kickstarter. If you remember the old movies, this is a good chance to return back to that setting (nothing against the new Planet of the Apes movies. I like those too.)

2. If you’re looking for a reason to try a new game like Dune: Adventures in the Imperium or Fallout, Modiphius is hosting a sale on its website. If you spend $13 or more in their store, you'll receive a free physical quickstart set.

3. If you’re a DM who likes making maps, Humble Bundle has your back. The website offers a 12-item package containing mapmaking software like Campaign Cartographer 3, City Designer 3, Dungeon Designer 3 and several others for $30.

4. If you’re a fan of the fantasy/cyberpunk blend known as Shadowrun, then you may find these two bundles worth your time. Bundle of Holding is offering Shadowrun 5th Edition’s Essentials for $20, and a Missions bundle for $20 as well. The contents are from Fifth Edition, which means it is not the latest edition. But that version still holds some popularity with players, so it may be worth your time.

THIS WEEK IN TTRPGS:

• If you’re one of those people who play DnD and collect stamps, The Post Office will be offering access to stamps based on iconic DnD at GenCon.

• An official date and trailer was released for the Stormlight Archives TTRPG, the story setting written by popular fantasy author Brandon Sanderson. The game was formally announced in 2022, but the game’s publisher, Brotherwise Games, unveiled the Aug. 6 release date alongside a pretty cool trailer. I’m not too familiar with the book setting, but a lot of folks I know seem excited about it.

• Similarly, Fallout RPG publisher Modiphius announced that it intends to bring Heroes of Might and Magic to the TTRPG space in 2025. This video game has been around since 1995 and had several releases on PC, console, and mobile. I don’t know much about the game series, but I’ve no doubt some older gamers will find this launch a delight.

• The finalists for the Diana Jones Award for Excellence in Gaming were released earlier this week. The list includes the TTRPGs for Trans Rights in Florida (a bundle that raised over $280,000 through the sale of an itchi.io bundle containing over 500 items), United Paizo Workers (the first union of workers in the TTRPG space), two tabletop conventions in Denmark and Milwaukee, and the owner of Pink Tiger Games.