Rascal Radio Hour

Rowan and Chase finally deliver a tight 60-minute podcast discussing itch.io's abrupt deindexing of explicit and games tagged as "NSFW" or "adult", among others, thanks to pressure from payment processors and right-wing citizen lobbyists from Australia. It's a strange and sad affair with ties to Steam, sex work, and the political wielded by corporations against individuals. The pair also wade into Hasbro's latest earnings call with investors, where Chase sees the IP-addled brainworms leading to some weird decisions regarding Magic: The Gathering's future. Rowan is deep into trick-taking and also antifascist sex robots. Chase is unpacking boxes. Both of them dip briefly into the Question Dungeon to answer a question about bioessentialist game mechanics with the caveat that they are both white. Grain of salt, please! -- Games we discuss: Inspirisles Magic: The Gathering Cat in the Box Mothership SUZi (by Sage The Anagogue) Vampire: the Masquerade -- Hosted by Chase Carter (@chasecarter.bsky.social). Featuring Lin Codega (@lincodega.com)‬. Theme song by People Need Goals. Cover art logo by Johan Nohr (@johannohr.bsky.social).

Chase and Lin Codega co-host an episode that is all about licensed games and this week's dirty word: franchise. The pair discuss the cancelled Tomb Raider RPG and what IP-scrubbed game might rise from its ashes, along with the continually disastrous Diamond Comic Distributors bankruptcy leaving some tabletop publishers bereft of consigned books. The big story of the week is D&D's apparent "full franchise" turn, which Chase argues is a meaningless distinction and Lin believes fits with Wizards of the Coast's past behavior. Both agree the word franchise is dumb. They also discuss collaborative storytelling games and how different titles balance freedom against handrails for the inexperienced. Lin has been enjoying Daggerheart for what it is. Chase played a Cyberpunk LCG with a very enticing cooperative hook. Both tackle some questions about whether licensed RPGs are healthy for the industry, as well as their favorite ENNIE nominations from the recent shortlist. -- Games we discuss: Canceled Tomb Raider RPG Dungeons & Dragons Spindlewheel Eat the Reich Daggerheart -- Hosted by Chase Carter (@chasecarter.bsky.social). Featuring Lin Codega (@lincodega.com)‬. Theme song by People Need Goals. Cover art logo by Johan Nohr (@johannohr.bsky.social).

We're tackling a stuffed two weeks of news on this week's episode. Thomas and Caelyn join Chase in discussing Jeremy Crawford and Chris Perkins' professional shuffle over to Darrington Press, and what it does and doesn't mean for the future of Daggerheart. We also cover Rebel Scum's censorship on DriveThruRPG, Draw Steel's imminent public launch, and the complicated politics of a crowdfunding bundle benefiting a Ukrainian organization. Elsewhere, Caelyn's parter has lovingly persuaded her to play Magic: The Gathering, much to Chase's horror. Thomas is serving his players their just desserts at the end of the campaign. Chase has spicy thoughts about whether information on the internet should be free. https://www.rascal.news/ -- Games we discuss: Rebel Scum Draw Steel Daggerheart Blades in '68 Harvest Forbidden Psalm Five Leagues/Fives Parsecs Silver Bayonet Rangers of the Shadowdeep Heavy Gear (the old one) Iron Kingdoms RPG Lo, Thy Dread Emperor Black Death Walking The Dolorous Stroke -- Hosted by Chase Carter (@chasecarter.bsky.social). Featuring Thomas Manuel (@newmadras.bsky.social) and Caelyn Ellis (@caelyn.bsky.social). Theme song by People Need Goals. Cover art logo by Johan Nohr (@johannohr.bsky.social).

Someone on this podcast doesn't like Belonging Outside Belonging games, and the other doesn't find much use in industry awards. Both Chase and Thomas showed up ready to ruffle feathers on this week's podcast, but only after discussing BackerKit's new self-crowdfunding plans, impressions of UK Games Expo, and what Cephalofair's Price Johnson is doing at the US capitol. Elsewhere, the pair have been watching their friends reap what they sow in Blades '68 and describing a beautiful but largely meaningless ecology in Mappa Mundi. The Questing Dungeon befuddled our adverturers so completely that they forgot to do the diegetic bit, but they still somehow managed to defeat some of your questions -- and recommend a heap of tabletop-related media. https://www.rascal.news/ https://moreblueberries.shop/en-gbp/products/rascal-anniversary-zine-preorder -- Hollandspiele on YouTube No Pun Included on YouTube A.A. Voight on YouTube Weird Place on YouTube Game Studies Study Buddies podcast Dice Exploder podcast RTFM podcast Daydreaming About Dragons podcast Idle Cartulary's Playful Void Analog Game Studies -- Hosted by Chase Carter (@chasecarter.bsky.social). Featuring Thomas Manuel (@newmadras.bsky.social). Theme song by People Need Goals. Cover art logo by Johan Nohr (@johannohr.bsky.social).

Magic: The Gathering's crossover with Final Fantasy drops on June 13, but unfortunately Chase doesn't know much about the storied Japanese RPG video game series. So, he brought in a couple of bona fide experts to talk about this already massively successful set. The Verge reporter Ash Parrish and TCGPlayer/ChannelFireball content manager Emma Partlow discuss FFxMTG's mechanical quality, the secret ingredient that uplifts fan service, a bevvy of blorbos, and so much more. Also on the docket is the effect of licensing fees on an already expensive hobby, the creeping takeover of Universes Beyond, and what other video games could make the jump to cardboard. Ash makes very good jokes about sports games to the wrong audience. Emma reveals herself as a screenshot hater. Chase regrets his past financial decisions. -- https://www.rascal.news/ https://moreblueberries.shop/en-gbp/products/rascal-anniversary-zine-preorder -- Hosted by Chase Carter (@chasecarter.bsky.social). Featuring Ash Parrish (@adashtra.bsky.social‬) and Emma Partlow (@emmapartlow.com‬). Theme song by People Need Goals. Cover art logo by Johan Nohr (@johannohr.bsky.social).

Uh, oh. It's another episode with just Chase and Rowan. Time to get punchy, and we're not only talking about our favorite way to bully the disappointingly nerdy fascists ruling reality. The pair dig through a chunky layer of news that includes Rowan, Rook and Decard's decision to not attend Gen Con this year, Itch.io's negligence in distributing charity funds to a group saving lives in Gaza, and Goodman Games' ruffling a bunch of feathers by doing business with previously ostracized bigots. Later, they talk about a deliciously smooth Triangle Agency campaign and a solo RPG that pulls a neat magic trick. Rowan's a wrestling girlie now, thanks to Dimension 20. Chase still can't pronounce listener's names correctly. The Question Dungeon goes noir as they build a better Itch.io -- or a different one, anyhow. https://www.rascal.news/ https://moreblueberries.shop/en-gbp/products/rascal-anniversary-zine-preorder -- Realis City State of the Invincible Overlord Dungeons & Dragons Triangle Agency Mechs into Plowshares Transgender Deathmatch Legend II -- Hosted by Chase Carter (@chasecarter.bsky.social). Featuring Rowan Zeoli (@rowanzeoli.bsky.social), Caelyn Ellis (@caelyn.bsky.social), and Thomas Manuel (@newmadras.bsky.social). Theme song by People Need Goals. Cover art logo by Johan Nohr (@johannohr.bsky.social).

The entire crew gather to mourn the sudden and untimely death of games media outlet, Polygon. Along with Giant Bomb and the Daily Dot, Polygon's sale to Valnet -- and the immediate layoff of nearly every staff member -- constitutes an unnecessarily tragic blow to games journalism. Included in the layoffs is Charlie Hall, the outlet's one-man tabletop desk and an indelible piece of Rascal's own creation. The team discuss what this loss means for the industry going forward, the limits of independent websites like Rascal, and how this cycle of executive malfeasance robs journalism of its own future. It's not all doom and gloom, though: the crew also delve into The Question Dungeon after discussing SALUTE, Hasbro's MTG-shaped tariff insulation, and Rascal's first real toe into OSR waters. Finally, Dungeon World is getting a sequel from a surprising team who want to take the game in a fresh direction. [Note: After Chase completely bungled speaking both Florence Smith Nicholls (they/them) and Mike Cook's (he/they) names, he then later accidentally misgendered Nicholls. He sinerely apologizes for the error.] https://www.rascal.news/ https://moreblueberries.shop/en-gbp/products/rascal-anniversary-zine-preorder -- Games mentioned: Dungeon World 2 ArchaeOS Realis MIRU Doomsong board games??? -- Hosted by Chase Carter (@chasecarter.bsky.social). Featuring Rowan Zeoli (@rowanzeoli.bsky.social), Caelyn Ellis (@caelyn.bsky.social), and Thomas Manuel (@newmadras.bsky.social). Theme song by People Need Goals. Cover art logo by Johan Nohr (@johannohr.bsky.social).

Rowan rejoins Chase to unspool the myriad and unclear ways tariffs have already begun affecting the tabletop industry. From clarity on book exemptions and companies already shuttering production for the year to determined stands against economic despotism by Canadian designers, the Tariff Era (or maybe Tariff Wars? we're still workshopping) has arrived. Later they discuss what it means for Jeremy Crawford and Chris Perkins, the dual faces of Dungeons & Dragons, to retire from their very public posts. The pair also discuss building worlds where babies have jobs, dungeon delving on your birthday, and whether tariffs might kick off another surge of innovation in the virtual tabletop space. https://www.rascal.news/ https://moreblueberries.shop/en-gbp/products/rascal-anniversary-zine-preorder -- Games mentioned: In This World The Electric State Dungeons & Dragons Gloomhaven RPG Wickedness MIRU Mazes -- Hosted by Chase Carter (@chasecarter.bsky.social). Featuring Rowan Zeoli (@rowanzeoli.bsky.social). Theme song by People Need Goals. Cover art logo by Johan Nohr (@johannohr.bsky.social).

Chase and Caelyn convene the first Brits-only episode of the Rascal Radio Hour, talking about everything but the April 2 tariffs (check the website for those bits). The pair go heavy on the deluge of miniatures news that came out of Adepticon 2025, including a shot in the arm for Caelyn's favored Star wars: Legion, an East Asian-inspired Warhammer 40k faction that doesn't immediately sour our tastes, and Battletech Goes Full Catholic. The most recent skirmish in the Question Dungeon reveals the surprisingly complicated topics of video games adapting tabletop RPGs and what the crew think is the next big innovation on the player side of the tabletop industry (hint: it's not virtual tabletops again). https://www.rascal.news/ https://moreblueberries.shop/en-gbp/products/rascal-anniversary-zine-preorder https://cannibalhalflinggaming.com/2024/08/15/invention-and-innovation-in-ttrpgs/ -- Games mentioned: Cyberpunk: Combat Zone RiverBank Star Wars: Legion Star Wars: Shatterpoint Warhammer: 40K Battletech -- Hosted by Chase Carter (@chasecarter.bsky.social). Featuring Caelyn Ellis (@caelyn.bsky.social). Theme song by People Need Goals. Cover art logo by Johan Nohr (@johannohr.bsky.social).

Most of the Rascal crew, plus guest Lin Codega, chew through a heavy news week that includes the shuttering of Sigil, Wizards of the Coast's own virtual tabletop, and one Texas Representative's crusade against imagination that might harm roleplayers in its evil intent to demonize trans (and transgressive) youth. Rowan regales with stories from their time at Breakout Con in Toronto, and Caelyn reminds everyone how cool transparent plastic electronics were. They have also been playing a bunch of different games, including a newly started Rascal campaign of Realis and phone-based pirate shenanigans. Finally, they once again venture into the Question Dungeon to compare their pettiest table tales. https://www.rascal.news/ -- Games mentioned: Daggerheart Fallen London: The Roleplaying Game Realis Bloodbeam Badlands A Land Once Magic City of Mist O Captain, My Captain! Deathmatch Island Monsterhearts -- Hosted by Chase Carter (@chasecarter.bsky.social). Featuring Caelyn Ellis (@caelyn.bsky.social), Rowan Zeoli (@rowanzeoli.bsky.social), and Lin Codega (@lincodega.bsky.social). Theme song by People Need Goals. Cover art logo by Johan Nohr (@johannohr.bsky.social).