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 here with the scoop.
Kings of War Unleashes New Reinforcements from the Abyss
After teasing a new release on the horizon for several weeks, Mantic Games has pulled back the curtain to show off a host of new models for the Forces of the Abyss in Kings of War.
The range update includes several model kits in hard plastic, such as the snake-like Abyssal Nagarri as well as the fearsome Abyssal Berserkers. These plastic releases are also joined by an updated resin release for the Lord of Lies, now properly imposing over the demonic forces under their command. Additionally, the Forces of the Abyss will be receiving new bundled sets, like the ambush set and the mega army set featuring the new hard plastic models from this wave of releases.
Also going on preorder at the same time as the new Forces of the Abyss models is the next Kings of War Clash of Kings book. The 2025 edition of this supplemental book will include new rules for the Forces of the Trident released earlier this year, as well as the updated Forces of the Abyss. Also included in the book are new features and balance tweaks for Kings of War, as well as the introduction of command dice into the game. Command dice are a feature in other Mantic Games, such as the Deadzone and upcoming Halo: Firefight.
The new Abyss models and Clash of Kings 2025 are available now for preorder, and will go live on September 23rd.
Warlord Games Cofounder Steps Away Due to Illness
Warlord Games Co-Founder and former White Dwarf Editor Paul Sawyer shared that he will be stepping down from his position at Warlord Games following an update regarding his health last week.
The update Sawyer gives on his social media picks up after he collapsed at the Salute tabletop convention earlier this spring. Following several doctors visits, Sawyer was diagnosed with an aggressive brain cancer that leaves him with around a year to live. With this in mind, Paul is stepping away from his professional role at Warlord Games to spend more time with his loved ones.
“Working alongside many of you and gaming with more has been an absolute pleasure,” Sawyer writes. “I wish I could turn back time and do more of the gaming and less of the working so I pass this same message onto each of you – make the most of your time while you have it!”
Paul Sawyer cast a long shadow in the Wargaming world. Sawyer was the editor of White Dwarf Magazine from 1993 to 2007, with many citing his stewardship of the magazine as a key reason for getting into the Warhammer hobby. Sawyer left Games Workshop in 2007 to help found Warlord Games, and focused his love of historical gaming into gigantic names like Bolt Action.
According to an email newsletter from Warlord Games, Sawyer is hoping to be well enough to attend the Warlord Open Day on September 21st, and will be “sorely missed around the Warlord offices.”
Sony Shuts Down Multiplayer Shooter Days After Launch
Sony Entertainment released a blog post last week with a shocking announcement. Rather than try to correct the course for their new multiplayer character shooter game, Concord, Sony has decided to instead pull the plug on the game completely, shutting servers for the game down on September 6th.
Concord released on PC and PS5 on August 23rd, entering the crowded multiplayer character shooter space popularized by Blizzard’s Overwatch. The game failed to catch much buzz with its release, with the peak player count for Concord on Steam only reaching around 600 players.
Following the shutdown of the game on September 6th, sales for the game on PS5 and PC will cease immediately, with full refunds being offered to players who purchased the game no matter their playtime. The long-term fate of Concord is currently very unclear. While it does seem like the Concord will still feature in the video game anthology series Secret Level, it’s anyone’s guess on if Sony will let Concord quietly be forgotten by history or if the game will be reworked and re-released at a later time.
Asmodee Announces First New CEO in Over a Decade
Board Game giant Asmodee announced its first new CEO in 12 years last week, with the new CEO inheriting a much less certain future for the company following the fallout of the ongoing Embracer Group restructuring.
Thomas Koegler steps into the role of CEO after spending nine years with the company in various roles, starting as the International Program Manager for the company and from there working his way up to deputy COO. Koegler’s tenure at Asmodee focused on finding ways to leverage the Asmodee licenses beyond the tabletop, including the acquisition of online gaming platform BoardGameArena.
“Asmodee is home to incredibly talented people and fantastic brands, with tremendous growth potential for the future within tabletop games and into other forms of entertainment,” Koegler writes in an Asmodee press release. “I am honored and humbled to step into the position of CEO and to carry on Asmodee’s legacy into its next era, bringing incredible play experiences into every home and celebrating tabletop gaming as a major form of entertainment.”
Koegler takes the place of Stephane Carville, who helped turn Asmodee into an international gaming powerhouse through the acquisition of major names in the board game world like Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, and Fantasy Flight Games. Koegler also inherits a company saddled by debt from the restructuring and dissolution of its parent company, Embracer Group, who was sent into a financial crisis when a large cash infusion from Saudi Arabian backers fell apart. While Asmodee remained one of the few bright spots in the Embracer portfolio during this time, the large debt saddled on Asmodee makes it hard to say what the future holds for the board game giant.
Legendary Actor James Earl Jones Passes Away
James Earl Jones, one of the most iconic voices of all time, passed away at the age of 93 on Monday.
Few acting careers have as much of an impact on popular culture as Jones’s did. His deep and booming voice brought to life two of most iconic roles in very different ways, giving an intimidating menace to Darth Vader in Star Wars as well as imparting fatherly wisdom and kindness to Mufasa in the Lion King. Along with these two characters, Jones has appeared in other iconic roles such as Dr. Strangelove, Conan the Barbarian, The Sandlot, Field of Dreams, and Coming to America.
James Earl Jones passed away surrounded by his loved ones in his home in New York. His performances inspired the imaginations of millions worldwide, and he will be missed by costars, crew, and fans alike.
And that wraps it up for our Games Industry News Roundup this week! Join us again next week for more news about the tabletop games industry and related media.
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