On 13 August 2026, the team behind the long-running B2B platform IndieGameBusiness announced the launch of Blue Ridge Games, a new indie publishing label based in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. Operating under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer Jay Powell, the company aims to translate eight years of industry networking and business education directly into commercial publishing support for independent game creators.

Alongside the label’s debut, Blue Ridge Games revealed the first title in its portfolio: MAFATE, a peaceful exploration game currently in development by French developer Blue Ramen Studios. Directed by CEO Loïc Manglou, the game draws direct inspiration from a real-life hike through the Cirque de Mafate on Réunion Island, an isolated volcanic caldera in the Indian Ocean accessible only on foot.

Quick Facts

Transitioning from Advisory to Direct Publishing

For over eight years, IndieGameBusiness® has operated as an educational hub, helping independent developers understand contract negotiations, pitch decks, trade shows, and market positioning. Blue Ridge Games marks a structural shift for the organisation, moving from external mentorship to direct funding, marketing, and distribution management.

Jay Powell, CEO at Blue Ridge Games, said in a statement:

Indie developers make incredible games, but so many of them get lost simply because no one taught them the business side of games. That’s the gap we’ve spent years closing through IndieGameBusiness®. With Blue Ridge Games, we’re not just continuing to teach that, we are stepping into publishing directly with a veteran team that has been part of the industry for decades. We’re excited to use that experience to support developers who deserve a real shot.”

Exploring Réunion Island in MAFATE

The label’s maiden release, MAFATE, focuses on slow-paced traversal, quiet observation, and environmental puzzle-solving. Players explore serene natural landscapes inspired by the geography of Réunion Island, absorbing the scenery without high-stress combat mechanics or restrictive timers. The story and plot unfold naturally through exploration and subtle environmental challenges.

The project reflects the core ethos of Blue Ramen Studios, an independent team formed around a commitment to ethical, low-stimulation game design centred on calm human experiences.

Loïc Manglou, CEO at Blue Ramen Studios, added:

We’re incredibly proud to partner with Blue Ridge Games and to have MAFATE supported by such an experienced and passionate team. Their expertise, guidance, and understanding of what makes the project special give us tremendous confidence in what we can achieve together. For Blue Ramen Studios, this partnership represents an important step forward, and we’re truly excited to bring MAFATE to players around the world with BRG by our side.”

MAFATE is currently available to wishlist on Steam, with additional details regarding production milestones and platform availability expected in upcoming developer updates.

Tabletop publisher Paizo has expanded its partnership with DriveThruRPG to host its full digital catalogue, bringing over 1,200 Pathfinder and Starfinder PDF titles to the marketplace. Announced on 12 August 2026, the deal makes official first-edition and second-edition remastered rulebooks, fiction, and audiobooks available directly on DriveThruRPG alongside the existing Pathfinder Infinite and Starfinder Infinite community platforms.

The agreement marks the first time Paizo has sold its primary digital library on DriveThruRPG’s storefront, having previously restricted direct PDF sales to its own webstore. In the coming months, the partners plan to enable print-on-demand options and launch Paizo Connect, an account-linking feature designed to synchronise digital libraries and purchases across both platforms.

Steve Wieck, founder at DriveThruRPG, said in a statement,

It feels like Spotify getting to offer the Beatles, for the past twenty years, Paizo has had an unrivaled publication of top-tier roleplaying titles, and we’re honored to help bring those titles to an even broader audience of roleplaying game fans.”

Jim Butler, CEO at Paizo, added,

Expanding our partnership with DriveThruRPG makes it easier for more players to discover and enjoy Pathfinder and Starfinder. We’re excited to bring decades of Paizo releases to the DriveThruRPG community, with even more options ahead.”

Strategic Storefront Shifts

The expansion follows a period of major digital and logistical adjustments for the Redmond-based publisher. Paizo previously undertook an enterprise overhaul of its direct webstore using the BigCommerce platform, a move aimed at streamlining direct retail sales despite initial migration hurdles. More recently, the publisher adjusted its digital licensing footprint by restructuring its arrangement with the free rules index Archives of Nethys.

By listing its catalogue on DriveThruRPG, Paizo broadens its distribution reach while offering players centralized library management across PC and mobile apps. The upcoming Paizo Connect feature will allow existing customers to maintain their digital collections across both stores without needing to repurchase titles.

Quick Links

• Explore the Paizo Catalogue on DriveThruRPG

What do you get when you cross a classic 1968 sci-fi masterpiece with a kitchen pantry? Apparently, a revolution. Planet of the Grapes, the latest production from performer and educator Peter Michael Marino, is currently making its world premiere at the Edinburgh Fringe, bringing a masterclass in miniature storytelling to the Pleasance Courtyard.

For those of us who spend our time at the table pushing miniatures around a grid, Marino’s work hits a familiar nerve. It is a live-action, physical manifestation of the solo RPG experience: a high-stakes, narrative-driven game played out on a tabletop surface, where the “rules” are dictated by the constraints of the board and plot book. I caught up with Marino to see how he translated a digital lockdown experiment into a fully-fledged, interactive Fringe hit.

Planet of the Grapes originally found its footing as an online, digital toy theatre performance born out of lockdown restrictions. How does adapting this miniature, camera-focused kitchen setup into a physical, live stage play at the Edinburgh Fringe change the interactive relationship with a live audience?

There was zero interaction with the audience for the lockdown shows because they were presented on YouTube Live, not Zoom. There was something slightly unsatisfying about that for me as a performer—not hearing laughs or gauging reactions. When deep-diving into the history of toy theatre for this stage version, I was struck by how many performers often stepped “outside” the small stage, specifically to involve or address the audience.

My director, Michole Biancosino, and I went back and forth about whether we should employ those methods for this live version—and I’m so glad we did. Slowly, we added more activity happening around the cutting-board stage, which led to bringing another performer, Cecilia Arana, into the mix. This led to discoveries about how the audience could physically and vocally be a part of the show. Before we knew it, we had an immersive and interactive show, which is a hallmark for my work. It’s much more gratifying to have the audience be a part of the show without ever forcing anyone to participate.

You discovered that Rod Serling’s early screenplay drafts and Pierre Boulle’s original novel aligned perfectly with modern societal issues. Why do you think a cast of literal grapes and corks is an effective medium to explore heavy themes like class systems and religious dogma without losing the family-friendly fun?

I mean, if you’re trying to make statements about class systems, environmental concerns, sexism, and science versus dogma, isn’t it all more palatable using rubber grapes and corks as the medium for the message? We actually never set out to create a “family show” or “children’s theatre”—even though I work in that world as a performer and educator. The themes are there in the novel and film, and I just boosted them for this show.

I’m not sure if younger kids really get those themes, but even if they absorb some of the messages, then we’ve done our job. If they didn’t, they still get to experience a somewhat lost art form and a style of puppetry they probably haven’t had much exposure to. So, while we say it’s not a “kid’s show,” it’s 100% fine for kids—the way Star Wars is. We were happily surprised to learn from the NYC run that the show really resonates with 20-somethings and teens. Even a 5-year-old loved it. We never expected that.

Toy theatre relies heavily on tiny components, cardboard prosceniums, and everyday household items. In what way did you map out the spatial mechanics of this miniature tabletop world so that the visual storytelling remains clear and engaging for a full theatre room?

I practically redesigned the whole visual world of the digital show for this live version. Online, details were very important since the camera captured only the playing area. For the live version, we have the cutting-board stage plus all the stage space around it. I needed to create sets and backdrops that help the audience laser-focus on a small stage. I had to make sure nothing was “muddy.” I played around with perspective, colour, and materials (shiny materials equal glare—no good). So, I simplified the backdrops to allow the characters to “pop” and added much more detail and colour to the tiny characters so they’re easily identifiable from the back row.

At the opera a few weeks ago, a friend who saw …Grapes noted how the singers on a massive opera stage were basically the same size to us in the back row as our grapes are to someone in the back row of our theatre. You can still identify and follow who’s who because of the scenic elements, costumes, staging movements, practical lighting, and even their voices. The audience learns the world of the show slowly, the way someone experiencing Shakespeare for the first time adapts to the language. By the time we get to the darker scenes, like a blacklight-neon cave scene, the audience’s ears are trained to listen like a radio play. Have no fear! You’ll be able to see everything you need to see—and probably some things we intend for you not to.

Tabletop storytelling requires a distinct sense of pacing. How did you and Michole Biancosino design the physical constraints of a cutting-board stage to balance chaotic comedy with the dramatic tension of the original sci-fi story?

Luckily, the plot lends itself to episodic storytelling. We keep every scene under 5 minutes. This aligns with traditional toy theatre methods where shorter scenes worked better. Serving it up in small bites makes it all much more digestible. The action often spills off the small stage and into the area around it, which is where we mine more comedy and physical theatre elements. There are also elements of clown in the performance from both myself and Cecilia Arana—who serves as the bridge between the stage and the house. Plus, we added a 1-minute “intermission” to give the audience a moment to breathe. To be fair, we performers need that break, too!

There is a growing fascination with physical, analogue storytelling across the hobby space, from solo TTRPGs to miniature wargaming. Why do you think audiences are craving these tactile experiences in an era dominated by digital media?

I think theatre is changing and adapting because we are in an era dominated by digital media. Look at Cats: The Jellicle Ball or Every Brilliant Thing on Broadway—both popular, immersive, interactive shows. I think these are popular because of the novelty of interaction. Maybe it’s a result of the pandemic? Maybe it’s the relentless solitude of doom-scrolling? Maybe it’s that people don’t pick up the phone and call people as much, or fewer are going out to bars because a night with Netflix is easier and cheaper? I don’t know. But I do know if you want to get someone off the couch, you have to offer something special.

You’ve spent a significant part of your career working with the NYC Kids Project to advocate for inclusion. How did your background in educational puppetry shape your approach to making a sci-fi parody about prejudice accessible to younger audiences?

Honestly, my family shows never talk down to the audience based on their age. When I created “Show Up, Kids!”, it was written with parents and guardians in mind. If a kid sees their guardian enjoying the show, they’ll enjoy the show even more. If that makes sense. When I created kid’s shows and videos for The Kennedy Center and Washington National Opera, I just wrote what would be entertaining to me – with an educational element of course. It sorta comes naturally. I think like an 8-year old. Always have. Not sure if that’s problematic, really! My work tends to be absurdist and silly in some way – but the stakes are always high. I try to create work where the audience is rooting for the characters to “win.” And kids tend to want characters to win. To succeed. To get what they want. Like the characters in nearly every fairy tale. I wish I could explain the science behind how my work appeals kids, but maybe it’s better not to know.

Moving a production from a solo apartment project to an international stage is a significant shift. What does a successful run at the Pleasance look like to you?

A successful run would be knowing that it made people forget about the real world for an hour. And that the show inspires them to be creative, to be silly, and to look at things from a different angle. I want the audience to feel connected to the art and to each other. I enjoy bringing people together.

For people heading to Edinburgh this August who want to explore more of this miniature, hand-crafted style, what other creators would you recommend?

I’m looking forward to “Tiny Planet” which also explores how we can sometimes feel both small and infinitely gigantic. SeedHeart looks cool – it comes out of a suitcase and the hero is discovered in a jar. High on my list is ArounD the WorlD in 80 ToyS, which uses cameras, screens, miniatures and magic. And Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities: A Toy Theater Atlas which has puppetry, paper mechanics and living sculpture – and which I loved seeing in NYC. And definitely “Kevin!!!!!” – another NYC show, that uses a miniature house and cameras to parody “Home Alone.” I just hope I can fit them all in!

Planet of the Grapes runs at Below at Pleasance Courtyard until 30 August. If you’re looking for a midday Fringe show that blends technical ingenuity with sharp, satirical sci-fi, it’s a refreshing break from the usual stand-up circuit.

Quick Links

• Tickets are available via the Pleasance website.

Brooklyn-based tabletop accessory publisher Sirius Dice officially launched its licensed Critical Role Vox Machina Adventure Dice Sets on 16 July 2026. The seven individual character sets are available now for $19.99 each through the manufacturer’s online shop, Amazon, and local hobby stores.

Founded in 2018 by Lax Chandra and Tina Trenkler, Sirius Dice designed the collection to celebrate the heroes of Exandria. Each $19.99 Vox Machina set contains eight dice: a standard seven-piece polyhedral set (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20, and percentile die) alongside an extra collectable sharp-edged d20 featuring custom character symbols, tailored colour palettes, and specialised finishes.

Vox Machina characters and set details

The initial wave focuses on seven core characters from the first Critical Role campaign: Grog Strongjaw, Keyleth of the Air Ashari, Percival de Rolo, Pike Trickfoot, Scanlan Shorthalt, Vax’ildan, and Vex’ahlia.

Each set incorporates visual themes from the character’s story. For example, Grog Strongjaw‘s set includes custom iconography showing his axe and ale tankard, while Vax’ildan‘s dice feature daggers and raven motifs. The set structure provides players with standard gaming dice alongside a sharp-edged d20 designed for display or critical rolls during tabletop roleplaying games.

Future campaign collections

Alongside the Vox Machina launch, Sirius Dice revealed plans to expand the licensed line later this year with collections based on Critical Role‘s second and third campaigns: The Mighty Nein and Bells Hells.

Both upcoming lines swap the sharp-edged d20 for an enamel collectable pin featuring original character artwork. The Mighty Nein collection will include nine individual character sets representing Fjord Stone, Beauregard “Beau” Lionett, Caleb Widogast, Nott the Brave / Veth Brenatto, Yasha Nydoorin, Jester Lavorre, Caduceus Clay, Mollymauk Tealeaf, and Essek Thelyss.

The Bells Hells collection will also feature nine sets, highlighting Orym of the Air Ashari, Ashton Greymoore, Fearne Calloway, Imogen Temult, Laudna, Fresh Cut Grass, Braius Doomseed, Dorian Storm, and Chetney Pock O’Pea.

Product configuration changes

The release marks a notable product split for tabletop collectors. While the $19.99 Vox Machina sets include eight dice, the upcoming Mighty Nein and Bells Hells sets revert to a seven-piece polyhedral layout bundled with a character pin. Sirius Dice has not yet announced retail pricing or specific release dates for the second and third campaign waves.

The partnership expands Critical Role‘s licensing footprint across the hobby sector, building on media expansions that include the Amazon Prime Video animated series The Legend of Vox Machina and print releases through Darrington Press.

Quick Links

• View the Critical Role Collection at Sirius Dice
• Buy Vox Machina Sets on Amazon

Mantic Games has launched its crowdfunding campaign for The Ghost in the Shell Tabletop Roleplaying Game, bringing the corporate espionage, cybernetics, and existential mystery of Shirow Masamune’s seminal manga to tabletop roleplaying games. Developed in official partnership with Japanese publisher Kodansha Ltd, the bespoke system is co-designed by veteran creators Alessio Cavatore and Zak Barouh. The project smashed its initial £10,000 target within its first 24 hours and has raised over £309,000 from more than 3,300 backers.

The release lands alongside a broader wave of high-profile anime and manga adaptations entering tabletop roleplaying games, providing a dedicated structural home for sci-fi investigations and squad tactics. Set within the sprawling metropolis of Newport City, players take on the roles of Section 9 trainee operatives navigating political cover-ups, black-market weapons trades, and covert counter-terrorism operations.

Mechanics Built for Cybernetic Operatives

Rather than relying on rigid class structures, character creation centres on personal traits, specialised skills, and dynamic internal conflicts. Operatives are built around a central mechanics engine known as Synthesis Conflict, which tracks internal friction across opposing Aspects such as human versus machine or duty versus family. Invoking these internal struggles grants bonus dice during high-stakes tests, though pushing a character past their breaking point risks triggering a personal crisis or an operational failure.

Combat and action scenes operate on a lethal flow: attacks roll to hit, check target defences, determine localised hit locations, and apply immediate operational penalties. In digital environments, hacking rules allow agents to bypass target Barrier ratings to extract memories, manipulate perceptions, or forcibly control cyberbrains across the ghost line, balancing substantial tactical power against the threat of counter-hacking and physical vulnerability.

When consciousness can be programmed, when memory can be edited, when people can be hacked and controlled, how do you define humanity? When the lines between human and machine blur, when the body is detached from the self, what binds you to reality?”

Expanding Operations and Collector Rewards

The core system includes an eight-part inaugural scenario, Lost Patriot, following Section 9 through high-level political negotiations. Mantic Games has expanded the baseline offering to include three additional digital bonus scenarios—Puppets on a Wire, The Cruise, and Cell Island Syndrome—offered across all pledge tiers.

Backers looking to secure a copy can choose from a range of physical and digital reward tiers:

• Pledge £15 (approx. £15): PDF Rulebook. The full digital rulebook PDF, unlocked immediately following the completion of the pledge manager.
• Pledge £25 (approx. £25): STL All Miniatures Bundle. Digital PDF rulebook combined with 3D-printable STL files for the Section 9 miniature collection.
• Pledge £35 (approx. £35): Hardback. The standard physical hardback edition of the core rulebook alongside the digital PDF.
• Pledge £55 (approx. £55): Collector’s Edition Hardback. Premium hardback featuring full-height cover art, silver page edging, an integrated bookmark, and all three bonus scenarios bound directly into the volume.
• Pledge £85 (approx. £85): GM Bundle. The Collector’s Edition hardback, PDF, a nine-panel GM screen with original Shirow Masamune illustrations, custom polyhedral dice set, and a 25-sheet character pad.
• Pledge £160 (approx. £160): Collector’s Bundle. Includes the GM Bundle inside a magnetic-clasp presentation box, a six-piece MasterCraft Resin miniature set, an exclusive optical-camouflage Major Kusanagi miniature, and a 250mm x 250mm art print created by Shirow Masamune.

The crowdfunding campaign operates on an all-or-nothing funding model, with the campaign closing on Thursday, 13 August 2026. Digital rulebook PDFs will be distributed shortly after pledge manager completion in late 2026, while physical fulfilment from regional hubs is scheduled for completion in May 2027.

Quick Link

• Back this campaign on BackerKit

Actual play shows featuring tabletop roleplaying games have steadily established a presence at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe over recent years. While streams like Critical Role popularised live-streamed gaming into an art form, traditional actual plays on stage do not always hold an audience’s attention during a live theatrical run. Dungeons and Shakespeare, created and performed by Shelby Bond for Best Medicine Productions, takes a fundamentally different operational approach.

Shelby Bond, a trained actor from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, leverages theatrical principles to structure a fast-paced interactive one-shot. Rather than watching a cast play a campaign on stage, audience members step directly into the roles of Shakespearean heroes, villains, and classic Dungeons & Dragons monsters. Simplified mechanics and rolls of a giant D20 drive the story, keeping rules light while ensuring narrative momentum never flags.

During a recent Edinburgh Fringe performance, the mechanics yielded a chaotic climax. An audience member playing a Zombie Juliet took part in a total party wipe during the final moments of the game. Juliet, 21 in this play, fell to a misplaced fireball from Prospero, the wizard from The Tempest played by another audience member, who missed a dryad and struck the tragedy’s heroine. Elsewhere in the room, an audience member embraced playing a smothering carpet, while younger members assembled to form a Gelatinous Cube for the final battle.

The show balances the freedom of live improv with the structure of a tabletop roleplaying game. Having performed the show nearly 900 times across North America, Shelby operates like an experienced games master: forcing meaningful choices, steering the plot forward, and introducing dice rolls that capture the excitement of a natural 20 for non-gamers and tabletop veterans alike.

Prior knowledge of Dungeons & Dragons is not required to enjoy Dungeons and Shakespeare, though a passing familiarity with Shakespearean tropes and a willingness to participate enhance the experience. Speaking previously with Geek Native ahead of his Fringe debut, Shelby Bond highlighted how timeless classical tropes interact with live play:

Shakespeare’s characters are timeless because they represent the human condition and its strongest drives- love, jealousy, vengeance – and that’s what drives any story.

Dungeons and Shakespeare is currently touring following its Edinburgh Festival Fringe run. Full venue details and ticket information are available via the Edinburgh Fringe Box Office.

GURPS 4E Week has arrived at the Bundle of Holding. This week, Steve Jackson Games and the Bundle of Holding have collaborated to launch a series of offers dedicated to the Generic Universal Roleplaying System Fourth Edition. Whether you are seeking the essential core rules, sprawling multiversal campaigns, high-fantasy magic, or tactical combat rules, this set of bundles covers every base for the system.

This series includes both new and revived offers, all designed to prepare players for the upcoming Basic Set, Revised hardcover release.

GURPS 4E Essentials – Core Collection

Price: $19.95 | Retail Value: $95

• GURPS 4E Basic Set (2004) – Characters & Campaigns
• GURPS Template Toolkit 1: Characters
• GURPS Adaptations
• How to Be a GURPS GM
• GURPS 4E GM’s Screen

GURPS 4E Essentials – Bonus Collection

Price: Variable (Threshold $40.06) | Retail Value: +$109

• GURPS High-Tech & Weapon Tables
• GURPS Ultra-Tech & Weapon Tables
• GURPS Bio-Tech
• GURPS Low-Tech
• GURPS Mass Combat

GURPS 4E Infinite Worlds – Infinite Starter

Price: $17.95 | Retail Value: $72

• GURPS 4E Infinite Worlds
• 4 GURPS 4E Hot Spots (Constantinople, Florence, Venice, The Silk Road)
• GURPS 4E City Stats

GURPS 4E Infinite Worlds – Bonus Collection

Price: Variable (Threshold $31.13) | Retail Value: +$87

• 4 GURPS 4E Infinite Worlds settings (Britannica-6, Collegio Januari, Lost Worlds, Underground Adventures)
• 5 GURPS 4E Locations
• GURPS 4E Lands Out of Time

GURPS 4E Fantasy – 4E Fantasy Starter

Price: $19.95 | Retail Value: $84

• GURPS Fantasy 4E
• GURPS Magic 4E
• Banestorm
• Alphabet Arcane

GURPS 4E Fantasy – 4E Fantasy Bonus

Price: Variable (Threshold $38.22) | Retail Value: +$106

• Thaumatology
• 6 Thaumatology sourcebooks (Magical Styles, Sorcery, Ritual Path Magic, Age of Gold, Alchemical Baroque, Urban Magics)

GURPS Combat Action – Starter Collection

Price: $17.95 | Retail Value: $82

• GURPS 4E Martial Arts
• Tactical Shooting
• Gun Fu
• 3 GURPS High-Tech gun books

GURPS Combat Action – Bonus Collection

Price: Variable (Threshold $37.96) | Retail Value: +$98

• 5 GURPS Action supplements
• 4 GURPS Martial Arts expansions
• Transhuman Space: Martial Arts 2100

GURPS is a legendary name in the industry, and these bundles represent a comprehensive resource for the Fourth Edition rules. The system relies on a flexible, point-based character creation structure, which provides a high degree of granularity. If you prefer a game that offers consistent mechanical logic across genres—from historical skirmishes to deep sci-fi—this ruleset is an excellent candidate.

The “Essentials” bundle provides the mechanical backbone, while the genre-specific bundles allow for immediate expansion. The Infinite Worlds material, in particular, offers a framework for cross-campaign play, perfect for GMs who want to link disparate stories through a multiverse structure. All content is provided as DRM-free ebooks, allowing you to sync them across your devices for easy reference at the table.

These bundles are available through midnight Pacific time on Monday, 17 August.

Quick Links

• GURPS 4E Essentials Bundle
• GURPS 4E Infinite Worlds Bundle
• GURPS 4E Fantasy Bundle
• GURPS Combat Action Bundle

It’s a good summer to be a Marvel fan. A real good summer. First there came Spider-Man Brand New Day ripping up more box-office records than DC and Christopher Nolan combined (rivals old and self-appointed), making superhero fatigue feel like its been consigned to the ash heap of history along with cassette players and the Spice Girls.

This is not the place to talk about Spider-Man Brand New Day. Other places have that movie pretty well covered. But I will say this: whilst comic book legend Frank Miller praised the movie as ‘the most Ditko movie to date’ – high, elegant praise from Miller, a harsh critic who had famously ripped into Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy; I find myself being awed by the artistic cinematography, the chiaroscuro nighttime shots of New York, Peter Parker and Spider-Man’s always off-centre movement through it all, I find it being the darkest, most Caravaggio Spider-Man film yet. It is the movie that once more made me dream of New York. A dark New York. The New York of The Velvet Underground, of CBGB, of Andy Warhol and Mondrian.

After watching the movie on its premiere date I decided, almost like a religious epiphany, to stop playing Crimson Desert (man, that game is a slog), and take up Insomniac’s Spider-Man 2 for another joyous ride. I played New Game+. I put Peter Parker in his Superior Spider-Man costume. And I played very little of the story. I just indulged in New York. I spent most of my time walking on the pavements (I’m walking over here!) looking up and dreaming.

I played Spider-Man 2 in anticipation, also, of Insomniac’s upcoming Wolverine game (more on that soon), but also as a prelude, or appetiser, for Marvel Tokon Fighting Souls. The game came out a few days ago (August 6th) and since playing the open beta my excitement was stratospheric. And I wasn’t disappointed (though I haven’t yet gotten to grips with Spider-Man’s mechanics yet).

I’m in a mood for hyperboles so here’s one more: I think Marvel Tokon Fighting Souls is Marvel’s greatest fighting games. And, as a bonus hyperbole, it may well hold up as one of the best fighting games of all time.

The reason for my excitement is not unjustified. After all, it had been a long time since any Marvel vs. Capcom was released, and let’s face it, the last two entries were sub-par. All we’ve had to feed on is scraps, like Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics – which is great and entertaining, but a bit too over-indulgent in nostalgia.

Last year’s Marvel Rivals was a disappointment, to me, a strict believer in single player gaming, a loather of purely online gaming, and as someone who laments and despises games that make microtransactions an irresistible temptation within the game. Games like Marvel Rivals, gatcha games, even the Hot Wheels games that my son loves to play, they all make me feel like listening to the Sex Pistols, wailing against capitalism, and maybe throwing a brick through an office window.

Marvel Tokon feels like a pure game (though of course paid DLC and updates and all that shebang are present). A fighting game. 4 vs 4. An intense fighting game. As intense if not more than ArcSystem Works’ own Dragon Ball FighterZ. A beautiful game. My god what a beautiful games. I’ve commented earlier on Brand New Day’s moody, Caravaggesque lighting: Tokon’s colour palette feels as bright and as celebratory as the ceiling of a Venetian palace (check it out). The shading, of both characters and backgrounds, is astounding.

Musically, the game gets it right too. It is hard, pulsing, a perfect heart-raiser for the action, but it is also subtle; there are violins here, there is nuance, you get African beats when you play as the Black Panther, you get 90s style techno when you play as Blade, you get a Medieval-esque tune when you play Loki. This game, like Spider-Man 2 before it, feels impeccably appropriate.

Each character feels unique to use. In fact, learning each character’s move set and MO feels like starting over a new game each time. And each character’s move set feels appropriate. Magik’s portals. Dr. Doom’s shields. Ghost Rider’s red zone. Deadpool’s fourth wall moves. Carnage’s parasite. Just as Spider-Man 2 is the best at recreating what it feels like to be Spider-Man, so Tokon manages to recreate what it feels like to be each and every character, from Captain America to the Green Goblin.

The character roster is also a dream for me. I’ve never played Carnage in a game before (though when I was a small boy I had begged my mum to buy me Seperation Anxiety on the SNES); never played as the Green Goblin or Danger or Peni Parker. And whilst I have played as Blade and Ghost Rider and Deadpool (most excitingly in Midnight Sons), I have never played them like this before. Because of the easy-to-use mechanics ArcSystem Works have introduced, I can turn on these characters’ power sets with an easily remembered, nearly universal, button combination. R2 and R1 gets you a lot of flash in this game. Of course using the unique abilities and powers of Ghost Rider is a very different story than using those of Spider-Man, etc.

At the time of writing, I haven’t even scratched the surface of Episode Mode. Which promises to be good since it was written by renowned comic book writer Kieron Gillen. I’ve just been having fun on single player, recreating iconic Marvel battles, like Avengers vs X-Men, Secret Wars, Blood Hunt, and all the rest. This is what I meant earlier about pure gaming.

Playing Tokon after Crimson Desert has proven a blessing. Crimson Desert is the gaming equivalent of an art lover entering the Louvre and being completely overwhelmed by a constellation of great art that you just can’t possibly get through in one day. And that’s a good thing, of course. But Tokon represents the experience of travelling and happily stumbling upon a small chapel, somewhere on a back road, which has one altar painting that completely takes your breath away, and you spend hours in there just looking at this one painting, unwilling to leave, and when you finally do, you feel like a better person for it.

And the good stuff is only going to keep coming.

Insomniac’s Wolverine looks exciting. My first spark of optimism was lit when it was announced that Wolverine would not be an open world game. Firstly that’s a good thing because of the over-saturation of open world games in recent months and years (cough, cough, Crimson Desert). Secondly and more importantly, Insomniac felt that Wolverine didn’t need an open world game, the same way they understood that Spider-Man needed an open world New York.

Insomniac seem to be getting the character. The trailers have been as bloody as a Mortal Kombat film with the cinematic bombast of an Uncharted game. The fact that the narrative seems to revolve around Bolivar Trask and anti-mutant hatred is also promising: that is when X-Men and Wolverine are at their best, when their stories deal with the Nazi-like hatred and genocidal impulses aimed at all of mutant-kind, which is what makes Magneto such a compelling character to follow over the years (please, please let him be in the game!). Just as Spider-Man’s stories got the best out of the Peter Parker/Spider-Man dynamic (especially the Harry Osborn/Venom combo), so these stories will likely get the best out of Logan and the berserker Wolverine.      

It is also exciting to see Wolverine travelling to so many diverse locations across the globe. Madripoor. Canada. And Japan. Yes, yes, Japan. I sincerely believe that the 1982 Wolverine storyline (by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller) that sees him travelling to Japan is one of the best runs in comic book history. If the game is going to even slightly touch on that, that is orgasmically exciting.

Wolverine looks to be one of the most exciting games of the year. Of course, neither Wolverine nor Tokon will win this year’s Game of the Year. That honour is already inscribed, pre-written, sealed and packaged, for GTA 6. And that’s fine. It’s not all about awards. It’s about the experience. You (the player) and the game. That’s it.

Earlier on I mentioned a punk version of me (blame my sixteen-year-old self still squatting inside my head) that loves to listen to the Sex Pistols and wail against capitalism. I shouldn’t be fawning at Marvel’s successes. It’s far, far too off-script and off-role for me. Marvel is, after all, one of the largest entertainment conglomerate on the planet. That can’t be a good thing, can it? On the other hand, I am also a lover of art, whatever shape or form it takes. If Marvel keeps releasing such satisfying, challenging artworks (especially if Avengers Doomsday delivers), I’ll put down my Sex Pistols records (temporarily, of course) and cast my lot in with the enemy. It’s been a real good summer to be a Marvel fan.

Photo by Igor Bumba and Taylor Williams on Unsplash.

The Games of the Future Astana 2026 officially wrapped up in Astana, Kazakhstan, on 9 August 2026 after 12 days of hybrid sports and video game competition. Organised by promoter Phygital International and funded by Kazakh state investment fund Samruk-Kazyna, the event brought more than 800 competitors across 50 nationalities to four city venues, competing for a prize pool exceeding US$4 million (£3.1 million).

Running from 29 July to 9 August 2026, the multi-discipline event awarded titles in hybrid physical-digital formats alongside traditional video games. Winning teams included 17 Gaming taking top spot in PUBG: Battlegrounds, NS Team winning Phygital Football, PlayTime capturing Dota 2, and Team KZ winning Phygital Shooter CS2.

Where is Kazakhstan and why does the location matter?

Kazakhstan is the world’s ninth-largest country by land area and the largest landlocked nation on Earth. Located in Central Asia between Eastern Europe, Russia, and China, it is often misunderstood or reduced to outdated pop-culture stereotypes. In reality, Kazakhstan is a key economic power in Central Asia, rich in oil, natural gas, and essential minerals, playing a central role in trade links between Europe and Asia.

By hosting international events like the Games of the Future in its high-tech capital city Astana, Kazakhstan is spending state funds to position itself as a global technology and esports hub. The government aims to show international visitors and investment partners that the country possesses world-class sports arenas and modern digital infrastructure.

What is phygital sport?

The term “phygital” is a marketing portmanteau blending “physical” and “digital”. Created by event promoters, it describes a hybrid competition format where athletes must perform both on a digital screen and on a physical court or pitch.

In Phygital Football, for example, teams play a match in a digital simulator such as UFL before immediately stepping onto an actual indoor pitch for a five-a-side football match. The combined score from both stages determines the overall winner. Similar hybrid rules apply to Phygital Shooter, where players compete in Counter-Strike 2 before playing a physical round of laser tag.

While the jargon sounds like corporate shorthand, the game design forces traditional esports players to maintain real physical fitness while requiring physical athletes to hone quick digital reflexes.

Dan Merkley, CEO of Phygital International, said in a statement,

The Games of the Future Astana 2026 has shown the world what makes phygital sport so exciting. We have seen extraordinary athletes and clubs compete, passionate fans fill the venues, and audiences around the world embrace a new kind of experience that reflects the future of sport. Astana represents another important step forward for a global movement that continues to grow in ambition, reach and relevance.”

Quick Links

• Phygital International.

Tabletop Scotland has entered its final 30-day countdown before returning to the Royal Highland Centre in Ingliston, Edinburgh, from Friday 4 September to Sunday 6 September 2026. Organised entirely by volunteers, the event brings together fans of board games, roleplaying games, card games, and miniatures for a three-day celebration of screen-free hobby gaming.

Following an attendance of over 4,250 visitors in 2025, reflecting a 9% year-on-year increase, the event continues its upward trajectory. While moving the convention to the Royal Highland Centre on the outer edge of Edinburgh created logistical hurdles for some attendees travelling from the city centre, the venue provides the physical space necessary to host over 130 exhibitors and the UK’s largest block of scheduled Dungeons & Dragons events. This expansion aligns with broader industry data showing sustained public search interest in tabletop gatherings compared to mainstream expos.

The 2026 convention introduces a revised floor layout featuring a dedicated Family Zone designed alongside play specialists HABA and Imagination Gaming. This area showcases how non-digital gaming supports core literacy, numeracy, and logic skills in young people, with under-16s receiving free entry alongside a paying adult. Additionally, Tabletop Scotland has named the Scottish Huntington’s Association as its official charity partner for 2026, aiming to build upon the £36,000 raised for good causes since the convention launched in 2018.

Dave Wright, Lead Organiser at Tabletop Scotland, said in a statement,

While our event at the Royal Highland Centre has scaled over the last 3 years to meet demand, our core focus will always remain on building an inclusive, accessible community space. This year’s event is bringing a stronger and expert-led offering to our family and educator audience, giving them access to some of the best in the business at how board games can be a fantastic alternative to digital screens.”

While Dungeons & Dragons takes up a significant footprint, the event spans the full spectrum of non-digital gaming. Sponsors and publishers such as Hachette Boardgames UK, Coiledspring Games, and local retail provider Thistle Tavern bring extensive libraries of board games, family strategy titles, and trading card games to the trade hall floor. Dedicated spaces also showcase independent roleplaying games, card games, and tabletop skirmish systems, ensuring attendees can explore diverse genres beyond traditional dungeon crawlers.

The onsite presence of the Scottish Huntington’s Association will offer attendees direct ways to support the organisation during the show, bringing high-profile political visibility to a charity widely backed in the Scottish Parliament. Combined with an open-play board game library, scheduled tournaments, and independent publisher booths, the festival aims to solidify its position as a central gathering