The Covenant Cast
Society & Culture
About
We've spent over a decade in the tabletop gaming space, as content creators, local store owners, and online retailers. Now it's time to answer your questions, dive into complex topics, and have an incredible amount of fun along the way -- featuring exclusive updates, candid dialogue, and fascinating interviews with designers, publishers, and visionaries.
Episodes
- Artistic Inspiration vs Plagiarism
All last week we stared at the beautiful Earthborne Trailblazer board, created by Evan Simonet and inspired by Jaro Hess's "The Land of Make Believe". This week we wake up to a fresh controversy involving long time Magic: The Gathering art…
- Q&A with Andrew Navaro, Head of Studio at Earthborne Games
Fresh off of their Earthborne Trailblazer announcement, Andrew Navaro joins us to answer your questions and ours!
- The End of Crowdfunding
In the early days of crowdfunding, we were very hesitant to consider games that used the platform. Crowdfunding was seen as a negative. Somewhere along the way we entered an era where crowdfunding every game, or even every set, is seen as…
- How the LCG Succeeds
In this episode, we revisit the topic of LCG viability. Are there ways, tested or untested, that an LCG can prosper as a long-running game and also on the balance sheet of the local game store? After a week of reflection and so many good c…
- There is No "LCG Model"
Gudnak has pulled off the pipe dream of LCG fans everywhere by creating a functional limited experience. Hubworld announced that every set will be also be a draftable cube. Arkham Horror continues to tweak how it's products are delivered.…
- The Perfect Organized Play
Sorcery TCG has announced its Cornerstone events emphasizing Creativity, Mastery, and Wonder. Alpha Clash has gone international, announcing an even more open tournament scene in locations from Vegas to Dubai to the Philippines. FAB contin…
- The Mirage of the Crowdfunded TCG
First Sorcery TCG, then Altered TCG, and now Cyberpunk 2027 TCG. These games continue to break crowdfunding records, but what does that mean for the actual health of the game? Zach and Steven sit down for an all new podcast format where we…
- Erik Olofsson - Sorcery TCG | Gothic Reflections and Future
At the end of our 12-hour Gothic release stream, we got to chat with Erik Olofsson—founder of Erik's Curiosa and co-founder of Grinding Gear Games—about Sorery's new Gothic set and the future of the game. That content was over the archive…
- 227: Andrew Navaro - From Fantasy Flight Games to Earthborne Games
"I think as long as you're following your heart, your life will take you wherever you're intended to go." Andrew Navaro, Former Head of Studio at FFG and current Head of Studio at Earthborne Games, sits down with us to talk about his journ…
- 226: When Comic Books are the Answer - Alpha Clash
Ridge Kiley, co-founder of Rising Empire Studios, sits down with Zach to discuss their recently announced Alpha Clash comic book series and how the comics allow for a top-down design approach that will completely reshape the Alpha Clash tr…
- 225: Alpha Clash Blazes New Path For Indie Card Games
Garett Kiley, co-founder of Rising Empire Studios, sits down with Zach to discuss their recent move away from traditional distribution and into direct LGS relationships via their Champion Store program. This is the most honest accounting o…
- 224: Gudnak - In Pursuit of the Third Way
Tim O'Brien, co-designer of Gudnak, sits down with Zach for a far-reaching discussion that offers a behind-the-scenes look into Chaotic Great's journey as a new indie card game publisher. At the heart of the discussion is the inevitable qu…
- 223: Kingswood Games - The Warlord CCG Interview
Woodrow and Josh, the founders of Kingswood Games, are relaunching the AEG classic card game, Warlord, into the modern era. It's an incredible story of two longtime fans bringing back something that they clearly love, with serious echoes o…
- 222: Andrew Navaro - The Reality of Independent Publishing
We're back after seven months with one of our favorite creators in the tabletop gaming industry, Andrew Navaro (former Fantasy Flight Games Head of Studio, founder of Earthborne Games), for a deeper look at independent publishing through t…
- 221: Introducing the Alpha Clash TCG ft. Ridge (Founder)
We've been following Alpha Clash since 2022, and have consistently been impressed with the drive and output of the people behind it. Join us for a conversation with Ridge Kiley, founder of Rising Empire Studios and creator of the Alpha Cla…
- 220: Andrew Parks - Stories from The Nightmare Before Christmas TCG
A remarkable moment - a random comment on our Nighmare Before Christmas TCG stream turns into a conversation and relationship with its designer, Andrew Parks, who then blows us away with fascinating stories from the early days of tabletop…
- 219: Getting Into Magic: The Gathering
Zach has been taken in by the upcoming Lord of the Rings "Universes Beyond" set of Magic: The Gathering. So much so that he's now learning everything about what to buy, where to buy it, and where to play it. Join us for a conversation abou…
- 218: The Retail Incentive
Conversations around expandable games and the LGS continue to swirl online, especially amid things like Magic's continued embrace of direct sales, Flesh and Blood's presence (or non-presence) at retail, and Sorcery's "one set a year, play…
- 217: Event Theory Into Practice - FuseFest 2023
We recently hosted our first big event since COVID shut everything down (technically our biggest to date!). As those of you following for the past few years are certainly aware, we've been fascinated by the competitive v casual paradigm, e…
- 216: The End of an Era
As 2022 wraps up, in many ways it signals the end of the "pandemic" era of thinking, both professionally and personally. Join us for a recap of 2022 in the context of the past few years, and a look ahead to a world that is once again full…
- 215: Questioning Culture - Are You Casual or Competitive?
These two words seem to haunt the tabletop gaming landscape, and after many decades of exposure there still is not broad agreement as to what they mean. Behind these terms is a more accurate understanding of what each of us is looking for…
- 214: KeyForge Gets It Right
A lesson to publishers, and to every human being who communicates - Ghost Galaxy's "Dis In Formats" article is everything we could have hoped for as concern over new Organized Play formats spread throughout the online community. Even if yo…
- 213: KeyForge Returns w/ Christian T. Petersen
Who better to see KeyForge through its next era than the founder of Fantasy Flight Games - Christian T. Petersen. Join us for a wonderfully candid conversation about GameFound, crowdfunding, retail, organized play, PvE, and the future of t…
- 212: Rekindling the Magic
Card games - and so many things in life - aren't always about having it all. As the expectations around "instant" card access and competitive advantage skew the original TCG (and LCG) equation, we look to our recent Sorcery One Box Meta se…
- 211: TCGPlayer Buys Channel Fireball
When the largest TCG marketplace buys one of the largest TCG content and event management entities, it's sure to have an impact on the industry. Join two non-Magic players as they look into the future - and inevitably dig up old questions…
- 210: Crowdfunding KeyForge
This week, Ghost Galaxy (run by former FFG founder Christian Petersen) announced that their reboot of KeyForge would be kicked off by a GameFound campaign for the first "new" set, Winds of Exchange. The questions this raises, and their pot…
- 209: The Future of Unique Deck Games, Part 2
Hot on the heels of SolForge Fusion's release and our subsequent podcast (Ep 194) about the Future of Unique Deck Games, Christian Petersen's Ghost Galaxy Games announces their acquisition of KeyForge and a full release of two PvE scenario…
- 208: Tabletop Terms - TCG & TC Edition
Confused or overwhelmed by all the seemingly insane things that players say in this hobby? Join us as we define terms like "aggro", "limited", "bounce", and even TC classics like "bugatti". You'll be up to speed in no time!
- The Power Seven: Free
For the final episode of the series, Steven and Zach tackle the issue of "free" effects in games with an approach now influenced by all of the previous Power Seven conversations. Notably, can anything really be "free"?
- The Power Seven: Resource Cards w/ Isaac Vega
Concepts like "mana screw" and "non-games" have existed in card gaming from the start, stemming from the reality that sometimes you do not draw the resource cards you need to play out your deck. With more recent designs doing away with res…
- The Power Seven: Silver Bullets w/ Alex Davy
Designers often employ powerful effects that target specific cards or archetypes when a meta becomes unbalanced. But is this ever the right answer? Our dear friend Alex Davy (Star Wars: X-Wing, Star Wars: Legion) joins us for an enticing c…
- The Power Seven: Memory w/ Justin Gary
Huge board states, compounding static effects, unlimited stacked triggers - some games can get to a point where simply operating the rules is difficult and making meaningful decisions feels impossible. We've brought in Justin Gary (Ascensi…
- The Power Seven: Denial w/ Nick Conley
How many metagames have been ruined by a deck that just simply says "no" to whatever you want to do? And yet how many of your friends absolutely love playing said decks? Denial mechanics might be the most difficult game design needle to th…
- The Power Seven: Recursion w/ Lukas Litzsinger
A simple act - replaying a card or two from your discard pile - has been the bane of countless metagames. Does such a seemingly innocent mechanic really cause problems? Should designers stay away from the idea of recursion entirely? Join u…
- The Power Seven: Limit 1 w/ MJ Newman
Should cards ever be limited to "1 per deck", especially as a balancing mechanic? Can strong cards exist if they are drawn less often? Can the variance of rare cards be fun for all players? Join us for a phenomenal conversation with MJ New…
- The Power Seven: Introduction
Get ready for our most ambitious podcast series to date! Expanding on the principles of our "How to Ruin a Game" series, we've identified seven common design mechanics that are particularly troublesome to game balance, and are interviewing…
- 199: James White - Perspectives on the Flesh and Blood TCG
Recorded the evening before FAB 2.0 was officially announced, Legend Story Studios' founder James White shares a number of perspectives that provide context to that announcement, as well as the long-term future of the Flesh and Blood TCG -…
- 198: Considering Covenant - Q1 2022
We're testing a new type of episode, where we look back at the past three months "inside" Covenant and share how things are going - including developments that typically stay behind the scenes.
- 197: Card Games as Sport
We dive into the pursuit of card games as sport - with training, rewards, and perfection as the goal - and what publishers and players gain (or lose) by promoting this approach. *Disclaimer - this episode was recorded before the Magic Pro…
- 196: Introducing the Sorcery TCG ft. Erik Oloffson (Founder)
Erik Oloffson, known best for his role as a founding member of Grinding Gear Games (Path of Exile), joins us to discuss his newest creation - the Sorcery TCG, now the largest TCG Kickstarter to date (over $1m).
- 195: Revisiting Our Take on TCGs
We've asked a lot of questions about various release models over the years, and one common wedge was the trading or collectible card game - especially as the LCG model removed rarity, investment, and trading from the equation. With the TCG…
- 194: The Future of Unique Deck Games
With SolForge Fusion as the next entry into the genre, the unique game model is top of mind yet again. We discuss the pros and cons realized by KeyForge, new developments brought by SolForge Fusion, and how much potential is yet to be disc…
- 193: Introducing SolForge Fusion ft. Justin Gary (CEO)
We're so happy to be able to share this interview with Justin Gary, CEO of Stone Blade Entertainment, about the recently announced and funded "hybrid deck game" - SolForge Fusion. We're adding it to our curated selection of titles, and thi…
- 192: A Product Life Cycle Case Study - Flesh and Blood TCG
Product life cycles are almost perfectly represented in the rise and fall of the many expandable games we've seen over the past three decades. How an expandable game overcomes the standard "expandable" life cycle is a critical question for…
- 191: Where 2022 Will Take us
We take wild guesses at what 2022 might bring, both for Covenant (the store build begins!) and the tabletop industry. What will happen with trading card games, living card games, unique deck games, and even in our ignorance, miniatures and…
- 190: Looking Back on 2021
Join us for the last episode of the year, wherein we take a look back at 2021 and trace the big moments through notable podcast episodes. A little too perfect that this year began with "What is the point of collectibility" and ended with "…
- 189: Blockchains and NFTs (In Tabletop)
We share our research about blockchain technology, explain how these systems work (hopefully), scope the NFT trends in tabletop (as well as more generally), and do our best to remain objective and open in the face of a movement that has hi…
- 188: Nostalgia and the New Wave of TCGs
It feels familiar doesn't it? An influx of new TCGs hitting the market after a collectible boom, with significant financial success and often without the previously expected focus on rules, organized play, long-term distribution, and marke…
- 187: Are Investors Good for Collectible Games?
Getting back into a collectible game - for us, that's the Flesh and Blood TCG - brings you back into the inevitable tension between players and investors. The former is annoyed by rising prices and product scarcity created by hoarded, unpl…
- 186: How to Run an Incredible Event
Having attended a few big events recently, and having hosted one of our own, we run down the punch list of what needs to happen if you want to host a truly incredible tabletop gaming event.