Welcome home.
It’s January 17th, and the episode title is “Demon Ponies vs Computers”
[The following is a transcript of Audio EXP: #317]
[Also on Stitcher | Spotify | Apple | YouTube]
d20play won the RPG Publisher Spotlight. What we’ll do is push on with writing up Gear Games even if they don’t get back in touch, and give d20Play a little longer.
The very first Spotlight interview didn’t happen. The first winner, back in 2019, was Rite Publishing, and they took months to respond.
However, the dreadful news was that the company’s founder, Steven D. Russell, had died in a car accident a few years earlier, and Rite was being run by his wife, Miranda. It was an early proof point that I should never hassle someone into responding, as we have no idea what’s going on in a busy publisher’s real life.
It’s been a hard start to 2026, manic and frantic, with projects and a constant stream of unsettling news. Perhaps that’s why I was grinning while blogging about space lords Gwar had covered Chappel Roan. So, if you want to see some alien demons singing about the Pink Pony Club, go hit up the blog.
David LcRocca, artist and founder at publisher Infinite Black, has had a rough start to the year as well and the next project, Nocturnus, has been delayed.
David does not use the words “stolen” or “theft,” but instead talks about unauthorised sales of Infinite Black products. This may have been a crate that’s gone missing or something more personal, such as a fallout with a professional partner, because all we know is that the missing goods were detected when shipping and stock records did not add up.
It’s serious business. Shops need inventory to sell to survive. There’s no new date for Nocturnus.
In better news for human artists, Games Workshop is banning the use of AI. Kevin Rountree, the boss at Games Workshop, admits he’s no expert, but says the company has AI experts, and collectively they’re not impressed with the technology.
I’m not sure about. The incredible thing about AI is just how impressive it can be when used right and how dreadful it is when used wrong, and no matter what, we have the knowledge that a whole bunch of wrongs probably went into getting it that far.
However, I suspect Games Workshop is actually more interested in protecting its IP and their product price. We all know how fiercely protective Games Workshop are of their look and feel.
Games Workshop, for example, wouldn’t let Gwar turn up in a gig looking like Chaos Space Marines.
I’m sure I’m right despite Games Workshop slowly pushing into TV and streaming, while doing more and more in computer games, where AI-assisted code and special effects are far more common and accepted by the community. AI might be tempting them more than they admit, but looking after their current cash cow is more important.
Those thoughts got me started on a project to list tabletop gaming companies with anti-generative-AI policies. Wizards of the Coast is in big names section along with Chaosium, Renegade, Stonemaier and Pazio.
We’ve already had comments from indie studios to point out their own policies, and I’ve been adding them to the list as well. If you know of anyone we should add; let us know.
Oh, and for the record, Geek Native has had an AI policy since 2022, and it gets tighter each year, even though, as a blog, there are loads of AI technologies used by giant companies to get our content to your phone screen or speaker.
The other big project – I did say it had been busy – was The Death of the Safe Bet. Now, this is an analysis of EN World’s Most Anticipated RPGs of 2026 vote in which Deathbringer won. It’s the first time that either the publisher Roll for Combat or Deathbringer has been listed. Sometimes games keep on listing because, despite being anticipated, they don’t actually get published that year.
While I was noodling around in the data, I noticed something else. This is the third year in a row in which an all-new RPG from an indie creator has taken first place. Son of Oak took the top spot last year with Legend in the Mist and Shadow of the Weird Wizard won in 2024. Before then, in the 10 years of data, which takes us back to 2015, it had never happened.
I have three categories of TTRPG in this analysis: original, like Deathbring, Established Legacy such as the 2019 Savage Worlds Adventure Edition winner and Established License such as the 2020 Dune Adventures in the Imperium winner.
So, what’s changed? I think it’s the rise of the community and with tech like Discord, YouTube and TikTok helping those communities to rise in power.
However, 2026 also had the fewest Original games in the EN World top ten for years – only two made it. I’ve called the research ‘Death of a Safe Bet’ because it means you can’t just buy a popular license. You have to earn a community.
An indie game I looked at this week was the quickstart for Brides of Dracula. It’s a bit of a challenging game since Dracula is such an evil git and you’ll be playing as one of the Brides trying to break free from his control, but it’s an example of how TTRPGs don’t need to be dungeon crawls and can tackle complex adult emotions.
If that was sensible research, then the giant Warwolf monster hurler was nonsense. The Warwolf was a real thing, the largest ever trebuchet, and it was used by King Edward against Stirling Castle in the 14th century. History suggests that Stirling Castle tried to surrender, but the King wanted to build and test his weapon.
I plugged some D&D monsters like Mimics and Kobolds into some maths and have a page on the blog where you have to guess or calculate how far the Warwolf could throw the monster. To make it even more challenging, I’ve decided that some D&D monsters aren’t very easy to throw and so assigned a squish penalty to each.
How far do you think the Warwolf could throw a 40lb Kobold? I suggest that the trebuchet could lob it some 613 yards but that Kobolds are not very aerodynamic and have suggested a 61-yard penalty so if you guessed 551 yards, then you are spot on.
While I’ve been launching theoretical kobolds off over the horizon, Bronwen has had her entertainment reporter hat on and written up the first trailer for One Piece season 2.
It’s the first trailer that makes me worry about cancelling my Netflix, and we get a good look at Nico Robin and glance at Mikaela Hoover playing Tony Tony Chopper. That last one will be an interesting character for the live action to cover.
Bronwen was also quick to blog Sophie Turner as Lara Croft. I know we were listing the green flags associated with that TV show last week but, honestly, I’m surprised. Sophie looks like Lara Croft. Based on appearance, she’s been an excellent casting choice.
Now we’re onto the final section and some bundles that we’ve managed to bring to your attention.
First up, on the Bundle of Holding, there’s a Strike Force and Champions 6e combo. Strike Force was a famous superhero campaign in its time.
On Humble, Bronwen blogged about Lone Wolf and Cub, along with a few other classic manga. I took a look at the So You Want To Try Out Call of Cthulhu and suggested it was pretty handy to more experienced Keepers too.
That’s a wrap. Take your demonic pink pony for a trot, keep safe, fight the good fight, and see you next week.
