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Ninja Division has obtained the license to create board and card games based on Games Workshop properties. Specific terms of the contract were not discussed in their announcement (we don't know if they have the license to create all old GW board games). GW already announced that they will be making the new edition of Talisman, so I'm sure that isn't included.

Ninja Divisions first GW card game will feature players as competing Dwarf Slayers- each trying to die with the most glory (from the talk, it sounds like it will feature special character slayers from Olde World lore).

John Candice of NJ used to work for Games Workshop, and the NJ team includes fans of each of GW's settings. Their team has recently been expanding (they've got the guy who did Malifaux 2nd ed, for example).

They've even started talking on their Facebook page about the possibility of Games Workshop Chibi miniatures (I'm really not sure how they could incorporate that into a game, but I'm all for it).


So what does everyone think about all of this?

Not reallly into card games myself. Dabbled with Magic now and again, got Exploding Kittens and awaiting Bears vs Babies.

Not familiar with Ninja Division either. What games are they known for?

GW has done this sort of thing in the past and its a good idea in general; if it works it generates additional advertising and product as well as funding through the licence; if it fails it doesn't harm their core business and they've not taken the financial risk themselves.

They've done it a lot in the computer game world; although one could say that they were a little too generous in signing on smaller companies who have proven to be rather hit and miss in some of their games (then again even big names make mistakes - aka the current Dawn of War III). Heck Dawn of War 1 and Warhammer Total War have likely boosted their physical product sales a lot by reaching out to other markets.

Card games are also a really powerful market. If you can get it right the local game stores love them as they are like printing money (seriously Magic the Gathering basically is printing money - Booster Draft is game format that requires purchases to work); whilst gamers love them as another avenue to enjoy the hobby.

GW did card games in the past althoguh the only one that springs to mind is their Top Trumps style game.

 odinsgrandson wrote:

They've even started talking on their Facebook page about the possibility of Games Workshop Chibi miniatures (I'm really not sure how they could incorporate that into a game, but I'm all for it).

I would totally be down for a Chibi Demon army. "Aww, look at the cute widdle demonett---OHMYGODTHERESBLOODEVERYWHERE!!!"

Then again, given some of Ninja Division's history, this is probably how we'll finally get plastic Sisters of Battle. And they'll all look like Marie-Claude.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Not reallly into card games myself. Dabbled with Magic now and again, got Exploding Kittens and awaiting Bears vs Babies.

Not familiar with Ninja Division either. What games are they known for?

Ninja Division is Soda Pop Miniatures - the team behind Super Dungeon Explore and Relic Knights. (and also Ninja All-Stars, Rail Raiders infinite and some misc card games - they also publish games for a number of other small companies).

I had read about the Slayer game - I wasn't aware it was a more encompassing deal with future projects. Good for Soda Pop.

TBH as long as my outstanding kickstarters don't arrive I won't trust ND with any money...

More power to them. I hope they make some good games. I liked Relic Knights, but it just never took off. Tentacle Bento is terrible though. Hopefully they've improved their design skills.

They've hired on a number of new game designers since Tentacle Bento. RK was a really good concept that needed a bit more refinement than it got (I'm hoping the upcoming 2nd edition will fix the bugs).

SKR.HH wrote:
TBH as long as my outstanding kickstarters don't arrive I won't trust ND with any money...

The Slayer card game will not be going to kickstarter- they're just going to release it in the traditional sense. So no trust is needed.


To be fair to them, I've had a better experience with their late kickstarters than with a number of other companies' late kickstarters (I haven't felt a reason to doubt that it will deliver, for example). The lateness of the Legends kickstarter is pretty epic (although I feel that the community was basically asking for the in depth rules revision that they got).

Isn't Ninja Division the one that messed up AVP?

 krazynadechukr wrote:
Isn't Ninja Division the one that messed up AVP?

That was a prodos kickstarter wasn't it?

Soda Pop's Trollslayer card game sounds adorable.

However, I would prefer a laser-like focus on the outstanding Kickstarter campaigns - namely Relic Knights 2.

The whole "We have new design resources working on this new stuff, so our old stuff is still getting attention too!" seems hallow. This is because its not just allocated resources that get things done, but a company's focus and attention at the upper levels of management that help encourage progress. Its obviously not the focus, and it should be.

So I'm negative, but probably because I'm very disappointed in the progress on RK2 and the decision to make fundamental rule changes, when the 1.5 were fine, and the real reason most of us backed was for the miniatures.

Mez

 Mezmaron wrote:

Soda Pop's Trollslayer card game sounds adorable.

However, I would prefer a laser-like focus on the outstanding Kickstarter campaigns - namely Relic Knights 2.

The whole "We have new design resources working on this new stuff, so our old stuff is still getting attention too!" seems hallow. This is because its not just allocated resources that get things done, but a company's focus and attention at the upper levels of management that help encourage progress. Its obviously not the focus, and it should be.

So I'm negative, but probably because I'm very disappointed in the progress on RK2 and the decision to make fundamental rule changes, when the 1.5 were fine, and the real reason most of us backed was for the miniatures.

Mez

Yup. Beginning to think I'll be lucky to get wave 1 this year. Was expecting to be playing it for the first time around now.