In Days To Come

We have a long weekend coming up here in the US, and I'm going to try to take full advantage by digging out my cameras to grab some photos of some of the games we brought back from GenCon.

Games I especially want to photograph due to awesome bits:

Cyclades: Titans

Lords of Xidit

Black Fleet

Hyperborea

And then I'm going to spend a few weeks here talking about these games. And the others we brought home.

I've also been asked by several people already for my thoughts on Asmodee buying Days of Wonder.

It's big news. Two titans merging.

I'm in favor, and it can only help both parties. As you read this, please keep in mind: I have not seen the contracts. I'm speculating, here. I don't have any actual inside information about this merger (and didn't beforehand, either).

1. Both publishers have presence in some of the big box retailers - Target, Wal*Mart, Toys "R" Us - with only some overlap. The buyout strengthens both publishers' positions with regard to the mainstream toy-buying public.
2. Both publishers have dabbled in electronic/video games.  Days of Wonder has dabbled more and has been very successful.  Now their video game publishing partners may get access to a much larger library of very good games. Depending on the specifics of the contract.
3. If you look closely, there's a note in the post (and in every similar post I could find) that indicates that Days of Wonder will continue doing its thing as-is. Initially, the only difference DoW employees will notice is the signature on their paycheck will change.  In fact, it sounds like the latest game - Five Tribes - was pretty much already a collaborative effort with Asmodee.
4. I trust Asmodee. After ten years, they haven't let me down. Seriously. They're one of those companies who are putting out good games instead of just flooding the market to see what sticks.

In unrelated news, I should be at Origins next year. And GenCon. And maybe BGG.con, if Asmodee isn't tired of me by then.  It's going to be a good year to be me.  It's been a decade since I went to Origins, and Stephanie has never been. And we have friends in the area that it'll be good to see again.  I've never been to BGG.con.