The Embracer Group has acquired the rights to Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. by purchasing Middle Earth Enterprises. This is one of five acquisitions that cost the Swedish company a reported SEK 6 billion ($576 million). Middle Earth Enterprises was a division of The Saul Zaentz Company, which had stewarded the intellectual property rights to author J. R. R. Tolkien’s worlds for more than 50 years. What does this mean for Amazon’s rights and how will this affect the destruction of established characters from this setting?

To celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Call of Cthulhu we are getting a new release of the Starter Set. This will include updated booklets and handouts. This set also includes the solo adventure that will teach you the rules of the game in a choose-your-own-adventure style booklet. After the fulfillment of Call of Cthulhu Classic (which is actually second edition) this amazing digital restoration of Call of Cthulhu history should also be available.

Warner Bros. Discovery has removed the “comics” from the DC Comics website. Now the URL is simple DC.com. This may be a product of restructuring and streamlining the properties, but it may also be an indication of a future move where Warner Bros. Discovery holds the license and the comics are created elsewhere. That has always been the biggest difference between Marvel and DC comics. The DC characters all have identifiable and trademarked logos on their chests that probably make as much money in licensing as the comics ever did.

Cults3D has posted a statement about a takedown request they have received from Games Workshop. Cults is a 3D printing marketplace that sells user uploaded STL files and also offer a certain amount for free. 200 models were listed as violating trademarked IP with some of these possible being only filenames. Cults is working with the artists on the website to eliminate the offending names, logos or deigns so that they can be re-uloaded. They are also coming back at GW over the free models, saying that the constitute “fan art” and should be left alone. Cults shared the list of infringing terms that reinforces the GW strategy to de-Tolkien-ize their naming to make it legally defensible in situations exactly like this.

#lotr #tolkien #dcomice #cults3D

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Cubicle 7 is excited to announce a new Warhammer 40,000 roleplaying game! Imperium Maledictum is the spiritual successor to the beloved series of roleplaying games started by Black Industries over ten years ago. Imperium Maledictum is a d100 based system for roleplaying in the grim darkness of the 41st millennium, and builds on previous Warhammer 40,000 d100 roleplaying games, as well as Cubicle 7’s own award-winning Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition.

Hasbro and Avalon Hill Games announce the new Age of Annihilation expansion pack for the long-dormant cult classic tabletop title Heroscape. Debuted and distributed by Milton Bradley in 2004, Heroscape was a sort of scaled-down take on wargaming that appealed particularly to younger audiences. Discontinued in 2010, it was recently announced that Heroscape will return in the near future with the Heroscape: Age of Annihilation expansion.

We also review the results of the 2021 Ennies. Thirsty Sword Lesbians took both Product of the Year and Best Games. The path to Middle-earth will soon open for new adventurers.

Free League is thrilled to reveal that the acclaimed second edition of The One Ring™ roleplaying game is coming soon in a 5E adaptation, entitled The Lord of the Rings™ Roleplaying. The new edition of The One Ring™ RPG, set in the world of The Lord of the Rings™ by J.R.R. Tolkien and designed by Francesco Nepitello and Marco Maggi, became the most successful tabletop roleplaying core game ever on Kickstarter when it ended March 4, 2021. Now the time has come to open Middle-earth for even more roleplayers with a brand new 5E adaptation.
#ennieawards #heroscape #cubicle7 #lotr5e

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The Dark Souls TTRPG by Steamforged Games is being reprinted due to printing and rules errors. Customers that ordered the $95 Collector’s Edition or preordered the Standard Edition will be sent a replacement. This is unfortunate and will probably create reluctance to try this system. Was this a simple version or editing error or something caused by a short production schedule?

We may be seeing the first effects of the Embracer Group owning Asmodee. Asmodee has launched Unbox Now, a service that provides benefits from a loyalty program and access to a digital platform for their 11 most popular games. Customers enter codes on their website from the purchase of physical boardgames. Some of the titles in the program include Catan, Rivals of Catan, Pandemic, Ticket to Ride, 7 Wonders, and Splendor. Not much is explained on their website except for listing the titles included in the program. Hopefully the games themselves include documentation of what the benefits exactly are or there will be plenty of confusion for people trying to take advantage of the program. Feel the embrace!

There are already two Kickstarter campaigns that have generated over one million dollars in support. Old Gods of Appalachia Roleplaying Game from Monte Cook Games and “Flee, Mortals!” – The MCDM Monster Book for 5e from Matt Colville are both almost at a million and a half dollars and still have several days left for their campaigns. Is Kickstarter going to set another record in funds raised this year? With big projects like the Blade Runner RPG still to launch it may be possible. Why is the tabletop so dominate on crowdfunding platforms?

Our new segment, “Not the Best” focuses on the biggest competitor to the World’s Greatest Roleplaying Game. Pathfinder, now with a second edition, has fallen to a distant second after being the only alternative for people that wanted an active system for fantasy roleplaying that wasn’t Dungeons and Dragons fourth edition. There is a Pathfinder Beginner’s Box Day this weekend (April 23-24th) organized by r/Pathfinder2e. This will give new players a chance to play a level one character with experienced GMs and if they are new, try the system. The irony of the decline of Pathfinder is that Critical Role originally played Pathfinder before becoming a web based actual play. Does Paizo deserve more love than their 4.6% share of the active campaigns on Roll20 represents? Will the release of Pathfinder Adventure Paths for 5E seal the systems fate?

#pathfinder2e #unboxnow #montecookgames #oldgodsofappalachia

Unbox Now website:
https://www.unboxnow.com/

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Workers of Paizo Unionize after harassment charges and work abuse. This makes them the first tabletop company to do so. Spire’s End, self-published by Greg Favro, is a card-based choose your own adventure in a small box. Tribe 8 is a post-apocalyptic RPG by Dream Pod 9 that was originally published in 1998. It is being re-released using the Forged in the Dark rules system created for Blades in the Dark. Tabletopy is a simple web app soundboard that can be used in a game session in a pinch, but Tabletop Audio is the premier, advertising free, user supported ambient game audio site on the web.
#paizo #spiresend #tribe8 #tabletopaudio

Tribe 8 on DriveThruRPG (affiliate link):
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/19/Dream-Pod-9/subcategory/131/Tribe-8?affiliate_id=2081746

Tabletopy – Sounds and Ambience for Tabletop Roleplaying:
https://tabletopy.com/

Tabletop Audio – Original 10-minute ambiences and music for your games and stories:
https://tabletopaudio.com/

Return of Reckoning the fan project resurrection of Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning gets to new cities cut from original MMO. Free League announces a Blade Runner RPG coming in 2022. This will be a collaboration with Genuine Entertainament similar to the previous Alien RPG. Mutant Crawl Classics, the post apocalypse version of Dungeon Crawl Classics, is on Bundle of Holding. Funcom okays Star Anvil Studios to produce a Secret World TTRPG based on their original MMO.

#returntoreckoning #bladerunnerrpg #mutantcrawlclassics #secretworldrpg

Return to Reckoning MMO:
https://www.returnofreckoning.com/

Mutant Crawl Classics Bundle of Holding:
https://bundleofholding.com/presents/MCClassics

 

TSR released a press statement. Yes, the company that was resurrected, abandoned and them disappeared is back. What does this even mean? Before Dungeons and Dragons, Wizards of the Coast first published another fantasy RPG. Sales of Talislantia 3E funded the creation of Magic: The Gathering. Finally the UK Games Expo is happening at the end of July. With expanded safety measures that they won’t enforce. Sounds fun. #tsr #talislantia #ukgamesexpo #mtg #wotc

Chris on Itch.io:
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https://twitter.com/ConanSalaryman​​

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We discuss the Lake Geneva Dugeon Hobby Shop museum set to open, or at least get a new parking lot and curator. Also, the list of professionals and events that are distancing themselves from the new TSR grows. Cargo shipping rates are up 300 to 400 percent currently. This is putting pressure on board game companies to shoulder that expense if it is temporary or pass it on to the customers. Probably the likely move. The solution would be stop printing boardgames in China, but why would anyone do that? Finally, for an escape for the ugliness we take a look at Dukk Borg by Gem Room Games and Nerdy Paper Games. A Mork Borg compatible game that combines dark metal and DuckTales. Anything that celebrates death metal aesthetics and Carl Barks influenced duck characters is worth a look.
#tsr #dukkborg #keepgamingfantasy #carlbarks

Dukk Borg:
https://gemroomgames.itch.io/dukkborg

Chris on Itch.io:
https://hyvemynd.itch.io/​​

Chris on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/hyvemynd​​
https://twitter.com/ConanSalaryman​​

NMITY Stories: https://nmitystories.buzzsprout.com/

Abusecartoons Weekly Cartoons:
http://www.abusecartoons.com/​​
https://www.twitch.tv/abusecartoons
​​https://twitter.com/abusecartoons

​​ Support Us on Patreon:
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Intro song is “Chips” by Kokoro No Me
https://kokoronome.bandcamp.com/

 

Unboxing everything from the 2020 Second Edition of Tsukuyumi: Full Moon Down by King Racoon Games. This version replaces the standess with plastic miniatures.
#tsukuyumi #kingracoongames #felixmertikat

Slowly but steadily, the Moon has been approaching the Earth. It has touched the surface and ripped a deep rift across continents, mountain ranges and oceans. It has come to a halt in the now dried-out Pacific Ocean. Chaos and devastation wrecked the Earth and its inhabitants. That chaos grew greater when the Moon revealed itself to be a “kami” (a Japanese God of old) – the white dragon TSUKUYUMI. Exiled into the night sky eons ago, TSUKUYUMI has been roused by Japanese warriors, who tried to rid themselves of their godly creators. TSUKUYUMI’S time for revenge has finally come…

We look at all the games currently available for the Mysthea universe by Tabula Games. This includes the original boardgame from their first Kickstarter, Mysthea, the follow-up, Icaion and the card game, Volfyirion. All sharing a very compelling scifi fantasy setting with amazing artwork by Travis Anderson. First, we look at the art book from the original game that contains the setting lore and illustrations. We also have a quick look at Shattered City, a TTRPG set in Mysthea, by UFO Press, that uses the PbtA ruleset. #mysthea #icaion #volfyirion #tabulagames

Tabula Games:
https://tabula.games/fl/mysthea

Shattered City by UFO Press:
https://ufopress.co.uk/product/shattered-city/

Shattered City on DrivethruRPG:
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/327480/Shattered-City