CAR-PGa NEWSLETTER
Vol. 35, No. 9
An international network of researchers into all aspects of role-playing games
September 2026
David Millians, Editor
Paideia School, 1509 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia 30307 USA
millians.david@paideiaschool.org
ARTICLES
CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES
NEW MATERIAL
This is a compilation of articles and other resources that have come to the editor’s attention over the last month. Everyone is welcome to send bibliographic information about anything you discover that fits the mission of CAR-PGa and this newsletter.
Special thanks to Dr. James Fielder for bringing the Manchester Game Centre’s publication, edited by Chloé Wake, to my attention. The Manchester Game Centre is engaged in some fascinating work, much of which overlaps the interests of CAR-PGa and its members.
Bassil, Matt (2026 Aug 7) $10 million stranded Pathfinder books may soon come home, as legal battle nears resolution. https://www.wargamer.com/pathfinder/diamond-comics-joint-motion. Joint motion filed for resolution.
Campbell, Stephanie (2026 Aug 4) Review: Garbage & Glory, an epic TTRPG of trash panda adventures. https://www.ttrpgkids.com/2026/08/04/review-garbage-glory-an-epic-ttrpg-of-trash-panda-adventures. Fun, whimsical, and family-friendly.
Campbell, Stephanie (2026 Aug 18) Interview with Hayden Kane about Cookie Brigade and supporting children’s hospitals with games and baked goods. https://www.ttrpgkids.com/2026/08/18/interview-with-hayden-kane-about-cookie-brigade-and-supporting-childrens-hospitals-with-games-and-baked-goods. Games for kids through cookies and good work.
Campbell, Stephanie (2026 Aug 20) TTRPGkids Gen Con 2026 recap. https://www.ttrpgkids.com/2026/08/20/ttrpgkids-gen-con-2026-recap. New games, kid activities, Trade Day, panels, and more.
Carter, Chase (2026 Aug 12) Rowan, Rook and Decard workers unionize with IWGB Games Worker Union. https://www.rascal.news/rowan-rook-and-decard-workers-unionize-with-iwgb-games-worker-union. Protecting workers in a small game company.
Chan, Khee Hoon (2026 Aug 28) PPWR lands another blow to an already precarious tabletop industry. https://www.rascal.news/ppwr-lands-another-blow-to-an-already-precarious-tabletop-industry. New EU regulations complicate business for small publishers.
Codega, Lin (2026 Aug 14) Queer games require queer structures. https://www.rascal.news/queer-games-require-queer-structures-defy-the-gods-analysis-close-reading. A game and a community that wants to fight back.
Gamers Outreach (2026 Aug 12) A “Humble” Impact In Just A Few Months. https://gamersoutreach.org/blog/a-humble-impact-in-just-a-few-months. Funding video game carts for hospitals.
Girdwood, Andrew (2026 Aug 2) Dramatic footage shows Gen Con flooding in a state that rejects climate change. https://www.geeknative.com/240756/dramatic-footage-shows-gen-con-flooding-in-a-state-that-rejects-climate-change. Impressive amounts of water in a few locations.
Girdwood, Andrew (2026 Aug 24) Hoard and Destroy: How bulk AI scanning puts forgotten Tabletop RPGs at risk. https://www.geeknative.com/241462/hoard-and-destroy-how-bulk-ai-scanning-puts-forgotten-tabletop-rpgs-at-risk. The threat to older, small-press RPG print games.
Girard, Elle (2026 Aug 13) Tucker club helps kids battle monsters and build skills. https://www.decaturish.com/tucker-club-helps-kids-battle-monsters-and-build-skills/article_00d4bf78-28b8-4365-b100-d86b5e11576c.html. Play, social skills, confidence, problem-solving, and more.
Girdwood, Andrew (2026 Aug 6) How artificial online hype distorts the tabletop gaming market. https://www.geeknative.com/240862/how-artificial-online-hype-distorts-the-tabletop-gaming-market. Identifying Artificial Engagement.
Girdwood, Andrew (2026 Aug 5) UK Games Expo and MCM Comic Con show strong search numbers against mainstream expos. https://www.geeknative.com/240833/uk-games-expo-and-mcm-comic-con-show-strong-search-numbers-against-mainstream-expos. Fan culture for mainstream expos.
Gladkauskaite, Samanta (2026 Aug 18) Brighton Royal Pavilion to host Dungeons & Dragons game. https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/26465125.brighton-royal-pavilion-host-dungeons-dragons-game. Part of DRAGONS, Brighton & Hove Museums’ exhibition at the Royal Pavilion.
Hart, Aimee (2026 Aug 26) Critical Role opens up about how its players get paid if they ‘die’. https://www.polygon.com/critical-role-cast-payment-death. The business of play when life is on the line.
Hoffer, Christian (2026 Aug 28) Monte Cook Games replaces promotional video, releases statement after video uses AI assets. https://www.enworld.org/threads/monte-cook-games-replaces-promotional-video-releases-statement-after-video-uses-ai-assets.720473. Contractor produces a video for them using some AI elements.
Hutton, Christopher (2026 Aug 8) Why TTGDA is Advocating for Naming Designers instead of Publishers. https://www.ttrpginsider.news/p/why-ttgda-is-advocating-for-naming-designers-instead-of-publishers. Interview with Sen-Foong Lim, secretary of the Tabletop Game Designers Association, about highlighting credit to designers over publishers.
Hutton, Christopher (2026 Aug 30) Touring The UK While Playing D&D: Q&A With Natural 20 Tours. https://www.ttrpginsider.news/p/touring-the-uk-while-playing-d-d-q-a-with-natural-20-tours. Traveling to venues and events that inspire the imagination.
Kramon, Justin (2026 Aug 26) How ‘Magic: The Gathering’ creates transgender community. https://www.npr.org/2026/08/26/nx-s1-5930347/how-magic-the-gathering-creates-transgender-community. Building support and comfort for a community of gamers.
MacDougall, Nico (2026 Aug 21) July 2026 TTRPG Crowdfunding Retrospective. https://ttrpg-spider.blogspot.com/2026/08/july-2026-ttrpg-crowdfunding.html. Ups and downs.
Manuel, Thomas (2026 Aug 4) Before Larp arrived, Australians had their own brand of freeform roleplaying. https://www.rascal.news/before-larp-arrived-australians-had-their-own-brand-of-freeform-roleplaying. History and origins of terms and play forms.
Manuel, Thomas (2026 Aug 19) Does winning the Diana Jones Emerging Designer award help you stand out at Gen Con? The winners say yes. https://www.rascal.news/does-winning-the-diana-jones-emerging-designer-award-help-you-stand-out-at-gen-con-the-winners-say-yes. Making connections and possibilities.
Manuel, Thomas (2026 Aug 25) €6 million in 8 years: Larp for social good receives serious funding in Europe. https://www.rascal.news/eur6-million-in-8-years-larp-for-social-good-receives-serious-funding-in-europe. Government support for interactive engagement.
Merrill, Brett (2026 Aug 27) From Play to Praxis: Translating Tabletop Role-Playing Games into Evidence-Based Clinical Interventions. https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/3GSU5SA2XTDQVMEFJAG5/full. Definitions and factors affecting RPG implementation as therapy.
Mitchell, Avery (2026 Aug 13) Tartan Tabletop: A Dungeons and Dragons Comedy (Tartan Tabletop) – Gilded Balloon Patter House. https://theatrescotland.co.uk/2026/08/13/tartan-tabletop-a-dungeons-and-dragons-comedy-tartan-tabletop-gilded-balloon-patter-house-review-by-avery-mitchell. One hour of live-play comedy and improvisation.
Morrissey, Russ (2026 Aug 6) Gen Con grows to 74,000 attendees, remains world’s second largest tabletop gaming convention. https://www.enworld.org/threads/gen-con-grows-to-74-000-attendees-remains-worlds-second-largest-tabletop-gaming-convention.720186. Almost as large as SPIEL Essen.
Morrissey, Russ (2026 Aug 6) Giving creators their due credit: better practices for publishers, awards, and media. https://www.enworld.org/threads/giving-creators-their-due-credit-better-practices-for-publishers-awards-and-media.720213. Highlighting the individuals that created a product.
Ogre Run (2026 Jul 26) Roads to Lord and the Japanese Fantasy TTRPG. https://ogrerun.com/2026/07/26/roads-to-lord-and-the-japanese-fantasy-ttrpg. Japan’s first breakout RPG in 1984.
sarahdoom (2026 Aug 7) Experting while female. https://www.patreon.com/sarahdoom/posts/experting-while-165943006. Questioning the questions that challenge women gamers’ credibility and competence.
Vecchione, Phil (2026 Aug 28) As Your Table Ages. https://gnomestew.com/as-your-table-ages. Challenges and benefits as we grow older and keep playing.
Wake, Chloé, ed. (2026). Rituals of Play, a game studies zine by the Manchester Game Centre, Manchester Metropolitan University. Available at https://manchestergamecentre.org/rituals-of-play-zine.
© Copyright 2026 by the Committee for the Advancement of Role-Playing Games (CAR-PGa), ISSN 1071 7129. The CAR-PGa Newsletter is a monthly publication. For more information contact David Millians, Editor, Paideia School, 1509 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia 30307 USA, phone (404) 808-1070, fax (404) 377-3491, email millians.david@paideiaschool.org. Back issues are available. Contributions of material from the membership are urged, and the byline is responsible for content. Deadline is the last weekday of the month, email preferred. Permission is granted to copy anything in the Newsletter, provided we get a credit line in the publication copying it, and it doesn’t have someone else’s copyright on it. Information, including details on joining CAR-PGa, can be obtained on the Internet at car-pga.org.