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.
A quick note before we get into our main stories today.
Just like most every week since we’ve been doing this article, the trusty Goonhammer News Desk has five pieces of gaming industry related news for you here, with a focus on tabletop miniatures gaming, but also including stories from the video game world and roleplaying game world. There’s one big story that’s looming large over all the others this week, and that of course is the tariffs.
The sweeping tariffs implemented last week by the United States are absolutely going to be one of the biggest stories for the gaming industry this year, with long-reaching consequences for both the creators and consumers of gaming products. However, I won’t be talking about the tariffs in the roundup this week, because we’ve already put out an article here on the site that goes into much deeper detail on the effect of these tariffs than I could here. Please go check that article out to learn more about why these tariffs are so damaging to the gaming hobby we love; it’s a great read.
Without further ado, onto this week’s topics!
Zenimax Workers Union Vote to Authorize a Strike
As negotiations with parent company Microsoft continued to drag on, the Zenimax Workers Union took action to accelerate the talks by passing a vote to authorize a strike.
This vote, which passed with 94% approval in the 300 person union, does not actually mean that the members of the union immediately go on strike. Rather, it means that if negotiations continue to be fruitless, the members of the union are prepared to go on strike, and have authorized their union leaders to make that decision at the appropriate time.
This decision comes as the union enters its second year of negotiations with Microsoft. The union, organized under the Communication Workers of America (CWA) and representing Quality Assurance testers in both Maryland and Texas, have been pushing for higher wages and an improved remote work policy. As it stands, Microsoft does little to provide livable compensation to QA team members, with one tester Aubrey Litchfield saying, “Our in-house contractors have been working on minimal wages with no benefits, including no paid sick time. Workers are choosing not to start families because of the uncertainty of finances. We’ve released multiple titles while working fully remote. When will enough be enough?”
This is not the first time the Zenimax Workers Union has leveraged the power of their labor through the use of a strike. Last year, the union went on a one day work strike to protest the use of outsourced labor without notifying the union, which is against the union agreement between ZWA and Microsoft.
At this time, the Zenimax Workers Union has not elected to make a strike happen, and spokespeople for Microsoft encouraged publication The Verge that negotiations are going well. While Microsoft is likely obfuscating the truth a bit here, hopefully the negotiations end in a way most beneficial to the unionized Zenimax Workers.
Whoopsies! Wizards Sends Final Fantasy Kits to Brazilian Distributor Too Early
Do the Pinkertons operate south of the equator? I guess we may find out, because it looks like Wizards of the Coast accidentally sent some Universes Beyond: Final Fantasy kits to retailers in Brazil months ahead of the set’s scheduled release.
The press release by the unnamed Brazilian distributor reads as follows, with only some minor edits by Cardsrealm.com to preserve anonymity of those involved:
“Attention Retailers:
We have identified that Wizards of the Coast has been sending Final Fantasy kits in error. Due to Commercial Policy, we require that whoever received the item return it to [distributor]. We will bear the costs of this return. If you received a Final Fantasy pre-release kit, please contact your consultant so we can make arrangements. It is extremely important that this material is returned undamaged. If this has occurred, please notify [distributor] urgently, to avoid any penalties from Wizards of The Coast.”
This is not the first time something like this has happened with unreleased product getting leaked early to the public. The most famous case of this occurring was in 2023, when Wizards of the Coast sent the Pinkertons to investigate and harass a Magic YouTube personality who received product early.
As of this writing, it is unknown how many products were sent to Brazil, and if all of the kits were sent back as per the wishes of the distributor.
Longtime Creative Director for Dungeons & Dragons Announces Departure
Chris Perkins, a well known figure in the world of Dungeons & Dragons, announced last week that he is stepping down from his position as Creative Director for the game.
“Today I retire from Wizards of the Coast after 28 years.” Perkin’s wrote on his BlueSky profile, “With D&D’s 50th anniversary wrapping up and the revised rulebooks doing gangbusters, this is the perfect fairytale ending for me. I can’t wait to enjoy D&D purely as a fan again, knowing the game is in good hands. See you in the Feywild!”
Perkins has a long history with Wizards of the Coast and Dungeons and Dragons, first joining the company as the editor of Dungeon magazine in 1997. From there, Perkins would move into a creative role as a story manager for the setting during the transition to games fourth edition. In 2016, Perkins wrote the popular adventure module “Curse of Strahd,” and would move into the role of Creative Director for the story of Dungeons & Dragons.
Perkins also was well known through multiple actual plays, including being the GM for Penny Arcade’s long running game Acquisitions Incorporated. He would also write a blog for Wizards, “The Dungeon Master Experience,” which provided tips for how new GMs could elevate their games.
Warmachine’s Adepticon Keynote Showcases New Models and the Return of Old Programs
Steamforged Games looks to be coming into 2025 swinging for the fences with its plans for Warmachine, as seen by the company’s keynote address at Adepticon earlier in March.
For fans of the game eager to see new models, the keynote kicked off with the announcement of the new Gargantuan model for Khymera, the Trikhymearax, which was made available for purchase immediately following the keynote. Other highlights include the full reveal for the Cygnar Gravedigger range, as well as the first look at the next Khador faction, the mysterious druids of Old Umbrey and their folk horror inspired warbeasts.
Steamforged also announced a new subscription service for 3d printing, Warmachine digital, which gives STL files for terrain, alternate sculpts, and Steamroller accessories each month. Those who sign up before April 29th will get a free STL for the upcoming Cryx Cephalyx Cadre. Additionally, Steamforged announced a revamp of the app, moving more of the Warmachine lore out from behind the paywall and improving its usability. Much like Warhammer Plus, those who subscribe at the annual level will get a free hard plastic miniature set, with this years set being even more Cephalyx with the Exulon Nostilla and Aberration models.
Finally, Steamforged announced the return of some old programs and models. Firstly, Steamforged is bringing back the Press Gang, a volunteer group of organizers for Warmachine that were disbanded by Privateer Press over legal concerns. Steamforged is also bringing back limited production for some of the games legacy models on a made-to-order basis, and reaffirmed its commitment to making sure those models are as accessible as possible. Steamforged lastly emphasized its improved production, with over triple the production capacity since last year, with an ongoing focus on model quality.
After acquiring the game from Privateer Press last year, it seemed like Steamforged had its work cut out for itself in order to get the wayward game back on track. Now in 2025, it seems like the company has gotten its sea legs for Warmachine, and can effectively drive growth for the game.
Twin Sails Interactive Splits from Embracer Group
Twin Sails Interactive, formerly known as Asmodee Digital, announced in a blog post on the company website that it is leaving the board game giant Asmodee and operating as an independent development entity, following a strategic management buyout.
Twin Sails Interactive was responsible for the digital versions of multiple prominent Asmodee games, such as Gloomhaven and Terraforming Mars. According to the blog post, the buyout will not affect the staff at Twin Tails Interactive, and all the structure of the company will remain unaffected.
“This is an exciting new chapter for Twin Sails Interactive,” writes Nicolas Godement, CEO of Twin Sails Interactive. “Our time within Asmodee provided us with invaluable experience, and we are grateful for the collaboration that helped shape our journey. Now, as an independent publisher, we move forward with confidence, ready to pursue our bold and energized vision for the future.”
This is the first major departure from Asmodee following the company’s own split from Embracer group earlier this year. It’s unclear if Asmodee plans on creating a new games division or if it intends to outsource any future digital products.
Outside of three projects currently in development, Twin Tails Interactive notes at the end of the blog post that the company is actively seeking new projects and partnerships.
Have any questions or feedback? Drop us a note in the comments below or email us at contact@goonhammer.com. Want articles like this linked in your inbox every Monday morning? Sign up for our newsletter. And don’t forget that you can support us on Patreon for backer rewards like early video content, Administratum access, an ad-free experience on our website and more.
