News Collider - Board Game News 31st July

This week's News Collider is all about "more".

More good feels when Gen Con and the Make-A-Wish Foundation work together.

More profits for a UK miniatures monolith

More board game holidays and conventions

More special editions of a classic game

And with Gen Con starting tomorrow, expect even more next week!

GenCon Make A Wish

GenCon and the Make-A-Wish Foundation are working together for the first time to make 12 year-old Drake Kiderlen from Missouri birthday wish come true.

Drake, who will turn 13 on the Friday of the convention is battling a Pineal Parenchymal Tumor, but when asked what he would like by the charity organisation he said it would be his wish to attend GenCon to play Dungeons and Dragons and to check out all the new games.

As part of his wish, Drake, along with members of his family will receive an all expenses paid trip to Indianapolis and entry into the con.  More than that though, Drake will help convention co-owner, Peter Adkison, with the Roll of the Dice to launch GenCon itself.

PAX South Badges On Sale

Is it too early to be talking about conventions in  2020?  Just in case you answer was no, PAX South will return to San Antonio from January 17th - 19th and badges go on sale from 1st August, 8pm BST (or 2pm CT) at $90 for all three days, or at $45 of one.

New Member of the Games Workshop Board

Last week we brought you news of the recently announced Games Workshop live action TV show, Eisenhorn (based on the series of Black Library novels by Dan Abnett).  Well, last Friday, Games Workshop announced with immediate effect a new member of their board of directors, Kate Marsh.  Why should you care about this appointment?  What does a new board member have to do with board game news?  

Well…

Marsh previously held the position of executive vice-president for Western Europe International Networks at Sony.  Prior to that she has worked at Sky and the BBC.

Could this mean Games Workshop are looking for more television and film avenues to explore?

Games Workshop Declare a Record Breaking Year

Games Workshop recently declared their annual profits for the 52 weeks up to 2nd June with a whopping, and record breaking $88.8 million, which is 16% up onlast year.

Chief Executive, Kevin Rountree, said that prospects for growth remain strong in North America, Germany and Asia.  With 517 stores (some now branded simply as as 'Warhammer') across 23 countries, a rapidly growing online Warhammer community, up 1 million users in the last year there seems to be no stopping, or even slowing Games Workshop.

Ticket to Ride turns 15

To celebrate the anniversary of one of the best selling hobby games, publishers, Days of Wonder, have announced the release of a special edition of the game!  The 15th Anniversary Edition will feature the classic North American map along with 24 clear plastic trains, a booklet detailing the design and development of the game and a fancy pants box sleeve.

This edition of the game is expected to hit shelves 9th August and will be around the $49/£49 mark.

Board Game Expo

4th April 2020 will be Board Game Expo Day, or BGX day.  That at least is the hope and aim of Gaming Days, LLC. whose goal it is to increase the number of gaming holidays in everyone’s calendar.  Earlier this year, Gaming Days, LLC. acquired the Free RPG Day (15th June) and their new plans follow a similar structure, with board gaming brick and mortar stores, cafes and bars hosting this mini board game expos.  

Games and materials will be provided in order for staff to run the one day event and so far BGX has the buy in from publishers like Asmodee, AEG, The Op, Lucky Duck Games, Pandasaurus, Renegade, WizKids and Luma.