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They say no publicity is bad publicity, and the online debates over CMON’s HATE Kickstarter are keeping the profile high: the fundraiser has already smashed its target. Meanwhile Asmodee suffers a Poketheft and some older games get new life.
2018’s first ‘most controversial Kickstarter’ launches
It might only be January, but it’s hard to imagine there’s going to be a Kickstarter that’s as high profile and controversial as CMON’s HATE. It’s already raised over half a million dollars in just a few days, and provides a combination of skirmish and campaign that’s been described as the next step up from Shadespire, but also worried people because you can eat another player’s team member.
I mean who hasn’t wanted to do that halfway through a game. Whatever your views on the Kickstarter-only extreme content, HATE has been a success and there’s loads of time to back.
The Infinity RPG reaches stores in February
The Infinity RPG has been in gestation for a long time, with a 2015 Kickstarter and a long series of delays, but fear not as it hits the shelves in February. Not 2019, this February. It should be a perfect fit for gaming, as Infinity started as an RPG setting before the miniatures game came along so there’s more than a hint of destiny to it finally arriving.
It’s a 2D20 system common to Mutant Chronicles and other Modiphius releases and there’s more in the pipeline to support the system.
Century: Golem Edition is getting a wide release
Century: Spice Road is a great game, but for some people it was too spicy because Plan B released an edition themed around Golems instead. However, that was limited to an online store and conventions, which made a UK purchase tricky, but the good news is Golem Edition is getting a wider release and will be in UK shops.
If spice trading never rang your bell, Golem Edition’s fantasy world might be the icing you need on a good system.
Talisman is expanding
2018 is the 35th birthday of Talisman, and while there have already been a lot of expansions for the game, we're now getting four new games set in the game world. Pegasus Spiele have done a deal with Games Workshop to allow this, and we’ve been promised a dice game, a card game, an RPG and a game for children (this latter one is from the creators of The Dwarves).
We’re unclear on whether ‘the game world’ means the expansion that had a Space Marine in it, but we doubt it.
Western Legends lets you be good and bad
Kolossal Games are doing well with their debut release, a western rpg/board game hybrid that’s already funded on Kickstarter. You get to be one of 12 famous Wild West characters and choose whether to be good (stop bandits) or bad (rustle some cattle).
There’s miniatures, story cards to frame your adventures, an action deck that riffs on a pack of playing cards (for poker, naturally), and plenty more on theme vibes. Back to Kolossal for a minute: if Western Legends isn’t your thing, keep an eye on the studio as they’ve mentioned six more Kickstarters for 2018 alone!
Sequel announced to Ascension
Justin Gary, one of the team behind Ascension, has announced a sequel to his famed deck-builder: Shards of Infinity. We’re being promised a lot including “faster, more strategic and more streamlined than any deck-building game on the market” and let’s be realistic, there’s a lot of deck-builders so aiming to be “bold” is a necessity.
You’ll be playing with two to four players and targeting them for direct defeat. The good news is the price, with $20 being a great starting point.
Plan B starts up Next Move Games and announces Reef
If you don’t know the name Plan B, they’re the company who’ve given us Century Spice Road and recent hit Azul. Now, do you see how Azul is a four letter word? Yeah, prepare for more of that. Plan B have opened a spin off studio in Next Move Games which will create abstract games with “simple, core mechanisms” and all have four letter long titles to “to reinforce the elegance in the game's design."
Hence Reef, their new game from Century creator Emerson Matsuuchi, which is about growing your coral. Release is June 13, aka Origins.
A sequel to Tigris and Euphrates is coming
Reiner Knizia’s Tigris and Euphrates is an all time gaming classic, but there’s new life in that old dog as it’s getting a sequel. Yellow and Yangtze will build on the parent game and move the setting to China, changing the square tiles of the original to hexes, the monuments to pagodas and revamping much of the gameplay.
You’re still building your civilization, and there’s still a heavy Tigris and Euphrates feel, but things are moving on. Art is coming from the man behind Robinson Crusoe and Lost Cities, and the game should be out after a Gen Con debut.
Pokemon UK pre-release events cancelled after massive stock theft
The Pokemon trading card game is releasing the Ultra Prism set on February 2, and this weekend was meant to see a series of pre-release events at gaming stores across the UK. However, those have all been cancelled as Asmodee UK had their entire UK stock of pre-release Ultra Prism stolen.
They’re rushing to reschedule for next weekend. Needless to say, there’s some dodgy stock floating around Britain at the moment.