I've been too distracted to even realize that GenCon is coming up very soon. For some gamers, tens of thousands will descend upon Indianapolis. Many more will lament not having the time or money to make the pilgrimage. For game companies, the period between Origins and GenCon is their bountiful harvest, when new releases flow out like a damn beyond capacity.
And it appears that they're all getting solicited in this month's issue of Game Trade Magazine.
It's normal. It's expected. But I don't recall the volume of this much crap stuff since prior to COVID.
Issue #281 of Game Trade Magazine can be found at your FLGS or online in pdf form here.
As usual, I'll list the cool stuff I definitely want, the stuff I'd pick up off the shelf if I came upon some extra cash, and list the items I would order if I ran a store. I haven't placed a gaming pre-order for a shop in over 20 years, but I enjoy going through the motions every month on this regular post. I've avoided some money-making products (see my mea culpa on One Piece this month), while proudly avoiding a number of train wrecks which could ruin an over-excited (re: all) FLGS manager.
ViscountEric's Gaming Want List
Nuttin'
ViscountEric's Money-Is-No-Object Want List
Q-Workshop
Longtime readers know I usually avoid listing most Q-Workshop solicitations, but two things have changed my mind. First, the deluge of dice manufacturers charging exhorbitant prices for their dice that almost normalize Q-Workshop's pricing. Second, it's Harry Potter Dice Sets. I'm not a Harry Potter fan, but my daughter his, and a host of folks would could use a Hufflepuff set for $24.00
The Imaginary Store List (The Pegleg Gnome)
25th Century Games
Junk Drawer .................................................... $35.00
Alderac Entertainment Group
Deep Dive ........................................................ $24.99
Point City ......................................................... $24.99
Bandai
One Piece TCG Ultra Deck Display
The only person who doesn't seem to enjoy this game is my own manga-loving daughter, Maja. Let's hope the imaginary store can catch up with the appeal.
Brotherwise Games
Overboss: Duel .................................... $29.95
Catalyst Game Labs
Shadowrun RPG: Body Shop .............. $49.99
Shadowrun RPG: Shoot Straight ......... $49.99
Crowd Games
Fabled: The Spirit Lands ....................... $45.00
Portals .................................................... $45.00
Cubicle 7
Warhammer 40K RPG: Imperium Maledictum Core Rulebook ............. $59.99
Collectors Edition for $119.99
Evil Hat Games
Monster of the Week: Codex of Worlds HC ............... $40.00
Exalted Funeral
Carcass Crawler - Official Old-School Essentials Zine ............... $10.00
Issues #1-3 solicited
Herbalist's Primer ..................................... $50.00
Herbalist's Notebook ................................ $15.00
Herbalist's Flash Cards.............................. $20.00
Song of the Hedge: Herbalist's Primer Adventure .............. $10.00
When an appendix in the back of the Dungeon Master's Guide about herbs isn't enough...
Lilliputian: Adventure on the Open Sea HC ..... $40.00
Lilliputian: Adventure on the Open Sea SC ...... $25.00
Longwinter: Visitor's Book ....................... $20.00
Longwinter: Referee's Book ..................... $20.00
Old-School Essentials - Adv Expansion Set ......... $70.00
Advanced Fantasy: Player's Tome ............. $40.00
Advanced Fantasy: Referre's Tome ........... $40.00
Classic Fantasy Rules Tome ...................... $40.00
Classic Game Set ....................................... $70.00
Deluxe Referee's Screen ............................ $22.00
The Halls of the Blood King ...................... $15.00
Hole in the Oak .......................................... $15.00
Isle of the Plangent Mage .......................... $15.00
The Incandescent Grottoes ........................ $15.00
Holy Mountain Shaker .............................. $15.00
Winter's Daughter ...................................... $15.00
Unicorn Meat ............................................. $25.00
Runecairn: Wardensaga HC ...................... $40.00
Runecairn: Wardensaga SC ....................... $25.00
Witchburner ............................................... $15.00
After so items being solicited in an entire month of July, I must question what FLGS is going to order even order a small sample of the product.
Exploding Kittens
Really Lound Librarians ............................. $19.99
Without Tail ................................................ $24.99
Free League Publishing
Dragonbane Core Set ................................. $49.99
Dragonbane Quickestart............................. $6.99
Dragonbane Dice Set ................................. $19.99
Dragonbane GM Screen ............................ $24.99
Geek Tank Games
Geek Tank Games has a huge solicitation this month for their 2-D minis and their battlemats. It's not their first time soliciting through Alliance Games Distribution, but the last time I referenced them in GTM was way back in 2019. The good news is prices have remained the same over 4 years, at $15.99 per pack of flats, although there's no description/details regarding quantity on this months listing... or way back in 2019. With over two dozens separate SKUs at $15.99 apiece, that's not an investment my imaginary store would go for, unless (1) the customer base I know would go ga-ga over these and (2) there were sales records from previous solicitations/fulfillments.
What does tickle me pink are their interpretation of the 9-pocket pages from sportscards and CCGs, converting them into 20-pocket pages for the 2-D mini storage.
Goodman Games
DCC Core Rulebook (Demon Skull Monster Hide Edition HC) .... $69.99
DCC Core Rulebook (Erol Otus HC) .............................................. $69.99
DCC Dice Elemental Dice Sets: Earth ................. $34.99
DCC Dice Elemental Dice Sets: Fire ................... $34.99
DCC Dice Elemental Dice Sets: Void .................. $34.99
DCC Dice Elemental Dice Sets: Water ................ $34.99
DCC #100 - The Music of the Spheres is Chaos Boxed Set ...............$64.99
DCC #104 - Return to the Starless Sea ................ $17.99
DCC Character Record Folio ............................... $ 9.99
DCC Monsters & Magic of Dark Tower .................. $ 9.99
Fifth Edition Fantasy: Monsters & Magic of Dark Tower .... $11.99
DCC RPG Reference Booklet ......................... $ 9.99
Dying Earth #9 - Time Tempests at the Nameless Rose .......... $10.99
Fifth Edition Fantasy: Monsters & Magic of Dark Tower.
Tales from the Magician's Skull #11 ................. $14.99
Kobold Press
Complete Kobold Guide to Game Design 2nd Edition ......... $19.99
Kobold Guide to Board Game Design .................................. $19.99
Tales of Old Margrave HC (5e) ............................................ $39.99
Midgard Heroes Handbook HC (5e) ...................................... $39.99
Midgard DMs Screen & Character Sheets ............................. $15.99
(Available for Pathfinder or 5e)
Tome of Beasts 1 (2023 Edition) (5e) Pocket Edition ...................... $29.99
Tome of Beasts 1 (2023 Edition) (5e) HC ........................................ $59.99
Tome of Beasts 1 (2023 Edition) (5e) HC Ltd Edition .................... $79.99
Warlock Grimoire HC (5e) ............................................................... $24.99
Konami Digital Entertainment
Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Structure Deck: The Crimson King
Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG: Legendary Duelists - Soulburning Volcano Boosters
Last Night Games
Galaxy Rush ............................. $29.95
Loke Battle Mats
RPG Toolbox: The Veiled Dungeon ....................... $39.00
Nerdy Pup Games
Rebels of the Outlaw Wastes RPG .........................$35.00
Paizo Publishing
Pathfinder RPG: AP Sky King's Tomb Part 3 - Heavy is the Crown ............ $26.99
Pathfinder RPG: Flip Mat Classics - Haunted Dungeon ................................. $16.99
Starfinder RPG: Flip-Mat - Mining Operations .............................................. $16.99
Pokemon USA
Pokemon TCG: Annihilate EX Box
Pokemon TCG: Chien-Pao EX or Tinkaton EX Battle Decks
Pokemon TCG: Back to School Pencil Case
Pokemon TCG: Back to School Eraser Blister
Rio Grande Games
Prussian Rails ........................................... $39.95
Rookie Mage Games
Nuns with Nunchucks ............................... $19.99
Solis Game Studio
Frenemy Pastry Party ................................ $24.95
Steve Jackson Games
Munchkin: Pathinder - Gobsmacked! Mini-Expansion ....... $ 8.95
Munchkin: Tricky Treats Expansion .................................... $10.95
Munchkin: Warhammer 40k - Storming the Warp Expansion .... $11.95
Stronghold Games
Applejack ................... $59.99
Riverside .................... $29.99
Thames & Kosmos
The Lord of the Rings: Adventure to Mount Doom ............... $29.95
Trick or Treat Studios
Texas Chainsaw Massacre Miniatures ................................... $24.95
Troll Lord Games
Castles & Crusades: Player's Handbook 9th Printing ............. $39.99
Wizards of the Coast
Magic The Gathering CCG: Doctor Who
Collector Boosters, Commander Decks
Magic The Gathering CCG Wilds of Eldraine
Bundles, Collector Boosters, Commander Decks, Draft Boosters, Set Boosters, Starter Carton
Wizkids
DC Heroclix; Iconix - Batman and Robin .......... $19.99
DC Heroclix; Iconix - Death of Superman ......... $79.99
DC Heroclix; Iconix - Knightfall ........................ $29.99
D&D Onslaught - Many Arrows 1 ...................... $39.99
D&D Onslaught - Red Wizards .......................... $39.99
D&D Trials of Tempus Board Game ................... $99.99
D&D Legend of Drizzt 35th Anniversary Family and Foes Boxed Set ............ $49.99
D&D Legend of Drizzt 35th Anniversary Tabletop Companions Boxed Set .... $49.99
D&D Icons of the Realms 27 - Glory of the Giants
Death Giant Necromancer Boxed Mini ................ $39.99
D&D - Replicas of the Realms - White Dragon Trophy Plaque
Marvel Heroclix: Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Calendar ................ $99.99