Former airline captain hoping to create the Gen Con of Dubai with launch of the Middle East’s first dedicated board game convention
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Welcome to the latest BoardGameWire newsletter!
Its great to be back after a long summer of family-focused fun (although I did manage to pop in and cover a couple of interesting news stories while I was away).
Let’s get straight into it! I first began chatting with Mark Azzam in January of last year, as he was laying the groundwork for what he hoped would be the first dedicated board game convention in the Middle East. More than 18 months later, and Mark is now just a few weeks from realising that dream, with over 50 publishers set to exhibit at the inaugural tabletop.me show in Dubai in early November. The former airline pilot spoke to BoardGameWire about why he believes the region is ready for its own major tabletop gaming convention, and how he got here from setting up a small board game kiosk in a Dubai mall 13 years ago.
We also have news that veteran German toymaker HABA is expanding beyond its long-time remit of games aimed at young children, with plans to distribute a range of heavier, more complex titles - and how the company has moved quickly to secure NorthStar Game Studio’s Nature as its opening gambit in the range.
The nominees are also in for the second annual Bobby Nunes Memorial Award, launched last year to recognise historical gaming’s most exceptional culture writers, podcaster and video essay makers. This kind of culture and media-focused award remains vanishingly rare within board gaming, so it’s fantastic to see it return with another great raft of contenders.
Thanks as always for reading the newsletter! If you’re not already a paid subscriber, I’d ask you to please consider helping me continue to professionally cover the board game industry by supporting BoardGameWire from as little as $1 a month. If you can afford more than $1, that’s wonderful - just increase the quantity via that link.
Have a great week!
Mike Didymus-True - Editor
Former airline captain hoping to create the Gen Con of Dubai with launch of the Middle East’s first dedicated board game convention
A former airline pilot who has spent the last decade building a board game distribution business and chain of retailers in the Middle East is hoping to create the region’s equivalent of Gen Con with the launch of a Dubai-based convention this November.
More than 50 publishers including Stonemaier Games, Leder Games, Games Workshop and Wizards of the Coast will be exhibiting at the first tabletop.me, while over 250 games will be available for teaching and play in a 7,300 sq m open gaming hall, organiser Mark Azzam told BoardGameWire.
Children’s toy, game maker HABA begins expansion into more complex board games with Nature distribution deal
HABA, the veteran German toymaker famous for its board games aimed at young children, has begun an expansion into heavier, more complex titles by signing a distribution deal for NorthStar Game Studio title Nature.
The company becomes the exclusive distributor of the German version of Nature, which will be available through its online shop from early next year and via a limited pre-release at this year’s Spiel Essen trade show in October.
GAMA hires first COO, reorganises senior staff as growing organisation prepares to unveil inaugural 10-year plan
Hobby games trade organisation GAMA has brought in its first-ever chief operating officer to help manage growing staff numbers, as it prepares to do away with ‘whack-a-mole’ planning by unveiling its inaugural 10-year plan.
Melinda Prickett, who also becomes GAMA deputy director, will handle day-to-day operations at the organisation, taking on some of the workload from executive director John Stacy.
German children’s book publisher ArsEdition launches board game arm under former Amigo, Ravensburger exec Volker Hirsch
German children’s book, gifts and stationery publisher ArsEdition has expanded into board games with the launch of a new publishing arm led by former Amigo and Ravensburger exec Volker Hirsch.
ArsEdition said it will focus on family-weight games for ages 6, 8, and 10 and up, with the opening slate of seven titles including Reiner Knizia designs Oshiya Tokio and Guardian of the Treasure, and Sophia Wagner’s Twilight Watch.
Kurt Vonnegut’s long-lost board game, the ‘clean Wehrmacht’, and ethical action in game design among finalist topics in award celebrating exceptional media coverage of historical gaming culture
The Bobby Nunes Memorial Award, launched last year to recognise historical gaming’s most exceptional culture writers, podcasters and video essay makers, has unveiled its second annual cohort of finalists.
Board game designer and Hollandspiele co-founder Amabel Holland is one of three creators to have been nominated in both years of the award, this time with her video essay on author Kurt Vonnegut’s long-lost board game GHQ, its cultural relevance and the wider subject of game preservation.
CMON continues battle against heavy losses by selling on recently acquired Hel, Anastyr IPs to Don’t Panic Games
CMON has sold off two more of its game IPs as it continues its fightback against heavy losses – just 18 months after acquiring them from financially-devastated board game crowdfunding specialist Mythic Games.
The company – which posted losses of nearly $7m in the first half of this year and another $3m across 2024 – has agreed to sell the IP for Anastyr and Hel: The Last Saga to French publisher and localisation specialist Don’t Panic Games.
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Job Watch
US - Creative Producer, Magic: The Gathering, Wizards of the Coast
UK - Assistant Games Developer, Warhammer 40,000, Games Workshop
UK/Spain - European Sales Assistant / Executive, All About Games Consulting
Netherlands - Operation Team Member, Meeples Group
All these jobs are from the very excellent Tabletop Game Jobs Facebook Group - head there to take a look at all the latest listings
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