It was a really good season. I had the most fun I’ve had since the first season, primarily because I reclaimed much of the stuff that had either been taken from me, or I’d given away.
We played games that we wouldn’t have been able to play in previous season, like Fury of Dracula and Eldritch Horror, and rather than try to go for lots of games that are heavy on strategy, I recalled my primary focus in the first two seasons, and looked for games that were accessible and varied, so that more people in the world will want to play more games. I played games that I never would have considered, because they have a lot of luck involved, but are still fun because they’re fast.
I stopped worrying about what The Audience was going to think, because I realized that I had allowed my fucked up brain to turn The Audience into The People On The Internet Who Hate Whatever I Do Anyway So I’ll Show Them. Recognizing that (with clarity I wouldn’t have had without my reboot) gave me permission to make the show that I wanted to make, the way I wanted to make it.
And I can’t overstate how good it was to clean house and get rid of the toxic garbage that was dragging me and the show down. If I’d only done that, this would have been the best season, ever, from a personal standpoint.
I also won a game this year, so that’s a thing.
I’m tired, but it’s a good tired that feels earned instead of imposed, if that makes sense.
So the last few games we played this year were:
Fate Core RPG with John Rogers, and Felicia Day, GM’d by Ryan Macklin. I realized about halfway through this play session that it was running a lot more like a demo than a story. It was fun for us to really get into the guts of the system, but that’s not what I wanted the audience’s experience to be. I mentioned this to Ryan, and the second half was more like the narrative experience I wanted for the episode. It’s going to be interesting for me to see how it comes together in the edits.
Steam Park with Jonathan Coulton, and Paul and Storm. Oh the poop jokes. So many poop jokes.
Welcome to the Dungeon with Janet Varney, Rhea Butcher, and Hector Navarro. This was surprisingly intense.
Harbour with Kyle Newman, Matt Mercer, and Nika Harper. Oh, the amazing Nika Harper meltdown in this episode.
So at this point, we don’t have an episode order locked down, but my producing partner and I are working to figure it out. I’ll share that information when I have it. One significant change this year is that I have no say at all over the actual schedule for release. I’ve asked for episodes to come out every week once we start, but I don’t have the authority to demand it. Luckily for me, Legendary is pretty awesome and supportive of what we want to do with the show, so hopefully we’ll either make that happen, or some compromise that makes me and the bosses happy.
As far as I know, new episodes will be released starting in July.
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Will thank you for your show and really stressing that there are table top games for everyone my friends, husband, and I just discovered your show this year and have gone from hum drum repetitive weekends to game nights of epicness and it’s all thanks to you. So forget those hateful losers and remember you are making a difference in how families and friends spend their time.
Awesome! So glad that you enjoyed making it Wil. Thanks for giving this another round. Really enjoy this show so much.
Can’t wait to see what awesome games I’m going to buy because of Table Top this season. I have a stack of a dozen or more games I’ve seen on your show since season 1. Some of them we haven’t even played yet because I have to wait until my 9 year old son is old enough to play and appreciate them (Dead of Winter, Epic Spell Wars). We’re playing Tokaido a lot recently and I picked up Codenames a while back which I’m happy to see you are going to play this season. Looking forward to watching and playing!
Hey Wil, Never posted here before but I just wanted to say, I am looking forward to this season (And really any future seasons) of table top more than most major game releases, and all tv show releases that come out, this show is an amazing thing, it has showed me so many interesting games I never even knew existed!
Because of it I have introduced many of my friends to these games, almost always reluctantly, but then they play them and love them, and now they are buying games, and trying games they NEVER would have before, because when they think board games, they think Monopoly, when they think Table Top, all they think is D&D, there was no other ground to be covered until this show came along. Now some of me, and my families favorite games are Settlers of Catan, Dead of Winter, and Pandemic, 2/3 of which I never knew existed before, and as for Catan, it always looked drab and boring until I saw you guys play it on this show, OH! and Legendary! We LOVE Legendary (the alien/predator versions but still.) and such a long list of other games your showed me that I am dying to try (Ticket to ride, and house on haunted hill being my 2 most want to try games.)
My friends also brought in munchkin, Zombie dice, Sushi Go, and the Dragon Age RPG, we have also tried several others through “Table Top Simulator” on steam, and very much plan to invest in several of them, such as smash up, tokonekko i think its called? and tsuro… im forgetting a lot of games and names, but my point is, you have given us so many reasons to get together, and hangout rather than just skyping and playing online, so thank you!
I understand though that this kind of show is stressful as all hell, and I am sorry it caused that in your life, but I just wanted to share a story the hopefully showed that it also brought alot of fun, and joy to other peoples lives, so just thank you for this show.
Do we know when season 4 will be released
Wil I’ve loved Tabletop since I’ve first saw it. I went back and watched every episode I could. really looking forward to the new season.
Hey Wil:
Whoa! I had no Idea of all the hard times you got from previous season; just finished reading all about that. To me it was incredibly fun. Yeah, some mistakes were made, but that happens to everyone, no big deal!.
I’m from Chile a country at the end of the world and I’m a huge fan of your show, I actually started playing tabletop games after watching your show and have over 20 in my collection right now. Most of them appeared on the show, so I have to thank you for that.
Really looking forward to season 4 and keep up the good work.
Oh, and don’t be too hard on yourself, you are doing great and the army of fans greatly outnumber the haters, so who are you going to pay more attention to?.
The needs to air…. SOON! Or now… yes. NOW 🙂
It’s mid July so I am hoping soon!
Wil, Thanks for doing TableTop and opening my world of gaming to other games which I never knew existed. I was one of those kids growing up who loved to play games (but hated to lose) but my gaming experience was limited to most of the classics like monopoly and clue and while every now and then I would find a different game (like “The Farming Game”). Most people would look at me like I was crazy when I mentioned playing games that were not classic, commonly known board games, because it seemed to everybody that the world of board games had been designed and set and nothing new was going to come out of it. Now I can watch various games that you play and get an understanding of how to play them, purchase them and share them with those I enjoy spending time with. Thanks for everything you do and for everyone that helps you with these shows as they are amazing. Honestly, I think you could turn TableTop into a simple recorded video of you and your family, or other friends, playing games in your own home and all the production and hullabaloo that you have to go through wouldn’t be needed and it would still be extremely successful.
Thank you so much for TableTop, Wil, amazing entertainment!! I am an avid gamer myself, but did not mind at all the small mistakes in following the rules, they are understandable. In fact, my group usually makes at least one giant mistake playing complicated games even on the n:th time we play them – but if it is fun, so what 😀
I travel a lot for work and enjoy relaxing at the hotel watching an episode of TableTop (or two… or three… or…). Must have watched all of the previous episodes 3-4 times and in fact checked out how to disable my adblocker to make sure that you would not lose ad-income if you get that 😛
I wanted to crowdfund season 4 but somehow missed that, is there something I can purchase to support the production?
I am glad you feel better about season 4, keep up the good work, there are loads of us who absolutely love this show! And play more games (and keep showing us some of them 😉 !!
Jani,
Finland
Honestly, this is my favorite channel on YouTube, which actually says a lot based on how much time I spend watching videos. I wasn’t really into board games until 2010-ish when my family was sitting around the dining table and they were all laughing. So naturally, I went over and saw that they were playing Risk. Which is now my all time favorite game, soooo just for future reference Risk would be an amazing game for you to play. Nonetheless, I saw my family having a good time and decided to join in on the fun. From there on out I was hooked on board games and would always be the first to ask to play them at family gatherings.
Unfortunately the drive for board games slowly started to fade. That was until I started watching your TableTop videos! Wil, these videos lit the spark to my (once thought ) long lost love for board games. Now, I can proudly say that I am a board game geek that is obsessed with your videos! Seriously, these are the sh*t for all ages! So, when I found out that you were going to have a 4th season I was so excited (and I still am)! Take a long as you need to make them because I know that they will be worth waiting for!
We gamers all support you Wil, and thank you so much for bringing gaming back to life for me! And, “Live long and prosper”🖖
I’m so glad that season 4 is coming out. Can’t wait to
any news when it starts to air?
so.. It’s already 27th July, any news on the show?
I believe he said on Reddit that there’s been another delay; Wil, if you’re reading comments on two month old posts, could you please post an short post on the blog sharing that same information? Thanks.
If you ever feel like the toxic garbage is dragging you and/or the show down again, just know that you are the reason I now own over 100 board games and have regular weekly game nights. It also helped me connect to a friend I hadn’t seen in years. These games have created great memories, forged new friendships, and allowed me to countless hours of enjoyment! I would send you a pic of my board game wall (rather famous among friends and coworkers) but I don’t seem to be able to attach it. I just really want to thank you and all the cast and crew of tabletop for years of enjoyment. Can’t wait for season 4!!!
May we have an update as to when we can expect to see Tabletop Season 4? I imagine you are just as anxious to see your work released as it is your fans are waiting to see it. Some news would be appreciated.
Yeah, I’m looking forward to season 4 myself.
I just want to say to Wil, thank you. I’ve been an avid gamer for decades but being able to watch the show with my family has been a real treat. We ended up getting our first zombie game because you did Dead of Winter and my wife was so intrigued she had to put down her book to watch. She doesn’t put her books down for anyone, least of all me….yet, you managed it. She bought me Takenoko for my birthday and she’s not bought me a birthday game in years….let alone play the game she bought me…and she even tells me when we’re playing it! We’re playing games again because of tabletop.
The point is…thank you. Your show just isn’t entertainment…it really is changing lives. I’m glad this season was a joy for you again.
It’s Aug. and no season 4 yet. Any updates?! Enjoy the show 🙂
So about that July release date… Sorry I’m sure your production team is hard at work
I am so glad to hear about the production.
(Heads up, story time!)
I was a senior in highschool, but I started ‘Table Top Club’
The inspiration for the club was souly from season 1 of the show.
My freshman year, and we couldn’t get the club running til march.
The club has been running, myself as president, but this year I resigned knowing that I would no longer be attending the school.
I am glad to report that we found a new president, and the club is still going, and I know it changed the attitudes of some.
The club was growing over the years, and I feel a bit bad that I just dumped the responsibility of so many on on person, but I know it shouldn’t be a problem being that so many love being there.
I just wanted you to know, that the show a bit more than a show, and there would never be a table top club, running for it’s fith year is you never made the show. I hope it keeps running.
Thank you. 🙂
Wil, thank you so much for creating Tabletop and sticking with it. I’ve watched all of the seasons and they are all great.
Your show inspired me to revive a long dormant game night with old friends, got my teenage son to engage in board gaming with the family and start up a a game night of his own with his friends. We even went to the Origins game fair together last year and again this year. It has become one of our favorite things to do together. Your show has brought my family closer together. Thank you!
Don’t sweat the haters who complained about rules mistakes made on the show. I can guarantee you that those are the people I’d never play a game with more than once because their rules mongering would suck all the joy from the experience. On the other hand, I would happily play games with you and your wonderful guests time and time again because I know we’d have a great time even if we got the rules totally wrong.
Your show introduced my family to a whole bunch of great games and I’ve purchased at least a half dozen games I never even would have known about if I hadn’t seen them on your show. I promise you I didn’t buy a single one of those games or decide not to buy a game because of the way the rules were portrayed on your show. Every time I purchased one of the games on your show it was because I saw you and your friends having a great time playing the game together and I wanted to have the same kind of fun experience with my family and friends. When I saw you and your friends having fun playing a game, even if you weren’t playing correctly, it made me feel like I could have fun playing that game with my friends too.
Hi Wil. My first post on here, so I’m going to make it an annoying whiny one. So here goes nothing…ehem…
When are you airing season 4 of Table Top?!?!? You last said July and it is now August! I know there are a TON of unexpected circumstances and I am more than understanding. I’m also too lazy to read through all your entries to see if you make any mention of the delay.
Or maybe they are out already and on a new channel/service? I’ve only been looking for them on YouTube, specifically G&S. Something in what I’ve skimmed in your posts have led me to
Believe you had a falling out with G&S and no longer will be airing the show on there.
Anywho, I’m sorry that my first ever attempt to contact you characterizes almost everything you probably hate about some of your fans (whining, not caring enough to put in the effort to read most
Of your content, etc.) I promise I’m not usually like this. I just miss the show so damn bad I need my fix! It’s like when you’re done binging Orange is the New Black and now there’s nothing to watch!
Hope your new outlook on life is going well!
Peace & Love & Cheers
Just read this post and my opinion is that you should not care about the haters… plz stop thinking about them and focus on us, the followers. There will always be people who criticize your work (but can’t and won’t do better).
Tabletop is a great show, it made me a fan of tabletop games. And if it weren’t for you (and Felicia) I wouldn’t be enjoying this hobby/passion so much.
If you had a good time making it we certainly will have a great time watching it.
Thank you
P.S. It’s August and we need Tabletop. 😉
(long time lurker, first time poster) Thanks so much for Tabletop! You and your team do a fantastic job, and I tell loads of people about the show. Thanks again for putting in so much effort and thought into the show (and bravo to the guests who bring their A-game, too!). Looking forward to the new season!
I would love to see Tom Vasel guest on the show. It seems like a great guest for a tabletop game.