Welcome home. This is Audio EXP, the weekly podcast from Geek Native. I am your host, Girdy, and today is the 1st of August, 2026. Fresh off the back of San Diego Comic-Con and right in the middle of a bustling Gen Con weekend, we are covering high-level corporate departures at Wizards of the Coast, unexpected system announcements from major publishers, a look at Marvel’s upcoming cinema lineup, and a wave of new roleplaying game releases.
[The following is a transcript of Audio EXP: #344]
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Before we dive into the convention news, we have a major update for our community features. Voting has officially closed, and Table Cat Games are our celebrated honourees for the August RPG Publisher Spotlight. We are reaching out to the studio to prepare our in-depth interview, so keep your eyes on the site throughout the month. Meanwhile, the ballot box is already open for our September studio. You can cast your vote right now, and the five independent nominees seeking your backing are:
To cast your vote, visit this patrons-only page.
Our lead story this week landed just as the halls opened in Indianapolis. John Hight has stepped down as president of Wizards of the Coast right ahead of Gen Con. Hight, who took the helm to steer Hasbro’s digital and tabletop gaming division, leaves at a critical moment for the brand. In his parting statement, the outgoing executive asserted that Dungeons & Dragons is stronger than ever as he departs, pointing to digital integration and steady core sales. However, industry analysts and veteran players are raising questions about whether that claim holds up under scrutiny, given recent storefront shifts, licensing adjustments, and growing competition from independent systems.
Despite executive movements, Wizards dropped several major product announcements at the show. In a surprising turn for classic settings, D&D is reviving Dark Sun with an 18+ age rating and shrink-wrapped physical releases. The brutal, desert-world setting of Athas has long been a fan favourite, but its mature themes of survival, tyranny, and environmental collapse mean the new edition is being packaged explicitly for older audiences.
Looking further ahead, Wizards also confirmed that D&D will launch an official Star Wars crossover in 2027 as part of its Universes Beyond expansion, bringing lightsabers and force powers directly into the 5e ruleset.
Wizards was far from the only publisher making headlines at Gen Con. White Wolf surprised attendees by announcing Vampire: The Masquerade 6th Edition along with an immediate open alpha playtest, signalling a ground-up mechanical refresh for the World of Darkness. Over at R. Talsorian Games, the studio launched a prehistoric roleplaying game titled Fossilized Violence for Gen Con, giving players a brutal, stone-age survival experience. Meanwhile, Free League Publishing had a busy weekend, launching the Invincible RPG worldwide and debuting their Unbound digital platform at Gen Con 2026, offering a unified digital toolkit for their tabletop lines.
Rounding out the convention floor highlights, Darrington Press showcased a major expansion for Daggerheart, while new details emerged for D&D Icons and the atmospheric horror system 13 Omens, showing how much momentum is building across both established and indie studios in our full Gen Con 2026 news roundup.
Outside the convention halls, major new rulesets are hitting pre-orders and crowdfunding. Modiphius has officially published a new game as the Discworld TTRPG core rules mark a return to the cobbles of Ankh-Morpork, letting players explore Sir Terry Pratchett’s beloved fantasy setting. For groups seeking a darker tone, Green Ronin has launched a Kickstarter bringing Japanese doom metal roleplaying game Nobunaga’s Black Castle to life, blending heavy musical aesthetics with historical dark fantasy combat.
We also have two fresh quickstart reviews on the site this week for storytellers looking to try new mechanics without spending a penny. You can check out our impressions of the free sci-fi rules in our Within Cold Stars quickstart review, or dive into gothic investigation with our Danse Macabre quickstart review.
Switching to cinematic comic news, San Diego Comic-Con delivered major updates for moviegoers. We have broken down the full release schedule following Marvel Studios revealing its major film slate and executive moves at SDCC 2026, mapping out the narrative timeline for Phase 6 and beyond.
If you are looking for an unusual seasonal outing in Scotland, we have a wonderfully quirky local event to highlight. A zombie zoo containment facility is set to take over Glasgow Botanic Gardens this Halloween, combining immersive outdoor theatre with horror survival elements in the city’s famous glasshouses.
Finally, for digital tabletop collectors, Fanatical has launched an exceptional bundle deal. You can pick up a massive library of classic military sci-fi with the Twilight: 2000 and 2300AD Classic Saga RPG bundle at Fanatical, securing dozens of retro rulebooks and campaign modules for a fraction of their original price.
That is it for this week. Thanks for listening to Audio EXP. For all the links, Gen Con updates, and full stories, head over to Geek Native. Until next week, stay geeky.
