Knavecon Board Game Briefing — Tuesday, 1 September 2026
First day of September and the hobby calendar is about to get very busy. Dragon Con and PAX West both kick off later this week, Essen season is warming up in the background, and — most importantly for us — Knavecon 27 is now less than four weeks away. Plenty to talk about today.
The big retail news this month is that Asmodee’s September release calendar is stacked. Marvel: Crisis Protocol Alliances – Night of the Goblin drops on September 4th, and there’s a new Harmonies Pulse expansion due mid-month. But the one I’d pay attention to is the Rheinlander: Evolved release from 25th Century Games — a Knizia area control classic from 1999 that’s been given a full makeover with Ian O’Toole art and new expansion modules designed by Knizia himself. That’s a serious pedigree and it should be hitting shelves this month. Bitewing Games had it on their most anticipated list earlier in the year and rightly so. Keep an eye on it. (Bitewing Games, Asmodee release calendar)
Games Workshop is bumping prices again on September 21st — about 4% across the board on paints and models. They announced it through the retailer network back in August with minimal fanfare, as usual. If you’re a Warhammer person and you’ve been putting off a purchase, you’ve got about three weeks to buy at current prices. (Spikey Bits breakdown, GW Retailer Network)
On the content side, Shut Up & Sit Down recently reviewed Jisogi: Anime Studio Tycoon and seemed to enjoy it — a thematic euro about running an anime production house where you’re constantly teetering on the edge of burnout and debt. It’s been getting buzz from multiple reviewers and it’s on the Essen 2026 strategic euro watchlists too. If you like your euros with a bit of personality and theme baked in, this is worth a look. (SU&SD review) Meanwhile, BoardGameQuest posted their crowdfunding roundup last week with Echoes of Artemis (asymmetric deck-builder, funded on Kickstarter, ending September 4th) and Steel Wolves Deluxe Edition among the picks. (BGQ roundup)
Convention-wise, Dragon Con (September 3–7, Atlanta) and PAX West (September 4–7, Seattle) both fire up this week. PAX West’s tabletop presence in the Summit building looks substantial again — board game library, Dice Throne demos, a Deception Zone, plus exhibitors including Misty Mountain Gaming and the new Riftbound: League of Legends TCG. Riot Games co-founder Marc Merrill is doing the Friday keynote. If anyone’s reporting from either event, the tabletop previews coming out of those shows will set the tone heading into Essen. (PAX West tabletop, Dragon Con gaming)
Worth watching: Wirecutter named their top 5 Gen Con standouts recently and Wingspan Pocket was at the top of the list — it’s already available at $20 and reviews are strong. Elizabeth Hargrave’s lighter, 30-minute, cards-and-eggs version of Wingspan that plays up to 5. If it’s as good as people say, it’ll be everywhere at game nights by Christmas. (Wirecutter)
Ireland
September is genuinely stacked for gaming in Ireland. Three events in the next four weeks:
Pax Hibernia is on September 12th at the Teacher’s Club, Parnell Square, Dublin — a full day of board gaming in the city centre. Tickets are €15 in advance or €20 on the door. It’s the inaugural edition, so worth supporting. Details at paxhibernia.ie.
The Glendalough Gaming Retreat runs September 18–20 in Co. Wicklow — a full weekend of board games, wargames, and RPGs with accommodation included for €150, or €40 if you’re just coming for the day. Board & Brewed are running it and they’ve said more than half the tickets are already gone. If you fancy gaming in one of the most scenic spots in the country, this is your chance. Book through Board & Brewed.
And then Knavecon 27 on September 26th at the Castletroy Park Hotel, Limerick. Our own one. €20 adults, €10 students, kids free. Massive games library, free coffee all day, and apparently the biggest raffle yet. Tickets are on sale now at victorgannongames.com. Cork people allowed under license, as always.
Beyond that, the regular Board Games Ireland meetup continues every Sunday at Alfie Byrne’s opposite the National Concert Hall in Dublin, and there’s a Celbridge board game meetup on September 2nd listed on Meetup.com. Gaelcon 38 is confirmed for October 23–26 at Crowne Plaza Dublin Airport for anyone already looking ahead. (Board Games Ireland on Facebook, Gaelcon)
For the Knavecon community: Three Irish gaming events in the space of two weeks before Knavecon itself — if you’ve never been to one of the others, September is the month to branch out. Pax Hibernia on the 12th is particularly easy to get to.
One for the socials: “September in Ireland: three board game events in two weeks, GW hiking prices again, and Knizia getting the Ian O’Toole treatment. It’s a good month to be a gamer on this island.”
Victor Gannon Games 
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