Coronavirus

Best Zoom games: 7 great board games you can play remotely over video call

Play together - even when you’re apart.

Feature: How button football, Brazil’s favourite tabletop sport, scored a goal during the pandemic

Back of the ‘Net.

UK Games Expo 2022 drops COVID-19 guidelines again, will not require vaccination or face masks

Following reversal of decision before last year’s show.

Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG replaces cancelled 2022 World Championship with regional tournaments

Territorial championships will be held in North America, Europe, Central America, Oceania and South America this summer.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Series dates first in-person tournament for TCG in over two years

Event to return next month following multiple cancellations due to COVID-19.

Dungeons & Dragons brought us closer when the world said to keep our distance

Joining a nerdy, diverse D&D group when I needed it most.

PAX Unplugged makes full vaccination and masks mandatory for December return of board game convention

Following 2020 cancellation due to COVID-19.

Gen Con 2022 dates confirm return of US board game convention next summer

After this year’s in-person event sees 50% of 2019 attendance.

Cyberpunk Red RPG studio R. Talsorian becomes latest publisher to exit Gen Con 2021 over COVID-19 concerns

“We write about Dark Futures for fun, but we also believe we have a responsibility to try and prevent them from happening.”

Gen Con 2021 makes face masks mandatory for all in updated COVID-19 guidelines

Drops option for vaccinated visitors to attend without mask.

UK Games Expo 2021 revises COVID-19 guidelines to make tests, vaccination and masks mandatory

Estimates 50% of regular attendance at return of board game convention later this month.

Essen Spiel 2021 to require proven COVID-19 immunisation or negative test for entry, will enforce mandatory face masks

“Masks will be mandatory at Spiel in any case, even if the government does not make it mandatory.”

Gen Con 2021 will enforce face masks for attendees without proof of COVID-19 vaccination

Vaccinated visitors can choose whether to wear a mask, with event “strongly recommending” protection indoors for all.

UK Games Expo 2021 drops all COVID-19 safety requirements, including masks, tests and social distancing

“UKGE will not enforce any requirements that are not legally required as we do not believe that will be practical on the day.”

9 best print-and-play board games you can download at home

Discover new tabletop experiences from your own home with these top print-and-play games.

Escape from the Two Base Stations gives you and a friend a home escape room to play over video call

Poles apart.

“Digital fatigue” is fuelling board game sales among adults - report

Games and Puzzles market expected to top $12bn worldwide this year, Euromonitor International predicts.

Feature: Tabletop roleplaying has given players comfort, connection and control in a world that’s taken them away

“A really big thing is having an arena where you feel like you have some control over the stories that are told.”

Feature: ‘It’s been a life-saver’: The Warhammer fans who’ve taken tournaments online during lockdown

Forward Slaanesh.

Free time during lockdown helped board game sales to jump in 2020 - report

Games and Puzzles market exceeded $11bn last year, with $12bn predicted in 2021, according to Euromonitor International.

UK Games Expo 2021 announces summer dates for return of in-person convention

Betting large on eight-week delay.

World of Darkness and D&D RPG writer and designer Jackie Cassada dies of COVID-19

Fundraising efforts launched to support collaborator and widow Nicky Rea.

Gen Con plans to return with a physical convention next summer

“A variety of factors need to come together for a physical convention to be feasible.”

PAX Unplugged dated for December 2021

Tabletop convention set to return next year after cancellation due to coronavirus.

Catan: First Adventure is a free spin-off from the classic board game you can print and play at home

No need to pirate it.

The Queen’s Gambit has caused a massive spike in chess sales

On top of a resurgence during lockdown.

Board games ranked by SAGE among top COVID-19 risk factors during holiday gatherings

Seriously, just stay home.

Video chat app Backyard comes with clones of Codenames, Cards Against Humanity and other board games

With games inspired by Secret Hitler, One Night Werewolf and Fish Bowl on the way.

Long-awaited civilisation board game Clash of Cultures: Monumental Edition delayed to spring 2021

Monumental Edition’s price increased to $150 as result of coronavirus.

Feature: “We had to quarantine our games”: Friendly local game stores’ struggle to survive during coronavirus

Board game café owners and retailers on the impact of lockdown and social distancing.

This year’s PAX Unplugged has been cancelled

With no digital replacement.

Feature: What can board game Pandemic teach us about the real thing? We played with a disease expert to find out

Cardboard versus reality.

Castle TriCon is an online board game convention held in a 3D virtual world

Taking place next week.

Civilization: A New Dawn has a new solo mode and AI opponent you can download for free

From Terra Incognita expansion designer.

Feature: The fatigue and loneliness of playing tabletop RPGs online in a pandemic

For players used to the intimacy of face-to-face sessions, taking games such as Dungeons & Dragons onto the internet can be exhausting and alienating.

Have something interesting to say about games? Submit your talk and panel ideas for EGX Digital and PAX Online

Talks, workshops and panels running at this September’s super-sized event.

Transformers TCG brought to an end, less than two years after its release

Past its Prime.

Tabletop games had a record-breaking start to 2020 on Kickstarter, including their biggest-ever month

Gloomhaven sequel Frosthaven raised more money in May than every April campaign combined.

Upcoming WWII deckbuilder Undaunted: North Africa has an official demo on Tabletop Simulator

Play your corps right.

Vampire: The Masquerade and World of Darkness RPG studio Onyx Path is holding a virtual gaming convention

Taking place this weekend.

Magic: The Gathering cancels all remaining in-person events for 2020 as result of COVID-19

Outstanding tournaments to be held in MTG Arena, with new season format for Zendikar Rising.

Ticket to Ride: Stay at Home is a free print-and-play expansion about living under lockdown

Domestic bliss.

Playing Scythe online has given my life stability in a time of great uncertainty

Steel yourselves.

Debut board game from Star Wars: Rebellion designer Corey Konieczka’s studio Unexpected Games delayed to 2021

Development of first release “pretty much done”, with two more projects already in the works.

Stranger Things, Marvel and WWE stars are playing Dungeons & Dragons for Red Nose Day

D&D Live 2020: Roll w/ Advantage line-up includes actors, comedians and wrestlers.

Try the new Pandemic board game, Hot Zone: North America, right now with free print-and-play demo

Shorter, simpler spin-off from co-op hit releasing later this year.

US board game convention Gen Con is cancelled for the first time in its 50-year history

Online event announced in wake of COVID-19 concerns.

Cancelled Essen Spiel 2020 board game convention replaced by online event Spiel.Digital

Taking place during October weekend of ‘postponed’ games fair.

Cyberpunk Red RPG release date delayed after coronavirus 'gut punch'

“There’s just no way we can release in June without compromising quality.”

Essen Spiel 2020 is cancelled

2021 dates announced following ‘postponement’ by one year due to COVID-19.

Zombicide and Blood Rage maker CMON is holding a virtual board games convention this weekend

With designer talks, painting competitions and more.

UK Games Expo 2020 replacement online convention Virtually Expo announced

Following Birmingham show’s cancellation due to COVID-19.

Liven up lockdown video calls with the free Working From Home edition of prank party game Don’t Get Got

Keep it on the download.

Pandemic: Hot Zone - North America officially announced, first in new series of ‘fun-size’ co-op board games

Planned for release this summer, with play-at-home demo on the way.

Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG organised play heads online with ‘remote duels’ in wake of COVID-19 tournament cancellations

Digital initiative coming to apps Duel Links and Legacy of the Duelist.

Oriflamme, one of 2020’s board game highlights so far, gets free two-player rules for coronavirus lockdown play

Official variant available to download now.

Catan’s two-player rules and free mini-expansion released for COVID-19 lockdown

Don’t steal, stay at home.

Species-adapting board game Evolution’s multiplayer app is currently free on mobile

Creature comforts.

Sue Perkins, Nish Kumar and other UK comedians are playing Dungeons & Dragons next week for Comic Relief

Fundraising for COVID-19 support.

NHS Heroes playing cards launched to fundraise for key workers during COVID-19

All proceeds will go to NHS Charities Together.

Play Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle as a lone wizard with free solo rules

A game a day keeps the dementors away.

Limited-edition Warhammer 40,000 miniature headed exclusively to local game stores in COVID-19 support effort

Time to bleed.

UK Games Expo 2020 has been cancelled

Following postponement to August as result of coronavirus.

Essen Spiel 2020 organisers say world’s biggest board game convention will go ahead - for now - despite coronavirus

Events banned in German region of North Rhine-Westphalia until September.

Games Workshop is already preparing to re-open Warhammer stores after COVID-19 lockdown

No US or UK locations included in limited ‘pilot’.

Four starter decks for Keyforge’s upcoming Mass Mutation set released as free print-and-play after COVID-19 delay

Latest expansion pushed back to summer.

Play Carcassonne by yourself or in co-op thanks to free official solo rules for the board game

German publisher also releases single-player variant for Hadara.

Fantasy Flight suspends all X-Wing, Keyforge and Legend of the Five Rings organised play in wake of COVID-19

In-store events postponed until September.

Dead of Winter creator’s next board game Forgotten Waters has retail release date postponed indefinitely

Releasing tool to enable online play.

US tabletop event Origins delayed to autumn, ‘virtual convention’ to be held this summer

Decision made in light of COVID-19 pandemic.

Family board game Kingdomino gets a free print-and-play expansion, The Court

Also compatible with Queendomino.

Spirit Island creator’s co-op board game For Science! launches on Kickstarter, publisher responds to COVID-19 sensitivity concerns

Real-time dexterity game rebranded from ‘Science or Die’.

Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG World Championship 2020 cancelled in response to coronavirus

All WCS qualifiers suspended and national championships postponed.

Play Dungeons & Dragons 5E Starter Set adventure Lost Mines of Phandelver for free on D&D Beyond

Phandelver into a new campaign.

Dixit, Dobble, Unlock! and more family board games released as free print-and-plays to download at home

Ink-credible news.

Grab Tabletop Simulator for 50% off on PC to keep your board game group going over the internet

Including the four-pack bundle.

Cards Against Humanity has a new family-friendly edition you can download for free

A scatological move.

Play party game Love Letter for free with print-and-play edition Sender

April Fool’s Day joke turned real.

Pandemic studio postpones announcement of new games in series due to real-life COVID-19 outbreak

Decision made “out of respect for those affected by the current situation”.

Keyforge, Arkham Horror and X-Wing publisher Fantasy Flight Games delays all upcoming releases as result of COVID-19

All games pushed back by at least a month.

Ticket to Ride maker’s roll-and-write board game Corinth is now free to download

Get the GOAT.

Horror board game Abomination: Heir of Frankenstein gets free downloadable solo mode

For when you’ve got no body to play with.

Grab wizard-battling miniatures game Frostgrave for free, plus solo and co-op scenarios

Rules and mini-campaign available for duration of COVID-19 pandemic.

Zombicide makers’ co-op board game XenoShyft released as free print-and-play to download at home

Don’t Burke at the price.

Scythe designer releases new board game Nine Worlds, free to download now

Pure Euphoria.

Gloomhaven sequel Frosthaven delays Kickstarter launch as result of COVID-19

New Gloomhaven scenario on the way.

What’s happening with Dicebreaker?

Things are changing, but staying (mostly) the same.