69: Popping the social bubble, surprise games, publisher woes (guest: James Hudson)

As US game groups start meeting up again, we chat with fellow social bubble-r James Hudson (Skybound Games) about quarantine's effects on us as gamers, which games surprised us, and the unintended effects of COVID on board game shipping and logistics. (Last topic = sad James)

Our topics for this show:

• Shoe (producer): Board gaming outside of the social bubble: what it's been like so far, what's changed, what are the challenges?
• Christina (host): Games that surprised you over the pandemic
• James (guest): How publishers are evaluating the short-term future, with current COVID conditions/trends

The games mentioned in this episode:

Intro:

• The Grimm Masquerade
• Guardian's Call
• Tidal Blades: Heroes of the Reef
• Wonderland's War
• Valor & Villainy: Lludwik's Labyrinth
• Robot Quest Arena
• Sky Towers
• Beyond the Sun

Shoe's topic: Board gaming outside of the social bubble

• Beyond the Sun
• Dune: Imperium
• Lost Ruins of Arnak
• Tidal Blades: Heroes of the Reef
• P for Pizza
• Dark Harvest
• Gorilla Marketing
• Eclipse
• Dwellings of Eldervale
• Monopoly

Christina's topic: Games that surprised us over the pandemic

• P for Pizza
• Forgotten Waters
• Sovereign Skies
• Tekhenu: Obelisk of the Sun
• The Gallerist
• Sheepy Time
• Lost Ruins of Arnak
• Dune: Imperium
• The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine
• Obsession

James's topic: How publishers are evaluating the short-term future, with current COVID conditions/trends

• Wonderland's War