An almost all games edition today, with a variety of game items, including the unexpected return of a certain well known RPG company name...
West End Games resurfaced unexpectedly, coming back from the dead after purchase by Stewart Wiek, owner of Nocturnal and former founder of White Wolf Publishing. He co-created Vampire: The Masquerade and the World of Darkness. While I'm familiar with those games, I've never met Stewart. That's about the extent of what I know, aside from what is posted on their site. It looks like d6 will be back again in some form. It's already an open game license with occasional activity, but with WEG actively leading the way with well a known and experienced lead, it will be interesting to see how things develop. It seems many of the iconic WEG games are in other hands (Paranoia, Torg, Masterbook), but some still remain. They're literally kicking things off with one of the old designers and one familiar to old time Star Wars RPG fans - Greg Costikyan. They are reviving the board game Web & Starship with a new kickstarter. It has 14 days and under $4,000 to go.
Speaking of old-time WEG, io9 picked up a bit more on the old WEG Star Wars RPG style guide that was discussed and quoted online a few weeks ago.
Fantasy Flight Games features a new guest article by Bryan Young (@swankmotron) about ways to bring a character akin to Ahsoka Tano into RPG game sessions. Bryan previously wrote a three article series on the history of the Star Wars RPG in Star Wars Insider. He also writes for starwars.com.
I continue to fall farther behind in X-Wing as FFG previews new ships.
FFG also posted a free multiplayer scenario for Star Wars Armada, for a new twist on the game. Scenarios, hmmm...well, like I have time at the moment.
And finally, something non-Star Wars but fun in any case as a couple of friends have been nominated for Hugo Awards. Aaron Williams, creator of Nodwick and PS238, is up with Full Frontal Nerdity in the Best Graphic Story category against some tough competition like Neil Gaiman and JH Williams The Sandman:Overture. Jim Butcher is up for Best Novel with The Cinder Spires: The Aeronaut's Windlass. Unfortunately, the Hugos have been mired in controversy again this year, in more or less a repeat of last year's mess.
Worldcon is Kansas City, MO this time, so I'm taking advantage of the rare opportunity to attend. Worldcon is in a different city around the world each year. Anyway, that also means I get a vote, so that will be new and different, especially under the circumstances.