Fireside Games at Gen Con 2023: Immerse Yourself in Castle Panic!

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Gen Con logo
Gen Con logo

We’re beyond thrilled to be part of Gen Con 2023. As the Castle Panic Deluxe Collection takes center stage, we invite you to join us at booth 2434 and at our large events. Get ready for exclusive editions, amazing discounts, engaging events, and plenty of gaming fun. Let’s dive into the thrilling plans we have in store for you!

Castle Panic Deluxe Collection and More: Prepare for a gaming feast as we present the Castle Panic Deluxe Collection at our booth. This extraordinary collection includes the highly sought-after deluxe versions of the Castle Panic base game, all four expansions (The Wizard’s Tower, The Dark Titan, Engines of War, and Crowns and Quests), a playmat, plus all of the promos ever made for the game. Immerse yourself in the ultimate Castle Panic adventure with the monster minis on rotatable bases, wood tokens, plastic castle pieces, and more.

The Castle Panic Deluxe Collection game box over a white background

Deluxe Bundle Offer: Looking for deluxe versions of just the most popular expansions? Our Castle Panic Deluxe Bundle is designed to deliver just what you want. During Gen Con, we’re offering the Castle Panic Deluxe Bundle at a special discounted price. This incredible package includes Castle Panic Deluxe, The Wizard’s Tower Deluxe, Crowns and Quests Deluxe, and an epic playmat. Normally valued at $310, you can snag this exclusive bundle for only $250 (while supplies last). Don’t miss out on this extraordinary opportunity to elevate your Castle Panic gameplay!

Small Games Bundle: Looking for travel-sized gaming adventures? Our Small Games Bundle is here to deliver! Priced at only $75 (a $110 value), this bundle features Here, Kitty, Kitty!, Bears!, Dastardly Dirigibles, and Stringamajig. As a special treat, we’ve included free promos to enhance your gaming experience even further.

Promos Galore: We believe in sharing the love of gaming, which is why we’re thrilled to offer a free promo with every game purchase at Gen Con (while supplies last). These game-enhancing goodies are our way of saying thank you for being part of the Fireside Games family.

Exciting Events: Step into Castle Panic Adventures: Get ready to embark on thrilling Castle Panic adventures with our exclusive Gen Con events:

  • The Wizard’s Tower Event: Join us on Thursday at 6:00 PM for an unforgettable event centered around The Wizard’s Tower expansion taught by the designer in rooms 144-145. Cooperate with your team to defend the castle against hordes of monsters. Keep the Wizard’s Tower standing to use magic spells and fire against flying monsters and more. Reserve your spot now at https://www.gencon.com/events/230194.
  • Crowns and Quests Event: On Saturday at 8:00 PM, prepare to be part of an exhilarating cooperative adventure with the designer in room Wabash 1. You’ll play as a character with a special ability. And in addition to slaying all of the monsters with at least 1 tower standing to win, you’ll need to complete 2 quests. It really changes up the base game! Secure your spot in this epic event at https://www.gencon.com/events/230195 and prepare for an unforgettable gaming experience.

We can’t wait to see you at Gen Con 2023. Visit us at booth 2434 to immerse yourself in the Castle Panic universe. Discover the Castle Panic Deluxe Collection, take advantage of the Castle Panic Deluxe Bundle and the Small Games Bundle, and collect free promos with your purchases. Don’t miss our thrilling events centered around The Wizard’s Tower and Crowns and Quests expansions. Let’s make Gen Con an unforgettable gaming extravaganza together. See you there!

Gen Con 2022

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Only a few more weeks until Gen Con is here. Taking place every year in Indianapolis, Gen Con is the biggest gaming convention in the U.S. It usually features a mix of discovering new games and celebrating old favorites, and this year we’ve got some big stuff planned for both.

Fireside Games advertisement for Gen Con. Launch Party, Giant Castle Panic, and Pin Bazaar

Events

If you’re looking to sit down and learn how to play one of our games, jump into one of our events. There’s no cost and our volunteers will provide everything needed to play and teach you the rules. You can choose from Castle Panic (1st Edition), Here, Kitty, Kitty!, or Dastardly Dirigibles. You can find the complete list of events here. https://www.gencon.com/events?search=fireside

Launch Party

The Second Edition of Castle Panic is coming out later this year along with a new expansion, and we are throwing a launch party to celebrate! The party will take place on Thursday, August 4th at 8pm EDT in rooms 144 and 145. We’ll have multiple copies of the new edition plus Crowns and Quests (the new expansion) on the table so everyone can see the amazing new art and try out the games before you can buy them. Each attendee will receive an exclusive pin that is only available at this event. We’re also holding a raffle drawing to give away some great prizes. We’ll be raffling 3D prints of some of the minis that were used in the prototypes of Castle Panic Deluxe as well as copies of Castle Panic and Crowns and Quests to a few lucky winners!

Tickets are $2 and this event is filling up fast, so reserve your space now if you want to attend this celebration of all things Castle Panic.

You can buy your tickets here: https://www.gencon.com/events/209841

Booth #2323

When you’re walking the vendor hall, be sure to come see us at Booth #2323. You can get a sneak peek of Castle Panic Deluxe and see the new artwork and minis up close. We’ll be taking pre-orders for Castle Panic 2nd Edition as well as the Castle Panic Deluxe Collection and Castle Panic Wood Collection that were only offered through Kickstarter previously. While you’re at our booth, you can pick up our exclusive enamel pin that’s part of the Gen Con Pin Bazaar. Share your loyalty to the castle with this mighty dragon.

Pin with a red dragon breathing fire and the text "Castle Panic" below

You can also grab a few promos for your favorite games, and you won’t be able to miss Giant Castle Panic.

Giant Castle Panic

A giant version of Castle Panic, with 2 foot high towers on a carpeted floor

That’s right. We’ve made a huge version of Castle Panic and it’s taking over our booth! This giant game measures 10 feet across and is sure to make some jaws drop. Get your picture taken in front of our (almost) life-sized castle and show your friends how awesome Gen Con is.

My First Castle Panic Demos Hit Stores!

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My First Castle Panic demos

My First Castle Panic demosKids have been playing Castle Panic with parents for 10 years. Now, there’s a reading-free version that 4-year-olds can play independently! They can even teach each other to play. Game stores across North America will be hosting free demos of My First Castle Panic March 16–17.

 

Find a participating store near you from the list below and get your little one in on the fun!

UPDATED: 3/1/2019 More stores added!

Arizona

Game On (Prescott), 928-227-2000

The Hidden Village Games (Yuma), 928-581-2174

Imperial Outpost Games (Glendale), 602-978-0467

 

Arkansas

Gear Gaming Store (Fayetteville), 479-276-8110

 

California

Crazy Squirrel Game Store (Fresno), 559-431-0188

Game Empire (San Diego), 858-576-1525

 

Colorado

Crit Castle Games (Aurora), 303-745-4140

 

Connecticut

Connecticut Gaming Center (Waterbury), 203-527-3918

The Portal (Manchester), 860-432-0711

 

Georgia

Tyche’s Games (Athens), 706-354-4500

 

Hawaii

The Armchair Adventurer (Honolulu), 808-843-1250

 

Idaho

Gaming Adventures (New Plymouth), 208-649-4244

Safari Pearl Comics (Moscow), 208-882-9499

 

Illinois

AlleyCat Comics (Chicago), 773-907-3404

 

Indiana

Good Games (Indianapolis), 317-493-1423

Saltire Games (Indianapolis), 317-823-1645

The Game Annex (Fort Wayne), 260-459-4263

Family Time Games (Indianapolis), 317-429-9817

 

Kansas

Mission: Board Games (Mission), 913-242-7970

TableTop Game & Hobby (Overland Park), 913-962-4263

 

Michigan

Acropolis Games (Adrian), 517-577-6192

Pandemonium Games and Hobbies (Garden City), 734-427-2451

Nostalgia, Ink (Jackson), 517-784-8955

 

Minnesota

The Gaming Goat (Saint Paul), 651-690-4628

 

Missouri

Cards ‘n Stripes Games (Republic), 417-647-5151

Fountain City Gaming (Kansas City), 816-214-8093

 

Mississippi

Panda’s Pair O Dice (Gulfport), 228-206-4484

 

Nebraska

The Game Shoppe (Omaha), 402-991-8699

Sparta Games (Omaha), 402-934-8330

 

New Mexico

Zia Comics and Games (Las Cruces), 575-405-0461

 

New York

Alterniverse (Hyde Park), 845-233-4234

Just Games Rochester (Rochester), 585-586-0586

 

North Carolina

Event Horizon Games (Raleigh), 919-977-4009

Rocket City Games and More (Jacksonville), 910-577-5556

 

North Dakota

Force of Habit Hobby Shop (Minot), 701-837-0032

Paradox Comics-N-Cards (Fargo), 701-239-9505

 

Ohio

Barnes & Noble (Pickerington), 614-751-0927

Beyond the Board (Dublin), 614-553-7677

GameScape (Mount Vernon), 740-392-4263

The Guardtower (Columbus), 614-488-4311

 

Oklahoma

Carolina Comics (Lawton), 580-353-5164

 

Pennsylvania

The Games Keep (West Chester ), 484-905-5533

 

South Carolina

Firefly Toys and Games (Columbia), 803-764-0596

 

Texas

Dragon’s Lair (Houston), 832-761-0072

Flash Candy and Toys (Lockhart), 512-668-5075

Half Price Books (Dallas), 214-379-8000

Outlaw Moon (Austin), 512-454-6648

The Gathering Place (Abilene), 325-672-4263

 

Utah

Game Grid (Lehi), 801-477-7680

Game Haven (St. George), 435-627-0616

 

Washington D.C.

Labyrinth Game Shop, 202-544-1059

 

Wisconsin

Gnome Games (Appleton), 920-884-7504

Gnome Games (Green Bay East), 920-965-1380

Gnome Games (Green Bay West), 920-499-4263

I’m Board! Games & Family Fun (Madison), 608-831-6631

Menagerie Games (Pleasant Prairie), 262-361-8238

The GameBoard (Sheboygan), 920-453-4263

 

West Virginia

Four Horsemen Comics and Gaming (Bridgeport), 304-848-9210

 

INTERNATIONAL

Canada

GameKnight Games and Cool Stuff (Winnipeg), 204-487-4263

 

Mexico

Mana Screw (Costa Azul), 52-1-646-176-4406

 

Read all about the game here.

International Games Week

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IGW-logo

IGW-logo

For a few years now the American Library Association has put together a huge gaming event called International Games Week. The idea is simple. Get people to play games and use the local library as a great community space to do it! This year, Fireside Games is going to be participating here in our great town of Austin.

The event runs from November 4th through the 10th, but Justin and Anne-Marie will be spending this Saturday, November 10th at the Austin Central Library (the one with the 37 foot tall Grackle inspired sculpture!) running free demos of a bunch of games.

The Library is at 710 W. César Chávez St. and the gaming will be all the way up on the 6th floor. The event goes from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and our friends from Steve Jackson Games will be there as well, so there’s really no reason not to come join the fun.

If you’re looking for an event in your neck of the woods, check out the ALA’s website, where they have information about all the goings on. In addition, here’s a great map that shows all the libraries around the world that will be participating in IGW!

International Games Day Map 2018

Can’t make it out to a library, or there isn’t an event near you? Not to worry. ALA has you covered with an entire page full of links to FREE Print-and-play games! Give your printer and your scissors a workout and you can get in on the fun as well.

No matter how you celebrate it, we hope you have a great time spreading the awesomeness that is board gaming during International Games Week!

Grackles Demos Perching Near You!

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Grackles-Purple-Box

Grackles-Purple-Box

Love pretty abstract games? You’ll want to play Grackles. On your turn, you take one of four actions and plot to have the most birds on telephone lines. Game stores across North America will be hosting free Grackles demos September 22–23.

 

Find a participating store near you from the list below and compete to line up your birds!

UPDATED 9/19

John and Sarah, the designers of Grackles will be running some very special demo events this weekend in their home state of California! If you’re in the area, come by for a unique chance to play the game and meet the very nice folks that designed it! (Click here for details)

Arizona

Imperial Outpost Games (Glendale), 602-978-0467

 

Arkansas

Dragon’s Keep Gaming Room (Fayetteville), 479-249-8888

 
California – NEW!

The Game Getaway (Folsom), 916-234-7541 Saturday 12pm – 3pm

Great Escape Games (Sacremento), 916-927-0810 Sunday 3pm – 6pm

 

Colorado

Crit Castle Games (Aurora), 303-745-4140

Petrie’s Family Games (Colorado Springs), 719-522-1099

 

Connecticut

The Board Room (Middletown), 860-788-7824

Connecticut Gaming Center (Waterbury), 203-527-3918

 

Georgia

Tyche’s (Athens), 706-354-4500

Dice Drop Games (Macon), 478-737-1192

 

Hawaii

The Armchair Adventurer (Honolulu), 808-843-1250

Other Realms Ltd. (Honolulu), 808-596-8236

 

Idaho

Gameopolis (Idaho Falls), 208-529-8026

Safari Pearl Comics (Moscow), 208-882-9499

Gaming Adventures (New Plymouth), 208-649-4244

 

Illinois

AlleyCat Comics (Chicago), 773-907-3404

Bonus Round Games Cafe (Chicago), 773-857-1037

 

Indiana

Power Nine Gaming (Fort Wayne), 260-387-6136

Better World Books (Goshen), 574-534-1984

Good Games (Indianapolis), 317-493-1423

Saltire Games (Indianapolis), 317-823-1645

 

Kansas

Mission: Board Games (Mission), 913-242-7970

Sente (Wichita), 316-640-5344

 

Louisiana

Anubis Game & Hobby (Broussard), 337-330-6096

 

Maryland

Play More Games! Store (Gaithersburg), 240-801-9375

Dream Wizards (Rockville), 301-881-3530

Dice City Games (Silver Spring), 443-424-2637

 

Michigan

Acropolis Games (Adrian), 517-577-6192

Destiny Games (Canton), 734-404-5548

Nostalgia, Ink (Jackson), 517-784-8955

 

Minnesota

The Gaming Goat (Saint Paul), 651-690-4628

 

Mississippi

maCnarB Gaming (Gautier), 228-497-0303

 

Missouri

Pawn and Pint (Kansas City), 415-613-0476

 

Nebraska

Gauntlet Games (Lincoln), 402-420-5060

The Game Shoppe (Omaha), 402-991-8699

Sparta Games (Omaha), 402-934-8330

 

Nevada

The Glass Die (Reno), 775-384-1456

 

New Mexico

Zia Comics and Games (Las Cruces), 575-405-0461

 

New York

The Brooklyn Strategist (Brooklyn), 718-576-3035

Just Games Rochester (Rochester), 585-586-0586

 

North Carolina

Rocket City Games and More (Jacksonville), 910-577-5556

Event Horizon Games (Raleigh), 919-977-4009

Gamers Guild (Spring Lake), 910-497-2354

 

Ohio

The Guardtower (Columbus), 614-488-4311

Tabletop Game Cafe (Columbus), 614-725-0328

Bell, Book & Comic (Dayton), 937-643-9006

Beyond the Board (Dublin), 614-553-7677

Barnes & Noble (Pickerington), 614-751-0927

 

Oregon

Borderlands Games (Salem), 503-485-2554

 

Pennsylvania

Deal Me in Games (Boyertown), 484-415-0058

The Games Keep (West Chester), 484-905-5533

Caffeinated Gaming (Zieglerville), 610-287-1624

 

Rhode Island

Reality A Games (West Warwick), 401-500-1545

 

Tennessee

901 Comics (Memphis), 901-421-8819

 

Texas

Mage’s Sanctum (Austin), 512-428-4402

Brickhouse Games (Garland), 972-926-3398

Dragon’s Lair (Houston), 832-761-0072

Flash Candy and Toys (Lockhart), 512-668-5075

Mad Hatter’s House of Games (Lubbock), 806-763-4054

Stormcrow Games (Lubbock), 806-778-4281

Darkhound Game Center (Mansfield), 817-225-6145

Sockmonkey Junction (Mansfield), 682-999-8697

Madness Games & Comics (Plano), 972-943-8135

 

Utah

Blackfyre Games (Pleasant Grove), 801-785-9713

Game Haven (St. George), 435-627-0616

Demolition Games (Salt Lake City), 385-229-4739

 

Virginia

The Island Games (Centreville), 515-599-0360

Crossroads Tabletop Tavern (Manassas), 571-364-8885

 

Wisconsin

Lake Geneva Games (Lake Geneva), 262-885-1515

TK Games (Menomonee Falls), 262-257-0800

I’m Board! Games and Family Fun (Middleton), 608-831-6631

The GameBoard (Sheboygan), 920-453-4263

 

West Virginia

Four Horsemen Comics (Bridgeport), 304-848-9210

 

Wyoming

Games Gauntlet (Laramie), 307-299-7976

 

INTERNATIONAL

Canada

North of Exile Games (Penetanguishene, Ontario), 705-614-2801

Mexico

Mana Screw (Costa Azul), 52-1-646-176-4406

 

Read all about the game here.

Remnants Demos Across the Land!

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Remnants-Splash-Red

Be ready for the post-apocalypse! Or at least have fun with real-time dice-rolling to scavenge for resources, building your compound, and fighting over Raiders and Mutant Creatures. Game stores across North America will be hosting free Remnants demos September 15–16.

 

Find a participating store near you from the list below and compete to become the lone survivor!

 

Arizona

Imperial Outpost Games (Glendale), 602-978-0467

 

Arkansas

Dragon’s Keep Gaming Room (Fayetteville), 479-249-8888

 

Colorado

Crit Castle Games (Aurora), 303-745-4140

Petrie’s Family Games (Colorado Springs), 719-522-1099

 

Connecticut

The Board Room (Middletown), 860-788-7824

Connecticut Gaming Center (Waterbury), 203-527-3918

 

Georgia

Dice Drop Games (Macon), 478-737-1192

 

Hawaii

The Armchair Adventurer (Honolulu), 808-843-1250

Other Realms Ltd. (Honolulu), 808-596-8236

 

Idaho

Safari Pearl Comics (Moscow), 208-882-9499

Gaming Adventures (New Plymouth), 208-649-4244

 

Illinois

AlleyCat Comics (Chicago), 773-907-3404

Bonus Round Games Cafe (Chicago), 773-857-1037

 

Indiana

Power Nine Gaming (Fort Wayne), 260-387-6136

Better World Books (Goshen), 574-534-1984

Good Games (Indianapolis), 317-493-1423

 

Kansas

Game Nut Entertainment (Lawrence), 785-856-1540

Mission: Board Games (Mission), 913-242-7970

Gatekeeper Hobbies (Topeka), 785-232-3429

Sente (Wichita), 316-640-5344

 

Louisiana

Anubis Game & Hobby (Broussard), 337-330-6096

 

Maryland

Play More Games! Store (Gaithersburg), 240-801-9375

Dream Wizards (Rockville), 301-881-3530

Dice City Games (Silver Spring), 443-424-2637

 

Michigan

Acropolis Games (Adrian), 517-577-6192

Pandemonium Games and Hobbies (Garden City), 734-427-2451

Nostalgia, Ink (Jackson), 517-784-8955

 

Minnesota

The Gaming Goat (Saint Paul), 651-690-4628

 

Missouri

Pawn and Pint (Kansas City), 415-613-0476

 

Nebraska

Gauntlet Games (Lincoln), 402-420-5060

The Game Shoppe (Omaha), 402-991-8699

Sparta Games (Omaha), 402-934-8330

 

Nevada

The Glass Die (Reno), 775-384-1456

 

New Mexico

Zia Comics and Games (Las Cruces), 575-405-0461

 

New York

The Brooklyn Strategist (Brooklyn), 718-576-3035

Just Games Rochester (Rochester), 585-586-0586

 

North Carolina

Rocket City Games and More (Jacksonville), 910-577-5556

Scott’s Collectibles (Kannapolis), 704-784-2277

Event Horizon Games (Raleigh), 919-977-4009

Gamers Guild (Spring Lake), 910-497-2354

 

Ohio

The Guardtower (Columbus), 614-488-4311

Tabletop Game Cafe (Columbus), 614-725-0328

Beyond the Board (Dublin), 614-553-7677

Barnes & Noble (Pickerington), 614-751-0927

 

Oregon

Borderlands Games (Salem), 503-485-2554

 

Pennsylvania

Deal Me in Games (Boyertown), 484-415-0058

Caffeinated Gaming (Zieglerville), 610-287-1624

 

Rhode Island

Reality A Games (West Warwick), 401-500-1545

 

South Carolina

Firefly Toys and Games (Columbia), 803-764-0596

 

Tennessee

901 Comics (Memphis), 901-421-8819

 

Texas

Dragon’s Lair (Austin), 512-454-2399

Mage’s Sanctum (Austin), 512-428-4402

Brickhouse Games (Garland), 972-926-3398

Dragon’s Lair (Houston), 832-761-0072

Flash Candy and Toys (Lockhart), 512-668-5075

Mad Hatter’s House of Games (Lubbock), 806-763-4054

Stormcrow Games (Lubbock), 806-778-4281

Darkhound Game Center (Mansfield), 817-225-6145

Sockmonkey Junction (Mansfield), 682-999-8697

Madness Games & Comics (Plano), 972-943-8135

 

Utah

Noggin Games (Cedar City), 435-586-3423

Blackfyre Games (Pleasant Grove), 801-785-9713

Game Haven (St. George), 435-627-0616

Demolition Games (Salt Lake City), 385-229-4739

 

Virginia

The Island Games (Centreville), 515-599-0360

Crossroads Tabletop Tavern (Manassas), 571-364-8885

 

Washington

Krampus Kave (Leavenworth), 509-888-2422

 

Wisconsin

Planet Chaos (Fort Atkinson), 920-563-2664

I’m Board! Games and Family Fun (Middleton), 608-831-6631

The GameBoard (Sheboygan), 920-453-4263

 

Wyoming

Games Gauntlet (Laramie), 307-299-7976

 

INTERNATIONAL

Canada

North of Exile Games (Penetanguishene, Ontario), 705-614-2801

 

Mexico

Mana Screw (Costa Azul), 52-1-646-176-4406

 

Read all about the game here.

The 3rd Annual International Panic Day

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Panic-Day

Castle-Panic

We’re thrilled to be celebrating our 3rd annual International Panic Day! What started out as a funny way of observing a silly holiday has turned into a great way of sharing the love of Castle Panic.

 

This year, we are celebrating on June 2 with new Castle Panic Event Kits. Each kit supports 16 players and offers 3 different game formats: casual play, team play, and scenario play.

  • Casual play is noncompetitive and offers new players the opportunity to learn this evergreen, cooperative game.
  • Team play provides a group competitive experience in which teams add up slain monsters to win prizes.
  • Scenario play offers a unique, exclusive way to play Castle Panic. In this format, 2 teams play head-to-head in Nightmare Mode, throwing their slain monsters into the forest of the competing team. The goal is to have the last tower standing. And it is a fast blast!

 

Each participant receives a new promo card. Team and scenario play winners receive exclusive suede Monster bags (as does the Event Coordinator). Runners up go home with Monster-eye game totes. And the person who most contributes to the spirit of the event is awarded the Defender of the Realm pin.

 

Kits include the rewards listed above as well as event instructions, an event sign-up sheet, and 2 demo copies of Castle Panic. An Add-On Kit is also available without the demo copies. Retailers may contact distributors for pricing and to place orders.

 

For retailers and distributors, we also have the following marketing assets here.

 

  • images of the kit contents
  • web banners
  • shelf-talker (to place below Castle Panic)
  • Facebook ads (with and without text)
  • 1920×1080 in-store TV ads

 

Hope to see you at your local game store this June 2 to celebrate!

 

2018-Event-Kit

 

Castle Panic Event Kit

Stock number: FSD 1001EK1

 

Castle Panic Event Kit Add-On

Stock number: FSD 1001EK2

 

Origins Fun Planned

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Origins Game Fair. Where Gaming Begins

We can’t believe Origins is next week! We’re so excited to see everyone there. Come by booth 106 for free demos of Hotshots and Kaiju Crush (our new games this year), free promos and coupons for $5 off each game purchased, and special discount and sale items. We’ll also have play events every night in the Gaming Hall.

 

 

Demos: Be among the first to play our new games Hotshots and Kaiju Crush! Although they won’t be for sale until later this year, you can check them out at Origins. We’ll also have easy, step-by-step, self-guided demos of Bears! and Here, Kitty, Kitty! if you haven’t played those games.

Promos: Stop by to pick up the special River Tile promo for Hotshots and the Siphon Portal promo tile for Kaiju Crush. We’ll also give away the following promos with the purchase of the games they support.

  • Here, Kitty, Kitty!: Milkshake
  • Dastardly Dirigibles: Smoke Bomb
  • The Village Crone: Silver coaster
  • Castle Panic: 2017 ITTD Tower
  • The Wizard’s Tower: Crossbow coaster
  • The Dark Titan: Agranok Level 6
  • Engines of War: Jury Rig
  • Dead Panic: Laser Sight
  • Munchkin Panic: Potion of Mwahahaha!
  • Bloodsuckers: Midnight Sun
  • Bears! and Trail Mix’d: Alarm Clock and scoring sheets

Deals: In addition to receiving $5 off coupons for every game purchased at our booth, we will have discounted games and special items for sale.

  • Dead Panic: $30 (reg. $40)
  • Munchkin Panic: $25 (reg. $40)
  • The Village Crone: $30 (reg. $50)
  • Bloodsuckers: $20 (reg. $40)
  • 2017 International TableTop Day Tower: $5
  • Fireside Games Mug: $5
  • Fireside Games Tumbler: $5

Events: We’re also hosting play events for the first time at Origins! We’ll be in the Gaming Hall from 6:00 to midnight, and here are the games you can get in on each night.

  • Wednesday: Here, Kitty, Kitty!
  • Thursday: Dastardly Dirigibles
  • Friday: The Village Crone
  • Saturday: Castle Panic with all 3 expansions

Engines of War Demos Roll On!

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Engines of War Builds the Panic

Engines-of-War-Available-Now

Time to add ballistas, catapults, and spring traps to Castle Panic! Game stores across the USA will be hosting free Engines of War demos January 7–8. Read all about the game here, and find a participating store near you from the list below to start building your own engines of war!

Arkansas

Dragon’s Keep Gaming Room (Fayetteville), 479-249-8888

 

Arizona

Imperial Outpost Games (Glendale), 602-978-0467

 Game Depot (Tempe), 480-966-4727

California

Comic Quest (Lake Forest), 949-951-9668

Crazy Squirrel Game Store (Fresno), 559-431-0188

Game Kastle (Fremont), 510-651-4263

 

Colorado

Crit Castle Games (Aurora), 303-745-4140

Shep’s Games (Aurora), 303-690-0566

Enchanted Grounds (Littleton), 303-795-0772

 

Connecticut

Regency Gaming (Mashantucket), 860-917-1111

YFN Tabletop Shop (Newington), 860-436-2213

 

Florida

Emerald City (Clearwater), 727-398-2665

 

Georgia

Heroes and Villains (Warner Robins), 478-322-0004

Prime Time Gaming (Macon), 478-257-7018

Tyche’s Games (Athens), 706-354-4500

 

Idaho

Gameopolis (Idaho Falls), 208-529-8026

Safari Pearl Comics (Moscow), 208-882-9499

 

Illinois

Red Raccoon Games (Bloomington), 309-828-9196

 

Indiana

Deck Factory Gaming Center (Fort Wayne), 260-498-2153

Good Games Indianapolis (Indianapolis), 317-493-1423

Secret Door Games (Elkhart), 574-350-2295

 

Kansas

Wizard’s Asylum (Wichita), 316-262-6642

 

Kentucky

Legendary Games (Richmond), 859-575-7284

The Louisville Game Shop (Louisville), 502-456-2734

 

Maryland

Looking for Games (Rockville), 301-378-8550

Neverland Games (Hagerstown), 301-739-4263

Play More Games (Gaithersburg), 240-801-9375

Walt’s Cards and Games (Dundalk), 301-466-9603

 

Michigan

Acropolis Games (Adrian), 517-577-6192

Destiny Games (Canton), 734-404-5548

The Gamer’s Wharf (Grandville), 616-551-3881

Pandemonium Games and Hobbies (Garden City), 734-427-2451

TC War Room (Traverse City), 231-943-0248

 

Mississippi

Dark Knights Gaming (Long Beach), 228-236-7580

 

Missouri

Game Nite (St. Louis), 314-270-8440

Cards ‘n Stripes Games (Republic), 417-647-5151

The Fantasy Shop, South County (St. Louis), 314-842-8228

 

North Carolina

Cape Fear Games (Wilmington), 910-798-6006

Red Door Games (Richlands), 910-430-0132

Scott’s Collectibles (Kannapolis), 704-784-2277

 

Nebraska

The Game Shoppe (Omaha), 402-991-8699

Gauntlet Games (Lincoln), 402-420-5060

Sparta Games (Omaha), 402-934-8330

 

Nevada

Games Galore (Reno), 775-826-7788

 

New Jersey

Arcana Toys Games and Hobbies (Washington), 908-223-1120

Elite Battlegrounds (Green Brook), 732-424-0744

The Game Room Store (Woodbridge), 732-636-1111

 

New York

Alterniverse (Hyde Park), 845-233-4234

Dragon Snack Games (Buffalo), 716-833-0740

The Game Gamut (Pittsford), 585-218-0988

Legendary Realms Games (Plainview), 516-595-7088

 

Ohio

In the Ball Park (Lancaster), 740-653-5955

The Rook OTR (Cincinnati), 513-954-8191

 

Oregon

Haven Gaming (Salem), 503-990-7570

Red Castle Games (Portland), 503-774-4263

 

Pennsylvania

The Game Table Café (Mechanicsburg), 717-695-0836

 

Tennessee

The Game Cave (Hermitage), 615-678-5768

 

Texas

Dragon’s Lair (Houston), 832-761-0072

Flash Candy and Toys (Lockhart), 512-668-5075

 

Utah

Game Haven (St. George), 435-627-0616

Fongo Bongo Games (Riverton), 801-938-5962

Mystic Hobby Games (Sandy), 801-571-8258

 

Virginia

The Island Games (Centreville), 515-599-0360

 

Washington

Fantasium Comics & Games (Federal Way), 253-874-3084

 

Wisconsin

The GameBoard (Sheboygan), 920-453-4263

I’m Board! Games and Family Fun (Middleton), 608-831-6631

Pegasus Games (Madison), 608-833-4263

Dastardly Dirigibles Demos Galore!

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photo of Dastardly Dirigibles Demos

Dastardly Dirigibles Demos

Break out your goggles, wrenches, and cravats! Game stores across the USA will be hosting free Dastardly Dirigibles demos August 13–14.

Dastardly Dirigibles Demos

Find a participating store near you from the list below and compete to become the heir to Professor Hornswoggle’s airship-building factory!

Arizona: Imperial Outpost Games (Glendale), 602-978-0467

Arkansas: Dragon’s Keep Gaming Room (Fayetteville), 479-249-8888

California: Comic Quest (Lake Forest), 949-951-9668
California: 4 Color Fantasies (Rancho Cucamonga), 855-692-6642

Colorado: Crit Castle Games (Aurora), 303-745-4140

Connecticut: Regency Gaming (Mashantucket), 860-917-1111

Georgia: Heroes and Villains (Warner Robins), 478-322-0004
Georgia: Tyche’s Games (Athens), 706-354-4500

Hawaii: The Armchair Adventurer (Honolulu), 808-843-1250
Hawaii: Other Realms Ltd. (Honolulu), 808-596-8236

Idaho: Gameopolis (Idaho Falls), 208-529-8026
Idaho: Safari Pearl Comics (Moscow), 208-882-9499

Illinois: Titan Games (Peoria), 309-981-5376

Iowa: Games King (Sioux City), 712-224-4238
Iowa: Games Plus One (Davenport), 563-391-1680

Indiana: Better World Books (Goshen), 574-534-1984
Indiana: Secret Door Games (Elkhart), 574-350-2295

Kansas: Boom Comic Shop (Lawrence), 785-856-2709

Maine: All About Games (Belfast), 207-338-9984

Maryland: Canton Games (Baltimore), 410-276-2640
Maryland: Play More Games! Store (Gaithersburg), 240-801-9375

Michigan: Acropolis Games (Adrian), 517-577-6192
Michigan: Nostalgia, Ink (Jackson), 517-784-8955
Michigan: TC War Room (Traverse City), 231-943-0248
Michigan: Warriors 3 Comics & Games (Wayne), 734-895-9069

Mississippi: Dark Knights Gaming (Long Beach), 228-236-7580

Missouri: The Bearded Dragon Collectibles and Hobbies (Independence), 816-427-1264
Missouri: Game Nite (St. Louis), 314-270-8440

Montana: Rooks Comics and Games (Bozeman), 406-556-2153

Nebraska: Hobbytown USA (Lincoln), 402-434-5040
Nebraska: Sparta Games (Omaha), 402-934-8330

New Mexico: Zia Comics and Games (Las Cruces), 575-405-0461

New Jersey: Arcana Toys Games and Hobbies (Washington), 908-223-1120
New Jersey: The Bearded Dragon Games (Bernardsville), 908-502-5112
New Jersey: Elite Battlegrounds (Green Brook), 732-424-0744

New York: Alterniverse (Hyde Park), 845-233-4234
New York: Legendary Realms Games (Plainview), 516-595-7088

North Carolina: Game Theory (Raleigh), 919-787-4449
North Carolina: Red Door Games (Richlands), 910-430-0132

Ohio: Recess (North Olmstead), 440-779-7008

Oregon: Guardian Games (Portland), 503-238-4000
Oregon: Off the Charts Games (Gresham), 503-912-1220

Pennsylvania: Comix Connection (York), 717-767-4871
Pennsylvania: The Game Table Café (Mechanicsburg), 717-695-0836

Rhode Island: Toy Vault Games (Warwick), 401-738-4325

Tennessee: The Game Cave (Hermitage), 615-678-5768
Tennessee: Hobbytown USA (Knoxville), 865-675-8647
Tennessee: Stabler Games & Comics (Oakridge), 865-685-0279

Virginia: The Island Games (Centreville), 515-599-0360

Washington, D.C.: Labyrinth Game Shop, 202-544-1059

Wisconsin: The GameBoard (Sheboygan), 920-453-4263
Wisconsin: Pegasus Games (Madison), 608-833-4263

Read all about the game here.

Gen Con Goodness

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Fireside Games Gen Con 2016 Booth Number 743

Final preparations are underway for Gen Con 2016, and we couldn’t be more excited! We’ll have free demos, promos, events, and all kinds of fun!

Fireside-2016-Gencon1-Facebook

Free Demos in Booth #743: Want to check out the latest games from Fireside? This is the best way to make sure you’re taught the rules correctly with friendly people who want to make sure your experience is great. We’ll be demoing Star Trek Panic, Here, Kitty, Kitty!, Dastardly Dirigibles, and Bears! in booth #743.

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Promos for Demos: We’ll also be giving demoers these hard- to-find promos for checking out the games.
Star Trek Panic: Vulcan Mind-Meld
Here, Kitty, Kitty!: Milkshake
Dastardly Dirigibles: Smoke Bomb
Bears!: Alarm Clock

Fireside-2016-Gencon3-Facebook

Heir-On-Stick-Blog-PostExtras: Dastardly Dirigibles winners can pose with the dapper Heir-on-a-Stick to show their win to the world. And purchasers of Star Trek Panic receive a spare U.S.S. Enterprise! It’ll look great on your desk. That is, until you need to replace the one in your game after all of that damage!

Events: This year, Fireside Games is hosting events for the first time! We sold out of our original events within 3 days and opened up more. Just 4 seats remain open. One for Dead Panic, and three for The Village CroneClick here to sign up. After you click on the link, select the Board Game category to find our events. Hope to see you there!

FREE Bears! Demos in stores for Release of Second Edition

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Bears! second edition box cover

Bears-Splash-Event-Post

The Second Edition of Bears! is now available at stores across the country! To celebrate this and help you and your friends get up and playing faster, we are partnering with the Envoy program to bring in-store demos to a store near you!

Below is a list of the stores that have signed on to host demos (listed by State). Please contact the store directly to get demo times:

Dragon’s Keep Gaming Room                      Fayetteville, AR
It’s Your Move Games & Hobbies               Oakland, CA
Crit Castle Games                                           Aurora, CO
Elm City Games                                              New Haven, CT
Labyrinth Games & Puzzles                         Washington, DC
The Adventure Game Store                          Davie, FL
Other Realms Ltd                                           Honolulu, HI
The Armchair Adventurer                            Honolulu, HI
Gameopolis                                                      Idaho Falls, ID
Cat and Mouse Games                                   Chicago, IL
Red Raccoon Games                                      Bloomington, IL
Better World Books                                        Goshen, IN
GameQuest                                                       Fort Wayne, IN
Secret Door Games                                         Elkhart, IN
Hero Complex Games & Entertainment    Wichita, KS
A+ Comics and Games                                   Lexington, KY
Play More Games                                            Gaithersburg, MD
Acropolis Games                                             Adrian, MI
The Loaded Die                                               Ferndale, MI
Highlander Games                                         Minneapolis, MN
Dark Knight Gaming (CoastCon)                Long Beach, MS
Red Door Games                                             Richlands, NC
Your Local Game Store                                  Matthews, NC
Hobbytown USA                                             Lincoln, NE
Arcana Toys, Games, & Hobbies                 Washington, NJ
Alterniverse                                                     Hyde Park, NY
Dragon Snack Games                                    Buffalo, NY
Legendary Realms Games                            Plainview, NY
Play the Game, Read the Story                    Syracuse, NY
Old School Gaming                                        Toledo, OH
Recess                                                               North Olmstead, OH
Zimm’s Realm                                                 Ada, OK
Guardian Games                                             Portland, OR
The Temple Games                                         Pawtucket, RI
Roll2Play                                                          Coppell, TX
The Island Games                                           Centreville, VA
Pegasus Games                                                Madison, WI

Your favorite local game store not on the list? Let them know we will be offering these in-store demos throughout the year with each new release and they can participate in future events. They can contact our Marketing team to get details.

Will you be playing along at home? Download Bears! score sheets and scoring reminder cards!

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scoring reminder cards in Bears!

International TableTop Day – Part 2

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Kris wearing flame hat

We had representatives on the ground at two additional events for International Table Top Day this year. We’re excited the growth of the company has provided us the additional staff so we can play games with more people in more locations on more occasions in the future.

The Flame Hat made its debut at The Malted Meeple for International TableTop Day. Pretty swank, huh?

First up, we started the day in Hudson, OH with Kris and Maureen on location at The Malted Meeple, a gaming cafe that offers a wide variety of snacks and beverages (craft beers and sodas, and hand-crafted milkshakes!) as well as an extensive game library. Kris debuted the Flame Hat in her intro video for the event. You can watch it in action below:

The Malted Meeple main gaming area.
This area was packed all day!

We got set up in an event space off the main room around 11 AM and there were already several gamers at other tables enjoying games. We were set up to handle demos of Castle Panic with The Dark Titan, as well as Dead Panic and Bears! Partway through the day they broke out a copy of Munchkin Panic to show a few gamers how they were different and get a couple more demos underway.

We were running multiple demos all day. Our tables were always full!

Aside from the event room we had copies of the games out at tables in the main room among the throngs of people who kept the staff at The Malted Meeple hopping all day with milkshake orders and lots of snack prep! There was rarely an empty table and the place stayed full well into the evening. Maureen even played a couple of raucous games of Bears! right at the bar!

A rare moment you could actually see the bar, they were so busy all day and even had to call in extra staff!

It was great fun to see our games making the rounds and meet some big fans who came out specifically for Castle Panic swag. We even got to see our Troll coasters all over the place with each drink order!

Image courtesy of The Malted Meeple.
Our Troll coasters in action!

Next up, a few hours later and entire time zone away, Edgar and Gabby were at Dragon’s Lair Comic & Fantasy in Austin, TX for their in-store event!

They ran several demos of Castle Panic with The Dark Titan as well as a few with Castle Panic and BOTH The Dark Titan and The Wizard’s Tower expansions! Edgar also ran some people through some exciting games of Bears! They ran out of space and time as the tables remained full all day, but managed to talk to a lot of people about the upcoming Bears! Trail Mix’d expansion to Bears! as well as the forthcoming The Village Crone, expected out this fall.

Image courtesy of Dragon’s Lair Austin
Edgar giving the Castle Panic + The Dark Titan + The Wizard’s Tower demo

Dragon’s Lair is an awesome store and they planned a big event with several game companies represented and lots of open gaming happening. The staff there was very accommodating and supportive and the event attendees were great fun. There were even a few people who survived The Dark Titan! It was a long day full of fun, Castle destruction, and awesome people.

We look forward to future events at Dragon’s Lair and hope to see more of the Austin gaming community out at events like this. Thanks to the folks at Dragon’s Lair and The Malted Meeple for helping us have such a successful International TableTop Day!

Kris & Maureen will be back at The Malted Meeple later in the month as we are in their Publisher Spotlight this month. So if you are local in Ohio and missed TableTop Day you get a second chance at the fun. Check our calendar and watch our Facebook for information on the next visit.

You’ll be seeing more of Edgar as well as he heads up our new volunteer corps, The Torch Program. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer for Fireside Games, we are currently actively recruiting for the Austin area as well as for GenCon 2015. Contact us for more details.

International TableTop Day – Part 1

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Geek & Sundry sign

Anne-Marie and Justin took a whirlwind trip to LA to attend the flagship TableTop Day event at Geek & Sundry’s secret Headquarters in Burbank. The day started off early with people lining up to get in. The “secret” headquarters weren’t so secret with giant, inflatable G&S logos everywhere, so it was pretty easy to find.

Justin and Anne-Marie got there early and were able to see the place while it was still empty. Geek & Sundry has a pretty sweet soundstage to work with!

Since we were sponsors of TableTop Day, we were given a VIP table where we could show off The Dark Titan. We had help this year from local game gurus, Eric Burgess and Devi Hughes. These two were awesome, running demos and keeping players entertained all day long. We couldn’t have done the event without them! Plus Eric brought famous strawberry donuts from The Donut Man, which of course Justin had to try.

 

Before long, the doors were open and gamers came flooding in! Tables were filled and many games began. People were excited to try The Dark Titan, but a lot of the people that came by the table hadn’t played Castle Panic yet at all. They soon realized they were getting a special treat when the designer of the game taught them how to play!

Devi gets some players started on a game of Castle Panic with The Dark Titan.

Felica Day kicked things off with a quick speech and was there all day playing games with people and shaking hands. Geek & Sundry had a library where players could check out games, as well as a merchandise booth where you could get a drink or pick up some sweet G&S swag!

While Eric and Devi taught some demos, Justin and Anne-Marie went out into the crowd to visit with fans and take in the whole event. We found some Bears! players, and Anne-Marie was able to teach the game to them, but she didn’t get the highest score that game!

There was a photo op with a couch and cutout of Felica Day that got a lot of attention that day as well as a Loser’s Couch. Here our buddy Patrick from Crash Games poses with a group of players that were defeated.

 

It was a great time with a great feel to it. Justin took this panorama shot standing in the middle of the soundstage, which kind of gives you a little bit of the feel of the whole thing.

Click to enlarge

 

The event was so large, they had to extend it out of the soundstage and into a tented area in the parking lot. And it was NEVER empty.

We also encountered a group of Munchkin players diving into the world of Munchkin Panic, so we stopped to talk with them. Once they realized they were talking with the designer of the game, they wanted to get their photo taken with Anne-Marie. It was a lot of fun to meet fans of our games at this event, since so many of them are new to gaming they are very passionate and very excited to meet the creators in person.

 

There were also 3 food trucks at the event providing Hawaiian shaved ice, Japanese-style hotdogs and gourmet grilled cheese. The lines may have been long, but it was worth it.

 

Later in the afternoon, Wil Wheaton arrived and thanked everyone for coming. It’s fun to see how drawn to him people are, and he really does make a great ambassador for gaming. He was running a live stream on Twitch that should be available shortly, and we’ll let you know once we have access to that.

We ran a bunch more demos and made a lot of players happy. Even if Agranok did crush their towers, players still left with smiles on their faces.

 

Eventually though, 6:00 rolled around, and it was time to close down the event. Wil and Felicia gave a very nice closing speech reminding everyone that this hobby brings us all together like nothing else and also pointing out that this year TableTop Day was celebrated on every continent on the planet, including Antarctica! It was really great to be a part of something so big, and we hope everyone had a blast playing games with old friends and new ones. Thanks to everyone that helped organize an event, or just joined one to make it more fun!

The Dark Titan Launch Party!

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Agranok cake

It’s official, The Dark Titan is now available everywhere! Last Saturday, we headed out to local Austin store, Wonko’s to celebrate the release of this highly-anticipated expansion to Castle Panic.

We started up our first few games and then took a brief break to slice up another one of our now famous cakes! Jarred once again went above and beyond by creating a fabulous cake featuring the Dark Titan himself, Agranok, looming out of a Castle-shaped base.  Agranok was chocolate-covered Rice Krispies, and the cake was chocolate with cherry filling. The towers were ice cream cones filled with cake, so the entire thing was edible. To top it off, Jarred placed two small containers in the cake that when filled with dry ice and water caused spooky smoke to flow out over the Castle, just like the cover of the game!

 

After being devoured in his delicious cake form, the Dark Titan came back for revenge in board game form! Game after game saw walls crushed and towers destroyed as players felt the wrath of Agranok!

 

Agranok was defeated in our first game and the Castle survived, but our next game wouldn’t fare so well. Once again our villain showed no mercy to children, as these excited young gamers were about to find out when he made his way into their Castle along with a few Heralds for backup.

 

As the afternoon went on, we started up new games to let players try their hand at the new expansion. Here, Anne-Marie gets a family up to speed before they dive in.

 

In between games, Justin and Anne-Marie signed copies of the base game as well as both expansions. Wonko’s could barely keep up with demand as they sold out of The Wizard’s Tower and The Dark Titan was flying off the shelf! The day ended with many happy gamers going home with new games, promo cards, happy memories, and bellies full of cake. We wish all our fans out there the best of luck in taking on this newest challenge. Here’s to many more successful battles and saved Castles!

The Dark Titan Descends on San Angelo

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San Angelo is small town in West Texas that was founded in the 1800’s when the U.S. constructed Fort Concho in an attempt to defend frontier settlers from hostile attackers. It seems very fitting then that San Angelo would be the final stop of The Dark Titan Cometh tour. After all, here is where many brave defenders would make their stand against one very hostile, 8-point attacker and his army of monsters!

San Angelo also happens to be the home of Specialties Games, Toys, & Gifts, one of our favorite stores that we first visited back in 2013 during our West by Southwest tour. We arrived on Monday afternoon and were quickly greeted by owners George and Linda Bell and a crowd of enthusiastic players. After visiting for a short time, we set up a game of Castle Panic, The Wizard’s Tower, and The Dark Titan and the great battle began!

The first game got off to a terrifying start after losing the Wizard’s Tower to a boulder early in the game. Our players fought on through a roller coaster of last-minute saves and heroic comebacks, but in the end the ominous foreshadowing from earlier in the game came true as a Trebuchet knocked down the last tower right after our heroes had cleared monsters from the Castle ring. There was much sadness.

But not for long!

Our second group of players (and 1 returning player from the first game) took their places around the table and the battle with Agranok was begun again.

This time our players kept their wits and their walls up, and things went much better. At least for a while . . . Then the Wizard’s Tower was destroyed and the game took a turn for the worse. Agranok was destroyed shortly after entering the battle, but he brought back 3 of his Heralds before succumbing to our defenders blows. The sudden appearance of the Orc Warlord pushed 2 Heralds into the Castle ring, and despite the players best efforts, the final tower fell under attack from a Herald, and the land was cast into darkness.

That’s never something you want to see . . .

 

During all this medieval combat, we visited with our friend Rick Perez from Let’s Level Up as well as several other fans who we hadn’t seen since our 2013 visit. There were lots of games signed and cookies eaten as well. (Thanks to Linda for providing snacks!) It was a great afternoon and a fantastic way to finish off The Dark Titan Cometh Tour! We said our goodbyes, packed up the minivan, and headed out for a quick bite to eat before hitting the road for Austin and some well-earned rest.

With the tour ending, that means it’s your turn to finally face down Agranok! The Dark Titan will be officially available for sale on April 1st, and if you order it from our web store, you’ll receive the special promotional Level 6 version of Agranok that we’ve been handing out during the tour. This is an exclusive card that you won’t find anywhere else, so gather your friends and see if you can make your stand against the Dark Titan!