Steve Jackson Games Press Release - Play in Your Library! Steve Jackson Games Collaborates with the American Library Association for International Games Day

From the Steve Jackson Website

Steve Jackson Games is excited to announce a collaboration with the American Library Association to bring hundreds of games to libraries all over the world. International Games Day, a yearly event taking place on November 15, brings library patrons to their local libraries to play board games and card games, and to learn about games they've never played before.

This year, Steve Jackson Games is donating hundreds of copies of games – including Munchkin, Illuminati, Castellan, and others – to libraries participating in International Games Day.

Steve Jackson Games Press Release - Kids Love Treasure! Announcing Munchkin Treasure Hunt

From the Steve Jackson Games Website

Steve Jackson Games and Toys"R"Us have partnered up on a brand new boardgame for kids! The basic idea of the game (fight monsters and steal their stuff) will be familiar to long-time Munchkin players, but no prior knowledge of Munchkin is required to start playing Treasure Hunt.

"Treasure Hunt is a fantastic way to introduce tabletop games to kids," said Andrew Hackard, designer of Munchkin Treasure Hunt. "We're thrilled to be working with Toys"R"Us so kids across the country can enjoy the game!"

Steve Jackson Games Press Release - The Apocalypse Gets Judged! Announcing Munchkin Apocalypse: Judge Dredd

From the Steve Jackson Games Website

Rebellion Developments and Steve Jackson Games announce a partnership of explosive proportions! The two companies take the law into their own hands next year to create Munchkin Apocalypse: Judge Dredd. This 15-card booster, based on Rebellion's 2000 AD comic book series Judge Dredd, contains new cards for Steve Jackson Games' hit game Munchkin Apocalypse.

"The characters in Munchkin already act as judge, jury, and executioner of the monsters they fight, so we think they'll fit right in to the world of Judge Dredd," said Jason Kingsley, CEO of Rebellion Developments. "We're looking forward to giving Munchkin Apocalypse fans a Thrill-powered jolt next year!"

Steve Jackson Games Press Release - All You Need Is Loot: Announcing Munchkin Love Shark Baby

From the Steve Jackson Games Website

Steve Jackson Games invites you to show your love the Munchkin way – by stabbing your way to victory, of course. Katie Cook, writer and illustrator of the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic comic book, has teamed up with Steve Jackson Games to bring you the perfect 15-card booster for Valentine’s Day: Munchkin Love Shark Baby.

"I was so excited to be asked to do the drawings for this Munchkin set!" said Katie Cook. "I love this game and knowing that I now have my own, Love Shark infested bit of it fills me with glee!"

Steve Jackson Games Press Release - Munchkin Gets Gloomy: Announcing Munchkin Gloom

From the Steve Jackson Games Website

Next year, the over-the-top zaniness of Steve Jackson Games' Munchkin combines with the gallows humor of Atlas Games' Gloom to create Munchkin Gloom, a new experience for the brooding tragic figure lurking within your inner powergamer.

"The best part of Gloom is telling the saddest story, explaining how your family has it worse than anyone else," said Gloom designer Keith Baker. "Whose lives could be more miserable than the monsters of Munchkin, who spend their days waiting for some obnoxiously overpowered adventurer to kick down their door and take their stuff?"

Steve Jackson Games Press Release - A Clockwork Core Set: Announcing Munchkin Steampunk

From the Steve Jackson Games Website

Next year, Steve Jackson Games adds gears, goggles, and steam-powered robots to the backstabbing and goofy humor of their hit card game, Munchkin, in Munchkin Steampunk. Fan-favorite artist Phil Foglio, who has won three Hugo Awards for his work on the steampunk comic series Girl Genius, teams up with veteran designer Steve Jackson to bring the world of Munchkin Steampunk to life.

"We really like clockwork spider automatons," said Munchkin Czar Andrew Hackard. "I mean, who doesn't? And they make killing monsters and taking their stuff even better!"

Fireside Games Press Release - Munchkin Panic – A Peek Under the Helmet

From the Fireside Games Website

How do you show people a game BEFORE the game is available to be shown? That was our conundrum when trying to come up with a way to share the art and details behind Munchkin Panic when we didn’t have a copy of the game to share yet.

Then, our brilliant Sales & Marketing Manager Kris said, “Why not make a photo book of the art with details about the game design and what makes it different from both Castle Panic and Munchkin?” And we all applauded and then got to work! “Munchkin Panic–A Peek Under the Helmet” was born.

Steve Jackson Games Press Release - Munchkin for Xbox 360 Cancelled

From the Steve Jackson Website

Steve Jackson Games and Tinderbox Entertainment regret to announce the cancellation of the Xbox 360 version of SJ Games' Munchkin card game.

"We came into the Xbox 360 Munchkin project with certain beliefs and expectations about the market," said Munchkin Brand Manager Andrew Hackard. "As we learned more about the digital market, and Xbox in particular, we realized that those expectations were unrealistic for the scope of project we had chosen. Work was far enough along that we would essentially have to start over to incorporate what we learned, and we don't think that's the right answer. We have enjoyed working with and learning from Tinderbox on this project, and wish them nothing but the best."

Steve Jackson Press Release - Announcing Munchkin Smash Up

From the Steve Jackson Games Website

Steve Jackson Games and Alderac Entertainment Group have partnered to create Munchkin Smash Up. Munchkin Smash Up, a game that combines elements of Alderac's Smash Up and SJ Games' Munchkin series, is due out later this year. Munchkin Smash Up will include:

• New artwork by John Kovalic!
• An exclusive new Munchkin card!
• Game demos and support through Steve Jackson Games' Men in Black!

Steve Jackson Games Press Release - Announcing Munchkin Loot Letter

From the Steve Jackson Games Website

Steve Jackson Games and Alderac Entertainment Group have partnered to create Munchkin Loot Letter. Loot Letter, a game that combines elements of Alderac's Love Letter and SJ Games' Munchkin series, is due out later this year. Loot Letter will include:

• New artwork by John Kovalic!
• An exclusive new Munchkin card!
• Game demos and support through Steve Jackson Games' Men in Black!

"We are thrilled to join Love Letter with Munchkin for this crazy and fun release," said AEG Owner John Zinser. "We hope that Munchkin players will enjoy the elegant design by Seiji Kanai mixed with their unique form of dungeon crawling!"

Steve Jackson Games Press Release - Fireside Games announces new title Munchkin Panic

From the Steve Jackson Games Website

Continued Growth for Board Game Company

Fireside Games is proud to announce the next game release in their expanding line of board games, Munchkin Panic, to hit stores in Fall 2014. Munchkin Panic is a new, semi-cooperative board game designed by Anne-Marie De Witt that blends the all-for-one gameplay of Castle Panic (Justin De Witt, Fireside Games, 2009) and the all-for-me style of Munchkin (Steve Jackson, Steve Jackson Games, 2001). The game supports 1 to 6 players ages 10 and up and will retail for $39.95.

Steve Jackson Games Press Release - Cartoon Network Enterprises, USAOPOLY and Steve Jackson Games Partner to Create Munchkin Adventure Time

From the Steve Jackson Games Website

Cartoon Network Enterprises, USAOPOLY and Steve Jackson Games Partner to Create Munchkin Adventure Time

Top-Rated Cartoon Network Series Joins Leader in Card Games in All-New Game Available in 2014

Austin, TX – What time is it?! MUNCHKIN TIME! In what is sure to be the most mathematical announcement to come out of this year’s Gen Con, USAOPOLY, under license from Steve Jackson Games and Cartoon Network Enterprises, today unveiled plans for Munchkin Adventure Time, an upcoming game which will put a decidedly quirky twist on the best-selling card game of battling monsters, grabbing treasure, and running very fast. Help Finn, Jake, Lumpy Space Princess, and friends navigate the perils – and the rewards! – of the Land of Ooo. Debuting summer 2014, this fast-paced, silly and whimsical card game will satisfy Munchkin AND Adventure Time fans looking to knock down doors, collect epic loot, and have a good time.
Will "Oh my glob – look out!" be the last thing Adventure Time fans hear from Princess Bubblegum? Or will Finn and Jake save the day with a sturdy sword and a hearty "Slamacow!"? Stay tuned . . .

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About Munchkin

The Munchkin card game is fantasy adventuring played for pure fun – or as the box says, "Kill the Monsters • Steal the Treasure • Stab Your Buddy." Designed by Steve Jackson and illustrated by John Kovalic, Munchkin was originally released in 2001. Since then, the original set has sold over half a million copies and has spawned over a dozen sequel games and over two dozen expansions. Munchkin is available worldwide and has been translated into 15 languages so far. For more about Munchkin, visit www.worldofmunchkin.com.

 

About Steve Jackson Games

Steve Jackson Games, based in Austin, Texas, has been publishing games, game books, and magazines since 1980. Its best-selling game is Munchkin, with well over 3 million copies of the games and supplements in print worldwide. Other top sellers are GURPS (the Generic Universal RolePlaying System), Zombie Dice, and Illuminati. Past hits have included Car Wars and Toon. Steve's very first game, Ogre, originally released in 1977, drew almost a million dollars' worth of Kickstarter support in 2012 for a super-deluxe edition to be released in the fall of 2013. The company news page, the Daily Illuminator (sjgames.com/ill/), is the oldest continuously running blog on the Internet. For more about Steve Jackson Games, visit us at www.sjgames.com.

Convention Report – Anime Expo 2013

I attended Anime Expo 2013 July 4 thru July 7 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.  Anime Expo is a convention that is focused on Japanese Animation, which is one of my interests outside of tabletop gaming.  There were over 61,000 attendees at this year’s Anime Expo, which makes it the largest Anime convention in the United States and the second largest fan convention on the West Coast behind San Diego Comic-Con.

Outside the Entertainment Hall at Anime Expo 2013

I am sure you are wondering why I am writing a review about Anime Expo in blog about tabletop games.  It is because this year Anime Expo made a huge effort in the gaming genre overall with the introduction of the Entertainment Hall.

Inside the Entertainment Hall was a large area set aside for table top gaming.  When I say a large area, I mean that the square footage set aside for table top gaming rivals the size of the gaming space at most small and medium local or regional gaming conventions I have attended.

There were a couple of game companies represented in the tabletop gaming area.  Japanime Games, the company behind Tanto Cuore, had a presence there. They were doing demos of their game, Kanzume Goddess and KrosMaster: Arena as well as Tanto Curore. The local club for Wyrd Miniatures game Malifaux, Socal Malifaux, was doing demos of Malifaux as well.

The Japanime Games Area

There were only a few scheduled events throughout the convention.  On Thursday there was a Settlers of Catan Tournament.  On Friday they had a Big Eyes, Small Mouth (BESM) Tournament of Champions, the first round of a Cosplay Poker Tournament, and a Weiss Schwartz event.  Saturday had a Yu-Gi-Oh Battlecon, a Munchkin event, and the second round of the Cosplay Poker Tournament.  On Sunday there was a Pokemon tournament.  There were also a number of Magic events throughout the weekend.

There was also a library of games available.  Unfortunately there was not much of a variety of games in the library.  It mostly consisted of a number of copies of Settlers of Catan, House on Betrayal Hill, Cards Against Humanity, and a handful of party games.

I was disappointed that there was not much in the way of anime and Japan related games available or scheduled.  It would have been great to see a Battletech or Mechwarrior event on the miniatures side of things or people playing Samurai, Shogun, or Yedo board games.

A Malifaux Battle Scene

The problem they had this year had everything to do with the fact that they did not handle the transition from having a few hundred square feet of space in a room at the back of the convention to having a few thousand square feet where they could run multiple major events as the same time and have room to spare for open gaming. 

It was also painfully obvious that the staff did not have the mind set beyond what they would do when they only had the small space of previous years.  I spent a number of hours in between panels and views in the tabletop gaming area and the half dozen staff members would just sit at their headquarters area the entire time I was there and really did not make themselves accessible to the players.  This is not to say they were rude or mean to people.  They just did not move from their station and engage people of any of the gamers or companies representatives while I was there.  This is the type of behavior you would expect from a staff that was running an oh and gaming room(as in oh and our convention has gaming as well), not what Anime Expo had set up for them this year.

While the Tabletop Gaming area did not make this a destination event for tabletop gamers this year by any sense of the imagination, it was a definite step forward for Anime Expo for what they had in the past.  Provided they continue to try to get support for the tabletop gaming communities local to them, there is lots of potential in the future for this venture.  I will be definitely keeping an eye on it.