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  • Sony wheels out Ghost of Yotei just to tease a dedicated State of Play for it in July

    Sony wheels out Ghost of Yotei just to tease a dedicated State of Play for it in July


    When we first got confirmation of this week’s State of Play, Sony’s official description provided little to go on. PlayStation’s first-party output is quite slim this year, but some of us expected the company’s biggest game in 2025 – Ghost of Yotei – to make some sort of appearance.

    After all, for a game coming out this October, we’ve seen very little gameplay to get us excited about its big release this fall.

    The good news is that Ghost of Yotei, did, indeed show up during the State of Play showcase. It was so brief, however, you may have missed it. Developer Sucker Punch treated us to a small teaser that left everyone wanting more.

    And more certainly is on the way, because the point of that teaser was to announce a special State of Play presentation dedicated entirely to the Ghost of Tsushima sequel. Sadly, we’ll have to wait until sometime in July for that.

    The July showcase will offer an extended look at Yotei’s “evolved” gameplay mechanics, exploration, combat and more, according to the PlayStation Blog. Hopefully that episode is scheduled for early July, rather than later in the month.

    Watch on YouTube

    Ghost of Yotei arrives October 2 on PS5, and no doubt two or so years later on PC.



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  • After many bet against it, a PS5 State of Play is coming tomorrow with over 40 minutes of game reveals

    After many bet against it, a PS5 State of Play is coming tomorrow with over 40 minutes of game reveals


    Sony has officially announced that it’s going to be hosting an event in June after all. It’s going to be of the State of Play variety, and it will be airing live tomorrow. Sony has, in recent years, made a habit of announcing those livestreams one or two days before the event’s scheduled date.

    This June’s State of Play is no different, and it looks like it won’t be heavy on first-party games.

    This week’s State of Play will be live tomorrow, June 4 at 2pm PT, 5pm ET, 10pm UK. In the announcement blog post, Sony said we can expect “news and updates” on games coming to PS5.

    “The show highlights a selection of great games from creators across the globe,” the blog post adds, which really doesn’t tell us much. It is clear, however, that this won’t be a first-party-focused show, though it is curious that Sony elected not to use the terms ‘first’ or ‘third-party’ in the announcement.

    In any case, this State of Play is going to a little beefy, clocking in at over 40-minutes-long. As always, you’ll be able to watch it live on PlayStation’s official Twitch, and YouTube channels.

    This week is going to be very busy with events and game reveals. Summer Game Fest’s live opening show is scheduled for Friday, June 6, and the first edition of IO Interactive’s IOI Showcase is taking place just a couple of hours later on the same day.

    Then, on Sunday, June 8, Xbox will take its turn to host its own showcase, which will be followed by a dedicated The Outer Worlds 2 direct, so it’s all popping off. EA and Ubisoft are seemingly going to sit this one out, but we wouldn’t bet against some of their rumoured and in-development games showing up at one (or more) of these shows.



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  • Ludology 340 Corporate Game Play

    Ludology 340 Corporate Game Play


    Welcome!

    Welcome to Ludology, an analytical discussion of the hows and whys of the world of board games. Rather than news and reviews, Ludology explores a variety of topics about games from a wider lens, as well as discuss game history, game design and game players.

    We post a new Ludology episode every other week. In these episodes, hosts Erica Bouyouris and Sen-Foong Lim deep-dive into a single topic within game design, often with a well-regarded guest from the game industry. We generally focus on tabletop game design (mainly board games and RPGs), but we often pull in experts from all forms of games, from video games to escape rooms to slot machines.

    On weeks where there is no flagship Ludology episode, we will alternate between two smaller mini-sodes. Erica and Sen are happy to announce that Sarah Shipp of Shippboard Games and Stephanie Campbell of TTRPGKids will be joining us for the next year, providing additional content between our longer episodes.

    Sarah’s segment, Thinking Beyond Mechanisms, is a monthly feature that dives deeper into the other aspects of games beyond the dice and cards we’re all familiar with.

    Stephanie’s segment, TTRPGKids, explores how parents and teachers can use role playing games with children in the home and in the classroom.

    We hope you enjoy the additional content!

    Our History

    We aim for most Ludology episodes to be timeless, so you are welcome to explore our entire catalog. Most of it should age quite well. The podcast was started in 2011 by Geoff Engelstein and Ryan Sturm, with Mike Fitzgerald taking over for Ryan in 2015. Gil and Scott joined the show in 2017 when Mike stepped aside, and Emma joined in 2019 when Geoff ended his tenure as host. Emma left in 2021, and Erica and Sen joined us. Since then, Scott stepped down in 2022 and Gil will be hanging up his mic in 2023, leaving Erica and Sen to carry on this amazing legacy.

    Erica and Sen are working to bring new voices to Ludology and have some great things to announce as gaming expands to include even more people!

    Contact Us 

    Have your own thoughts about our topics? We encourage you to visit us at our guild on Boardgamegeek to get involved in a continuing discussion.

    You can also email us at hello@ludology.net.

    Ludology is part of The Dice Tower Network, the premier board game media network.

    If you have questions that you’d like answered on Ludology, let us know by filling out this Google Form; you can also leave an audio question that we can use on the show, if you wish! 

    Burning Questions for Ludology

    Burning Question

    Support the Show

    Ludology is made possible through the support and donations of listeners like you.

    We currently have 3 “First Listen” series that will go out to Patrons well in advance of the audio being released to the wider audience.

    • The Memories that Made Us (monthly) – memories about gaming experiences that helped shape the people that bring modern games to life
    • Tales from the Designer Toolbox (monthly) – tips and tricks from industry pros learned from both success and failure
    • Ludology Live – recordings from conventions around the world

    Patrons will also get extra consideration for any giveaways that we might have!

    Become a Ludology Patron

    Become a patron

    You can also make a one-time or monthly donation here. The link will take you to Erica’s account. People who donate in this way will not have access to the Patreon page – sorry!





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  • The battle to play Borderlands Online continues, as dedicated archivists ask for help in pursuit of the long lost MMO

    The battle to play Borderlands Online continues, as dedicated archivists ask for help in pursuit of the long lost MMO


    The Borderlands Online archival saga continues, with the small group of people hoping to get the game playable putting out a call-to-action for those with coding experience (specifically with software like DNSpy and Unity Ripper) in order to break through the game’s character selection screen.

    Previously, we covered YouTuber, game designer, and dataminer EpicNNG managing to get to the game’s class selection screen, but it seems he and his small team working on the archival project have hit a brick wall. Not in terms of skill, but in terms of time. They have a version of the game at their finger tips, they just need more hands to get the build working. He states: “Number 1: We know that we have the full game, we have confirmed we have the full game. Number 2: We know that we can get in eventually, it is just a matter of when.”

    In this call-to-action, a lengthy video detailing the journey so far, EpicNNG showed the perilous task as his small team went through old Chinese Borderlands Online websites in the search for a way to actually play the game. Doing so, they found ghost links and viruses, so it’s worth emphasising here that you should only really help out with this effort if you know what you’re doing.

    The video is covered in statements making it clear that this is purely for archival purposes, and that he nor his team are looking to infringe on 2K’s intelectual property as to avoid the possibility of a cease and desist. However, it’s made equally clear that this project may be nearing a dead end thanks to the release of Borderlands 4 and the potential actions of 2K’s legal team, unless it gets more people on board to help. It’s worth noting that this article was only written following an exchange of DMs with EpicNNG, in which he stated that he understood the potential risks of this call-to-action being further publicised and was happy with it being covered nonetheless.

    In the video, EpicNNG acknowledges that time is of the essence here, pointing to Activision’s take down of the H2M Call of Duty mod in fears it would suck attention away from the next Call of Duty. The worry is that, unless the team gets the game working soon, 2K would fear a similar thing with Borderlands 4 and send out a Cease and Desist.

    This archival project, if successful, would be somewhat of a white whale for the video game archival scene. Not only is archiving any game difficult, Borderlands Online is a Chinese-only MMORPG that has been dead for years. Getting it working is an admirable goal. Here’s hoping that folks that can help see it and lend a hand before it’s too late. Though, if you’re a greenthumb when it comes to Unity or video game software in general, maybe it’s best to leave it with the experts and wish them luck.



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  • In Seven Wonders, can I build multiple Halicarnassus B stages in the same age, and thus play multiple discarded cards in the end of the same age?


    This came up last game I played. I purposely built Halicarnassus stages 2 and 3 both in age 3 with the expectation that I would be able to then play two cards from the discard at the end of age 3. Is that allowed?

    Here’s the rulebook entry for Halicarnassus side b – doesn’t seem to restrict using two stage powers the same age?

    The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus

    • the first stage is worth 2 victory points and the player can look at
      all of the cards discarded since the beginning of the game and build
      one for free.
    • the second stage is worth 1 victory point and the player can look at
      all of the cards discarded since the beginning of the game and build
      one for free.
    • when they build the third stage, the player can look at all of the cards
      discarded since the beginning of the game and build one for free.
      Clarification : this special action is taken at the end of the turn in which the
      stage is built. If players discard cards on that turn (for example, during the
      6th turn of an age), the player can also choose from among those cards.



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  • How to play a quicker game of Monopoly?


    Is it possible to play a quicker game of monopoly that lasts under one hour on average with only two players? If so, how? I am not looking for anything that specific, but I need house rules that will speed the game up. By the way, I lost my Speed Die.



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  • Two can play at that game — The Treehouse

    Two can play at that game — The Treehouse



    Animal Upon Animal – If you want to ease your brain in gently or you’re simply in the mood for some good, old-fashioned fun, this is the game for you. Yes, it’s technically designed for small children and the components consist almost entirely of painted wooden animals, but that doesn’t stop it from being one of the most delightful games on our shelves. Basically reverse Jenga, Animal Upon Animal has a similar tension curve as the game progresses but is somehow much more forgiving, perhaps because with each successful move you’re left with a bigger and more awesome-looking animal tower! All the neighbouring tables will be jealous, take our word for it.

    Quarto/ Pentago – These both fall firmly into the ‘abstract strategy’ category we touched on earlier, but are straightforward enough to feel like a gentle brain teaser (or gentle-ish, depending on how seriously you’re taking it and how clever your opponent is) rather than a full-blown strategic showdown. Quarto is the more sophisticated cousin of Connect-4, whilst Pentago is noughts and crosses with a (literal) twist. The two games have approximately six rules between them, but both have enough depth to get your brain ticking over and ready for whatever comes next…

    Keeping things friendly

    So now you’re all warmed up and ready for something with a bit more weight behind it, but you’re here to have a nice time together and want to leave on speaking terms. Here are our top choices for whiling away a companionable hour or so if you’d prefer to keep things friendly…

    Patchwork – “A game of competitive quilting”. We usually open with this when we recommend Patchwork and watch the reaction, because those five words are often enough to either win someone over or put them off completely. If the description appeals, then you’re in for a treat, because as well as being about as endearing as it’s possible to be, Patchwork has enough depth to make for some really interesting decisions. On top of that, regardless of whether or not you win, you get the satisfaction of Tetrissing (yes, new word, we made it ourselves) together pieces to make your very own quilt and seeing it grow as the game goes on. Although it is a competitive game, it’s nigh-on impossible to play Patchwork aggressively, and the theme is just so soothing, so we’re pretty sure you’ll still be talking at the end. If you’re short on time, we’ve just got our hands on a copy of the newly-released Patchwork Express, which basically offers the same great game in under 20 minutes.

    Jaipur – This one is a slightly harder sell for the uninitiated: players are traders in an Arabian market place, trying to win the approval of the Sultan by accumulating more goods and (mysteriously all-important) camels than the other player in each of three rounds. It looks and sounds very dry, but Jaipur consistently appears on top 10 lists of two-player games, and hopefully once you’ve played it you’ll understand why. Again, this is very much a Euro-style game in that there’s no direct conflict (although you might spot some opportunities to scupper your opponent’s plans if you keep a careful eye out). If you give it a go, keep an eye out for the special panda camel. We have no idea why it’s there, but we’re always pleased to see it!

    Pandemic – If you’d prefer to remove the competitive aspect completely and work together against the game, there’s a whole world of cooperative games out there and pretty much all of them are great for two players. Pandemic helped to kickstart the whole genre when it appeared in 2008, and it has really stood the test of time. Players take on the role of a team of specialists trying to save humanity from four deadly viruses, racing against time to find the cures whilst travelling the world treating patients and trying to prevent outbreaks. The theme is so powerful that it’s impossible not to get drawn in, and it’s tricky enough to beat the game that you get to feel like heroes if you manage it, but will always have a memorable experience either way.

    Head to head

    Right. The gloves are off. You’re not here to mess around – there’s a score to settle. Here are our top games for times when taking part just won’t cut it.

    Cobra Paw – Any game based around grabbing is guaranteed to get the competitive juices flowing, and Cobra Paw is simple enough to let you get stuck straight in. Take turns to roll a pair of dice, then look for the domino that features the two symbols they show amongst all of those on the table and try to get to it first. If you succeed, put the domino in front of you. If you can collect six of them you’ve won, but be warned: dominoes in front of other players are still fair game. Maybe move your drinks before you start playing!

    Odin’s Ravens – This one doesn’t require physical speed to win, but involves a race nonetheless. Odin’s two ravens Hugin and Munin must fly around Midgard every day gathering information, and whoever gets back first to pass on their news first will be his good books. This is predominantly a card-based game with some beautiful artwork and component quality. Players discard cards to move their raven forward on a the track in the centre of the table, but can also invoke Loki to play tricks to speed their passage or slow down their opponent. A thoroughly thematic experience which always results in a nail-biting finale.



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  • Is solo play meant to use just 3 heroes?


    While I’ll allow for the possibility that I’m just no good at the game, first I need to make sure I’m not just doing something wrong.

    Having tried 7-8 times, I have not been able to even come close to winning the first quest in the Core Set as a solo player. Most of my games I’m not able to get a single advancement token on the first stage. Playing as a single player with just three heroes, the numbers seem stacked against me to be able to effectively quest and still attack and defend that round. The enemies pile up, or the threat tracker gets to 50 after a few rounds of holding the monsters back, or I have no choice but to take undefended damage and lose my heroes. I’m all good with having a challenging game, but for a quest with a difficulty level 1, explicitly described as an “introductory scenario,” I have to wonder: is this meant to be played one player, with a single set of three heroes? It doesn’t seem possible to generate enough willpower, attack strength, or resources. The rulebook doesn’t address single player mode at all, so if not, what are the official solo play rules?

    Update: Upon further research and playing, I think I can safely attribute most of my failures to an underestimation of the importance of traveling to and exploring locations. While still not a total breeze, it made threat level much more manageable.



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  • Help! I want to play games with a narrative! — The Treehouse

    Help! I want to play games with a narrative! — The Treehouse



    Greetings, dear reader! Today is World Book Day, and to celebrate, we have an agony aunt question to help those who like storytelling in their games, but who prefer the role of reader to writer…

    Dear Aunty Chella,

    I love the idea of games with a narrative, but the thought of role playing gives me performance anxiety! I like the idea of coming away from a games night with a story to tell, but I’m just not up for writing a character as I play – I feel way too self conscious… but it’s hard to do one without the other… right?

    I want to know if there’s something else out there for me in the world of games. I enjoy lots of other kinds of board games and card games, from party games to the more serious kind. I’m good at quickfire word games, and escape rooms, and I enjoy games that have a frame story. I even find myself adding a bit of a story to games that don’t have one, imagining I’m a super-duper-spy-guy trying to get a real code word to my super-duper-spy-teammates before we’re all super-duper-killed by the assassin during an perfectly ordinary round of Codenames, for example.

    I’m keen and willing to try other suggestions, but something about playing a role in general, and actually about D&D in particular, is too daunting – designing a character, committing to a campaign, counting up numbers on dice, talking in a ‘ye olde’ voice and pretending to be casting spells… it all feels very not me. But making up stories round a table, particularly in a competitive way – that is definitely my idea of fun! Can you please help?

    Narrating in Nether Edge



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  • Play GMT Games Anytime, Anywhere! (Part 2) – InsideGMT


    More of GMT’s Digital Offerings that allow you to “Play GMT Games Anytime, Anywhere.

    As I noted in our first article, we have created, in cooperation with individual programmers and digital game platforms, numerous ways for customers to experience our boardgames on your digital devices. We’ve done this for one large, underlying reason: We want players to be able to engage with and experience the learning, fun, challenge, and historical insights of our boardgames with other players from around the world on digital platforms where they can play the games generally much more quickly than they can on their physical game tables.

    The Pyramid of Digital Game Options GMT Offers:

    • Computer Games. We discussed these in our last installment of this series.
    • Online Multi-player Games that enforce the boardgame rules but have no solo AI opponents. We’ll talk about these today.
    • Traditional VASSAL and TableTop Simulator Game Modules. We’ll feature these in our next installment of the series.

    Free-to-Play Online Games

    Today we’ll talk about all of the Free-to-Play Games that we have authorized to be published on Popular Online Platforms. First, a few notes about these games:

    • Most GMT Games on online free-to-play platforms look and play like the boardgame. You can play them multi-player with friends or multi-handed “hot seat” solo, but there is no AI built in, so there is no “against the computer” solo play.
    • A nice feature of Rally the Troops, one of the platforms listed below, especially if you want to familiarize yourself with gameplay before you play yourself, is that you can “Watch” a game in progress or “Review” a completed game.
    • All we ask for those of you who play our games online is that at least one of you who are playing owns the physical boardgame. That’s how it would be if you were meeting friends face to face to play – ONE of you would bring the game. But there’s no requirement that all players own the game to play online. We WANT you to use online free-to-play options to “try before you buy” our boardgames.

    Here’s the list of games we have authorized that are currently available on free-to-play online platforms:

    Rally the Troops.com

    GMT Games Available to play for free on Rally the Troops as of April 21, 2025:

    1989: Dawn of Freedom (2-player Card-driven game (CDG) set in Eastern Europe in 1989)

    Andean Abyss (1-4 player COIN series game on the struggle for power in Columbia in the 1990s )

    Nevsky (1-2-player Levy & Campaign series game about the clash between Latin Teutonic and Orthodox Russian powers along the Baltic frontier in the mid-13th-Century.)

    Plantagenet (1-2-player Levy & Campaign series game of the War of the Roses)

    Red Flag Over Paris (2-player Card-driven game on the Rise and Fall of the Paris Commune, 1871. )

    Time of Crisis (1-4 player Strategy game of Ancient Rome)

    Vijayanagara (1-3 player Irregular Conflict Series game of Medieval India, 1290-1398.

    Washington’s War (Strategic 2-player CDG about the American Revolution.)

    Wilderness War (Strategic 2-player CDG about the French & Indian Wars)

    BoardGame Arena

    GMT Games Official Implementations that you can play FREE on BoardGame Arena

    A Gest of Robin Hood (2-player game in our Irregular Conflict Series)

    Bayonets & Tomahawks (2-player strategic CDG on The French and Indian War)

    Space Empires (1-4 player 4X Space game. One of our all-time best-sellers.)

    Talon (1-2 player game of Tactical Space Combat)

    Unconditional Surrender (1-3 player game of WWII in Europe)

    TableTopia

    GMT Games that you can play FREE on TableTopia:

    A Gest of Robin Hood

    Down in Flames

    Paths of Glory (just released!)

    Red Dust Rebellion

    Tank Duel

    The Plum Island Horror

    GMT Games that you can play FREE on 18xx.games

    I should note that we also have a couple GMT Games that you can play as PREMIUM experiences on TableTopia (these are not free):

    Dominant Species

    Thunder Alley

    I hope this article and “all in one place” listing of games gives you insight into what’s available to you for our free-to-play digital games offerings. We want all of you to have plenty of options to find your favorite ways to “Play GMT Games Anytime, Anywhere.”

    Next Time: VASSAL, TableTop Simulator Module, Cyberboard  for almost all of our games, plus Solo Apps!

    Enjoy the games! – Gene



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