Brainwaves - Board Game and Tabletop News Show

https://www.unpub.org/mentorship

Tabletop Mentorship Programme

Patreon Shoutouts

Kevin Bertram

James Naylor

Shaun Newman

Our Patreon

Support Us

Fanroll

https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2025/03/17/almost-two-decades-after-impressing-in-the-childrens-spiel-des-jahres-wild-vikings-has-won-the-japan-boardgame-prize/

Outro

Nearly 2 decades later, they win again

Our Links

Thanks very much for listening. If you like what you’ve listened to then the best way to help us out is to share the podcast and drop us a review and rating on itunes. You can also follow us on

https://www.rascal.news/possum-creek-games-wanders-to-a-new-home-with-steve-jackson-games/

Monday Feb 24, 2025

Brainwaves Episode 158 - Possible Possums

Monday Feb 24, 2025

The team are back to scour the corners of the world for the best in Tabletop Gaming News. This episode we cover mergers, departures, destruction, and we have an interview with those Rascals.

Headlines

Steve Jackson merges with Possum Games

https://www.sjgames.com/ill/archive/2025-02-11?ref=rascal.news

Mythic crumbles

https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2025/02/06/end-looms-for-mythic-games-as-company-gives-up-trying-to-deliver-1-3m-monsterpocalypse-kickstarter-hands-files-over-to-ip-holder-privateer-press/

Thomas Interview

https://www.rascal.news/

Updates

BGA Awards update

https://boardgamearena.com/news?id=873

News

6 out of 10 tabletop role-playing games campaigns were Gamefound. KS rattled?

https://www.polygon.com/analysis/520142/gamefound-top-10-biggest-board-game-crowdfund-campaigns

GTS cancels Splotter’s Indonesia

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid03ThtQGdUZ2wfNsbLu9yL95kKShCaQv1aJFzUkUZWpHmzpKKPQCvEFJd9BKMquzetl&id=100057260687209

Snowbright Studio announces winners of the second annual Nonbinary Tabletop Award

https://bsky.app/profile/snowbrightstudio.bsky.social/post/3liamf2lp2k2g

https://www.snowbrightstudio.com/awards

Swiss Game Awards

https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2025/02/17/harmonies-captain-flip-triumph-in-this-years-swiss-gamers-award-castle-combo-seals-two-finalist-spots/

https://swissgamersaward.ch/

Haba and Asmodee France

https://www.spielwarenmesse.de/en/mag/toy-market-news/asmodee-france-chosen-as-official-distribution-partner-for-haba/

Roman discovery

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-discover-ancient-tokens-that-roman-soldiers-used-to-play-strategy-games-180985903/

Obituaries

Carla Horger

https://bsky.app/profile/gmtgames.bsky.social/post/3lha6racnoc26

Jobs, Opportunities, and Events

https://www.spiel-des-jahres.de/nachwuchs-spieleautoren-stipendium-wieder-ausgeschrieben/

Young Game Designers Scholarship Open for Applications Again

https://www.spieleautorenzunft.de/files/public/Veranstaltungen-Events/Stipendium%20Bewerbung%202025.pdf

Evil Hat creator programme

https://bsky.app/profile/evilhat.bsky.social/post/3lhh5uzbtts25

Patreon Shoutouts

Kevin Bertram

James Naylor

Shaun Newman

Our Patreon

Support Us

Fanroll

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgj29qly2dvo

Outro

People of note: Cornelius O’Donovan

Our Links

Thanks very much for listening. If you like what you’ve listened to then the best way to help us out is to share the podcast and drop us a review and rating on itunes. You can also follow us on

https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/58618/diamond-files-reorganization-under-chapter-11-bankruptcy

Monday Feb 03, 2025

Brainwaves Episode 157 - Diamond Dogs

Monday Feb 03, 2025

It’s another bumper episode of Brainwaves as we bring you news from across the Tabletop globe. Diamond is in the rough, Asmodee avoids a hug, lawsuits get settled, and Iain gets to go off on one about ethics. All this, and more, on episode 157 of Brainwaves.

Headlines

Diamond files for bankruptcy

https://bsky.app/profile/deadlyfredly.bsky.social/post/3lgbg6e7np22o

Asmodee may not Embrace
https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2025/01/29/star-wars-lego-lord-of-the-rings-games-drive-29-year-on-year-growth-for-asmodee-studios-as-company-prepares-to-split-from-embracer-next-week/

Ennies cave over AI inclusion

https://ennie-awards.com/revised-policy-on-generative-ai-usage/

Updates

Webcomic Name lawsuit settled

https://www.gofundme.com/f/alexnorrislegalfund?attribution_id=sl:8c2bb1ea-1039-4377-86de-d0676453b170&lang=en_GB&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link

https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/259248/golden-bell-affiliated-projects-and-companies

Evil Genius Games continue to live up to the first part of their name

https://www.reddit.com/r/rpg/comments/1i6b2wt/i_was_approached_by_evil_genius_games_to_take/

News

Wizards of the Coast drops support for marginalised gender competition

https://bsky.app/profile/vmlmtg.bsky.social/post/3lg6zejwvss2l

Man vs Meeple and CMON

https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2025/01/27/its-important-to-us-that-we-find-new-cmon-fans-all-the-time-cmon-hires-board-game-youtube-channel-man-vs-meeples-ceo-to-run-its-global-marketing-campaigns/

Outcry in Italy over Mafia game

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/23/outcry-in-italy-over-german-board-game-based-on-sicily-mafia-wars

As d’Or nominees

https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2025/01/30/this-years-nominees-for-frances-biggest-board-gaming-award-highlights-breadth-of-countrys-publishers/

BGA Awards 2025

https://boardgamearena.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=40673

Devir acquires publisher Maldito Games

https://devirgames.com/devir-acquires-publisher-maldito-games

Games Workshop trade grows, but online shrinks

https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/58670/trade-grows-online-shrinks-games-workshop?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=bluesky

Jobs, Opportunities, and Events

https://www.beachheadexpo.com/

Beachhead Expo

Diana Jones Award submissions are open

https://www.dianajonesaward.org/

Green Games Guide Award

https://greengamesguide.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c3b7325699ca9364175785409&id=7cbe2bd72d&e=58728bb48c

TTRPG Bundles

https://bundleofholding.com/presents/Resistance

https://takethisorg.itch.io/solo-but-not-alone-5

Hasbro’s history with the Magdalene Laundries

https://web.archive.org/web/20241125184313/https://littleatoms.com/penance-industry

Patreon Shoutouts

Kevin Bertram

James Naylor

Shaun Newman

Our Patreon

Support Us

Fanroll

https://shop.mattel.com/products/pictionary-vs-ai-hyb09

Outro

Pictionary vs AI

Our Links

Thanks very much for listening. If you like what you’ve listened to then the best way to help us out is to share the podcast and drop us a review and rating on itunes. You can also follow us on

https://igamingbusiness.com/company-news/games-global-unveils-exciting-partnership-with-hasbro/

Monday Jan 13, 2025

Brainwaves Episode 156 - New Trousers

Monday Jan 13, 2025

The whole team is back for the first Brainwaves of the year. Join us as we dive into the latest tabletop gaming news from Hasbro rolling the dice on gambling to chess clashing with the wrong trousers! All this and more on episode 156 of Brainwaves.

Headlines

Hasbro rolls the dice

It’s the wrong trousers, Magnus

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c98lkrdkz70o?at_campaign=Social_Flow&at_campaign_type=owned&at_link_origin=BBC_News&at_link_type=web_link&at_bbc_team=editorial&at_ptr_name=facebook_page&at_medium=social&at_link_id=F833A792-C515-11EF-8185-B1A73D8FAC8C&at_format=link&fbclid=IwY2xjawHc7odleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHfJpJBK1_095wLRlZ0rgn0XuT5wKSmFMu7sRbQZwvUsNfJZ-um3pgAI_dA_aem_xoeYbOqeJBjXbqmJHzGhHg

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce8npkrey66o

Vallejo Workers

https://www.rascal.news/striking-workers-at-vallejo-paint-factory-claim-victory/

https://spikeybits.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Vallejo-Statment.png

Updates

Most Monopoly

https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2024/12/owner-of-worlds-largest-monopoly-collection-on-the-hunt-for-holy-grail-of-sets

News

Cardboard Edison Award 2025 Submissions Open

https://cardboardedison.com/award

https://cardboardedison.com/2025-award-submissions

Jobs, Opportunities, and Events

https://asociacionludo.com/actividad/protos-y-tipos

Protos y Tipos

Patreon Shoutouts

Kevin Bertram

James Naylor

Shaun Newman

Our Patreon

Support Us

Fanroll

https://sirmeeple.com/collections/the-giant-brain

Sir Meeple

Outro

Monopoly changes the game

https://www.polygon.com/gaming/492505/monopoly-new-version-expansions-announced

Our Links

Thanks very much for listening. If you like what you’ve listened to then the best way to help us out is to share the podcast and drop us a review and rating on itunes. You can also follow us on

Monday Jan 06, 2025

Brainwaves Special Edition - Dragonmeet 2024

Monday Jan 06, 2025

This podcast contains all the interviews that I conducted during Dragonmeet 2024. Thanks so much to everyone that took the time to talk to me.

The interviewees are:

Jason, Always Checkers Publishing

Chris, Beyond Cataclysm

Mike, Planet Smasher Games

Shaan, RPG Taverns

Finbar and Gary, Game Therapy UK

Our Links

Thanks very much for listening. If you like what you’ve listened to then the best way to help us out is to share the podcast and drop us a review and rating on itunes. You can also follow us on

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3412685/powerboatspowerships-joyride

Monday Dec 16, 2024

Brainwaves Episode 155 - Christmas Joyride

Monday Dec 16, 2024

It’s the last cast of the year and we have a full team in the studio to bring you the latest tabletop gaming news. From people taking off their masks, to copyright disputes, and awards news. Listen to the only cast to bring you the really important industry news.

Headlines

Has Powerboats been taken for a Joyride?

Joyride vs Powerboats thread

Geoff Engelstein

https://gametek.substack.com/p/copy-paste

Episodes where we have covered plagiarism allegations

https://giantbrain.co.uk/2021/03/08/episode-68-kickstarter-conundrums/

https://giantbrain.co.uk/2018/04/29/episode-3-legal-vampires/

Cardboard Edison changes tack

https://bsky.app/profile/cardboardedison.bsky.social/post/3lcatxomwp22c

https://cardboardedison.com/award

Sandy Petersen wears no mask

Sandy’s posts

Quimbley’s response

https://www.quimbleys.com/blogs/kickstarter-updates/quimbleys-official-inclusion-statement

Updates

Summit Award for Wargaming winner announced - and Bobby Nunes Memorial Award finalists announced

https://sdhist.com/2024-summit-award-land-and-freedom/

https://sdhist.com/2024-bobby-nunes-memorial-award-finalists/

Wyrmwood fires staff

https://www.rascal.news/wyrmwoods-bitter-medicine-is-proving-hard-for-audiences-to-swallow/

Facebook pulls Fort Circle Games ad. Again.

https://bsky.app/profile/fortcircle.bsky.social/post/3lbyybi6hls2s

News

Itch is taken offline by Funko

https://www.polygon.com/gaming/492791/itch-io-funko-takedown

Leaf’s post to Hacker News

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42364033

GW enters the FTSE 100

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/dec/01/games-workshop-promoted-ftse-100-quarterly-reshuffle?fbclid=IwY2xjawG5fR9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHfpI4qljk5k-fjXOOMOgNiNXzPIQUwHiApvb9oHwY1_zqqmvx12t-fet8Q_aem_h_ZVqr3lvJUDFkDYW9j99w

SUSD becomes a publisher. Sort of

https://www.shutupandsitdown.com/were-partnering-with-play-to-z-to-launch-exciting-new-games/

Hachette becomes distributor for Edition Spielwiese

https://www.mojo-nation.com/hachette-boardgames-group-strikes-distribution-deal-with-edition-spielwiese/

Vallejo workers on strike

https://www.viaempresa.cat/es/empresa/98-plantilla-acrylicos-vallejo-se-suma-primera-jornada-huelga-indefinida_2206222_102.html

https://www.rascal.news/vallejo-factory-workers-go-on-strike/

Jobs, Opportunities, and Events

https://www.spiel-des-jahres.de/foerderprogramm-2025-startet-einreichungen-ab-sofort-moeglich/

Spiel des Jahres Funding Programme 2025

https://www.spiel-des-jahres.de/foerderprogramm/

Patreon Shoutouts

Kevin Bertram

James Naylor

Shaun Newman

Our Patreon

Support Us

Fanroll

https://monopoly.fandom.com/wiki/Monopoly_Free_Parking:_The_Toppling_Taxi_Game

Outro

Monopoly Toppling Taxi

Our Links

Thanks very much for listening. If you like what you’ve listened to then the best way to help us out is to share the podcast and drop us a review and rating on itunes. You can also follow us on

https://www.sjgames.com/ill/archive/2024-11-10

Monday Nov 25, 2024

Brainwaves Episode 154 - Taxing Times

Monday Nov 25, 2024

It’s a cast of finances, awards, lawsuits, and political games as Oliver and Iain cross the world in the episode 154 of Brainwave to bring you the best in Tabletop Gaming News.

Headlines

Tariffs and Trade Rules Tax Tabletop Publishers

https://www.compliancegate.com/general-product-safety-regulation/

https://bsky.app/profile/badsquiddogames.bsky.social/post/3lb7r4n7eni22

https://www.rascal.news/new-legislation-impacts-games-sales-to-the-european-union/

Zenobia Award II Winners Announced

https://sdhist.com/zenobia-award-the-porters/

Hasbro Sued by Investors

https://www.polygon.com/tabletop-games/479315/hasbro-investor-lawsuit-pandemic-inventor

Updates

US Tabletop Unionisation Solicitation

https://www.rascal.news/rascal-receives-solicitation-from-suspicious-email-after-tabletop-union-declares-potential-strike/

News

German Parliamentarian Game Night

https://www.spiel-des-jahres.de/spielekultur-landet-im-bundestag/

Asmodee Gets Cash Injection

https://embracer.com/releases/embracer-group-intends-to-contribute-eur-400m-to-asmodee-and-presents-asmodees-financial-targets-dividend-policy-and-net-financial-debt/

Obituaries

Amber Cook

https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/58275/r-i-p-amber-cook

GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/9bkqj-in-memory-of-amber-cook-support-her-son-james

Kory Heath

https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/1/blogpost/167622/in-memoriam-kory-heath

Jobs, Opportunities, and Events

https://tabletopgamesblog.com/raffle

Board Game Raffle in Aid of The Trussell Trust / UK Food Banks

Patreon Shoutouts

Kevin Bertram

James Naylor

Shaun Newman

Our Patreon

Support Us

Fanroll

https://www.reddit.com/r/CasualUK/comments/1gu7eel/anyone_wanna_play_monopoly_got_a_neighbour_whos/?utm_source=embedv2&utm_medium=post_embed&utm_content=post_title&embed_host_url=https://www.devonlive.com/news/uk-world-news/sudden-appearance-hundreds-monopoly-boxes-9726484&rdt=64307

Outro

Mystery Monopoly Midden

Our Links

Thanks very much for listening. If you like what you’ve listened to then the best way to help us out is to share the podcast and drop us a review and rating on itunes. You can also follow us on

https://www.rascal.news/former-world-of-game-design-employees-claim-tabletop-company-exploits-workers-and-clients/

Monday Nov 11, 2024

Brainwaves Episode 153 - World Worries

Monday Nov 11, 2024

It’s been a mix of huge stories and not much else in the last few weeks. Iain and Jamie bring you the lowdown on what is going on at World of Game Design, who is bagging awards, hasbro’s financials, and what size of country the population of D&D Beyond could establish. All this, and more, on episode 153 of Brainwaves

Headlines

WOGD investigation by Rascal

Zac Goins Facebook post

https://www.facebook.com/xzacklee/posts/pfbid02yf9PBqMH47ReMwKBBH7rVVTtKtYZaSioPAAYJb57Wq7YpannnPSZGLCyR1xvnsNAl

Hasbro conference call

https://investor.hasbro.com/news-releases/news-release-details/hasbro-reports-third-quarter-2024-financial-results

https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/58109/hasbro-ceo-reveals-magic-plans-secret-lair-volumes-d-d-dtc-percentage-more

https://www.enworld.org/threads/hasbro-hit-with-layoffs-wizards-of-the-coast-impacted.707539/page-2

FSC award

https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2024/11/05/life-in-reterra-becomes-first-board-game-to-win-forest-stewardship-council-sustainability-award/

https://us.fsc.org/en-us/get-involved/fsc-leadership-awards/2024-leadership-award-winners-01

News

Commander Format

https://www.polygon.com/mtg-magic-the-gathering/468627/mtg-new-commander-format-panel-rules-committee

https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/introducing-the-commander-format-panel

Summit award finalists

https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2024/10/23/summit-award-reveals-2024-contenders-which-have-best-helped-draw-in-players-broaden-scope-of-historical-board-gaming/

Jobs, Opportunities, and Events

https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2024/11/07/board-gamings-biggest-job-site-is-an-almost-20000-strong-facebook-group-and-is-planning-its-first-ever-live-event-next-year/

Boardgamewire report on Tabletop Jobs Group

Dragonmeet Attendance

https://dragonmeet.co.uk/

Patreon Shoutouts

Kevin Bertram

James Naylor

Shaun Newman

Our Patreon

Support Us

Fanroll

https://sirmeeple.com/collections/the-giant-brain

Sir Meeple

Outro

Food for Fought

https://nerdist.com/article/dungeons-dragons-beer-bourbon-dragons-milk/?fbclid=IwY2xjawGKRLBleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHd7-QA1c_7gdVbxEq4gt7b59ABwXNx-YAwUz0S30T11j2J0OLEHTRcJU5A_aem_aB4GlBcElnqiWARtJzGidg

https://www.enworld.org/threads/game-night-is-well-catered-with-these-official-d-d-meat-sticks.707556/

Our Links

Thanks very much for listening. If you like what you’ve listened to then the best way to help us out is to share the podcast and drop us a review and rating on itunes. You can also follow us on

The great Martian tripod race

Monday Oct 28, 2024

Brainwaves Special Edition - Tabletop Scotland 2024 Interviews

Monday Oct 28, 2024

In this special edition of Brainwaves we present the interviews that we carried out at Tabletop Scotland 2024. Thanks so much to everyone who spoke to us.

People and Organisations

Tanya Floaker

Edinburgh Indie Gamers

Hive Mind Games

Village on Stilts

Hall or Nothing

Kayla Dice - Rat Wave Game House

Laurie O’Connell

Phil Harris

Games mentioned

DrievthruRPG links are affiliate links

Hopes and Dreams of the Orbital Bound

What’s so daring about sky pirates

Our Links

Thanks very much for listening. If you like what you’ve listened to then the best way to help us out is to share the podcast and drop us a review and rating on itunes. You can also follow us on

https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2024/10/17/no-mythic-games-hasnt-gone-into-liquidation-but-its-fate-should-be-decided-by-the-end-of-the-month/

Monday Oct 21, 2024

Brainwaves Episode 152 - Mythic Shrinking

Monday Oct 21, 2024

Iain is taking this cast off so Jamie and Oliver are at the helm. This episode they cover further troubles at Mythic, companies being saved and consolidating their lines, controversial giveaways and more on episode 152 of Brainwaves.

Headlines

Mythic Games France liquidates

https://annonces-legales.leparisien.fr/annonce/23cba43f-8a82-48c1-8f57-6a2285e239c3

Funforge ‘saved’ by Tokaido deal

https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2024/10/11/did-it-save-the-company-yes-and-no-funforges-ceo-on-fighting-its-financial-woes-by-selling-the-tokaido-line-to-stonemaier/

Spiel Essen Sold Out

https://www.spiel-essen.de/en/press?view=article&id=222&catid=12

News

Barnes & Noble to list game designers

https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/57959/barnes-noble-begin-listing-game-designers

NAC Wargames hands out Nazi memorabilia

https://bsky.app/profile/celacanto.bsky.social/post/3l5qu6lhp4j2n

The Other Side of the Hill crowdfunding campaign: https://gamefound.com/en/projects/masqueoca/the-other-side-of-the-hill/

Publisher’s response on BGG: https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8461574/the-other-side-of-the-hill?commentid=12438977

Gamefound update about the Iron Cross medal: https://gamefound.com/en/projects/masqueoca/the-other-side-of-the-hill/updates/5

Matagot shrinks catalogue

https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2024/10/16/matagot-stops-publishing-heavier-games-like-kemet-inis-shifts-focus-to-family-and-childrens-titles/

Steve Jackson Games announces Fighting Fantasy Deal

https://www.sjgames.com/fightingfantasy/

Jobs, Opportunities, and Events

Patreon Shoutouts

Kevin Bertram

James Naylor

Shaun Newman

Our Patreon

Support Us

Fanroll

https://sirmeeple.com/collections/the-giant-brain

Sir Meeple

Boardgamewire

https://boardgamewire.com/

Outro

English Heritage Games

https://www.english-heritageshop.org.uk/toys-games/games/board-games

Our Links

Thanks very much for listening. If you like what you’ve listened to then the best way to help us out is to share the podcast and drop us a review and rating on itunes. You can also follow us on