Oct. 29: What DMs and Parents have in Common

Welcome to the Oct. 29 edition of Critical Hit News. The early-week edition features a collection of stories and resources. This week’s curated collection features an interview on how parenting and DM help each other, an in-depth look at the questionable business practices of a major TTRPG partner and so much more!

News You May Have Missed….

Zweihander, the dark fantasy TTRPG best known for its notably hard combat, has been re-acquired by its owner Daniel D. Fox. The game designer purchased the rights from the game printer World of Game Design on Oct. 24, which will likely impact what sort of expansions it presents. The deal is on good terms, with Fox stating that he hopes to “continue to expand on the game’s dark and immersive world with familiar faces and new collaborators.”

The acquisition occurred a few days before Rascal News printed a story collecting testimonies about how WoGD mistreated workers. The companies were “abusive, exploitative, and predatory,” according to former contractors and employees. The whole story’s quite lengthy but it goes into an organization that many may not realize hold some influence within the tabletop gaming industry.

Call of Cthulhu was inducted into the ENNIES Hall of Fame. It’s the second TTRPG to earn its way into this venerated award show’s hall. The game was praised for how it emphasized “character vulnerability and psychological tension” while allowing players to investigate the unspeakable and managing their sanity while in conflict with that which is incomprehensible.

Wizards of the Coast has re-opened its freelance submission tab. If you ever wanted a chance to work on one of your favorite 5e books or on MTG cards, this is as good a chance as any.

D&D-themed jerky is a thing, I guess. So is a stout and bourbon titled “Dragon’s Milk.”

Guides and Recommendations

Christian Hoffer sat down and got into the nitty gritty on the Dungeon Master’s Guide with Chris Perkins and James Wyatt if you’re inclined to dig into the particular mechanics. It’s an interesting read, particularly with the early release of the DMG scheduled next week for DnDBeyond players. For example, Perkins and Wyatt agree that the concept of an adventuring day (aka 6-8 ‘encounters’ a day) is bonkers.

PC Gamer has a lengthy piece that dives into how DMs are using generative AI in their games and how some developers (such as the guys behind Friends and Fables, an AI-powered campaign bot) are using the technology to generate stories and games for solo players.

Season 3 of Legends of Vox Machina is now entirely out! Polygon interviewed the team about their thoughts on the season, from how much input they provided to the lore changes (such as including a specific member of the Ring of Brass from EXU: Calamity.)

The CEO of Kobold Press offered his perspective in a lengthy blog post on how to get into the TTRPG industry. It’s not easy, to put it simply.