Welcome home. This is Audio EXP, the weekly podcast from Geek Native. I am your host, Girdy, and today is the 16th of May, 2026.
[The following is a transcript of Audio EXP: #333]
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This week, we are tracking significant structural changes across the tabletop industry, including a growing digital ownership crisis for the next generation of Dungeons and Dragons, strict new crowdfunding boundaries for mature content, and corporate restructuring at a prominent British publisher.
Before we get into the main headlines, a quick update on our community events. The current roleplaying game publisher spotlight honouree for May is ndvmaps. They have not yet responded to our interview requests, and with the UK Games Expo rapidly approaching at the end of the month, our schedule is getting exceptionally tight. We are going to give them a few more days of grace before moving forward, as we know how frantic the pre-convention season can be for independent creators. You can keep an eye on our RPG Publisher Spotlight hub page for updates.
Our top story looks at the digital horizon for the world’s largest roleplaying game ruleset. The community is increasingly questioning the long-term reality of the digital ecosystem ahead of the next major rule deployment. As Wizards of the Coast pushes further into a live-service, virtual tabletop-centric business model, players are confronting a serious D&D ownership crisis, highlighting why you might access but never own the next edition. The shift suggests that consumers may only ever purchase a licence to access content through an active ecosystem rather than owning permanent, static reference materials, sparking intense debate over digital consumer rights.
At the same time, independent publishers are facing a sudden squeeze on traditional crowdfunding platforms. Creators are navigating what is being described as the crowdfunding purge, looking closely at why Kickstarter is squeezing adult roleplaying games. The platform has quietly tightened its restrictions and altered how mature-themed tabletop content is categorised and discovered, leaving indie designers scrambling to adjust their production pipelines or seek alternative funding options like BackerKit.
In publishing news, the landscape is shifting for Oxford-based Osprey Games. The company has announced that the future of Osprey Games sees its roleplaying games remain while the board game division hits the market. Crucially for our corner of the hobby, their RPG line is explicitly excluded from the sale. Osprey intends to retain and continue developing its book-based roleplaying properties, signalling a distinct strategic split between their tabletop formats.
We are also tracking substantial rows regarding artificial intelligence tracking within the community. A large group of roleplaying games industry veterans are demanding immediate removal from a controversial AI directory. The creators discovered that their names, professional portfolios, and biographical data had been aggregated without their consent into a database seemingly designed to categorise human talent for generative models, prompting swift legal and public pushback from prominent artists and designers. If you want more on this drama, then head over to Geek Native and search for Four Pillar Games.
On a brighter note, we sat down for an exclusive look at high-profile cybernetic infiltration. We published an in-depth interview exploring inside Mantic’s lethal Ghost in the Shell TTRPG, featuring insights from Alessio Cavatore and Zak Barouh. It is a fascinating design overview, especially since the market currently boasts a unique double-feature with two entirely separate Ghost in the Shell roleplaying games in development simultaneously.
In accessories, Bronwen has been checking out some gorgeous new components for your horror campaigns. She advises players to keep rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ with these new Sirius Ravenloft dice sets, noting that they capture an excellent, heavy gothic aesthetic perfect for anyone currently exploring the mists of Barovia.
As promised, we wrap up this week’s episode with our digital bundles before checking in on our current giveaway. First, horror fans can step into the shadows with an extensive Delta Green cosmic horror bundle, packed with psychological dread and modern tactical operations. For those who prefer to play alone, the Critical Kit Solos bundle has officially landed on the Bundle of Holding, offering excellent narrative options to prowl and fly solo through your own custom adventures.
Finally, do not forget to enter our ongoing competition to win a Burnout Rabbit from Plushie Dreadfuls. The entry window is still open, and you can find the link to secure your chance at the absolute bottom of the show notes.
That is it for this week. Thanks for listening to Audio EXP. For all the links and full stories, head over to Geek Native. Until next week, stay geeky.
