Rascal News
@rascal.news
Independent, Worker-Owned TTRPG Journalism | Subscribe to us at rascal.news
Tacklebox is a two-player RPG about fishing in surreal waters. It's also the story of two old friends who reuinited by chance as its co-designers.
Rekindling a decades-long friendship by designing Tacklebox
Hook, line, and reunion.
www.rascal.news
January 15, 2026 at 10:33 PM
Tacklebox is a two-player RPG about fishing in surreal waters. It's also the story of two old friends who reuinited by chance as its co-designers.
Reposted by Rascal News
I chatted with @ludicpen.bsky.social on making games in Venezuela amidst the conflict, and their long term plans. More than ever, creating art - creating anything - is a form of resistance these days.
"Solidarity and creativity can be powerful forces, especially when the world around you feels uncertain and everything else is literally crumbling. Create, create, create; build amidst the crumbling."
Khee Hoon Chan speaks to Ludic Pen about the difficulties of being creatives in Venezuela.
Khee Hoon Chan speaks to Ludic Pen about the difficulties of being creatives in Venezuela.
Venezuelan studio Ludic Pen is meeting the ongoing political crisis with creative passion
Members discussed their long term plans and the support systems that keep them going.
www.rascal.news
January 14, 2026 at 11:02 PM
I chatted with @ludicpen.bsky.social on making games in Venezuela amidst the conflict, and their long term plans. More than ever, creating art - creating anything - is a form of resistance these days.
Reposted by Rascal News
required reading for this week
"Solidarity and creativity can be powerful forces, especially when the world around you feels uncertain and everything else is literally crumbling. Create, create, create; build amidst the crumbling."
Khee Hoon Chan speaks to Ludic Pen about the difficulties of being creatives in Venezuela.
Khee Hoon Chan speaks to Ludic Pen about the difficulties of being creatives in Venezuela.
Venezuelan studio Ludic Pen is meeting the ongoing political crisis with creative passion
Members discussed their long term plans and the support systems that keep them going.
www.rascal.news
January 15, 2026 at 7:25 AM
required reading for this week
"Solidarity and creativity can be powerful forces, especially when the world around you feels uncertain and everything else is literally crumbling. Create, create, create; build amidst the crumbling."
Khee Hoon Chan speaks to Ludic Pen about the difficulties of being creatives in Venezuela.
Khee Hoon Chan speaks to Ludic Pen about the difficulties of being creatives in Venezuela.
Venezuelan studio Ludic Pen is meeting the ongoing political crisis with creative passion
Members discussed their long term plans and the support systems that keep them going.
www.rascal.news
January 14, 2026 at 3:24 PM
"Solidarity and creativity can be powerful forces, especially when the world around you feels uncertain and everything else is literally crumbling. Create, create, create; build amidst the crumbling."
Khee Hoon Chan speaks to Ludic Pen about the difficulties of being creatives in Venezuela.
Khee Hoon Chan speaks to Ludic Pen about the difficulties of being creatives in Venezuela.
Three creators working within Lancer's creative ecosystem told @newmadras.bsky.social that the mech RPG's large fan community isn't just dedicated -- they're indispensable collaborators.
Lancer is a brain worm, and 50,000 people have it
What is the community doing over there? A lot, apparently!
www.rascal.news
January 13, 2026 at 3:15 PM
Three creators working within Lancer's creative ecosystem told @newmadras.bsky.social that the mech RPG's large fan community isn't just dedicated -- they're indispensable collaborators.
“In the most technical sense, if crowdfunding went away, would we struggle for how MCG could stay the company that it is? Of course, so I guess in that regard, we're reliant on it."
Monte Cook Games chafes against the view that their seemingly stable RPG business model depends on crowdfunding.
Monte Cook Games chafes against the view that their seemingly stable RPG business model depends on crowdfunding.
Despite a tumultuous year, Monte Cook Games seems more stable than ever
Is Cypher’s crowdfunding success the cipher to crack their secret?
www.rascal.news
January 12, 2026 at 3:26 PM
“In the most technical sense, if crowdfunding went away, would we struggle for how MCG could stay the company that it is? Of course, so I guess in that regard, we're reliant on it."
Monte Cook Games chafes against the view that their seemingly stable RPG business model depends on crowdfunding.
Monte Cook Games chafes against the view that their seemingly stable RPG business model depends on crowdfunding.
Runecairn is a masterclass in proudly displaying your game's influences and using them to convey your vision to GMs and players.
Runecairn with Rune & Caelyn
Imitation is the sincerest (and most approachable) form of flattery
www.rascal.news
January 9, 2026 at 3:06 PM
Runecairn is a masterclass in proudly displaying your game's influences and using them to convey your vision to GMs and players.
Game designer Steve Dee @tinstargames.bsky.social unexpectedly passed last week. His last public post is a touching meditation on solidarity.
"The smallest things can still be incredibly powerful...You matter, and if you show up, you can change your fate, or someone else’s. And that is everything.”
"The smallest things can still be incredibly powerful...You matter, and if you show up, you can change your fate, or someone else’s. And that is everything.”
Steve Dee, game designer and community builder, has passed away
He leaves behind a legacy of creating better worlds.
www.rascal.news
January 8, 2026 at 10:56 PM
Game designer Steve Dee @tinstargames.bsky.social unexpectedly passed last week. His last public post is a touching meditation on solidarity.
"The smallest things can still be incredibly powerful...You matter, and if you show up, you can change your fate, or someone else’s. And that is everything.”
"The smallest things can still be incredibly powerful...You matter, and if you show up, you can change your fate, or someone else’s. And that is everything.”
Magic: The Gathering leverages both Avatar: The Last Airbender's story and the TCG's tight design in its beginner box, but subpar component quality and a lack of next steps mar an otherwise great introduction.
Magic: The Gathering’s imperfect Avatar Beginner Box turned my spouse into The Enemy
Confident first steps with no path offered into the wider trading card game.
www.rascal.news
January 8, 2026 at 5:18 PM
Magic: The Gathering leverages both Avatar: The Last Airbender's story and the TCG's tight design in its beginner box, but subpar component quality and a lack of next steps mar an otherwise great introduction.
Reposted by Rascal News
In our latest letter article, three Rascals consider what WARLOCK and Exodus can tell us about Wizards of the Coast's digital ambitions.
WARLOCK and Exodus speak volumes about Wizards of the Coast’s video game ambitions
Exactly what meets the eye.
www.rascal.news
January 7, 2026 at 4:38 PM
In our latest letter article, three Rascals consider what WARLOCK and Exodus can tell us about Wizards of the Coast's digital ambitions.
Reposted by Rascal News
This is a fun piece I did with @chasecarter.bsky.social and @caelyn.bsky.social - we talked about the two new videogames (!!!) Warlock and Exodus, and whether WoTC's plans to make a shit ton of $$$$$ via videogames are a short-sighted endeavor, inspired by the blinding success of Baldur's Gate 3
In our latest letter article, three Rascals consider what WARLOCK and Exodus can tell us about Wizards of the Coast's digital ambitions.
WARLOCK and Exodus speak volumes about Wizards of the Coast’s video game ambitions
Exactly what meets the eye.
www.rascal.news
January 8, 2026 at 11:30 AM
This is a fun piece I did with @chasecarter.bsky.social and @caelyn.bsky.social - we talked about the two new videogames (!!!) Warlock and Exodus, and whether WoTC's plans to make a shit ton of $$$$$ via videogames are a short-sighted endeavor, inspired by the blinding success of Baldur's Gate 3
Reposted by Rascal News
Rascal News is the only news site I know who's covered this in more depth. They're paywalled, but you should support them.
They exchanged some email with Dianin who said "All creators today use AI in some form. Saying ‘I don’t use AI’ is a lie."
(Bullshit.)
They exchanged some email with Dianin who said "All creators today use AI in some form. Saying ‘I don’t use AI’ is a lie."
(Bullshit.)
UK Games Expo criticized for promoting RPG with generative AI imagery
Gates of Krystalia’s creators insult commenters, struggle to explain provenance of LLM training material.
www.rascal.news
December 29, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Rascal News is the only news site I know who's covered this in more depth. They're paywalled, but you should support them.
They exchanged some email with Dianin who said "All creators today use AI in some form. Saying ‘I don’t use AI’ is a lie."
(Bullshit.)
They exchanged some email with Dianin who said "All creators today use AI in some form. Saying ‘I don’t use AI’ is a lie."
(Bullshit.)
In our latest letter article, three Rascals consider what WARLOCK and Exodus can tell us about Wizards of the Coast's digital ambitions.
WARLOCK and Exodus speak volumes about Wizards of the Coast’s video game ambitions
Exactly what meets the eye.
www.rascal.news
January 7, 2026 at 4:38 PM
In our latest letter article, three Rascals consider what WARLOCK and Exodus can tell us about Wizards of the Coast's digital ambitions.
Reposted by Rascal News
This is the piece I've been waiting to publish :) The Kuei-jin has always been a weird, orientalist mess, but I find the concept of this clan so fascinating. Paradox is essentially pretending they don't exist anymore, so fans are writing books to redo the Kuei-jin - and the TTRPG system behind them
Fan work is transforming the Kuei-jin, Vampire: The Masquerade's Anglocentric attempt at an East Asian clan, into something representative and celebratory.
Asian vampires in Vampire: the Masquerade have been getting an unofficial facelift
Fans are fixing the stereotypes of this clan through their own books.
www.rascal.news
January 6, 2026 at 10:09 PM
This is the piece I've been waiting to publish :) The Kuei-jin has always been a weird, orientalist mess, but I find the concept of this clan so fascinating. Paradox is essentially pretending they don't exist anymore, so fans are writing books to redo the Kuei-jin - and the TTRPG system behind them
Reposted by Rascal News
It's been 5 years since a group of alt-right revolutionaries attempted a violent coup on the United States government at the behest of Donald Trump.
A year ago I attended a gamified version of that terrible day for @rascal.news. Its terrifying to see how much has changed and how much hasn't.
A year ago I attended a gamified version of that terrible day for @rascal.news. Its terrifying to see how much has changed and how much hasn't.
Red hats, red blood: roleplaying the January 6 insurrection in a Brooklyn warehouse
What about America is worth fighting for?
www.rascal.news
January 6, 2026 at 6:17 PM
It's been 5 years since a group of alt-right revolutionaries attempted a violent coup on the United States government at the behest of Donald Trump.
A year ago I attended a gamified version of that terrible day for @rascal.news. Its terrifying to see how much has changed and how much hasn't.
A year ago I attended a gamified version of that terrible day for @rascal.news. Its terrifying to see how much has changed and how much hasn't.
Fan work is transforming the Kuei-jin, Vampire: The Masquerade's Anglocentric attempt at an East Asian clan, into something representative and celebratory.
Asian vampires in Vampire: the Masquerade have been getting an unofficial facelift
Fans are fixing the stereotypes of this clan through their own books.
www.rascal.news
January 6, 2026 at 3:11 PM
Fan work is transforming the Kuei-jin, Vampire: The Masquerade's Anglocentric attempt at an East Asian clan, into something representative and celebratory.
Reposted by Rascal News
Today is the final day you can grab two months of a Rascal subscription at $1/month! Strap in for another year of tabletop journalism once the team returns tomorrow.
Help us continue growing and biting even more ankles in 2026!
www.rascal.news/yippee-ki-ya...
Help us continue growing and biting even more ankles in 2026!
www.rascal.news/yippee-ki-ya...
Rascal News
Rascal is a tabletop roleplaying game and culture outlet striving to sustainably publish voicey journalism that is compelling, deeply-reported, and fearlessly honest. We’re also a little cheeky
www.rascal.news
January 5, 2026 at 11:24 AM
Today is the final day you can grab two months of a Rascal subscription at $1/month! Strap in for another year of tabletop journalism once the team returns tomorrow.
Help us continue growing and biting even more ankles in 2026!
www.rascal.news/yippee-ki-ya...
Help us continue growing and biting even more ankles in 2026!
www.rascal.news/yippee-ki-ya...
Reposted by Rascal News
I'm back from a restful winter holiday, which included looking at bluesky as little as possible. What a great decision.
Another great decision: subscribing to my website today before this absolute steal of a discount is retired!
Another great decision: subscribing to my website today before this absolute steal of a discount is retired!
Today is the final day you can grab two months of a Rascal subscription at $1/month! Strap in for another year of tabletop journalism once the team returns tomorrow.
Help us continue growing and biting even more ankles in 2026!
www.rascal.news/yippee-ki-ya...
Help us continue growing and biting even more ankles in 2026!
www.rascal.news/yippee-ki-ya...
Rascal News
Rascal is a tabletop roleplaying game and culture outlet striving to sustainably publish voicey journalism that is compelling, deeply-reported, and fearlessly honest. We’re also a little cheeky
www.rascal.news
January 5, 2026 at 11:25 AM
I'm back from a restful winter holiday, which included looking at bluesky as little as possible. What a great decision.
Another great decision: subscribing to my website today before this absolute steal of a discount is retired!
Another great decision: subscribing to my website today before this absolute steal of a discount is retired!
Today is the final day you can grab two months of a Rascal subscription at $1/month! Strap in for another year of tabletop journalism once the team returns tomorrow.
Help us continue growing and biting even more ankles in 2026!
www.rascal.news/yippee-ki-ya...
Help us continue growing and biting even more ankles in 2026!
www.rascal.news/yippee-ki-ya...
Rascal News
Rascal is a tabletop roleplaying game and culture outlet striving to sustainably publish voicey journalism that is compelling, deeply-reported, and fearlessly honest. We’re also a little cheeky
www.rascal.news
January 5, 2026 at 11:24 AM
Today is the final day you can grab two months of a Rascal subscription at $1/month! Strap in for another year of tabletop journalism once the team returns tomorrow.
Help us continue growing and biting even more ankles in 2026!
www.rascal.news/yippee-ki-ya...
Help us continue growing and biting even more ankles in 2026!
www.rascal.news/yippee-ki-ya...
Happy New Year from GMT! - Caelyn. And presumably Chase, who knows.
January 1, 2026 at 12:18 AM
Happy New Year from GMT! - Caelyn. And presumably Chase, who knows.
One more end-of-year reflection, this one from @lincodega.com. They talk about the games they played, lessons learned, and muse on what did -- or didn't happen -- at the big TTRPG studios in 2025.
The Year Ahead 2025: Lin Codega
Games remain, as ever, good.
www.rascal.news
December 30, 2025 at 8:15 PM
One more end-of-year reflection, this one from @lincodega.com. They talk about the games they played, lessons learned, and muse on what did -- or didn't happen -- at the big TTRPG studios in 2025.
Reposted by Rascal News
2025 was brutal for games media, but I'm seeing some glimmers of hope as worker-owned sites like @aftermath.site, @rascal.news, and @giantbomb.bsky.social have carved out vital spaces in the games community.
Earlier this year, I made a huge Indie Games Media starter pack for y'all. Let's celebrate.
Earlier this year, I made a huge Indie Games Media starter pack for y'all. Let's celebrate.
December 28, 2025 at 8:52 PM
2025 was brutal for games media, but I'm seeing some glimmers of hope as worker-owned sites like @aftermath.site, @rascal.news, and @giantbomb.bsky.social have carved out vital spaces in the games community.
Earlier this year, I made a huge Indie Games Media starter pack for y'all. Let's celebrate.
Earlier this year, I made a huge Indie Games Media starter pack for y'all. Let's celebrate.
From @newmadras.bsky.social; a look back on his work over the past year, and gives us a peek on the kind of work he wants to focus on in 2026.
The Year Ahead: Thomas Manuel
Couldn't get worse at least, right? Right?
www.rascal.news
December 24, 2025 at 2:47 AM
From @newmadras.bsky.social; a look back on his work over the past year, and gives us a peek on the kind of work he wants to focus on in 2026.
We're literally ONE member away from 2500 paid subscribers in 2025!! Will you be the one to help push us over the edge?
December 23, 2025 at 3:25 PM
We're literally ONE member away from 2500 paid subscribers in 2025!! Will you be the one to help push us over the edge?
Reposted by Rascal News
Come listen to me getting increasingly drunk while I talk tabletop games and all sorts of other bollocks with @chasecarter.bsky.social and @lincodega.com
Holiday Special 2025
Clearing out the Question Dungeon, Part I of ???
www.rascal.news
December 22, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Come listen to me getting increasingly drunk while I talk tabletop games and all sorts of other bollocks with @chasecarter.bsky.social and @lincodega.com