The Weekly Podcast no.339 – Paizo Layoffs, UK Game Expo Protests, WotC Senior AI Engineer and Infinity Suite for Traveller

Posted on June 14, 2026 by upturnedtable

Paizo is undergoing significant restructuring following a nearly $2 million financial loss in 2025, largely attributed to the bankruptcy of its former distributor, Diamond Comic Distributors. To manage the fallout, the company is laying off 12 employees, scaling back its organized play initiatives, and pausing Foundry VTT support for Pathfinder Society modules. While Paizo transitions its distribution to the Independent Publishers Group and works to recover book channel sales, it continues to focus on direct-to-consumer sales via its updated webstore.

The tabletop industry is grappling with the proliferation of generative AI, with tensions surfacing at the UK Games Expo 2026. Critics and attendees expressed deep disappointment over the convention’s lack of an official policy prohibiting AI-generated content, contrasting it with other conventions that have taken firm stances. In response, creators and vendors utilized “Human Made” signage on the convention floor as a grassroots effort to push back against the use of AI tools, which they argue diminish human creativity and threaten the livelihoods of freelancers and artists.

Meanwhile, Wizards of the Coast is signaling a shift in its technological approach, posting a vacancy for a senior AI engineer to develop customer-facing features, including systems for tutorials and NPC behaviors. This move coincides with Hasbro’s launch of “Sixth Wall,” a new AI studio focused on licensing company IP characters like Optimus Prime and Mr. Potato Head for interactive experiences. By utilizing its “CharacterOS” platform and real voice actors, Hasbro aims to provide authorized, guardrail-protected versions of its characters to mitigate the spread of unauthorized AI-generated content using its intellectual property.

In happier news for tabletop enthusiasts, Mongoose Publishing has released *The Infinity Suite*, a new 168-page campaign sourcebook for the *Traveller* RPG. The narrative centers on a band of interstellar rockstars who are heavily in debt and on the run from repo crews, forcing them to seek fame and inspiration across the Islands subsectors. The supplement introduces inventive mechanics to fit the rock ‘n’ roll theme, such as a Masterpiece System for song creation, a review system for music critics, Bass Battles, and Megastar Points to track the characters’ rise to fame.

#paizo #ukgamesexpo #wotc #travellerrpg

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The Weekly Podcast no.303 – Deadlands: Dark Ages, Diamond Still Dirty, Abomination Vaults 5E and Pathfinder 2E Bundle

Posted on September 14, 2025September 16, 2025 by upturnedtable

Pinnacle Entertainment Group launched a Kickstarter campaign for Deadlands: Dark Ages, a new installment in the Deadlands saga set in 877 AD Britain. The campaign, which went live on September 9, 2025, quickly surpassed its initial goal, raising over 1500% and accumulating over $135,000 in pledges within the first day. This new release, utilizing the Savage Worlds system, introduces players to a war-torn Britain battling supernatural forces, including the Four Horsemen and Morgana’s dark magic, with heroes aided by Merlin’s magic hexguns. The Kickstarter offers a core rulebook, a graphic novel, an accessories box with FastForge™ Terrain, a Cursed Village Terrain Expansion, and premium metal Conviction Dice. The campaign is set to close on October 3, 2025.

Diamond Comic Distributors has initiated adversary proceedings against 31 consignment vendors, ranging from Ablaze LLC to Zenescope Entertainment, Inc., to seize and sell their consignment inventory held in Diamond’s warehouse. This action follows a bankruptcy court order requiring individual proceedings against each vendor. Major publishers involved include Titan Comics, Paizo Inc., Oni Press, Goodman Games, Fantagraphics Books, Dynamite Entertainment, DSTLRY, Dark Horse Comics, and BOOM! Entertainment. Concurrently, consignment publishers are seeking access to $1.57 million generated from unauthorized sales of their inventory by Sparkle Pop, the company that acquired Diamond Comic Distributors’ assets.

Sparkle Pop has responded to Diamond’s motion regarding its sales of consignment inventory, claiming that these sales occurred due to Diamond’s inaction and that they have ceased selling the inventory prior to Diamond’s motion. Sparkle Pop alleges that Diamond failed to remove consignment inventory listings from the website and co-mingled the inventory in its warehouse. They state that they continued to fill orders out of concern for liability for damages if orders were not fulfilled and inventory value declined, and are currently holding the $1.57 million in funds from these sales, awaiting a court decision on who should be paid. Sparkle Pop also argues that Diamond is obligated to pay over $433,000 in shipping and other costs incurred by Sparkle Pop to fulfill these orders. Both the Ad Hoc Committee of Consignors and The Consignment Group have filed objections to Diamond’s motion against Sparkle Pop, requesting the court to protect the proceeds of the sales until the ownership dispute is resolved.

The Pathfinder Abomination Vaults Adventure Path, originally from Paizo, has been adapted for D&D Beyond in a 5th Edition (5E) version. This “megadungeon” campaign, taking players from levels 1-11, is now available digitally on D&D Beyond. The campaign delves into the mysterious Gauntlight lighthouse and the sprawling Abomination Vaults, where players confront monsters and traps created by a wicked sorcerer. The 5E adaptation includes 13 digital maps, 16 new magic items, and 6 new adventure-specific spells. The release on D&D Beyond, announced at Gen Con 2025, coincides with D&D Beyond’s integrated virtual tabletop Maps becoming free for all users on September 16th, making it easier for Dungeon Masters to run the campaign with minimal prep. Comments on Paizo’s blog indicate interest and positive experiences with running Pathfinder content using D&D 5E and Savage Worlds systems.

#deadlands #diamond #dnd5e #pathfinder2e

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The Weekly LIVE 298 – Dragonbane Minis, Former WotC VP, Diamond Details and New D&D Starter Set

Posted on July 20, 2025 by upturnedtable

Free League Publishing’s Dragonbane TTRPG is getting a new miniatures collection through a Kickstarter campaign by Titan Forge. The Northern Beasts miniatures sets will feature heroes and adversaries from the Dragonbane Core Set and Bestiary, with each set including original mini-adventures. The miniatures are noted for their high detail and quality, with the Demons Set being particularly impressive. Dragonbane itself is a modern re-imagining of the 1982 Scandinavian game Drakar och Demoner, offering a gritty, Nordic fantasy experience with a retro Saturday morning cartoon vibe.

Jess Lanzillo, former VP of franchise and product for D&D, has joined White Wolf as creative director for World of Darkness after leaving Wizards of the Coast. This follows the departure of other senior D&D figures like Chris Perkins and Jeremy Crawford. The exodus from D&D comes amid broader struggles at Hasbro, including massive layoffs, failed product launches, and the loss of key talent who helped make projects like Baldur’s Gate 3 successful.

The Diamond Comic Distributors bankruptcy has revealed a complex auction process filled with controversy. Alliance Entertainment (AENT) initially won the auction with a bid over $70 million, but Diamond rejected them in favor of backup bidders Universal Distribution and Ad Populum for approximately $2.5 million less. Court transcripts reveal the rejection came down to a one-hour delay in resolving a dispute over $4.3 million in prepaid inventory. AENT’s legal team claimed “the fix was in” and that they had agreed to all of Diamond’s demands, but Diamond proceeded with the backup bidders anyway. The situation has resulted in ongoing lawsuits and significant disruption to the comic book distribution industry.

Wizards of the Coast has announced Heroes of the Borderlands, a new Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set launching September 16, 2025, for $49.99. This comprehensive set is designed for the updated 2024-2025 D&D rules and includes everything needed for new players to start playing immediately. The box contains 40-60 hours of gameplay content, including three adventure booklets, over 200 game cards, 18 maps, 200+ tokens, an 11-die set, and guides for both players and Dungeon Masters. The set focuses on four iconic D&D classes (Cleric, Rogue, Wizard, and Fighter) and is being marketed as the biggest D&D starter set ever made.

#dragonbane #wotc #starterset #diamondbankruptcy

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The Weekly Podcast no.297 – Degenesis Cancelled, MAC Attack, McD&D and Dirty Diamond

Posted on July 14, 2025 by upturnedtable

CMON, already struggling financially with a $3 million loss last year, suffered another major setback when its Gamefound campaign for Degenesis: Clan Wars was cancelled due to a legal dispute with IP holder SixMoreVodka. The German design studio terminated its contract with CMON after what began as a collaborative relationship deteriorated into legal battles, with both parties providing conflicting accounts of the breakdown. CMON has promised full refunds to the campaign’s 1,200 backers, though the refund process won’t begin until after legal resolution.

MAC Attack is a sci-fi miniature wargame by by Chris MacDowall where players command Mobile Armour Colossus (MAC) units and auxiliary units (AUs) in tactical combat across diverse terrain types including Open, Rough, Cover, Water, Obstructions, Barriers, and Buildings on a typical 48″x36″ battlefield. The game uses six-sided dice for general actions and specialized dice for Motion, Heat, Jolt, and Rad weapons, with MACs requiring careful Heat management to avoid overheating while maintaining Motion ratings that affect hit probability. Combat unfolds through four phases—Move, Attack, Meltdown, and Cooldown—with a card-based initiative system determining activation order, while players must strategically balance weapon usage (categorized by range, type, and power levels 1-4) against Heat generation. Forces must include at least 3 MACs and up to 1 AU formation per MAC, with AUs serving as supporting infantry or vehicle units that are always Motion 2, class 0, and destroyed by a single hit, while faction selection provides access to special rules and modules for tactical advantage.

Wizards of the Coast has restructured Dungeons & Dragons under a new “franchise model” led by former Halo veteran Dan Ayoub. This organizational change consolidates all D&D-related properties—books, video games, film, and TV—under one roof, promising a more coordinated and well-funded approach to the franchise. The gaming industry continues to navigate these challenges while seeking alternative distribution channels and legal remedies to protect their businesses.

The tabletop gaming industry is facing significant disruption due to Diamond Comic Distributors’ Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in January 2025. This bankruptcy has severely impacted over 100 independent publishers who relied on Diamond for book trade distribution to major retailers like Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and other bookstores. Diamond is attempting to claim ownership of millions of dollars worth of consigned inventory from publishers through a legal technicality, despite the publishers retaining ownership of unsold stock. Several publishers are taking different approaches to survive the crisis. Green Ronin Publishing has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise $9,000 for legal defense costs, having already raised over $6,600 from 101 donations. The company faces particular challenges with upcoming Gen Con expenses and the loss of book trade distribution for key licensed games like The Fifth Season and The Expanse RPGs. Meanwhile, Paizo has stopped shipping products to Diamond entirely, meaning their August and September releases won’t be available through major bookstores or Amazon.

#degenesis #CMON #MACattack #diamondbankruptcy

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