The Pacific Legal Foundation has filed a lawsuit on behalf of Stonemaier Games and other small business plaintiffs challenging the legality of recently applied tariffs on Chinese imports. The lawsuit, detailed in an April 30, 2025 article, argues that President Biden’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose these tariffs exceeds presidential authority, as the 1977 law makes no mention of tariffs and has historically been used only for economic sanctions. The plaintiffs, including tabletop game publisher Stonemaier Games, children’s clothing company Princess Awesome & Boy Wonder, art gallery Quent Cordair Fine Art, and metal treatment company 300 Below, seek refunds for tariffs already paid and aim to “restore the proper limits of presidential authority” by reasserting that tariff authority is constitutionally granted exclusively to Congress, not the executive branch.

Steamforged Games is rejuvenating the Warmachine franchise, which previously competed closely with Warhammer 40K in the miniature wargaming sector. Following a challenging period, Warmachine is set to make a strong comeback in 2025, and to generate excitement, the senior team at Steamforged will host a live Ask Me Anything (AMA) session on Discord. Scheduled for May 8, 2025, this event will feature key figures from the company who will address questions about the game’s revival, new model releases, and future plans, creating direct engagement opportunities for fans. The AMA will not only provide insights into the development of the Warmachine universe but also includes promotions such as giveaways of starter sets for beginners, designed to help newcomers engage with the game. Attendees will have the chance to interact via video and chat, making this a dynamic platform for community building. Additionally, ongoing support for the game will be featured, including updates on expansions and exclusive content available through the Warmachine app.

Roll20, which acquired the Demiplane rules compendium platform in June 2024, has launched a public beta integrating the two systems. This integration allows users to seamlessly link their Demiplane characters to Roll20 campaigns without exporting or rebuilding, with both platforms now offering cross-platform sync and shared subscription benefits active since February. The public beta currently supports character sheets for six game systems (Alien: RPG, Candela Obscura, Cyberpunk RED, Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game, Pathfinder 2e, and Vampire the Masquerade 5e), with over 2,000 data fields available for use in Modscripts and Macros. This integration represents another step in Roll20’s strategy to become a comprehensive tabletop gaming platform, following previous acquisitions of DriveThruRPG and Dungeon Scrawl.

Mantic Games has launched the Halo: Flashpoint app to facilitate gameplay and event management for players. This app will provide users with access to full rules, gameplay content, and a free list-building feature, enabling players to create their army lists conveniently. The app supports both free and subscription-based functionalities, allowing for organized play and the ability to run tournaments. Covering a range of features, the app aims to enhance the gaming experience for Halo: Flashpoint fans, making it a comprehensive tool for both casual and competitive play.

Andrew Clayton, creator of Foundry Virtual Tabletop (VTT), has taken a strong stance against the use of generative AI in the tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) industry, calling it a “betrayal” of the artists, writers, and designers who built the space. In a recent interview, Clayton described AI-generated content as “soulless and derivative,” arguing that it exploits creative work without consent. This view sharply contrasts with Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks, who has openly embraced AI for Dungeons & Dragons development. While Foundry as a company opposes AI integration, some user-created modules do include AI tools, but Clayton emphasizes that Foundry itself will not support AI, now or in the future. This puts Foundry at odds with Hasbro’s vision, despite its official partnership with D&D.

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Stonemaier Games, a major US-based tabletop game publisher known for hits like Wingspan and Scythe, has joined a lawsuit against former President Donald Trump in response to new US tariffs on Chinese imports. These tariffs, which have soared to 145%, are dramatically impacting the board game industry, which heavily relies on Chinese manufacturing. Stonemaier’s president, Jamey Stegmaier, explained that the company faces nearly $1.5 million in upcoming tariff costs on pre-produced inventory. With no grace period for goods already in production, the publisher is now storing stock in China and selectively shipping to the US to avoid unsustainable costs, while also encouraging other affected companies to join the lawsuit.

The tariffs have already led to significant disruptions within the industry, including layoffs and halted operations. Greater Than Games, another respected publisher behind Spirit Island and Sentinels of the Multiverse, has been forced to reduce staff and suspend all new projects due to the rising costs. Parent company Flat River Group cited “economic pressures” as the reason, and although in-stock products remain available, the company’s future projects—many crowdfunded and long-awaited—are now uncertain. Industry insiders warn that these tariffs could deal a blow worse than COVID-19, threatening the survival of small publishers and disrupting supply chains across the US tabletop gaming community.

Evil Hat Productions has announced the launch of a crowdfunding campaign to produce a print edition of Blades in the Dark: Deep Cuts, an expansion to the popular indie tabletop RPG created by John Harper. Previously released in digital form, Deep Cuts introduces a wealth of new material to enrich the game’s setting, Doskvol. It features 27 new factions, over 100 background and heritage packages, technological innovations, and the introduction of “Catalysts”—campaign-altering events. It also updates core mechanics, offering a streamlined advancement system, alternative action mechanics, and new rules for downtime and harm, making it a robust “director’s cut” of the original game.

The Heroes of Might and Magic TTRPG distinguishes itself in the crowded fantasy RPG space by focusing on epic, large-scale battles where players act as commanders of armies. Set in the iconic world of Enroth, the game adapts the 2d20 system and includes dramatic campaigns like “The Restoration of Erathia.” 

Kickstarter recently suspended Don Simpson’s crowdfunding campaign for Megaton Man: Multimensions, a 214-page comic anthology, due to the inclusion of four pages by Iranian artist Milo Trent—sparking outrage from creators and supporters. Simpson, a veteran of the indie comics scene, refused to remove Trent’s work, criticizing Kickstarter’s vague and unaccountable policies, which appeared to reject the project based solely on Trent’s nationality. Despite the project’s diverse and celebrated lineup, which includes major names like Alan Davis and Stephen Bissette, and its readiness for publication through Cosmic Lion, Kickstarter cited “safety and trust” concerns without clear guidance or opportunity for appeal. Contributors and colleagues have condemned the decision as censorship and discrimination, with many rallying behind Simpson and seeking alternative funding platforms. The incident highlights growing concerns about algorithmic overreach and opaque decision-making by major crowdfunding platforms.

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Hasbro, the owner of Dungeons & Dragons, is reportedly in talks with Tencent for various rights, including electronic game adaptations. The report suggests a potential sale of the Dungeons & Dragons IP, but there are conflicting details. The success of Larian’s Baldur’s Gate 3 might have influenced Tencent’s interest in investing in similar projects.

Mythic Games, a crowdfunding-focused board game publisher, faced financial woes and outsourced its remaining projects to CMON. HEL: The Last Saga and Anastyr were sold to CMON due to challenges in completing the projects without additional funding from backers. The backlash from Kickstarter backers, the death threats received by Mythic Games’ co-founders, and the future of the company are all part of the difficulty.

Duncan Jones is working on an animated Rogue Trooper film based on the 2000AD comic strip, using Unreal Engine 5 for animation. The film has finished principal photography, and it is a collaboration between Rebellion, Liberty Films, and Treehouse Digital. A star-studded cast includes Aneurin Barnard, Hayley Atwell, Daryl McCormack, Matt Berry, Sean Bean, and Diane Morgan.

A report from Tabletop Analytics indicates a decline in Kickstarter funding for tabletop games in 2023 for the second consecutive year. The data suggests a 30% decrease in earnings for individual tabletop creators compared to the pre-COVID year of 2019. Kickstarter has not publicly disclosed its data for the first time in almost a decade, and the decline is attributed to factors like crowdfunding fatigue and increased competition. The importance of community management tools and concerns about Kickstarter’s permissive stance on AI generative art are highlighted.

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The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has warned board game reviewers and influencers about the importance of properly disclosing their relationships and any free products they receive from companies. Failure to disclose such information could be considered an “unfair or deceptive” act, leading to potential court action. The FTC’s updated guidance extends to online influencers on various social media platforms, emphasizing the need for clear disclosure, even if they are not explicitly asked to mention the products. This applies to content creators showcasing board games on social media or in videos, as these actions could imply endorsement without using words.

Critical Role, a popular gaming company known for introducing people to tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons, has removed numerous videos from its YouTube channel. Most of these videos featured Brian Foster, the former host of the series “Talks Machina,” where cast members were interviewed after each episode. The removal comes after leaked court documents revealed instances of verbal abuse and threats against main cast member Ashley Johnson during her engagement with Foster. Additionally, videos featuring Foster hosting “Behind the Sheets” and participating in other shows have also been taken down, except for one episode of “Honey Heist,” which can still be found on Geek & Sundry’s YouTube channel.

The Gloomhaven Grand Festival has finished by raising $5,053,380 with 34,691 backers It included Gloomhaven: Buttons & Bugs, Gloomhaven: The Role Playing Game, Miniatures of Gloomhaven, Gloomhaven: Second Edition and was run on Backerkit. The campaign contained no exclusive offerings eliminating FOMO and allowing their $1 pledge to give people time to decide.

“Horror on the Orient Express,” a famous campaign for the Lovecraftian RPG “Call of Cthulhu,” is being transformed into a cooperative board game. Designed by Adam Kwapiński and Michał Gołąb Gołębiowski, creators of “Nemesis” and “Frostpunk: The Board Game,” respectively, the board game will follow the 1991 Call of Cthulhu adventure set aboard a train during the 1920s. Players act as investigators navigating through the eerie Dreamlands, encountering cosmic horrors and cultists. The game offers a complete RPG-like experience, allowing players to customize and progress their characters, gather clues, interrogate passengers, and protect the train from monstrous threats. The board game is described as “challenging” and will be launched through a Kickstarter campaign in the first half of the following year, with an expected release in 2025. A prototype will be showcased at the upcoming Gen Con convention in the US.
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