For more of our coverage of the latest and greatest from Gen Con 2016, click here.
Scythe
Scythe, one of the biggest hits of Gen Con, will have its first expansion out on November 1st. ACD Distribution reports that Scythe: Invaders From Afar “adds two new factions and the ability to play with as many as seven players.”
Source: http://acddistribution.blogspot.com/2016/08/scythe-invaders-from-afar-expansion.html
Specter Ops App
From the iOS report on boardgamegeek.com comes news of a Specter Ops app currently in beta. A preview video is now on youtube, with the app tentatively scheduled for release at the end of September.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBPb_jzCRgs
h/t https://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/56840/gen-con-digital-report-3-lanterns-digital-roll-it
Lessons Learned
Terrific insight and lessons learned from Jamey Stegmaier of Stonemaier Games and his experience at Gen Con 2016. “A considerable number of people made our area a home base of sorts. They hung out there when they had nothing else to do. They’d stop by just to say hi. They were there for every game night. There are many similar pockets like this at Gen Con–ours is just one of them. But I’m really glad we were able to provide that experience, especially for my fellow introverts.”
Source: http://stonemaiergames.com/top-10-highlights-and-lessons-learned-from-gen-con-2016/
Zombie Party
Gamers in the Philippines celebrated the release of Dead of Winter: The Long Night at board games cafe Dyce N Dyne. Demos of the game went from 7pm to 5am and some participants dressed as characters such as Mike Cho and Forest Plum.
Source: http://www.plaidhatgames.com/news/733
Android Coup
Coup, the popular game of bluffing and deception, has made its way to the Android platform. According to droidgamers.com, “[t]he digital game includes tutorials, custom art for the cards, and can support up to four players in a match. There are in-game chats for anything ranging from greetings, to taunts, and even negotiations.”
Source: http://www.droidgamers.com/index.php/game-news/android-game-news/11623-bluff-your-way-to-power-in-the-digital-board-game-coup-now-availbale-on-google-play
West End Adventures
Asmodee’s Jack the Ripper & West End arrives in the fourth quarter of this year. It is an expansion to the Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective game, but can also be a standalone game for new players. “In this new title, you and your fellow detectives must work together to uncover clues, follow leads, and gather evidence in order to solve a variety of crimes from Regent’s Park to London Bridge.”
Source: http://drafts.asmodee.us/en/news/2016/8/16/jack-the-ripper-is-on-the-loose/
Gifts from the Emperor
According to ICv2.com, Renegade Game Studios and Foxtrot Games will release the first expansion to Lanterns: The Harvest Festival this January. In Lanterns: The Emperor’s Gifts, players will have “the option of building pavilions on placed tiles. When a player makes a color match on a pavilion, they earn a gift from the Emperor, a new currency which can be redeemed for new actions outlined in the Emperor cards.”
Source: http://icv2.com/articles/news/view/35293/make-harvest-festival-even-better
Escaping 75 Years
According to ACD Distribution, Escape From Colditz: 75th Anniversary Edition will hit the streets on October 18th. “Designed by Pat Reid, a British officer who escaped from the Colditz prisoner-of-war camp during World War II, and Brian Degas, writer of the iconic TV series based on Pat’s escape, it is often named as one of the greatest board games in British history. This edition, published to coincide with the 75th anniversary of Pat Reid’s escape, will feature completely new art-work painted by fan-favorite historical artist, Peter Dennis.”
Source: http://acddistribution.blogspot.com/2016/08/new-from-osprey-games-colditz.html
Sorcery
As a child, I loved the Sorcery gamebook series and for years afterward, I thought that the game’s creator was the same guy behind the Munchkin empire, only to learn that there was another game designer named Steve Jackson. Oops. The Sorcery books have been developed into apps for iOS and Android and Pocket Tactics reports the fourth in the series will be ready to go on September 15th.
Source: http://www.pockettactics.com/news/steve-jacksons-sorcery-4-coming-september-15th/
Strengthening the Fellowship
Sean Switajewski writes about the cooperative The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game experience and cooperative deck-building. “Absolutely true to the source material, players gather not to defeat each other, but to band together and defeat the ultimate evil that is the encounter deck.”
Source: https://drafts.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2016/8/16/assembling-your-fellowship/
VR and Phobia
A Virtual Reality game maker ports Ascension to VR and talks about how VR helps her cope with her fear of flying.
Source: http://www.geek.com/games/how-a-vr-board-game-helps-its-maker-deal-with-phobia-1666347/
Upgrades
I liked bestplay.com’s short article on upgrading your board games through expansions, new pieces, better storage, soundtracks, and more.
Source: http://www.bestplay.co/6-ways-pimp-board-game-collection/
Upcoming Board Game Conventions
August 19-21. Dragonflight XXXVII. Bellevue, Washington.
August 26-28. Coulee Con 2016. La Crosse, Wisconsin.
August 26-28. Guns of August. Williamsburg, Virginia.
September 1-4. Tacticon 2016. Colorado Springs, Colorado.
September 2-5. Gateway 2016. Los Angeles, California.
September 10-11. WashingCon. Washington, D.C.
September 24-25. Congress of Gamers. Rockville, Maryland.
October 15-16. RetroWorld Expo 2016. Wallingford, Connecticut.
Visit casualgamerevolution.com for more convention listings.