Steve Jackson's Blog, page 157

August 11, 2021: Kickstarter Reports, August 2021 Update

Another month behind us, pushing us closer and closer to the end of 2021 and the start of a new year. As crowdfunding becomes a more important part of the overall hobby games market, we keep mixing up our own Kickstarter efforts a bit, splitting our energy between smaller and larger projects. At the moment, we have three open campaigns and one new project that is set to launch next week. Please read on for an overview of our current Kickstarter projects and the status of each.

Please follow us on Kickstarter – Steve Jackson Games and Warehouse 23 – to receive notice when we launch new campaigns. 

Steve Jackson's Munchkin Promo Card and Bookmark BookletsLaunching next week!Our next campaign is our first dedicated Munchkin Kickstarter project in quite some time. Please follow the landing page today!Steve Jackson Games' GURPS 2021 PDF ChallengeJuly 8 to July 192,153 backers and on scheduleThe project is currently in the fulfillment stage, with many project supporters already receiving their PDFs through BackerKit. At the current rate, we expect to complete fulfillment ahead of schedule.The Fantasy Trip Quick Quests 2 and 3, Two New AdventuresJune 1 to June 6587 backers and kinda on scheduleWe're using a new U.S. printer for the  Labyrinth Encounter Cards and that is taking longer than expected. We're on schedule at this exact moment, but we now expect to deliver in September instead of the original estimate of August. A minor delay, but still a delay. Car Wars Sixth Edition by Steve Jackson Games November 29 (2019) to January 6 (2020)3,936 backers, behind scheduleAll containers are on the water and making their way to the primary warehouse.We have several more games and expansions planned for crowdfunding, and a part of our time is juggling those upcoming projects and trying to best fit them into our schedule. Every now and then, we decide to change things up a bit and experiment with a different platform . . . and we plan to do exactly that with the Dungeon Fantasy Companion 3 book that is going straight into pre-order in the near future. Please watch the Daily Illuminator for news of that new GURPS book, and join our mailing list to receive news directly in your inbox.

Please follow both Steve Jackson Games and Warehouse 23 on Kickstarter so that you don't miss any of our upcoming campaigns.

– Phil Reed

Warehouse 23 News: Who Doesn't Need More Dungeons?

We've got you covered with Munchkin 6 - Double Dungeons ! It comes with 40 dungeon cards to change up your Munchkin games and 32 portal cards to get you from dungeon to dungeon. Will you vist the Dead Pool or take a Secret Door to the Chamber of Secretions? Pick up your copy from Warehouse 23 today and find out!

August 10, 2021: Freight: An Extinction Level Event

Global shipping is a nightmare. We have already posted a few Daily Illuminator entries about the state of freight (May 23, June 29), and things are not getting better. Freight costs were once a part of the business; now those costs threaten to devastate publishers. 

As an example of how freight is impacting games, our Car Wars Sixth Edition project required five containers (all on the water, and slowly making their way to our primary warehouse) that each cost over 3x more than they would have if the game had shipped in 2020. As many of you know, 2020 was the planned shipdate . . . and then a global pandemic decided to enter the picture and completely disrupt our plan and the manufacturing schedule.

These freight costs are tearing into already-thin margins for many publishers, and some publishers are being forced to make decisions between shipping now and losing money, or holding inventory at the factory – and losing money. If there is such a thing as win-win options in game publishing (or for any small businesses who rely on global trade), we're now as far from those options as we can get.

We, Steve Jackson Games, are fortunate that we have evergreen sellers and that we took steps late last year to stock up on some of those top titles for the 2021 holiday season.  Munchkin Deluxe , Zombie Dice , and Illuminati Second Edition are in the warehouse, and deeper inventory levels on those top titles will help us weather the next six months or so. But unfortunately, the day is fast approaching when the freight costs will force our hand and we'll have to take steps to mitigate the excessive (and increasingly painful) impact of freight. (Not to mention rising overhead costs in other facets of the operation. As you may have noticed, everything is getting more expensive these days.)

If you have a small game publisher or two who you want to see survive to create new games, please visit your favorite local game store* today and buy a game or two. The publishers and retailers will appreciate the show of support.

– Phil Reed

* And yes, we mean visit a physical store. Because as bad as things are for the small publishers, several of the small game stores are also facing tough times and can use your support if they're going to be here next year. If you're not sure of where your nearest local store is located, please visit our store finder. If you're a retailer who is not already in our store finder, please email retailers@sjgames.com today and we'll get you added to the list.

Warehouse 23 News: At Last, You Can FNORD

Out of print for years, The INWO Book is the ultimate handbook for Illuminati: New World Order . Discover the inside story of this collectable card game, the complete rulebook, text and art for all 412 cards from the Limited Edition, variant rules, and more. Find out what they don't want you to know – with a download from Warehouse 23.

August 9, 2021: GURPS 2021 PDF Challenge Pre-Orders Close Today

Today is your last chance to take advantage of the GURPS 2021 PDF Challenge pre-orders. This pre-order campaign follows the successful Kickstarter project that we ran last month, and those of you who missed your chance at a dozen new GURPS PDFs won't want to be late to the party. You may either pre-order the bundle of all twelve PDFs or, if you wish, order individual titles. 

We've already started delivering the PDFs to Kickstarter backers who completed their BackerKit surveys early, and everything is on track to deliver over the next month or two.

If you missed the 2020 GURPS PDF Challenge, those dozen PDFs are also available in the pre-order campaign. Now's your chance to snag several PDFs at once, many of which won't be released on Warehouse 23 for quite some time.

Visit the pre-order page now, before it closes!

– Phil Reed

Warehouse 23 News: Don't Go In The Water!

Unless you're ready for Boat Wars ! We're taking the mayhem and carnage of Car Wars  off the streets and into the water! Grab your life preservoe (or not) and get ready to race with boats and hovercraft, but that's not all. We've also got sharks, aquabikes, and more! Get your copy from Warehouse 23 today!

August 8, 2021: Big Dice Games Purchases Risus RPG Line

The popular Risus RPG system, known for its rules that can fit on one page, has been sold to Big Dice Games. Original designer S. John Ross has carried the torch for his creation, called "The Anything RPG" for 28 years, and wanted to see the game grow even more than he could offer. It's been translated into 18 languages and ran a successful Kickstarter as well. 

Big Dice Games will be completing the existing Kickstarter that successfully funded, and is taking submissions from fans for freelancing opportunities for game writing and "stick figure art." Congratulations to both John and Big Dice Games for the sale, as it seems like it will give an already legendary game a brighter future, all while respecting the game's history. You can find out more about the game and read the official press release at www.risusrpg.com. 

– Hunter Shelburne

Warehouse 23 News: The Perfect Companion For The Fantasy Trip

The Fantasy Trip Companion collects various articles following the history of The Fantasy Trip , from Steve Jackson's original designers notes to features from the super-successful 2018 Kickstarter. This Companion can be yours with a download from Warehouse 23!

August 7, 2021: Game Day & Charities For Andrew Hackard

We recently held a small game day in honor of Andrew Hackard thanks to one of his local hangouts, Wonko's Toys & Games, a great local game store. Old friends and new came out to play games, and Andrew's parents came by to share fond memories. It was a great day of fun – just what Andrew would have wanted. 

The Hackards also shared the names of a few charities that they have donated to in Andrew's honor, so I thought we'd share those here as well. Many folks have asked us if there was any way they could donate or send flowers. If you are so inclined, send a donation to the National Brain Tumor Society, Hospice Austin, or Brush Square Museums Foundation, all very worthy foundations. The first two support through direct medical support. The Brush Square Museums Foundation hosts the O. Henry Pun-Off, an event Andrew loved. 

– Hunter Shelburne

Warehouse 23 News: A Lite Take On Munchkin

Killing monsters, backstabbing your friends, looting treasure . . . admit it, you love it. But maybe you'd like a quick, "lite" version. Well, we have just the thing! With Munchkin Lite , you get the madness of the original Munchkin with a quicker play time. Order today at Warehouse 23!

August 6, 2021: New PDFs On DriveThruRPG

We've added a couple of new PDFs to our DriveThruRPG catalog – ready to add to your own library!  GURPS Grimoire is a classic supplement featuring more magic than you can shake a staff at. It's the perfect companion for any mage, sorcerer, or wizard, featuring over 400 spells and the ability to manipulate time and space for those desperate enough. 

Dungeon Fantasy Career Guide 2020 is the most up-to-date edition of our guide for fledgling adventurers in the Dungeon Fantasy RPG. It collects every profession from all supplements and Pyramid issues and puts them in one place, making this a must-have sidekick for adventurers wanting to simplify their search for the perfect character. 

You can find all of these on DriveThruRPG today! Take your next campaign to the next level. 

– Hunter Shelburne

Warehouse 23 News: Singing The Praises Of More Magic

GURPS Sorcery: Sound Spells adds more options to GURPS Thaumatology: Sorcery, with 35 new spells based on noise, music, and even the power of silence. Sound advice awaits a download from Warehouse 23!

August 5, 2021: Detonate Your Next Game Night With Le Boomb!

We have published a number of fast-playing dice games over the years. Zombie Dice. Cthulhu Dice. Z-Shot. Dino Hunt Dice. Chupacabra. As small, portable, and relatively inexpensive games, our dice games make an excellent addition to any backpack and each is a great filler title to entertain the group as you wait for the late players. 

Last year, just before the world locked down and everything went weird, we added another title to our catalog of dice games, with an updated edition of the older Mayfair Games release, Le Boomb!

As part of the preparations for Gen Con, we've been reviewing our catalog and selecting games to display and demo at the convention. I was reading through our 2020 releases earlier and realized that Le Boomb! never had a fair shot. We announced it, Hunter and the team posted a video showing the gameplay, but the loss of conventions over the last 15+ months wiped out one of the best tools we have to introduce games: demos!

You can expect to see Le Boomb! hit many a table as we slowly return to conventions in the coming months.

– Phil Reed

Warehouse 23 News: Track Your Kills In Style!

You don't have time to stop and count when you've got monsters to kill . . . With the  Munchkin Kill-O-Meter Guest Artist Edition , when a card hits the table, you turn the dials to keep track of your total. Sporting fantastic art from Ian McGinty, you can track effective  Munchkin  levels in style! Get yours from Warehouse 23 today!

August 4, 2021: Low Stock Warning: Assorted Dice Bags

As we work on our 2022 schedule and releases, we find ourselves adding more dice bags to the catalog. In many instances, though, the dice bags are designed as one-shot releases and, where we see a specific item is worth reprinting, we're tweaking colors/designs of the bags and making many of these fairly limited.

Checking over inventory levels, the following dice bags are running low (some of them are no longer available at our primary warehouse). If you've been interested in any of these, finding them at the original price might be a challenge by this time next year. Grab these bags today, at your local game store or Warehouse 23, before our supply is completely exhausted. Dice Bag: Illuminati Dice Bag: Skeletons Dice Bag: Lich Dice Bag: Cthulhu (this one is coming back later this year, featuring a different design) Deluxe Dice Bag: Cyberskull – Phil Reed

Warehouse 23 News: A Legacy Of Heroism

The Fantasy Trip Legacy Edition is the complete collection of core material for The Fantasy Trip , including two mini-games ( Melee and Wizard ), two solo adventures, the roleplaying rulebook In the Labyrinth , a full-length adventure, and much more. Excitement awaits from Warehouse 23!

August 3, 2021: Preorders Open For GURPS PDF Challenge 2021

The recent Kickstarter success of GURPS PDF Challenge 2021 has now entered BackerKit and preorders are open for one week only! Brought to life by thousands of GURPS fans, all 12 PDFs were unlocked and are available on the BackerKit, as well as loads of other dice and accessories. While Kickstarter backers got everything at an absurdly low price, preorders are still available at a screaming deal at half off the total price of all 12 PDFs. We also have the new How To Be A GURPS GM: Combat Encounters and  GURPS Boardroom and Curia: The Sospital Group , recently released and ready for your campaigns.

Get your orders in soon, this closes on Monday, August 9! 

– Hunter Shelburne

Warehouse 23 News: Legendary Munchkin!

Prepare to fight the creatures of legend . . . and take their stuff! In Munchkin Legends, you get to face off against mythical beasts such as the Kraken and the Boogie Man. Luckily, there are legendary items as well! So grab Paul Bunyan's Axe or take a Midas Potion and be the first to level 10! Order today at Warehouse 23!

August 2, 2021: Dragon Con Game Design Workshop - September 2-6, 2021

The workshop is still on . . . BUT it will be canceled if we don't get a few more participants - so if you are interested, sign up now!

Along with author and Mayfair Games founder Bill Fawcett, I will be hosting a two-day workshop at this year's Dragon Con. There will be discussions each morning and game presentations in the afternoon. Our speakers will include Lynnvander Studios' Thomas Gofton, Jean McGuire (Wintertree Software), Phillip E. Pournelle (author and U.S. Navy wargame designer), Kenneth Hite (author of over 100 roleplaying games and supplements), and N.Y. Times best-selling author S.M. Stirling. Each student is encouraged to bring a prototype or draft of a game or supplement they wish to have reviewed, but you do not have to bring one! Sign up here; membership is limited to 20.

– Steve Jackson

Warehouse 23 News: Supercharge Your Contacts!

In GURPS , it's often not what you know, but who you know. GURPS Social Engineering: Keeping in Contact looks at all aspects of the Contacts advantage, including new options, expanded rules, and lots of ideas to make your friends and associates even more helpful to your heroic endeavors. Download it today, from Warehouse 23!