A few weeks ago, I posted an article over on my Patreon (free to read) about why I gave my Dungeons & Dragons 5e books away. Long story short, I didn’t want to support the company, Wizards of the Coast, when there were so many great alternatives available. About a week later, I ordered HeroQuest, a miniature heavy board game produced by Avalon Hill. The problem is, both Wizards of the Coast and Avalon Hill are both ultimately owned by Hasbro.
I didn’t realize this at the time I ordered HeroQuest, but I don't think it would have changed my decision anyway. I have been looking for a long time for a dungeon-crawler style board game to play with my family, especially my kids. We had played Mice & Mystics, which they really enjoyed, but I wanted something that was a bit more classic dungeon-crawling and something that was infinitely expandable. I searched, and searched, and all roads kept pointing back to HeroQuest. There is just nothing else, that I could find, quite like it.
Does this make me a hypocrite? I don’t know. In the case of D&D there are alternatives that I think are just as good (if not better). In the case of HeroQuest, I couldn’t find any.
The world is a big confusing place, and every question that gets asked is a little bit different. It’s hard not to trip over your own feet sometimes, and I doubt any human is 100% consistent.
So, I still believe that it is better to support the small companies, and independent creators, and companies with a better track record towards their employees and fans, but I also believe we shouldn’t be too hard on ourselves. Those big companies often produce cool stuff. Sometimes it’s the best; sometimes its just loud and shiny and marketed everywhere. And I don't think anyone should feel too guilty about how they spend their hobby money.
Perhaps I'm overthinking this. Apparently, its a habit of mine.
My kids absolutely love HeroQuest. We’ve played a couple of games and they ask for it basically every night (when there usually isn’t time).
I feel you on this one. Ideals vs. practicability! Great that the kids took the bait though. I for one would suggest trying out Dungeon Saga Origins from Mantic Games. It's tailored for veterans and newbies (especially kids!) alike and in mind actually. There are a few KS-editions floating around and it's getting released nowish. I'm part of the Mantic community for a long time now and been working for Deadzone a few years now, so might be biased, but I never played HQ as a kid, but instead played the original Dungeon Saga with my now partner before we got together some 8 years ago. Her first real boardgame experience she enjoyed and with miniatures on top! So that is a big bonus for me too, good memories attached to dungeon crawling :)
ReplyDeleteI can totally understand you and I am in the same boat with you here, regarding supporting smaller companies. May I make a suggestion to you and your family!?
ReplyDeleteYou should definitely try out "Dungeon Saga Origins" from Mantic Games, it is the new version of their "Dungeon Saga" boardgame including miniatures. The new version was financed via Kickstarter and is coming into retail in May 2024 and you can preorder the Core Game right now on their website. I think it is a very Family friendly Dungeon Crawler which suits your needs very well :)
https://www.manticgames.com/dungeon-saga-origins/core-game/
Give it a try and Happy gaming, because its all about the fun!
Cheers from Germany, Berlin :)
Martin
you need to write something like this too
ReplyDeleteI completely boycotted all WoD products after that OGL scandal they tried to pull in January 2023 and instead switched out to RuneQuest if I ever wanna get my fantasy/dungeon crawler on as its run by Chaosium, still a pretty decent company.
ReplyDeleteIt bugs me though that people are still sleepwalking through WoD's complete disregard for their fan base by continuing to play it even after I show people that this is what WoD has done! They still say things like; "well it's the game most people play" and "Stranger Things made it cool and famous again". Drives me up the wall how anti-woke people can be sometimes. 🥺😢
Dungeon Saga is very good. Descent, Zombicide too, even if I don’t play Descent yet. The companies are smaller than Hasbro.
ReplyDeleteAbsalom des Vétilles.
What’s wrong with anti woke? Woke is destroying the western world! If you want to boycott games/companies then do so. But it really must be for a good reason.
ReplyDeleteTrolls like you are always wrong, pal
DeleteYeesh. You can't be serious?
DeleteOne step backwards for two forward. Just concentrate on small business for future needs .
ReplyDeleteFor what it's worth I gave my D&D 5e books away four years ago after I finished running Storm King's JRPG -on-paper.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I've heard, Hasbro is pretty 'hands-off' with WotC and I haven't noticed the same kind of ...uh, business philosophy in many other branches. So, their decisions are WotC's, not generally Hasbro's - though daddy seems to actually be taking an interest now that WotC's revenue is down.
I don't remember where or how I lost my old time HQ..my early 20s are kinda hazy.
But I've decided 'It's ok to get HeroQuest'. For myself, now I'm only missing that darn Knight...but I'm hoping for a quick reprint.
Don't get me wrong...I started collecting Osprey's stuff back in .. uh, before Frostgrave. Whenever that was. Our club was into it and we started grabbing that stuff as the smaller pieces came out online. We played Horizon Wars. I love supporting smaller hobbyists...but HQ is almost beyond the capability of small companies to resurrect - if you remember all the false starts from years back.
Maybe they 'only smelled money', but Hasbro's 800-lb gorilla-ness let Avalon Hill do it, and do it correctly. I mean, it's exactly what we wanted. No 're-imagining', other than some marks that belong to good ol GEEDUBZ. So, to me anyway it's impressive they got it together and resurrected HeroQuest. No fimir or chaos, but really...it doesn't matter. I have tons of those models to do whatever I want with.
I'm going to have fun with this collection.
And I think I can trust Hasbro on that bit, at least. Collectibles, you know. I mean...I started with Transformers and GI Joes, might as well end with HeroQuest...
and what about games WotC licenced out, like RoboRally? Is buying the new RoboRally from Renegade Games supporting Hasbro/WotC?
ReplyDeleteYeah, it gets pretty messy...
DeleteI know I infamously refer to GW simply as 'The Company' as I've worked for them before (much like those in the C.I.A does to its own agency), but they did create the HeroQuest pastiche, Warhammer Quest, and the esteemable Talisman (which has been republished by a new small publisher/Company along with newly sculpted miniatures). I've always LOVED playing Talisman so I may well check out this new one with a serious eye.
ReplyDeleteIf you're having second thoughts about HeroQuest then I recommend doing the same; check out the new Talisman instead. 🐭
I know a great game about battling wizards searching for treasure you guys should try. ;)
ReplyDeleteThe original HeroQuest got me into miniature collecting which led me to D&D with the " New and easy to learn" black box edition. Things were simpler back then.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry about it, just buy the cool toys. 90% of us know that almost all companies, just like all politicians, are complete soul sucking pieces of crap. If you start looking into it, you'll just curl up into a little corner to die.
ReplyDeleteI never got to play Heroquest or Warhammer Quest back in the day... but I have taken a DEEP dive into Shadows of Brimstone, which I've read is based on Warhammer Quest. Loads of expansions for it now... wild west, Asian fantasy, Norse fantasy... with side excursions into outer space, Lovecraftian cults, alien deserts, alien warzones, swamps, etc.
ReplyDeleteNice hard plastic game figures as well (nothing bendy).
" I searched, and searched, and all roads kept pointing back to HeroQuest. There is just nothing else, that I could find, quite like it."
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like, as a game designer, you may have found a new opportunity to flex those brain muscles of yours.