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?

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!

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

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

Board game publishers Stonemaier, CMYK and Eurydice Games on how they’re utilising – and paying to include – fan designs in their releases: boardgamewire.com/index.php/20... Thanks to @stonemaiergames.com @jacksonpope.bsky.social and @cmyk.games for taking part!

Traveller's life path system becomes a potent character creation tool for any RPG when you add some good ol' fashioned blame into the mix.

I've been helping out at The Guardian's games team this year with edits and other support - thanks @mackeza.bsky.social for the opportunity, and to the (brilliant) freelancers I've worked with these past few months. A reminder if any sites in 2026 need an additional editor during busy periods, HMU!

GAMA's interim executive director, Zaria Davis, has sparked some optimism from the trade organization's DEI committee. Members told us they want to see her focus on internal stability and more diversity among staff.

I am not immune to propaganda.

Ambitious is the best word to describe MCDM's plan for developing Crack the Sun. Props for the ostensible honesty regarding its crowdfunding goal, but there's a lot of manufacturing and shipping unknowns between now and 2027.

25(00) by the end of (20)25! If you subscribe to Rascal News and help us grow, I promise to work on my promotional slogan game!

Root and Arcs publisher Leder Games has axed its next Kickstarter campaign just a few weeks before its expected launch, after the game’s creator abruptly left the publisher and took his design with him: boardgamewire.com/index.php/20...

This was a nice surprise 👀 As always, Rascal and Chase continue putting out great articles and thoughtful takes. FWIW the pessimism in the design of Revolt! is both intentional and convenient given the legacy design I wanted to lean into. 👑 🐸 I hope more people check out the game!

I really enjoyed @alwayscheckers.bsky.social's Revolt! and its collaborative stories about cyclical power and corruption. But a lack of follow through on imagining something, anything else creates a narrative hole that might be either intended pessimism or limited vision.

It's so cool to hand @crapstacular.bsky.social an idea, a fancy, a whim, and then they come back with a full-ass interview and smart copy. Anyway, I think this is an interesting trend within the RPG designer ecosystem. Transparency helps everyone!

If you are a comic artist or writer that wants to talk to me, on or off the record, about the Disney OpenAI deal, shoot me a line. [email protected]

Jason Carl departs White Wolf and parent company Paradox Interactive after just six months resurrecting the publisher of World of Darkness RPGs.

Who has takes about how the (social media) internet ruined fandom?

The complete collapse of Mythic Games should be framed as a cautionary tale against treating crowdfunding as a reliable business model. Instead, people will likely blame COVID-era greed. And like, yeah. That's part of it, but do not be tempted by the easy scapegoat.

Calling out the AI voice to text in Arc raiders will apparently set a "dangerous precedent" and result in "unethical AI practices." Businesses are too scared to disclose the truth As if we're talking about people living with addictions and not hypercapitalist ghouls who hate paying people for work!

Late night cultural prodding: if you heard about OVER/UNDER and thought it was cool or interesting, you will also think this is interesting.

Picked up Dungeon Pulp from @alfredvalley.bsky.social because who can resist a grimy solo crawl paired with good beans? I've been picking away at it over my morning cup, and now I'm determined to find more ways to embrace incidental play.

Not sure how to feel about a CDPR-backed TCG using crowdfunding for a project based on one of the highest selling video games of all time. If you believe this means Cyberpunk: Trading Card Game won't come in booster packs, well... hm, ah, nevertheless.

this might be helpful in illustrating the difference between looking at buying subscriptions as “buying content” vs. seeing it as “investing in writers” or even “building new media orgs to last”

jared kushner is the forrest gump of all the worst events in recent history

hell yeah more physical zines from independent journalists

Haul photos? How about a whole haul blog. With photos.

Subscribe to @rascal.news and The Handbasket as a matter of course. The rest of Marisa's picks are perfect gifts for folks yearning to improve their media literacy and support independent media!

UPDATE: I (Caelyn) just checked the numbers and we're up to 2453. Thank you everyone, it's heartwarming to see so many nice comments about our work. At this rate, 2500 by the end of 2025 is going to have to become 2600 by 2026!

…and here it is in digital form: the Senet/Guardian collab with all the best board-game recommendations.

At this moment, we have 2430 paid subscribers. Can we get 2500 by the end of 2025? You can subscribe right now for only $1, and support independent tabletop games journalism.

If you DM me a good memory I will pay for your Rascal subscription. First 100 people only.

PODCAST: Chase and Caelyn talk Dragonmeet, more dexterity mechanics in RPGs, and the evil(s) at the heart of trading card games.

Battle in the comments over whether Cmrn sinned harder by typing "LARPish" or "LARPlite". I broadly agree that the tabletop industry is trending towards cards and smaller RPGs as products. But that sociality element remains fertile ground for weirdo shit like Over/Under.

A taste of what @newmadras.bsky.social has in store for you with this piece.

Cannot stress enough that this is an OBJECT with BUTTONS that DO THINGS

Give me an 8-episode miniseries starring Mystery Duck.

I'm in this book as well with my co-author Kellynn Wee talking about saving the world (again and again) and three games from the Philippines - Apocalypse Keys, ARC, and Navathem's End.

HELL YEA

Chris kindly printed a lot of my impassioned words about independent media. I stick by them and choose every day to remain optimistic about my career. Us and you, folks. Sustainability or bust. Write free or die.

NEW: I spoke with the reporters behind Post Games, Aftermath, Game File, People Make Games, Rogue, and Rascal News to learn about the trials and triumphs of going independent in a shifting game media landscape dominated by conglomeration and layoffs.

I read @monsterpotion.bsky.social's new version of Fight Truck, and cried about it. Then I wrote this. It's personal and vulnerable and bold and I'm very proud. I'd love to hear from anyone if this speaks to you, and I want to hear why other people seek out risky play .

One of the best and most moving contributor essays we've published. So grateful Seraphina trusted her words to our website. Fight Truck still very much matters.

Adulthood is explaining your life via numbers of fingers/hands gripping the edge of the metaphorical cliff. Trying to convince my spouse that 5-9 fingers isn't yet crisis territory.

You can hear me having literally no voice by the end of the convention while meeting Cmrn in person for the first time ever

If you haven't already subscribed to Rascal News, you can do so right now for $1!!!!! Our base monthly subscription is going up by a dollar next month for anyone who isn't already subscribed, so get in now before we have to charge more to survive!!!

Popular TCGs are all nesting dolls of organized gambling and speculation. It's meme stocks and ramshackle markets all the way down.

A strange little convention, Dragonmeet. I had a ball, but I think it needs another couple of years to figure out how best to use the ExCel's massive, featureless space. My suggestions: more social space, bring the panels and seminars forward, promote non-commercial activities among attendees.

It's actually giving Tuesday and there's a ton of independent media you should support! Firstly, Rascal is running a hollerday special you should check out. $1 for the first two months! I'll list some more incredible folks in a reply.