"Despite the seemingly macho exterior of hyperviolence, HELLPIERCERS is a game that unapologetically celebrates human dignity." Hell will be empty because this aesthetically baroque RPG believe every single soul deserves saving.

"Despite the seemingly macho exterior of hyperviolence, HELLPIERCERS is a game that unapologetically celebrates human dignity." Hell will be empty because this aesthetically baroque RPG believe every single soul deserves saving.

Two years, phewww. Rascal has been simultaneously extremely fulfilling and incredibly difficult, but I can't imagine spending the last two years of my life any other way. Spend the month celebrating with us, and help keep the team working for another two years, at least!

Oh, baby! The TTRPG press just unlocked a new class ability

Play a (mostly) RPG-themed crossword developed by our own @newmadras.bsky.social as a special anniversary month treat!

This week's episode of the Rascal Radio Hour podcast is a longer, more casual discussion of the recent Yazeba's Bed & Breakfast article, including questions and criticisms sent in by readers.

Exile's crying-based economy is just one element that marks the "feelings-based RPG" as unique. Designer @ema-acosta.com puts her whole heart into our gauntlet of questions in the latest Rascal 7.

We're turning two years old later this month! Come celebrate with some birthday programming, including a crossword, special podcast episode, and a 20% membership discount during February only.

"I have always been fascinated with weird places and things that hide in the woods." Fomoria designer @thebreadwyrm.bsky.social tells Rascal about her nightmarish, occult world and what it's like working with MÖRK BORG creator Johan Nohr.

"We've seen the way other companies treat their communities in order to extract profit from them. I'm just so proud that I can work for an organization that doesn't have to resort to that.” Three members of the nonprofit behind Netrunner talk about balancing growth against an anti-corporate stance.

"Sometimes, what matters is the rain that's falling on your helmet just before battle ... and dripping into the puddle next. So, why not roll for that?” Rascal spoke with @epidiah.bsky.social about the glum/jovial dual nature of pulp fantasy and the new edition of Swords Without Master.

How does tabletop journalism differ from its video game cousin? And where do they align? @crapstacular.bsky.social reflects on their leap into an analog industry and wonders why we use so many acronyms.

Announcing a new podcast: Rascal Reading Club! Join @newmadras.bsky.social as he analyzes RPG texts in an inviting, conversational framework. First up: the Warden's Operations Manual for @mothership.bsky.social.

Why We Fight's designer believes RPGs can teach players how to put their politics into direct, radical action, even if the steps between tables and communities aren't so clear.

CROSSPOST: @ripefly.bsky.social digs into some of the many tabletop RPG influences on Cyberpunk 2077, from Mike Pondsmith's original 1988 work and Mekton, to a litany of '80s literature and beyond. Read the whole ongoing series over at @rogue.site!

Infinite Revolution: Overdrive designer, @gwencie.bsky.social, is the first subject to enter a new gauntlet, er-- recurring series: The Rascal 7. Seven extremely serious, hard-nosed inquiries meant to drill down to the core of a game. This time: mecha, magical girls, and the guts of dead designs.

Five creators who worked on Yazeba's Bed & Breakfast have spent the past year fighting a legal battle against Possum Creek Games and Steve Jackson Games. Neither the tabletop RPG nor their working relationships survived the fallout.

PODCAST: The excellent co-owners of @mothership.blog joined us to discuss their new home for writing about video games through the lenses of gender and identity. We convince them to stick around for our usual brand of hijinks, too. Listen, then go subscribe: www.mothership.blog/board-the-mo...

Caelyn documents the terrible incident that occured last week where she, and many other women in the wargaming hobby, disappeared completely, and looks at how it can be prevented from occurring again.

Tacklebox is a two-player RPG about fishing in surreal waters. It's also the story of two old friends who reuinited by chance as its co-designers.

I chatted with @ludicpen.bsky.social on making games in Venezuela amidst the conflict, and their long term plans. More than ever, creating art - creating anything - is a form of resistance these days.

required reading for this week

"Solidarity and creativity can be powerful forces, especially when the world around you feels uncertain and everything else is literally crumbling. Create, create, create; build amidst the crumbling." Khee Hoon Chan speaks to Ludic Pen about the difficulties of being creatives in Venezuela.

Three creators working within Lancer's creative ecosystem told @newmadras.bsky.social that the mech RPG's large fan community isn't just dedicated -- they're indispensable collaborators.

“In the most technical sense, if crowdfunding went away, would we struggle for how MCG could stay the company that it is? Of course, so I guess in that regard, we're reliant on it." Monte Cook Games chafes against the view that their seemingly stable RPG business model depends on crowdfunding.

Runecairn is a masterclass in proudly displaying your game's influences and using them to convey your vision to GMs and players.

Game designer Steve Dee @tinstargames.bsky.social unexpectedly passed last week. His last public post is a touching meditation on solidarity. "The smallest things can still be incredibly powerful...You matter, and if you show up, you can change your fate, or someone else’s. And that is everything.”

Magic: The Gathering leverages both Avatar: The Last Airbender's story and the TCG's tight design in its beginner box, but subpar component quality and a lack of next steps mar an otherwise great introduction.

In our latest letter article, three Rascals consider what WARLOCK and Exodus can tell us about Wizards of the Coast's digital ambitions.

This is a fun piece I did with @chasecarter.bsky.social and @caelyn.bsky.social - we talked about the two new videogames (!!!) Warlock and Exodus, and whether WoTC's plans to make a shit ton of $$$$$ via videogames are a short-sighted endeavor, inspired by the blinding success of Baldur's Gate 3

Rascal News is the only news site I know who's covered this in more depth. They're paywalled, but you should support them. They exchanged some email with Dianin who said "All creators today use AI in some form. Saying ‘I don’t use AI’ is a lie." (Bullshit.)

In our latest letter article, three Rascals consider what WARLOCK and Exodus can tell us about Wizards of the Coast's digital ambitions.

This is the piece I've been waiting to publish :) The Kuei-jin has always been a weird, orientalist mess, but I find the concept of this clan so fascinating. Paradox is essentially pretending they don't exist anymore, so fans are writing books to redo the Kuei-jin - and the TTRPG system behind them

It's been 5 years since a group of alt-right revolutionaries attempted a violent coup on the United States government at the behest of Donald Trump. A year ago I attended a gamified version of that terrible day for @rascal.news. Its terrifying to see how much has changed and how much hasn't.

Fan work is transforming the Kuei-jin, Vampire: The Masquerade's Anglocentric attempt at an East Asian clan, into something representative and celebratory.

Today is the final day you can grab two months of a Rascal subscription at $1/month! Strap in for another year of tabletop journalism once the team returns tomorrow. Help us continue growing and biting even more ankles in 2026! www.rascal.news/yippee-ki-ya...

I'm back from a restful winter holiday, which included looking at bluesky as little as possible. What a great decision. Another great decision: subscribing to my website today before this absolute steal of a discount is retired!

Today is the final day you can grab two months of a Rascal subscription at $1/month! Strap in for another year of tabletop journalism once the team returns tomorrow. Help us continue growing and biting even more ankles in 2026! www.rascal.news/yippee-ki-ya...

Happy New Year from GMT! - Caelyn. And presumably Chase, who knows.

One more end-of-year reflection, this one from @lincodega.com. They talk about the games they played, lessons learned, and muse on what did -- or didn't happen -- at the big TTRPG studios in 2025.

2025 was brutal for games media, but I'm seeing some glimmers of hope as worker-owned sites like @aftermath.site, @rascal.news, and @giantbomb.bsky.social have carved out vital spaces in the games community. Earlier this year, I made a huge Indie Games Media starter pack for y'all. Let's celebrate.

From @newmadras.bsky.social; a look back on his work over the past year, and gives us a peek on the kind of work he wants to focus on in 2026.

We're literally ONE member away from 2500 paid subscribers in 2025!! Will you be the one to help push us over the edge?

Come listen to me getting increasingly drunk while I talk tabletop games and all sorts of other bollocks with @chasecarter.bsky.social and @lincodega.com

The Rascals are hibernating, but we prepared our now-traditional end of year articles for you. Join us as we look back at 2025, and ponder the year ahead. First up, it's Caelyn!

We are seven subscribers away from 2500! And you can become a subscriber for just $1, right now. Go on, you know you want to!

Two people have become paying subscribers to Rascal specifically to read this article. I love you, but I also have concerns.

@rascal.news's AI policy!

This piece is UK focused but there’s a similar dearth of third spaces in the US that don’t expect you buy something just for the pleasure of entering and socializing Libraries fill some of this need but can’t meet all of it

Contributor CJ Shearwood examines how the UK wargaming landscape has transformed in recent decades, and the clear connections to austerity politics.