Brainwaves - Board Game and Tabletop News Show

The team of three are back to bring you the latest tabletop news. This episode we have fresh stats from UK Games Expo, companies setting fire to their IPs, ebay busting unions, and the Spiel des Jahres nominations. 

UK Games Expo figures

https://bsky.app/profile/ukge.bsky.social/post/3lqkkfgaem22y

https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2025/06/03/uk-games-expo-now-fully-on-the-world-stage-of-mega-cons-as-record-breakin...

Oliver and Iain are the dynamic duo this week as we bring you a packed show full of the usual controversy, the bizarre, and worthwhile celebrations. 

Games Workshop on Rampage

https://spikeybits.com/warhammer-40k/games-workshop-freezes-assets-amid-world-wide-seller-takedown/

World Warhammer Championship boycotted by some players

https://www.rascal.news/players-boycott-the-world-championships-of-warhammer-because-of-tr...

It’s just the Scottish team behind the mics this week as we bring you updates on tariffs and Diamond looking particular rough alongside all the latest industry news in Brainwaves Episode 161. 

Stonemaier Games sues the president

Stonemaier Games blog post: https://stonemaiergames.com/we-are-suing-the-president/

Lawsuit press release from Pacific Legal: https://pacificlegal.org/press-release/board-game-company-files-laws...

It’s been a little longer between episodes but the whole team are back to tackle the only news that matters on the latest episode of Brainwaves. 

Trump tariffs turn tabletop topsy turvy

https://us8.campaign-archive.com/?u=036529e593805041d1127c76d&id=c7c5d971eb

https://rowanrookanddecard.com/what-the-new-usa-tariffs-mean-for-us/?v=7885444af42e

https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2025/04/04/board-game-industry-re...

It’s been a while but we are back with all the latest tabletop news. From profit warnings to big projects being cancelled, tune in to the only tabletop podcast that brings you the stories that really matter. 

CMON Issues Profit Warning

https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2025/03/13/board-game-crowdfunding-major-cmon-issues-profit-warning-says-losses-could-exceed-2m-for-2024/

https://www.cmon.com/project-status/#crowdfun...

The team are back to scour the corners of the world for the best in Tabletop Gaming News. This episode we cover mergers, departures, destruction, and we have an interview with those Rascals. 

Headlines

Steve Jackson merges with Possum Games

https://www.rascal.news/possum-creek-games-wanders-to-a-new-home-with-steve-jackson-games/

https://www.sjgames.com/ill/archive/2025-02-11?ref=rascal.news

Mythic crumbles

https://boardgamew...

It’s another bumper episode of Brainwaves as we bring you news from across the Tabletop globe. Diamond is in the rough, Asmodee avoids a hug, lawsuits get settled, and Iain gets to go off on one about ethics. All this, and more, on episode 157 of Brainwaves. 

Headlines

Diamond files for bankruptcy

https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/58618/diamond-files-reorganization-under-chapter-11-bankruptcy

https://bsky.app/profile/deadly...

The whole team is back for the first Brainwaves of the year. Join us as we dive into the latest tabletop gaming news from Hasbro rolling the dice on gambling to chess clashing with the wrong trousers! All this and more on episode 156 of Brainwaves. 

Hasbro rolls the dice

https://igamingbusiness.com/company-news/games-global-unveils-exciting-partnership-with-hasbro/

It’s the wrong trousers, Magnus

https://www.bbc.co....

This podcast contains all the interviews that I conducted during Dragonmeet 2024. Thanks so much to everyone that took the time to talk to me.

The interviewees are:

Jason, Always Checkers Publishing

Chris, Beyond Cataclysm

Mike, Planet Smasher Games

Shaan, RPG Taverns

Finbar and Gary, Game Therapy UK

Our Links

Thanks very much for listening. If you like what you’ve listened to then the best way to help us out is to share th...

It’s the last cast of the year and we have a full team in the studio to bring you the latest tabletop gaming news. From people taking off their masks, to copyright disputes, and awards news. Listen to the only cast to bring you the really important industry news. 

Has Powerboats been taken for a Joyride?

Joyride vs Powerboats thread

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3412685/powerboatspowerships-joyride

Geoff Engelstein

h...

It’s a cast of finances, awards, lawsuits,  and political games as Oliver and Iain cross the world in the episode 154 of Brainwave to bring you the best in Tabletop Gaming News. 

Tariffs and Trade Rules Tax Tabletop Publishers 

https://www.sjgames.com/ill/archive/2024-11-10

https://www.compliancegate.com/general-product-safety-regulation/

https://bsky.app/profile/badsquiddogames.bsky.social/post/3lb7r4n7eni22

ht...

It’s been a mix of huge stories and not much else in the last few weeks. Iain and Jamie bring you the lowdown on what is going on at World of Game Design, who is bagging awards, hasbro’s financials, and what size of country the population of D&D Beyond could establish. All this, and more, on episode 153 of Brainwaves

WOGD investigation by Rascal

https://www.rascal.news/former-world-of-game-design-employees-claim-t...

In this special edition of Brainwaves we present the interviews that we carried out at Tabletop Scotland 2024. Thanks so much to everyone who spoke to us. 

People and Organisations

Tanya Floaker

Edinburgh Indie Gamers

Hive Mind Games

Village on Stilts 

Hall or Nothing

Kayla Dice - Rat Wave Game House

Laurie O’Connell

Phil Harris

Games mentioned

DrievthruRPG links are affiliate links

Dead Air

Be Seeing You 

Connection Mach...

Iain is taking this cast off so Jamie and Oliver are at the helm. This episode they cover further troubles at Mythic, companies being saved and consolidating their lines, controversial giveaways and more on episode 152 of Brainwaves. 

Headlines

Mythic Games France liquidates 

https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2024/10/17/no-mythic-games-hasnt-gone-into-liquidation-but-its-fate-should-be-decided-by-the-end-of-the-month/

https:/...

This special episode of Brainwaves is all the interviews I conducted at Gothcon earlier in the year. Gothcon is Sweden’s premier convention with games across all genres of the hobby and it was my privilege to be invited across. You can read all about my time there in the posts below and listen to the wonderful RPG community I had the pleasure of being involved with 

https://giantbrain.co.uk/2024/03/30/gothcon-2024-arrival-and-day...

While Jamie is off in that there London, Iain and Oliver are once more behind the mics to bring you the latest tabletop news. In episode 151 we cover Wizards taking over Commander, CMON losing board members, the usual smattering of awards, and a good few stories about unions. All this and more on this episode of Brainwaves. 

Headlines

Commander Format Firestorm https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/on-the-future-of-c...

We have a longer than usual cast for your this week as we take a look at the controversy around Simon Lavender, a UK board game influencer. It is our only headline this week, but we still cover the business of the industry with new hires at Restoration Games, Asmodee, financial hits at CMON, a series of competitions and more! 

Headlines

Influencer Simon Lavender accused of bad practices

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/335241...

Jamie is off seeing some shows at the Edinburgh Fringe, so Oliver and Iain are behind the mics this week to report on the latest tabletop news. From poisoning and sexual harrasment in chess to astonishing numbers, we bring you the news that really matters. 

Headlines

Chess Poisoning & Sexual Harassment 

https://www.chess.com/news/view/russian-chess-player-suspended-after-allegedly-poisoning-her-rival

https://www.polygon.com/g...

With Oliver back from the Spiel des Jahres we have interviews with the winners, chat about the controversy, dive into finances, and lift up awards. Just another day at GB HQ as we bring you the best in tabletop gaming news. 

Headlines

Spiel des Jahres 2024 awards ceremony controversy

https://www.spiel-des-jahres.de/preisverleihung-kennerspiel-des-jahres-2024/

Matteo Statement

https://medium.com/@baddeo/why-i-wear-55cb9459d8e7