The Weekly Podcast no.341 – Monolith’s Conan Returns, Witcher: No Man’s Land, MtG Arean Union and Operation: Leading Edge

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The Weekly Podcast no.340 – Vampire 5.5E, Valiant Mutants & Masterminds, Rise of the Lazy Dungeon master and Rpg Trader

Posted on June 21, 2026 by upturnedtable

Vampire: The Masquerade is expanding its presence on D&D Beyond with a new 5.5E crossover product titled Bound by Blood, published by Ghostfire Gaming and featuring a new Kindred class and adventure. This move follows similar partnerships with other publishers, indicating a trend of rival games embracing the 5.5E ruleset. In a related shift, Renegade Games has announced it will discontinue its bespoke Essence20 system for new editions of its licensed properties like Transformers, GI Joe, and Power Rangers, transitioning instead to a modified version of Dungeons & Dragons 5.5E to reach a broader player base.

Green Ronin Publishing has officially released Valiant Adventures, a new TTRPG setting supplement for the Mutants & Masterminds third edition system. Based on the Valiant Universe, a shared world featuring characters like Bloodshot and X-O Manowa, the release includes two main volumes: the Hero’s Handbook and the Worlds of Valiant sourcebook. These supplements provide updated combat mechanics, a new “Hero Point” economy, and extensive lore, allowing players to explore this gritty and morally complex comic universe without requiring additional source material.

Award-winning designer Mike Shea, known as Sly Flourish, has announced Rise of the Lazy Gamemaster, a new 160-page resource designed to complement his previous Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master series. Unlike his earlier works that focused primarily on D&D 5E, this upcoming book will be system-agnostic, offering tools, tips, and adventure outlines adaptable to various systems including Shadowdark, Daggerheart, and Dragonbane. Shea aims to provide practical advice to speed up preparation and enhance interactivity, with a crowdfunding campaign for the project scheduled to launch in early July.

The independent TTRPG market has a new competitor with the launch of RPG Trader, a marketplace created by Ten Acre Games founder Hugh Lashbrooke to support indie creators. Designed as a specific alternative to larger platforms like DriveThruRPG and Itch.io, RPG Trader focuses on discoverability and flexible publishing tools, offering creators an 80% share of sales revenue. The platform distinguishes itself with a zero-tolerance policy for AI-generated content, an integrated print-on-demand service through Lulu, and a detailed taxonomy system to help players find games based on specific play styles and themes.

#vapirerpg #valiantcomics #lazydungeonmaster #rpgtrader

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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.330 – Epic Warpath New Factions, CMON Returns, Free League Licensing and Fomoria RPG

Posted on April 5, 2026 by upturnedtable

Mantic Games is currently taking pre-orders for two new 10mm armies for the Epic Warpath sci-fi wargame: the Veer-Myn and the Marauders. The Marauder Core Army, provided in high-detailed plastic, brings infantry and armored vehicles like Hammer Assault Tanks, while resin Marauder Reinforcements add heavy firepower, air support, and the massive Wolfcrawler Mech. Similarly, the Veer-Myn Core Army includes burrowing units like Stalkers and Tunnelers, built from ramshackle technology. Veer-Myn Reinforcements add monstrous units such as Brood Guard and Night Terrors, along with the large, weapon-bristling Technonest miniature.

Financially-troubled publisher CMON plans to resume crowdfunding activities in the second half of 2026, following annual losses that soared to $19.9 million in 2025. This recent loss contributed to $23 million in losses across 2024 and 2025, prompting an independent auditor to question the company’s ability to continue as a “going concern”. CMON’s directors maintain that the company is sustainable, citing financial support from directors and proceeds from the sale of its Singapore office and a recent share sale. The company’s liabilities are largely due to eight undelivered crowdfunding campaigns—including DC Super Heroes United and DCeased, now slated for Q4 2026—and five undelivered pre-order campaigns. CMON’s new strategy focuses on reducing large-scale crowdfunding exposure, pivoting toward growth in the Asian market, and maintaining a streamlined operation with a reduced headcount.

Free League announced an expansion of its Free Tabletop License (FTL) to cover five of its core role-playing games: Dragonbane, Forbidden Lands, Symbaroum, Coriolis: the Great Dark, and Coriolis: The Third Horizon. This royalty-free, irrevocable open game license permits third-party creators to publish their own adventures and supplements for these titles. Free League stated that this move will benefit the longevity and popularity of the games and the broader community. Furthermore, the expanded license supports third-party publication not just in English, but also in several other languages, including French, German, Italian, Spanish, Polish, and Portuguese.

Free League Workshop also announced Fomoria RPG, an upcoming folk horror game created in partnership with award-winning designers Tania Herrero and Johan Nohr, the co-creator of MORK BORG. Described as a game of “epic horror,” Fomoria is set in a dark, subterranean world where the sun is a myth and players navigate the “living, breathing labyrinth of shifting tunnels” known as the Strata. The game uses a modified MORK BORG engine and offers options for players to take on the role of subterranean creatures in a world “built of monsters and bones”. The Kickstarter campaign is set to launch soon, but a Quickstart set of rules is currently available, including pre-generated characters and an introductory adventure.

#epicwarpath #CMON #FreeLeague #FomoriaRPG

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The Weekly Podcast no.329 – Gygax Returns to D&D, New Battletech, Warhammer 40k 11e and Trench Crusade Boxed Set

Posted on March 29, 2026 by upturnedtable

Luke Gygax, the son of D&D co-creator Gary Gygax, is collaborating with Wizards of the Coast (WotC) to return the Gygax name to the game’s original setting, Greyhawk. This move was engineered by Dan Ayoub, Dungeons & Dragons’ Head of Franchise, who publicly stated that the game had “lost its way” and that involving popular figures like Luke Gygax is an effort to set it on the “right path”. The collaboration will produce Melf’s Guide to Greyhawk (Melf was Luke Gygax’s original player character) and new adventures set in the world. WotC also announced a full presence at Gary Con to mend rifts with the Gygax family and reinforce their commitment to the community, with Ayoub affirming that retailers and “face-to-face physical play” will remain central to D&D.

Catalyst announced a new core product line for BattleTech, including a Core Rulebook, Starter Box, and Core Box, all scheduled to launch at Gen Con. These releases move the game’s entry point away from the Succession Wars and firmly into the ilClan era, introducing advanced tech like pulse lasers and Clan tech early on. The Starter Box replaces the older Beginner Box, featuring the Hammerhead and Kontio, while the Core Box replaces A Game of Armored Combat and Clan Invasion with eight mechs from various eras. The new Core Rulebook, built off the Battlemech Manual, incorporates significant changes from recent playtests, such as front-loaded unequal initiative and basing charge damage on the Target Movement Modifier (TMM).

Games Workshop announced Warhammer 40,000 11th Edition, slated for a June release, with a goal to bridge the gap between narrative and matched play. The edition refocuses the lore on the Armageddon conflict, pitting Imperial Forces against Orks. A key rules change eliminates fighting over objective circles, replacing them with combat for pieces of terrain. GW will allow current 10th edition codexes to remain usable at launch, and the new edition will feature over 70 new detachments. Other updates include reducing stratagem stacking (one per unit per phase), allowing players to roll charge dice before determining targets, and bringing back Combat Disembarking from transports engaged in melee.

Hours before Games Workshop’s major announcement, the “biblical horror wargame” Trench Crusade launched its first true starter set, Carcass Front, which is available for pre-order at $129.99 and set for a late July release. The box set contains 16 new plastic miniatures split into two warbands: the mobile, smaller-count Heretic Naval Raiders and the high model count, melee-focused Procession of the Sacred Affliction, a zealous cult who practice religious penance by deliberately inducing leprosy. Carcass Front emphasizes narrative play value, including two full campaigns: The Path to Leviathan, a 2-player narrative, and a map-based campaign designed for 2–8 players to battle over resources.

#dnd #battletech #warhammer40k #trenchcrusade

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