Steve Jackson's Blog, page 320

February 22, 2017: Warehouse 23 Exclusives Now Available At Your Friendly, Local Game Stores

For years, limited-run items were available to fans only on Steve Jackson Games' Warehouse 23 website or at conventions. But we have now opened Warehouse 23 so retailers can get these short-run items – including exclusive  Munchkin  swag – to sell in their stores! Tons of unique Treasures and limited-edition loot is there for the taking. And when retailers order these exclusive items, they will get even more than bargained for: every order comes with a generous amount of promotional materials thrown in.



That's right! If you would like to get your hands on some Warehouse 23 exclusive items, help out a favorite local game store, and get some promos out of the mix. Or, if you're a retailer yourself, check out this site for more information!



– Joshua Surfus



Warehouse 23 News: Get Munchkin Zombies Guest Artist Edition, And Become A Zombie Today



Shamble through the zombie apocalypse, picking up makeshift weaponry and fighting tasty humans. It's what you do when you're a zombie. And now you can do it in the graphic-artistic style of Greg Hyland, who illustrated Munchkin Zombies Guest Artist Edition . This version of the beloved game Munchkin Zombies features about 100% more blood'n'guts, so pick it up today on Warehouse 23!

February 21, 2017: Munchkin Shakespeare: Four Preview Cards

You've probably seen our production of Munchkin Shakespeare ; it's getting rave reviews and will be sweeping the nation for a few more weeks. But the audience is clamoring for more! We're more than happy to acquiesce to their desire, so we're revealing some cards from the set! These are not final, but give you an idea of the Shakespearean humor we're going for in the game. John has been drawing his arm off since we started the campaign, and his take on the Bard's work is more amazing than we could have hoped.

For treasures, we've got a "full-proof" armor, the Armor of Proof, a cask's worth of protection, which is a pretty nice bonus, even if it's Big. If running is your only option, you may opt for the Fall Staff. Not only does this two-hander give you a mighty bonus to fighting, if that fails, you have a better chance to Run Away! And if you know anything about Falstaff, he could have used that kind of a bonus. 



Those bonuses are big because you'll need them to fight the monsters within Munchkin Shakespeare. Eater of Broken Meats is already hefty, but he can dig through the garbage for a one-shot to give himself a boost. And if you can't take him out, say bye-bye to the hoard in your hand! The cannibalistic Titus Androgynous doesn't care who you are, just what you have been, and can get a bonus against players who've changed sex during the game. 



We've got more previews coming, and we've been showing off preliminary sketches on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, so check us out there. Most important, follow the project by becoming a backer over on our Munchkin Shakespeare Kickstarter page! Help unlock more loot for the game, and get exclusive swag as well, like our Kickstarter Exclusive Expansion. Until we meet again!



– Hunter Shelburne



Warehouse 23 News: Munchkin Oz 2 - Yellow Brick Raid Now Available!



Hear that? That's the sound of a Yellow Brick Raid! This expansion for Munchkin Oz adds 56 exciting cards inspired by the Oz novels by L. Frank Baum. Beware the Frozen Heart, gain powers from the Magic Apron, and use Glinda's Ring to defeat The Supreme Dictator of Flatheads. You can preorder it now on Warehouse 23! 

February 20, 2017: Munchkin Apocalypse: Judge Dredd Is Looking For Justice!

Mega-City One is a dark place. It needs the law – law like the street judges, who take on the responsibilities of judge, jury, and executioner. But in the world of  Munchkin , why would you want law and order when chaos and destruction are an option? Munchkins are the ultimate enemy of law and order!



Munchkin Apocalypse: Judge Dredd is the highly anticipated booster pack for Apocalypse , adding 15 cards from the world of the hit comic series. Collect iconic Judge Dredd loot, like the Judge's Badge, to help you fight, but stay off the streets when Judge Death is patrolling. (As a Dark Judge; he's a bit more concerned with the executioner part of the job.) You also get a new Seal card to add to the end of the world! If you haven't played Munchkin Apocalypse , Seals are a unique element, and a perfect reason to pick it up. They change the game, and can even end the game early, making the person who collected the best loot the winner! 



This booster works with  Munchkin Apocalypse and Munchkin Apocalypse 2: Sheep Impact , including the recently released Guest Artist Edition of both. You can pick up Munchkin Apocalypse: Judge Dredd later this month at your friendly law-abiding game store! 



– Hunter Shelburne



Warehouse 23 News: For The First Time, Munchkin Oz Is On Warehouse 23!



Want to journey through the land of Oz, Dorothy and Toto by your side? You can! In Munchkin Oz , many of the classic Oz characters from L. Frank Baum's novels are Ally cards who will help you reach Level 10! The game's enemies and treasures are all Oz-themed, too, so get ready to fight some Winged Monkeys and ride in a Hot Air Balloon. And now, for the first time, you can get Munchkin Oz on Warehouse 23. Pre-order your copy today! 

February 19, 2017: Munchkin, Zombie Dice, And Toys In NYC

As we reported yesterday, New York Toy Fair is happening right now, and our team is in place and sitting in on more meetings than we should try to attempt at a single show. Now, we're not talking Gen Con levels of meetings, where Ross and I often have three dozen scheduled meetings each, but there are still more meetings per day at Toy Fair than I'd personally like to see on the calendar. (Hey, we may have a blast working on games, but those long days grow exhausting by the second or third day.)



Our big assignment on Friday was the construction of the Steve Jackson Games display case. This year, I sat down and put together a quick video showing everyone not at the show a peek at what's inside the case. You can go to YouTube and watch to find something new for Zombie Dice , see some new Munchkin , and check out some of last year's new games - including Batman: The Animated Series Dice Game and Simon's Cat Card Game  - on display at this year's New York Toy Fair.



On a non-work note, I managed to make my way down to Grand Central on Friday at 5:30 in the morning, with a 1983 Radio Shack battery-operated toy in my bag, to shoot video of the toy inside Grand Central. This is a toy I photographed and reviewed last year, and the video has fewer clips of the toy in action than I would have liked. The problem with this plan came down to noise; you see, those early eighties battery-operated toys aren't exactly quiet, and the grinding of the gears echoed a lot more in Grand Central than I was expecting. When you come up from being on your hands and knees playing with a toy to find police around you, maybe it is time to stop sending the little toy crawling across the floors of a very public space . . .



– Phil Reed



Warehouse 23 News: Sing Your Way To Munchkin Victory



Today, we feature that most performative of Munchkin classes, the Bard! Introduced in Munchkin 3 – Clerical Errors , the Bard can "Enthrall" others to get help fighting monsters. Plus, they tend to have better "luck" with drawing Treasure cards. Find  Clerical Errors on Warehouse 23 today! 



This might help tide you over if you're eagerly looking forward to the release of Munchkin Shakespeare , now on Kickstarter. That new game will have the Bard class in it, too (naturally)! 

February 18, 2017: New York Toy Fair

The 2017 New York Toy Fair starts today. Our team flew to NYC Thursday to prepare for the event, and are ready to go. As always, our official home at this trade show is the PSI booth, where we'll spend many hours in discussions with retailers, distributors, marketers, and many others involved in the creation and sales of games. This show is always a spectacular bit of fun, and this year should be as exciting as ever as we show off some of our upcoming titles. Our new Munchkin Shakespeare game (now on Kickstarter!) is certain to grab attention during our sales meetings, but it is our completely new games - like Ghosts Love Candy - that will get most of our time outside of the closed rooms.



New York Toy Fair is also a fabulous opportunity to give some older games a chance to shine. You can be certain that last year's new games - Batman: The Animated Series Dice Game, Simon's Cat Card Game, I Hate Zombies, and Ogre: Objective 218, to name just a few - will be front and center in our display case in the show lobby, as well as at the PSI booth. Most of last year's new releases missed their chance to get in front of a larger audience at the 2016 show, which means the games will be seen as "new" in some of our meetings. A second chance at all the "What's New" lists? Awesome!



On a personal note, New York Toy Fair continues to be one of my favorite shows for one reason: New York City! This year, I'm staying at the Citizen M, and I am blocking out time for a visit to Toy Tokyo, since it has now been over a year since I last visited the store. Even just walking the NYC sidewalks is a joy, so any opportunity I can get to visit the city is one I'll snatch eagerly.



– Phil Reed



Warehouse 23 News: Try Chess With A Twist!



Today's SJ Games classic game is Knightmare Chess! It's a deck of nightmarishly illustrated cards. Each card adds chaos to your traditional chess match - some just for one move and others for the whole game. The current edition includes both the original game and the expansion Knightmare Chess 2, for a total of 158 cards. Get it today on Warehouse 23, and play chess like you never have before. 

February 17, 2017: Munchkin Shakespeare Project Update

Hark! Lend me your ears and I'll tell a tale of bardic campaigning - the tale of Munchkin Shakespeare ! We've surpassed our initial goal by leaps and bounds, and unlocked a ton of extras to boot, and we're on our way to even more!



If you don't know the backstory, Andrew Hackard explained the origins of Munchkin Shakespeare  on Medium. Suffice it to say it's a Munchkin game based on the writing of William Shakespeare, with some ideas crowdsourced from our fans! We've got a lot of awesome loot, and even more surprises to come, happening over on Kickstarter. What started out as a Munchkin Christmas Lite -sized set and Kickstarter Exclusive Expansion has grown into a core-size box, and a core-size expansion box, with tons of accessories!



Backers at the "Shakespearean Player" level or higher are now going to get more than 200 cards, plus bookmarks, a metal coin (something we haven't made in a long time), and even a Kill-O-Meter . Backers at the "I Want It All!" level are getting even more, like additional dice, Flowerspeare pawns, and an extra Kill-O-Meter , among other things! And yes, you read that correctly, we are bringing back a version of the highly requested Flower pawns! We've even introduced blank Dungeon cards, something we haven't done before. 



This is a campaign of firsts, and we're not through yet! We have more cards unlocking soon, and at $180k, we will unlock Spykespeare pawns as an add-on, with more secrets to be revealed. We're also sharing some sneak peeks at art and cards for the set, so keep an eye on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, as well as the campaign updates, for more on that.



The campaign closes March 10, so make sure you don't miss your chance to get stuff like the Kickstarter Exclusive Expansion. Once it leaves the stage, there is no encore! 



– Hunter Shelburne



Warehouse 23 News: It's A Centennial Celebration!



The 100th issue of Pyramid is here, and it includes an assortment of new goodies supporting a sizzling swath of the GURPS line, from weapons for GURPS High-Tech to gear and organizations for GURPS Ultra-Tech to heroic possibilities for GURPS Dungeon Fantasy . . . and much more! Dare you uncover the enigmas of Pyramid #3/100: Pyramid Secrets ? Of course you do! Download this issue individually, or subscribe today for more months of mystery . . . only from Warehouse 23!

February 16, 2017: Loren Wiseman

We learned today that Loren Wiseman had passed away, apparently from heart failure.



Loren was one of game design's earliest "greats." He was a founder of Game Designers Workshop and a co-creator of Traveller , the science-fiction roleplaying game that set the standard for all the others. He was also a good friend.



He was inducted into the Origins Hall of Fame in 2003.



Loren worked with Steve Jackson Games for many years: writing GURPS Traveller , editing the GT line, and creating an online incarnation of the notable Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society.



Loren is depicted, along with the late Mike Ford, on the INWO "Evil Geniuses for a Better Tomorrow" card.



He'll be missed.



– Steve Jackson



Warehouse 23 News: Check Out This Swag . . .



Play in style with a shirt from your favorite Steve Jackson Games line! Show your pride in Ogre , Munchkin , Car Wars , Ninja Burger , and more with these comfortable T-shirts. Get yours today from Warehouse 23!

February 15, 2017: Announcements For June

Ghosts and guns! That's what June will bring to you from Steve Jackson Games. We'll release  Ghosts Love Candy , a game about ghosts haunting kids to get their candy, as well as  Munchkin Pathfinder 2 – Guns and Razzes , an expansion to our popular Munchkin Pathfinder  series . Check out all the phantoms and firepower!

Ghosts Love Candy



It's Halloween and you're a ghost who loves candy!



In this adorable game for ages 8 and up, the players are all ghosts haunting cute, costumed children on Halloween night! You want the kids to grab you the most candy, but you have to be careful not to haunt each one too often. They might get scared and run away, and that gets you negative points.



This game came from Kickstarter, where fans helped it meet its funding goal. But it didn't deliver, so Steve Jackson Games picked it up to make sure these ghosts could materialize. 



It's a spooky good time for three to six phantoms. Preorder it at your friendly local game store!

Munchkin Pathfinder – Guns and Razzes



Sling guns, find paths. 



This new expansion to  Munchkin Pathfinder  gives players the Gunslinger class and a new faction: the Razmiran Vision. The Gunslinger class specializes in firearms (always the best specialty for a fantasy character), and the Razmiran Vision faction lets players benefit from backstabbing. 



It's a 112-card expansion that draws on the rich Pathfinder lore. You can also pair it with Munchkin Pathfinder Guest Artist Edition ! 



And that's it for June! Watch out for these two new titles at your local game store when the temperatures start to climb. 



– Ariel Barkhurst



Warehouse 23 News: Check Out This Swag . . .



Play in style with a shirt from your favorite Steve Jackson Games line! Show your pride in Ogre , Munchkin , Car Wars , Ninja Burger , and more with these comfortable T-shirts. Get yours today from Warehouse 23!

February 14, 2017: Get Loots Of Love This Valentine's Day

With all the backstabbing in our games, you'd think we're heartless, but in reality, we here at SJ Games have a bleeding heart for one thing in particular: Loot! So of course, we have a lot of awesome Valentine's Day Munchkin swag to help you get in the good graces of your fellow munchkins, and show them how much you care (about loot). 



Everyone loves receiving valentines, so why not give them Munchkin cards, too? Munchkin Valentines are available now at your local game store, and come with five unique valentines, and five card packs to bribe . . . ahem, I mean, gift to your significant others. But if valentines aren't enough, you could always give them a collection of all the cutest Munchkin games and expansions ever. So we've collected them all for you, in one Bundle of Love on Warehouse 23! You can get a collection of games with the most adorable art from Katie Cook and John Kovalic, including Munchkin Cthulhu Guest Artist Edition , Munchkin Love Shark Baby , and Munchkin Puppies , among others. You may want to throw some more into your order, because until February 16, orders of $75 or more will get a free, exclusive Munchkin Valentine's Day Monster Box . Currently, the only way to get this is through this deal and at select conventions, and we're giving it away! Are we crazy? Maybe. But we're definitely crazy in love! 



And retailers, don't forget that you have a little more time to get a free Munchkin Playmat: The Flower of Love with orders of $200 MSRP or more. Just show us your receipt from your distributor and we'll get it out to you. You can find details on that deal here. 



Celebrate your love with loot, and don't forget the chocolates! Maybe we should make some Munchkin chocolates . . . 



– Steven Marsh



Warehouse 23 News: Have Your Game And Draw On It, Too!



Ever wanted to customize the cards in your Munchkin set? Then Munchkin Sketch Edition is for you! It's all the Munchkin goodness you know and love with the opportunity to make the cards your very own. You could be the next Rembrandt or Picasso!* . . . Be the "guest" artist by getting your  Munchkin Sketch Edition from Warehouse 23 today!



* It's a slim chance, but it's still a chance!

February 13, 2017: Munchkin Shakespeare Expansion: Exclusive To The Kickstarter

If you don't know what we're talking about, I hope you aren't too chilly from being frozen in ice for the last month! Go look at our Munchkin Shakespeare Kickstarter and then come back here.



We've had some questions about the expansion that's exclusive to Kickstarter backers. Here's a quick FAQ.



Q. What's going into this expansion?
A. Right now, some game cards, some Dungeons, some blank cards, a journal, a bookmark, a Kill-O-Meter , and a coin. We have more content planned!



Q. How big is the expansion?
A. It's a box the same size as a regular Munchkin game. We need the space to fit all the swag that's going in there!



Q. I want a copy for my buddy who can't pledge to the Kickstarter. Can I get an extra one?
A. Sure! As long as you backed at the $20 tier or higher, you can add $15 to your Kickstarter pledge directly or add $15 in BackerKit after the Kickstarter has ended. Adding it now helps push us over the next stretch goal, so we'd be thrilled if you did that, but do what's best for your bank account.



Q. I can't back the Kickstarter, unfortunately. How can I get one of these expansions later?
A. See if you have a friend who's a backer and ask them really nicely to order you one. Or see below . . .



Q. Is the expansion going to be available in stores?
A. If a store is in our Store Finder, they'll be getting an email at the conclusion of the Kickstarter with instructions for ordering Shakespeare and the expansion (and all the unlocked add-ons they want!) for their shelves.



Q. So the expansion won't be going through regular distribution?
A. Nope. It's only available through this Kickstarter or to stores in our Store Finder.



Q. Are you going to reprint it later?
A. No. Once we sell through the copies we printed, they're gone forever.



Q. I don't want to miss out! How can I make sure to get a copy?
A. Go to the Munchkin Shakespeare Kickstarter page and pledge at the $20 tier or higher to be able to add the expansion in BackerKit later. If you pledge at the $35 tier, you'll get Shakespeare and the expansion, and if you pledge at the $60 tier, you'll also get all the unlocked add-ons: a second Kill-O-Meter , blank cards, pawns, dice, and more stuff to come!



– Andrew Hackard



Warehouse 23 News: Protect Your Cards In Style



Your enemies will shudder in fear when you reveal that your deck is protected by sleeves decorated with the classic image of Spyke and his Chainsaw of Bloody Dismemberment or Flower with her Unnatural Axe! With the newest additions to our card-sleeve collection, Munchkin Standard Card Sleeves: Spyke and Munchkin Standard Card Sleeves: Flower , you can protect your cards with some Munchkin flair! Order yours from Warehouse 23 now!