Welcome to this week’s PUNCHLIST, where we round up the biggest news in nerd culture. It might be from the MCU, board gaming, D&D, and more. But whatever the news is this week, you can bet it will eventually separate you from your money.
7. Gen Con 2020 Cancelled, Streaming Content To Come
For the first time in its 50+ year history, Gen Con has been cancelled. Current badge holders can roll their membership over to 2021 or can request a refund. Gen Con Online will be a “a free-to-attend virtual convention experience featuring livestreaming content, remote gaming, and other online programming,” with details announced in the coming weeks.
+ More here: Gen Con 2020 Cancelled
6. Essen Spiel 2020 Also Cancelled
The world’s largest gaming convention, Spiel, has also called off their 2020 offering and shifted it to October 14-17, 2021. The announcement includes a statement that they are not “factually or technically” able to host the convention, which indicates they will not offer a streaming alternative.
+ More here: Spiel 2020 Cancellation Announcement
5. Board Games: The 2020 Spiel des Jahres Nominees Have Been Announced
The titles under consideration for 2020’s Spiel des Jahres Awards were announced during a Facebook live video:
Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year with a focus on family or entry-level play):
- My City by Reiner Knizia
- Nova Luna by Use Rosenberg and Corné van Moorsel
- Pictures by Daniel and Christian Stöhr
Kennerspiel des Jahres (“Expert” Game of the Year, which focuses on more advanced titles):
- Cartographers: A Roll Player Tale by Jordy Adan
- The Crew by Thomas Sing
- The King’s Dilemma by Hjalmar Hach
Kinderspiel des Jahres (Kids’ Game of the Year) :
• Hedgehog Roll by Urtis Šulinskas
• Foto Fish by Michael Kallauch
• Wir sind die Roboter by Reinhard Staupe
The Kinderspiel award will be announced on June 15, with the other two following on July 20.
+More Here : Spiel des Jahres Nominees
4. Pathfinder: Paizo Announces 2E Beginner Box
The Pathfinder 2E Beginner Box has everything you need to start playing, including:
- 4 pre-generated characters
- A complete set of polyhedral dice
- An introductory adventure
- GM and PC handbooks
- AND over 100 character and monster pawns!
Retailing for $39.99, that’s a heck of a deal if you ask us! It is due out November of this year.
+ More here: Paizo Pathfinder 2E Beginner Box
3. Star Trek: A New Spin-Off Series is on the Way
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will follow Captain Pike, Spock, and Number One – all of whom will be reprised by the actors who portrayed them in Star Trek: Discovery. Star Trek‘s TV series footprint continues to grow with this addition to Discovery and the popular Picard.
+ More here: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Announcement
2. Video Game Spending Hit An All-Time High Q1 of 2020
All this quarantining and sheltering in place has lead to an unprecedented amount of money spent on video games in a single quarter. Content and accessories for mobile, PC, and consoles totaled nearly $11 billion between January and March of this year. Game on!
+ More here: Record Video Game Sales
1. Popular Board Game Channel Watch it Played! Adds Talent
Why is it major news that a board gaming YouTube channel is adding new shows?
Watched it Played is one of the most recognizable board gaming channels on YouTube. Host Rodney Smith‘s tutorials are so remarkably good at teaching people games that many board gamers don’t buy a game unless there is a Watch it Played! video for it.
Even when geek-centric and heavily funded websites like Geek and Sundry tried to copy Rodney’s formula, they couldn’t come within a country mile of his quality.
But there was a downside: Many would simply Google “how to play….,” find the video, yet not subscribe. His channel was one that was used for the tutorial, then maybe not be visited again unless there was a next game.
Now Watch it Played has added shows from the likes of Chaz Marler and Paula Deming – two popular YouTubers – to do comedy shows that feature Top 10 Hottest games and the like. That instantly transforms the channel into one that serves an audience much more broadly than one-off gaming tutorials. So, smash that subscribe button.
+ More here: Watch it Played!
Check back next Wednesday for more news for nerds. Better yet, scroll down just a few more inches and sign up for our newsletter, The Cable.
Tabletop Takeaways: Tips for Dungeon Masters with a Narrative Spin