Here at Goonhammer, we know that it’s hard to keep track of all the news happening all the time in the games industry. So much is always going on with games of all sorts, and their related media, it can be a real blink-and-you’ll miss it situation.
That’s why every week, we round up five of the biggest stories in the gaming sphere from the past week in the Games Industry News Roundup. Our trusty news boy, Dan “Swiftblade” Richardson, is at the very real and cool Goonhammer newsdesk with the scoop.
Game Informer Back from the Dead Via Crypto Gaming Company; No This Is Not an April Fool’s Bit
In an increasingly bleak time period for publications and writers who report on the video game industry, the return of Game Informer last week after its shutdown last year is a nice reminder that good things can still happen, though the identity of the longtime publication’s savior raises some concerns.
On its face, the return of Game Informer is the perfect feel good story. After its closure last year by former parent company, GameStop, the publication was purchased by Ukranian developer Gunzilla Games. Following this purchase, Gunzilla was able to reach out and rehire all of the former Game Informer staff.
“Seriously- I’m still pinching myself,” Editor in Chief Matt Miller writes in the press release of GI’s return. “If you’ve followed our work in the past, you know what that means. Our outlet has always been about more than just the things we cover; it’s also about the people. Our teammates are stewards of a legacy going back more than 30 years, including dozens of prior writers, editors, designers, and other creative voices that shaped the way we approach talking about the gaming hobby.”
Along with bringing back the team and already publishing some reviews, along with a belated “best of 2024” list, Game Informer announced it will be bringing back its print magazine “bigger and better than it was before.” This will include several subscription and member only benefits, including additional video and streaming content.
So what’s the catch in this Cinderella story? Well, it turns out Prince Charming is one of those Web3 blockchain gaming companies.
Gunzilla Games is a company primarily focused on the development of “gaming on the blockchain,” with its upcoming battle royale title Off the Grid debuting with its very own crypto token GUN. Game Informer notes that it’s been given free editorial reign by Gunzilla under its new entity, Game Informer Inc., but it’s hard to imagine that long leash won’t get tight if the publication were to become critical of blockchain gaming. Perhaps more importantly, it’s hard to imagine Game Informer’s financial position would remain secure if its parent company’s upcoming blockchain game is a failure in the marketplace.
Optimistically, we can hope that Gunzilla’s stated reasoning for purchasing Game Informer is true, that the company earnestly loves games and wants to bring back one of games journalism’s most iconic magazines out of a love for the craft, and not to gut the magazine into a crypto shill mouthpiece. For now, at least, it’s wonderful to see the Game Informer staff reunited and given a second lease on the publication’s long life.
Magic: The Gathering Creates New ‘Trial Unban’ System
Wizards of the Coast added a twist to their announcement on Monday of new banned cards for Magic: The Gathering’s Pauper format. This time around, it wouldn’t just be announcing banned cards, but also cards that would be potentially unbanned with the new “trial unban” system.
While the Pauper format does restrict players to common rarity cards only, there are still powerful enough commons that necessitate bans for balanced competitive play. So, like other formats, pauper is prone to semi-regular banned and restricted card list announcements. Rarely is a card brought back to life from the banned list, but the new trial unban system could see this changed.
Starting with High Tide and Prophetic Prism, the trial unban system will unban a card on a probationary basis. These cards will then get an in-depth examination in the following banned and restricted list update, after their effects on the meta can be better determined.
Currently, Wizards states that players should not expect to see this in other formats, noting that this system might work particularly well for pauper but could be problematic in other formats. Still, it’s hard to not think about last year’s debacle with Commander’s banned list causing such an extreme backlash that it broke apart the Commander Rules Committee, and wonder if trial unbans are a potential answer to toxic community negativity in the future.
StarCraft Comes to the Tabletop
Let’s start this part off with an obligatory: “Hell, it’s about time”.
Last week, Archon Studios announced that it was partnering with video game industry titan Blizzard Entertainment to bring their popular strategy sci-fi game series, StarCraft, to the tabletop with a new miniatures game.
According to a press release on Archon’s website, “The StarCraft® Tabletop Miniatures Game will allow players to command their favorite factions—Terran, Zerg, and Protoss—in dynamic, tactical battles, staying true to the fast-paced and strategic essence of the beloved RTS game. The game will feature high-quality miniatures, rich gameplay mechanics, and deep faction customization, ensuring an experience that both StarCraft® veterans and tabletop wargamers will love.”
Archon says that more miniature and gameplay reveals will happen for the StarCraft miniatures game in a company livestream in April, with the full game having an expected global release around 2026. Following this, Archon plans to release new StarCraft board games in 2027.
Archon is no stranger to video game tabletop adaptations. The company has developed board games based on several bestselling video game series, such as Heroes of Might and Magic and Wolfenstein, as well as the Masters of the Universe: Battlegrounds skirmish game. This also isn’t the first time StarCraft has come to tabletops either, the original StarCraft: The Board Game was published by Fantasy Flight Games and released in 2007.
Does this new push for StarCraft media mean there’s a new StarCraft game on the way? No idea. Hoping for a new StarCraft game might be a real monkeys paw scenario, but at least fans can go back to the Korpulu Sector on their kitchen tables.
Mantic Announces Next Major Faction for Halo: Flashpoint
StarCraft isn’t the only major video game franchise to grace the roundup this week, as Mantic Games announced the next major expansion for Halo: Flashpoint, featuring a new playable faction.
Titled “Rise of the Banished,” the box set adds Brutes to the game as playable with the Banished faction, joining the Spartans and Elites already present in the game. Alongside the Brutes, Rise of the Banished comes with a new set of terrain for players to use during games of Flashpoint, as well as the release of new missions and list building opportunities for the game.
Eager fans who preorder the box set will get an extra goody as well with a limited edition miniature for Atriox, the leader of the banished. This sculpt will be exclusive to those who preorder, with a standard sculpt being released at a later time.
Alongside this release, the Master Chief model will get a standalone release, as well as a new fireteam to reinforce Spartan players, Fire Team Cerberus.
All of this is currently live for pre-order on the Mantic webstore, and with a planned release of July 2025.
Warlord Games Co-Founder and Former Editor for White Dwarf Passes Away
Miniature wargaming lost one its greatest figures last week. Following his battle with brain cancer, Warlord Games co-founder and former editor for White Dwarf, Paul ‘Fat Bloke’ Sawyer, passed away on March 27th.
Warlord Games took to social media to mourn Sawyer, writing “Paul was a man of enormous character, and he fought tooth and nail to the end, always in good spirits. He was a true friend to us all. That he passed surrounded by the love of his family is a blessing. We offer our sincerest condolences to Paul’s family – his wife Julie, his daughters Catherine & Holly, and his granddaughter Aurora-Rose, whom he was fortunate enough to be able to meet before his passing.”
Paul Sawyer was the editor of White Dwarf from 1993 to 2007 before going on to found Warlord Games with John Stallard in Nottingham. In 2024, he stepped back from the company after collapsing due to complications from his cancer. During his over thirty years as a public figure in the wargaming hobby, Sawyer had a tremendous positive influence on those who played his games, as well as his coworkers and friends in the industry.
When Paul announced the news of his illness, Warlord Games released a commemorative figure based on his likeness for Bolt Action, with the money raised from its sale being donated to The Brain Tumor Charity. At this time, there is no word on if the family or Warlord Games will be holding any other fundraising campaigns for charity or to help with funeral costs.
The Goonhammer crew is incredibly thankful for the legacy that he leaves behind, Paul Sawyer will be keenly missed.
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