Quiet-ish start to the week, which is no surprise — PAX West just wrapped up and everyone’s still digesting whatever happened at Dragon Con over the weekend. But there are a few things worth your attention, and September is shaping up to be a busy month on both sides of the Atlantic.
Dice Tower dropped their Week in Review yesterday and it’s a meaty one. They covered reviews of Arkham Horror LCG: Children of Blood, Codenames: Critical Role Adventures, Dice Throne: Vanguard, Sunderfolk, and a bunch more. Tom’s “6 Games I Played So You Don’t Have To” segment is always worth a watch if you want to save yourself some money. Full list at dicetower.com. Meanwhile, Shut Up & Sit Down have been rolling through their Board Games Direct 2026 series — the latest instalment (#4) focuses on co-op and solo games, with a preview of the next game from the BEAST team and something called Animal Rescue Team that SU&SD are apparently co-publishing. That’s a new one. Worth checking out at shutupandsitdown.com.
Spiel Essen launched their new B2B matchmaking tool last week, and it’s now baked into the official SPIEL app as of September 3rd. More than 920 exhibitors from 53 countries are confirmed for the October 22–25 show, with demand apparently up from both returning and first-time exhibitors. About half of Thursday, Friday and Saturday tickets are already sold. If you’re thinking about making the trip this year — and I know some of the Knavecon crowd are — don’t leave tickets too late. The matchmaking system is aimed at trade visitors (€46 business ticket), but it signals that Essen is taking the industry-networking side of things more seriously. Reported by Board Game Wire and Meeplay.
The TTGDA publisher contract benchmark is still making waves since its August release. If you missed it: the Tabletop Game Designers Association scored and compared the standard contracts that publishers offer to designers, looking at fairness around IP, royalties, and designer involvement. It’s a genuinely important piece of work — the kind of transparency that didn’t exist even two years ago. Elizabeth Hargrave, Geoff Engelstein and Sen-Foong Lim are behind it. Full report is a PDF via Board Game Wire. Even if you’re not a designer, it’s interesting reading for anyone who cares about how this industry treats its creators.
On the crowdfunding side, September is picking up. The Food Chain Magnate Special Edition Redux is still available on Gamefound via Lucky Duck Games — the deluxe version with miniatures and double-layer components, estimated delivery December 2026. FCM is one of those games that polarises people on production quality versus gameplay purity, but there’s no denying the original is a masterpiece. Also launching today (September 8th) on Gamefound is a game from Department of Lore — details are thin but it’s a 1–4 player game designed by Anand Gandhi with art from 9B Collective, listed on the BGG prelaunched crowdfunding geeklist. One to watch if you like supporting newer studios.
Worth watching: the broader industry health story continues to be interesting. French distributor Atalia went into liquidation back in July, blaming market saturation and the arms race for bestseller distribution rights. Their statement — “shops no longer have the space, the time or the cash flow to stock all the games arriving each week” — is something every FLGS owner in the world would nod at. The full story is on Board Game Wire. That’s not new news, but it’s still the backdrop to everything else happening right now.
Ireland corner. Three weeks out from Knavecon 27 on September 26th at the Castletroy Park Hotel in Limerick — €20 adults, €10 students/unwaged, kids free with an adult. Full games library, free coffee. Get tickets at victorgannongames.com. Before that though, the Glendalough Gaming Retreat is September 18–20 in Co. Wicklow, run by the Board & Brewed crew out of Dún Laoghaire. A full weekend of board games, wargames and RPGs in one of the most scenic spots in Ireland. Tickets from €40 non-residential or €150pp with accommodation, and they’re saying more than half the spots are gone. Details and booking via Board & Brewed. Looking further ahead, Gaelcon 38 runs October 23–26 at the Crowne Plaza in Santry, Dublin — four days of RPGs, board games, LARPs and wargames. Tickets and info at iga.ie/gaelcon. And if you’re in Dublin this week, the Board Games Ireland Meetup group has their Wednesday session tomorrow (September 9th) at the NYX Hotel in Portobello — details on Meetup.
For the Knavecon community specifically: We’re less than three weeks out. If there are games you want in the library, shout now — don’t wait until the week before. And if anyone’s planning an Essen trip in October, let’s talk group coordination on the Facebook page. There’s always a better deal when a few of us go in together on shipping.
One for social: “920 exhibitors from 53 countries confirmed for Essen this October. Meanwhile a French distributor just went under saying shops can’t stock all the games coming out every week. The hobby is booming and buckling at the same time. Interesting times.”
Victor Gannon Games 
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