Steve Jackson's Blog, page 169

April 27, 2021: Counterfeit Games

It happens - these days, it happens more and more. A company finds that its sales of its big hit are dropping . . . and they are getting complaints about reduced quality, maybe even mistakes on the box or missing parts. They've been counterfeited.

Most fake games come out of Asian factories and are sold in bulk to third parties - sellers on platforms such as, but not limited to, Amazon. (Recent good news on that: Amazon has started listing detailed contact information – including addresses – for third-party sellers.)

Personally, I've seen fake Chinese-language Munchkin , and some really badly-made counterfeit INWO cards.

The problem could get much worse than it is. If it's not reined in, it could become a serious threat to mid-size publishers and to creators who have just broken into the market with a single big hit. Especially if they can't keep up with demand . . . they may find they are getting "help" they don't want.

Keep an eye on this issue.

Two relevant articles by Cameron Brown:

What Can We Do About Counterfeit Board Games?

The Impact of Counterfeits on the Board Game Hobby

 

– Steve Jackson

Warehouse 23 News: The Possibilities Are Infinite!

Get ready for endless adventure with The Fantasy Trip: The Infinite Arena ! 54 cards of mayhem await: Have a Battle in the Dark or face off against a Zombie Horde! Order now on Warehouse 23!

April 26, 2021: Comics and Board Games Share One Universe!

Recently, acclaimed comic author Gail Simone (Secret Six, Birds of Prey, Deadpool) has expanded her boardgame horizons with a variety of games from around our industry. She's been sharing her exploits and new acquisitions over on Twitter, and one of the things she's mentioned is being a longtime fan of Steve Jackson Games. She's talked about Munchkin and Zombie Dice , and extolled  Ogre in particular as one of her early favorites. Now she is diving into the full depth of the boardgame hobby, and it's awesome to see. Her "Magic Porch" has been magnetically attracting all sorts of new games to her. I need to get one of those for me!

It's always fun when games and comics collide, and we're proud to be an influence for someone to explore a lifetime of gaming. Was Munchkin your first game? Maybe it was Car Wars or GURPS . Whatever you started with, everyone has a first game, so help spread the love and introduce your non-gaming friends to some classics, or even modern classics. Maybe you've got more gamers in your life than you think! 

– 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!

April 25, 2021: So Many Cats And Dogs!

If you're looking to confuse everyone at the table the next time you need to roll handfuls of six-sided dice at once, we have two large packs of dice that should do the trick. Puppy d6 Litter Dice - This bag is loaded with 36 dice featuring puppies and bones, illustrated by Katie Cook.  Kitten d6 Litter - If kitties are more your style, this set of 36 dice will work perfectly the next time your dice pool calls for over 30 different dice. Or for those days when you want to add a decorative jar of dice to your home.Retailers, do you sell single dice and need more six-sided dice to stock your jar 'o dice at the counter? Please email retailers@sjgames.com and ask for information on a direct account. These two bags of dice are only available from Warehouse 23, but that doesn't mean you cannot order them at a retailer discount and stock your jar with puppies and kitties.

– Phil Reed

Warehouse 23 News: Adventures Await!

The Fantasy Trip Adventures gives you five ready-to-use adventures for The Fantasy Trip . Quest after unfathomable energies, a clockwork tower, a wizard-king straddling life and death, and more. Each one includes the background, encounters, and rewards possible for would-be heroes. Get this trove today from Warehouse 23!

April 24, 2021: Follow Illuminati Confirmed On Kickstarter!

Coming soon to Kickstarter! Have you always wanted to play Illuminati as a video game? RadioFree.Net is returning to Kickstarter with Illuminati Confirmed , a digital implementation of the classic Illuminati: New World Order card game with upgrades and improvements spearheaded by Derek Pearcy. Taking everything he learned from his first Kickstarter campaign, Derek has completely restructured the Illuminati Confirmed project and is so close to launch that there's very little time to click the green "notify me" button on this page to receive email notification when the project launches!

"Illuminati Confirmed is a game of secret conspiracies, power systems, and a struggling resistance, under license from Austin's legendary Steve Jackson Games. Newcomers and existing fans will love this updated twist on a classic, with incredible new artwork."

Follow Illuminati Confirmed on Kickstarter today!

– Phil Reed

Warehouse 23 News: Take It Off-Road!

Do you have the skills to battle in the scenic Ozark Off-Road Autoduel Arena? Test yourself with  Car Wars Expansion Set 7  –  Off-Road Dueling . With two 21" x 32" maps, counters, and new scenarios, you will add hours of carnage to any Car Wars game. Grab yours from Warehouse 23 today!

April 23, 2021: Reprints For August

August brings some long-awaited reprints of our most popular games and expansions. Close out the summer with some hot games! Illuminati Second Edition They are all around us. Secret conspiracies are everywhere.

In Illuminati , you increase your wealth and power to take over the world until only YOU reign supreme.

Now this classic game of conspiracy and world conquest has been updated to include current events and up-to-date references! Illuminati is for two to six players and contains 110 cards with new card back designs. It features new art created by Lar deSouza, known for his 2008 Shuster Award-winning online comic Least I Could Do.

As a winner of the Origins Award for Best Science Fiction Boardgame, Illuminati is one of the all-time greats. Now that it has been modernized for the 21st century, you'll wonder whether it's really only a game as you scheme your way to world domination! Munchkin 7 – Cheat With Both Hands Stir Things Up!

Admit it. You really like to combine all your Munchkin sets . . . the stupider things get, the better. Playing Star Munchkin Cthulhu Booty Zombies is really weird and really fun . . . but it can also slow things down.

There are a lot of ways we COULD have addressed this problem. But this is Munchkin , so the solution we chose was to create a lot of really overpowered new cards. Why be a Super Munchkin when you can be an Ultra Munchkin? If a Half-Breed isn't enough, you can be a 1/3-Breed. And if a single Cheat! card doesn't do it for you, you can Cheat With Both Hands!

There are also a lot more monster enhancers . . . and ITEM enhancers, too. There are several new low-level monsters to help you get those easy kills. Until somebody takes that Sock Puppet and turns it into the Ultra-Rare Extremely Sneaky Sock Puppet With Extra Cheese . . . Munchkin Bites! It's the World of Dorkness!

The munchkins are now vampires . . . and werewolves . . . and changelings. Bash through the haunted house and slay the monsters. The OTHER monsters. You can't slay your fellow munchkins, but you can curse them, send foes at them, and take their stuff. Of course . . .

This is a stand-alone game, which (of course) can be combined with other Munchkin games. And it's illustrated by John Kovalic. OF COURSE. See Igor, Gilly, and all the other Dork Tower characters in their munchkin-vampire finery . . . Munchkin Clowns Laugh it up.

Clowns bring joy and laughter to people everywhere with their happy antics. For many circus-goers, the clowns are the best part of the show.

They've never met these clowns.

Wear your Big Red Shoes and Big Red Nose for big bonuses! Fight Poundfoolish with Pound Cake. If you fail, that's it . . . you're dead! Munchkin Side Quests Take the scenic route.

When you need a short detour from the business of killing monsters and betraying your friends, try Munchkin Side Quests ! This 30-card expansion can be added to any of your Munchkin games, and it's illustrated by Ian McGinty, who has previously drawn for the Munchkin Collectible Card Game and Munchkin Magical Mess . Get secret in-game goals that you can complete to cash in for a reward AND, just maybe, surprise everyone with a new way to win the game!

– Hunter Shelburne

Warehouse 23 News: Can You Hold It In?

You're at the carnival. Eat lots of sugary, salty, greasy goodies. Then ride the rides and try to keep everything down.That's the goal in  Scarf-N-Barf ! Play Food cards and Ride cards, then roll the dice to find out which player can keep the most carnival food down. Order now on Warehouse 23!

April 22, 2021: Announcing The Munchkin Tutorial From Dized!

What is the number one thing that slows down game night? (Aside from late pizza delivery.) That's right, rules! Reading through them, passing them around the table, making sure everyone understands how to play the game, explaining them for the tenth time, Gerald . . . 

Now, thanks to the folks at Playmore Games, you can jump-start your Munchkin game by turning all of the explanations over to Dized, the "ultimate companion app." Follow this link to the Munchkin tutorial, press start, and get ready to play. The tutorial will walk all of the players through game setup and every step to get through the first two rounds. Need a little more help? You can keep it going for as many rounds as you like until someone reaches Level 10. At that point, we assume you know how to rub your friends' faces in your victory. For your desktop or laptop, Google Chrome is the recommended browser for use with the Dized site. You can also download the Dized app on your mobile devices for gaming guidance on the go. There is no cost to access the Munchkin tutorial or any other Dized offerings, so what are you waiting for? For more about the gaming tutorials on Dized, check out these Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter feeds.  

– Alain Dawson

Warehouse 23 News: Just Unicorns!Unicorns are beloved, beautiful beasts who will stab you the moment you turn your back. Time to return the favor. This set contains 15 unicorn-themed cards originally found in Munchkin Unicorns and Friends,  now available on their own for people who like unicorns (but not friends). Order Munchkin Unicorns now on Warehouse 23!

April 21, 2021: FnordCon 3 Attendee Survey

We recently held FnordCon 3, and while we certainly thought it was a success, we'd love your feedback to help us shape the future of the show! We've got a quick survey that will help us gather data on what works, what doesn't, and how we can do this even better in 2022 (and, of course, for our mini-con this fall!). We appreciate the feedback, and are looking forward to even more FnordCon fun to come!

– Hunter Shelburne

Warehouse 23 News: Adventure Is In The Cards

Adventure, danger, and treasure can be at your fingertips with the Decks of Destiny for The Fantasy Trip. The set includes cards for rumors, treasures, adversaries, and more, plus labyrinth hexes and new tactical megahexes to add to your collection. Packs of possibilities await at Warehouse 23!

April 20, 2021: Cheat! Cheat! Cheat!

For reasons too boring to go into, I did a search of card titles in the Munchkin database and found 151 with Cheat in the title. That doesn't just include regular Cheat! cards, of course - there are a lot of Cheat With Both Hands and so on.

That compares with a total of 168 cards in the first Munchkin game.

Just thought you'd like to know. In case you wanted to stack the deck or something . . .

– Steve Jackson

Warehouse 23 News: Goblin Overload!

Want more goblins in your  Munchkin Pathfinder   game? You're in luck . . .    Munchkin Pathfinder: Gobsmacked!  adds 15 goblin cards! Fight off the Goblin Babies, the Cog Goblin, and Goblin Hood with the Gobliterator! Just don't get Gobsmacked! . . . Order today on Warehouse 23!

April 19, 2021: Last Day To Back Hexagram #7 On Kickstarter

Our zine for The Fantasy Trip has successfully launched its next issue with the funding of Hexagram 7 on Kickstarter! These projects have been amazingly well-received, and we have TFT fans to thank for that. If you haven't taken the dive into Hexagram, you're missing out on a compendium of content to add to your game, from new weapon and monster profiles to alternate rules for particular scenarios, new adventures, and more. Hexagram 7 even includes an integration for our recently released Zodiac Die ! With 13 articles covering a variety of topics, there's something in this issue for everyone. And one of the bonus items you can get is our first Quick Quest.

You still have time to back – the project ends today – and it features a number of great add-ons and unlocked freebies for many of the backer tiers. If you just want a book, that's awesome, and if you want some additional SJ Games goodies, we've got you covered. But hurry, it closes later today!

– Hunter Shelburne

Warehouse 23 News: Classic Fnord!

They are all around us – secret conspiracies are everywhere! In Illuminati Pocket Box, increase your wealth and power to take over the world until only YOU reign supreme. Grab this classic by itself or get the Illuminati Pocket Box Bundle today on Warehouse 23, fnord!

April 18, 2021: New Releases For August

We've got some new retail releases to beat the heat of late summer this August. Get your dice ready, you're going to need them for The Fantasy Trip and our book of dice games! Hex Bases Hex marks the spot!

From Dungeon Fantasy and The Fantasy Trip to Munchkin Quest and Wiz-War – no matter what your RPG or boardgame of choice may be, these hex bases will hold your characters and game pieces securely in place.

Includes 14 plastic bases, two each of seven different colors. Random Fun Generator This spring sensation will hit game stores everywhere!

21 dice games that are . . . a little different! 

Fast-playing dice games for groups of all sizes, ages, and gaming experience. All you'll need to add is paper and a pencil for keeping score. Grab some friends, pick a page, and get rolling!

This edition includes 20 d6 dice in two different styles, so you're ready to play right out of the box. 

– Hunter Shelburne

Warehouse 23 News: Mighty Battles For The Mortal Realms!

The Eight Realms of Warhammer Age of Sigmar form a new battleground for Munchkin players to explore – by which we mean kill monsters and take their stuff, obviously. Order Munchkin Warhammer Age of Sigmar now on Warehouse 23!