Brainwaves - Board Game and Tabletop News Show

Brainwaves - Board Game and Tabletop News Show

Iain & Jamie from The Giant Brain, and Oliver from Tabletop Games Blog bring you a fortnightly show featuring the best in Tabletop Gaming News

Episodes

February 2, 2026 78 mins

All good things come to an end, and so it is with Brainwaves. In this last special episode Richard from ‘We’re Not Wizards’ runs the show as we bring together all the hosts from the years of Brainwaves. Iain McAllister, Jamie Adams, Iain Chantler, Oliver Kinne, and Sam Maggs reminisce about the formation of the show, how it has changed over the years, why I brought it to an end and the future of games journalism. 

 

Show Notes

 

Me...

Mark as Played

It is the very last episode of Brainwaves. Iain, Jamie, and Oliver venture once more into the news wilds to bring you only the latest and best news. For our last show Mythic finally admit they are no more, the Diamond case starts to actually look like there may be a conclusion in sight, Ryan Dancey puts his backing behind AI, and the usual news on movements, promotions, hirings and more. 

 

Headlines

 

Mythic is gone

https://boardg...

Mark as Played
November 24, 2025 35 mins

Iain and Oliver are in the studio to bring you the latest tabletop news from around the globe. From crowdfunding messes and AI promotion to Upper Deck getting counter-claimed by Ravensburger, we have all the important information you need. Also this episode we have a special announcement at the end of the cast. 

 

Headlines

 

Altering the Deal

https://gamefound.com/en/projects/altered/seeds-of-unity/updates/10

 

Steamforged Slash T...

Mark as Played
November 3, 2025 40 mins

The whole team is back in the studio to bring you the latest news from across the tabletop gaming globe. From acquisitions, financial reports, record breaking conventions, and card game companies taking on Musk. 

Headlines

Spiel Essen 25 Breaks Attendance Record

https://www.spiel-essen.de/en/press?view=article&id=304&catid=12

 

Deutscher Spiele Preis 2025 Winners

https://www.spiel-essen.de/en/program/dsp 

 

Asmodee wants th...

October 13, 2025 27 mins

Jamie and Iain bring you the choicest cuts from the worldwide tabletop news beast. Seasoned with the usual amount of controversy, nonsense, and awards. Dig in on episode 169 of Brainwaves. 

Headlines

 

Kickstarter workers go on strike 

https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2025/10/01/kickstarter-workers-set-to-strike-tomorrow-over-minimum-salary-proposals-four-day-work-week-protection/

 

GAMA rebrands

https://www.rascal.news/gama-has...

Mark as Played
September 22, 2025 61 mins

The team are back in full force to bring you the latest news from across the tabletop gaming world. From CMON escaping Hel, to the gender split in designers, and an interview with two of the team behind Tabletop Scotland, we work hard to bring you the news that really matters. 

Headlines

Cmon escapes Hel

https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2025/09/10/cmon-continues-battle-against-heavy-losses-by-selling-on-recently-acquired-hel-ana...

August 25, 2025 44 mins

Iain and Oliver bring you a bumper packed episode of Brainwaves with all the latest news, controversies, and occurrences from across the tabletop gaming world in episode 167 of Brainwaves. 

 

Headlines

 

Devir… damn guys that’s racist as hell

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3555308/just-some-ole-racist-history-crap/page/1 

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3555308/article/46440167#46440167 

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3555679/...

Mark as Played

Jamie and Oliver bring you the latest news from around the tabletop gaming world. From CGE failing to conjure a decent response, to Gamefound acquiring a rival they cover the stories that really matter in episode 166 of Brainwaves. 

  Headlines

Czech Games Edition announces new Harry Potter Codenames https://bsky.app/profile/codenamesgame.bsky.social/post/3lul7oqmuws25

https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2025/07/29/reviewers-includ...

Jamie’s off boating around, no really, so it’s just Oliver and Iain in the studio this week. On episode 165 of Brainwaves they cover Diamond Heists, Spiel Des Jahres, more trouble for CMON and D&D moving to a franchise model, whatever that means. 

 

Headlines

 

Diamond Distribution go on a heist

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-green-ronin-in-critical-legal-defense?attribution_id=sl:0591297a-c303-4ba5-a93c-3b7bd62227df&la...

Mark as Played

It’s the latest episode of Brainwaves! Join Iain and Jamie as they dive into the world of tabletop industry news to bring you the glistening pearls and dank seaweed from across the globe. 

 

Headlines

 

Hasbro cuts 3% of workforce 

https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/hasbro-cuts-3-its-total-workforce-wsj-reports-2025-06-17/

 

Dungeons and Dragons designers end up at critical role

https://darringtonpress.com/welcoming-c...

Mark as Played
June 9, 2025 33 mins

The team of three are back to bring you the latest tabletop news. This episode we have fresh stats from UK Games Expo, companies setting fire to their IPs, ebay busting unions, and the Spiel des Jahres nominations. 

 

Headlines

 

UK Games Expo figures

https://bsky.app/profile/ukge.bsky.social/post/3lqkkfgaem22y

 

https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2025/06/03/uk-games-expo-now-fully-on-the-world-stage-of-mega-cons-as-record-breakin...

May 19, 2025 37 mins

Oliver and Iain are the dynamic duo this week as we bring you a packed show full of the usual controversy, the bizarre, and worthwhile celebrations. 

Headlines

 

Games Workshop on Rampage

https://spikeybits.com/warhammer-40k/games-workshop-freezes-assets-amid-world-wide-seller-takedown/

 

World Warhammer Championship boycotted by some players

https://www.rascal.news/players-boycott-the-world-championships-of-warhammer-because-of-tr...

May 5, 2025 34 mins

It’s just the Scottish team behind the mics this week as we bring you updates on tariffs and Diamond looking particular rough alongside all the latest industry news in Brainwaves Episode 161. 

Headlines

Stonemaier Games sues the president

Stonemaier Games blog post: https://stonemaiergames.com/we-are-suing-the-president/

 

Lawsuit press release from Pacific Legal: https://pacificlegal.org/press-release/board-game-company-files-laws...

April 14, 2025 68 mins

It’s been a little longer between episodes but the whole team are back to tackle the only news that matters on the latest episode of Brainwaves. 

 

Headlines

Trump tariffs turn tabletop topsy turvy

https://us8.campaign-archive.com/?u=036529e593805041d1127c76d&id=c7c5d971eb

 

https://rowanrookanddecard.com/what-the-new-usa-tariffs-mean-for-us/?v=7885444af42e

 

https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2025/04/04/board-game-industry-re...

March 24, 2025 31 mins

It’s been a while but we are back with all the latest tabletop news. From profit warnings to big projects being cancelled, tune in to the only tabletop podcast that brings you the stories that really matter. 

Headlines

CMON Issues Profit Warning

https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2025/03/13/board-game-crowdfunding-major-cmon-issues-profit-warning-says-losses-could-exceed-2m-for-2024/

 

https://www.cmon.com/project-status/#crowdfun...

Mark as Played
February 24, 2025 54 mins

The team are back to scour the corners of the world for the best in Tabletop Gaming News. This episode we cover mergers, departures, destruction, and we have an interview with those Rascals. 

 

Headlines

 

Steve Jackson merges with Possum Games

https://www.rascal.news/possum-creek-games-wanders-to-a-new-home-with-steve-jackson-games/

https://www.sjgames.com/ill/archive/2025-02-11?ref=rascal.news

 

Mythic crumbles

https://boardgamew...

Mark as Played
February 3, 2025 46 mins

It’s another bumper episode of Brainwaves as we bring you news from across the Tabletop globe. Diamond is in the rough, Asmodee avoids a hug, lawsuits get settled, and Iain gets to go off on one about ethics. All this, and more, on episode 157 of Brainwaves. 

 

Headlines

 

Diamond files for bankruptcy

https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/58618/diamond-files-reorganization-under-chapter-11-bankruptcy

 

https://bsky.app/profile/deadly...

January 13, 2025 24 mins

The whole team is back for the first Brainwaves of the year. Join us as we dive into the latest tabletop gaming news from Hasbro rolling the dice on gambling to chess clashing with the wrong trousers! All this and more on episode 156 of Brainwaves. 

 

Headlines

 

Hasbro rolls the dice

https://igamingbusiness.com/company-news/games-global-unveils-exciting-partnership-with-hasbro/

 

It’s the wrong trousers, Magnus

https://www.bbc.co....

This podcast contains all the interviews that I conducted during Dragonmeet 2024. Thanks so much to everyone that took the time to talk to me.

 

The interviewees are:

 

Jason, Always Checkers Publishing

Chris, Beyond Cataclysm

Mike, Planet Smasher Games

Shaan, RPG Taverns

Finbar and Gary, Game Therapy UK

 

Our Links

 

Thanks very much for listening. If you like what you’ve listened to then the best way to help us out is to share th...

Mark as Played
December 16, 2024 56 mins

It’s the last cast of the year and we have a full team in the studio to bring you the latest tabletop gaming news. From people taking off their masks, to copyright disputes, and awards news. Listen to the only cast to bring you the really important industry news. 

Headlines

Has Powerboats been taken for a Joyride?

Joyride vs Powerboats thread

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3412685/powerboatspowerships-joyride

 

Geoff Engelstein

h...


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