One of the inherent challenges in posting something new for 31 straight days is finding something worth sharing or examining or just talking about every day that feels worth the effort. To be honest, I don’t feel like writing a single word today. But I did get to play my friend Chris Kluwe’s upcoming game, Twilight of the Gods today, and it has me thinking about tabletop gaming.
Other than what we tested and played on Tabletop, I haven’t played a lot of games this year. Early this year, my group was broken up and scattered to different states and countries (thanks for taking another thing away from me, 2016), so when we were able to get the gang together, we only played Pandemic Legacy (which I highly recommend). We also played a little bit of Codenames and Splendor, but that’s pretty much been all we did.
It’s a weird feeling for me, to go from playing games almost every day (and at least once every week) to not playing really at all, and not really wanting to. I feel like a big part of my life has been put into suspended animation, and I have to decide if it’s worth taking it out of hibernation to make it part of my job, again. On the one hand, it’s really great to do what you love for your job. On the other hand, taking my favorite hobby and making it my job left me without something fun to do when I wanted or needed to unwind after work, and I know this is a first world problem that nobody cares about. So much has happened with Tabletop in the last year or so that is upsetting, I almost don’t want to play games at all, because it makes me think about stuff that makes me sad. I created Tabletop to put more gamers into the world. That was all I wanted to do, and I think we did that. I didn’t want a lot of the other stuff that came along for the ride, and I hope that, someday, I’ll be able to find my way back to the joy that I wanted to share in the first place.
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Wil, to everything there is a season. Gaming will return when it’s time.
Yeah, I feel bad about what’s happening with TableTop right now.
I love the show, but it’s near impossible for anyone to find the latest season. Not only is it behind alpha’s paywall (which I subscribe to), but it’s near impossible to find on the website, and there are no notifications for new episodes.
It’ll be nice once the show is posted to YouTube again, so that everyone will be able to enjoy it.
Thank you for being awesome, Wil. You are a role model to me. (and a ROLL model. Eh eh eh??)
It hits YouTube on January 30.
Like, the whole season or isn’t it gonna trickle out gradually? Either way I’m marking my calendar.
Any chance you will get around to playing kingdom death monster? Is it worth the price tag?
On my Birthday? Best Birthday Present EVAR! 😀
Is one of the things you didn’t like about TableTop the fact that it has gone to Alpha?
IF it is (and I’m saying IF — I don’t speak for Wil), he would very likely be contractually and practically restricted from saying so in public. So while I wonder about this, too, it’s not a question I would expect an answer to.
You must know that many people have discovered a love for board gaming because of you, your cohorts, Table Top, and your passion for board games.
I do, and that makes me really happy. All I wanted to do with the show was encourage more people to play games, and that’s been an unqualified success.
I know you’ve heard this before, but…
Before Tabletop, our gaming closet consisted of stuff like Monopoly, Chutes and Ladders, Sorry, etc. We discovered TableTop when our son was 9. Today our son is 12. Our gaming closet includes Pandemic and several expansion packs, Forbidden Island, Forbidden Desert, Stone Age, 7 Wonders (plus expansion packs), Castle Panic, and on and on and on. Our 12 year old as for Settlers of Catan and the Leaders expansion for 7 Wonders this Christmas. I took vacation this week and between outdoor activities he’s asked to play Catan, 7 Wonders, Stone Age. the Oregon Trail card game and Exploding Kittens with us. We had a blast playing them all. There are still other games I’ve seen played on your show that I’m going to buy at some point.
So I’m clear, not only have you introduced us to a number of games and a type of gaming we didn’t know about and wouldn’t have experienced, you’ve literally helped create a situation where we spend more time together as a family than we would have without discovering your show. Saying I’m grateful for that is a huge understatement. I get that your frustrated and I’m sure we know less than 10% of why. But thanks for doing Tabletop, whatever happens from here on out. And I hope that you find happiness back at the gaming table soon.
Well you’ve certainly done that. My wife & I played 3 games of Battle-line tonight. We love Splendor too. Several years ago we’d have talked a little and then watched TV. Now we talk and play games & interact at night. What a wonderful difference.
Actually, even that’s underselling it. Reading your blogs has given me a lot of food for thought and you’ve helped me gain some perspective on how to deal with professional attention. I don’t do well with distraction or a lot of notoriety, so as an engineer, I was in heaven… “will invent shit for pizza and stock options” was my M.O. of choice for years. But now, I am sometimes not sure how to react when enthusiasts reach out to me after I get photographed with a client or do an interview or whatever. But watching you interact with people on this blog – well, you’ve been a good example./ role-model. You get way more notoriety than I do, and yours is constant, and yet you deal with it well. You’ve helped me realize that when people show enthusiasm or interest, that it’s possible to take a deep breath, realize it’s a compliment, and be OK with it. Also, you’ve helped me realize that it’s (unfortunately) normal to get attacked for no reason upon receiving notoriety. Nothing in my life as a private person prepared me for both the good and bad that comes along with being recognized at any level for any reason. It’s tough to fathom how actors cope with the genuinely significant levels of notoriety that they receive.
Your show has made me a gamer now…100+ games in two years. I teach grade 7 and 8 and now I have turned them into gamers too…and they love your show too!
I recently discovered Table Top and became enthralled by the show. Heck, I even went out and bought a copy of Champions of Midgard thanks to your great episode on the game. You brought me into the gaming world, so thanks!
I’m sorry to hear that Tabletop has gone from a project of love and joy to … well … the opposite. I enjoyed the episodes that I watched and keep wanting to go back and watch what I’ve missed because it’s clear how much you enjoy the games.
If you make more episodes, we’ll watch. If you don’t, I personally will be disappointed but who am I to force you to do something that reminds you of an unhappy work experience? Do what makes you happy. I love your show and if I never get a new episode I won’t change my opinions of the episodes already produced or board games in general. I appreciate all that you have done for board gaming.
When you start a hobby, it is to please yourself. When it becomes a job, it is to please others. Sometimes, to enjoy your job you have to be selfish, go back to basics and please yourself first…
My birthday is usually spent playing games whilst the kids amuse themselves. Today all of my friends are scattered to other parts of the country or overseas in Fiji, Rarotonga and Australia. Might have to induct/force my children into the joys of board games.
I will echo what many people have said here, and while it has been fantastic to watch Tabletop it may be time to go back to the basics. You’ve done a spectator job in opening up the hobby to many people; this definitely includes me since after watching Tabletop my collection and joy for the hobby has exploded. The good thing is, these videos will be forever (hopefully) available for folks to discover, watch and enjoy. They will continue to bring new people in or for those that just want to dip their toes in may convince them to jump in the waters. If you aren’t enjoying it as much, I would rather see you take a break from it, either temporary or permanently. While things do ebb and flow, sometimes a break away helps rekindle that love and passion you have for something.
*spectacular job; maybe not a great idea to english after a brain breaking day at work 🙂
I know that without Tabletop, I probably never would have played anything that wasn’t a regular board game. But just a few weeks ago, my two best California friends and I played King of Tokyo (I was SOUNDLY defeated all four times, but Cyber Bunny shall have his day! Hop hop, motherfuckers) and made plans to maybe start up a monthly gaming day at Geeky Teas in Burbank (GameHaus was suggested, but rejected as I’d spend the whole time eating pie and I’m a SAG-Eligible actress now, gotta watch the weight). To help us destress from the heel Life has been grinding our necks under lately and make sure that we still see each other, despite not living as near each other as we used to. You ever want in on a few games someday, just let me know. 🙂
Count me among the many who have become Tabletop gamers in large part thanks to your show. I play with friends multiple times a week (it never feels like enough), and I even got my dad and stepmom to play Pandemic with me last night. Not sure that would have happened without you. Every time I watch an episode, I always want to be there playing with you. So as I’m sure many others would say, if you ever feel that want and you need another player, hell, look me up! I’m always looking for more gaming friends.
You have inspired me and my friends to play more tabletop games and with that have become a familiar name in my house. Not just regarding games, also regarding your honesty about mental illness. A lot of good things came from your show, even though I haven’t watched the last season. We don’t play as often as we’d like (fuck you life!) but you have brought such good vibes to me and my home and my friends, I hope to be able to return a little bit of good vibes to you with this message.
Also, your daily blogs are cool.
Thank you for doing this every day! I have been finding your posts friendly and fun. I really enjoy subscribing to blogs that just talk about everyday life.
You got me into the hobby! My mom got me Champions of Midgard for Xmas and I played it last night and absolutely loved it. I won too 😀
You know what they say — when you turn your hobby into a job you lose your hobby and gain a job. Gaming comes and goes for many of us because it takes time and energy and other people, but I’m sure the inspiration you’ve sent out to the world will be returned with interest from those you’ve inspired.
I get it. I struggled with whether to work in travel as my job because it was my hobby. 15 years later it’s still working out but I’m a little burned out right now. I never had the experience you did with table top though and that burned you personally… it will take time and that’s ok. We will be here for tabletop or your next adventure.
Fuck the whining. It’s not about who you are playing games for, or if there’s a camera and director, or if there’s an Evil Corporate Overlord or not. It’s not even about the game itself.
It’s about who you play games WITH, the time spent, the experience shared.
If the thought of playing a game makes you less willing to hang with folks, then FUCK THAT. Your brain is in the wrong place. It’s not about “you”, it’s about life and living, love and sharing. People, not paper and plastic.
Carpe Venatus, motherfucker (look it up – I claim copyright for the T-shirt). On your deathbed I want your last words to be, “Damn, I did play an awesome shit-load of games.”
Why this invective? I’m so depressed, anxiety-ridden, insecure and painfully shy that I’m nearly a shut-in. If it weren’t for triathlon and family and being an engineer, I’d weld the doors. Needless to say, I don’t have many friends IRL (just one close-ish friend, in fact).
I find I can hang with acquaintances and relative strangers only in structured social situations. Such as at work, where we talk mainly about work. Like dancing, where you don’t really have to talk at all. If I’m invited to a party, I go, but I’m always cooking or bartending or cleaning, never without an activity to hide my awkwardness and give me excuses to step away. I also do lots of volunteering, which lets me be around people yet also be invisible behind my role and duties.
Or, as Tabletop has shown me, perhaps when playing board games. I do, very much, hope to eventually reach the point where I’ll “Play More Games”. Don’t you go pissing on it! It’s on my Bucket List!
“First World Problems” my ass. Seek the joy. Even if it means pulling out a board game.
Being an invisible viewer watching you play helps me be happy and hopeful. What you have done matters very much to me, and I fervently believe it should, and I hope it will, always bring you joy, especially off-camera.
Now, what was it you were just about to do?
TableTop brought my into modern gaming and really changed my life significantly for the better, so thank you, Wil. Sorry it’s become a headache, as so many jobs do, but I hope you take comfort in the success of your original mission.
I opened a game store 19 years ago. People ask me what I play, and I have to tell them that I’m running the store while everyone is playing, so I don’t play anymore. I learn games at GTS and GenCon, but I rarely play games for fun anymore. Just like you said Wil.
BUT, I just got back from vacation with non-gaming friends. I always take a selection of light games to see what they’ll enjoy playing. This year they enjoyed Love Letter, Roll For It, Micro Robots. They liked exploding kittens better than kittens in blender. We finished one game of Kill Dr Lucky, but I’d say it was a failure. Finally, played Ogre Objective 218 with two of them. One didn’t get it, the other did; all games were close.
Tabletop helps me learn games, and I’ll use what I see to help sell games in the store.
Sorry to hear gaming turned from a hobby into a job. I really like tabletop and look forward to watching the new episodes. It didn’t turn me in a gamer because I allready was one.
My favorite game from last year was Pandemic Legacy (it’s my best game ever actually). Maybe you can write a little bit about your experiences with the game, I’d love to hear what you think of the game. I’m really looking forward to season 2 that will be released this year. But first things first: more tabletop and maybe I will discover a new good game!
So for 2017 I wish you to have lots of fun at the gametable.
My friends and I started playing board games together because of Tabletop and we’re very happy for that.
So thank you Wil, wish you all the best. Greetings from Slovenia 🙂
Hi Wil,
I wonder if you’d like a break away from it all and a chance to play with some new people? I live in New Zealand, as far away as you can get almost, and we have a great board game convention here, Wellycon. I know it’s a bit cheeky to put it on here (let me know if there’s a better way to contact), but if you’d like to join us, we’d really love to have you; and you can visit some of the great LOTR sites into the bargain. Compared to the US it’s a small group (350) but we’re passionate about it and have some of the best game designers coming along.
If you’re interested in a holiday, and playing for fun, let me know 🙂 wellycon.org.nz is the site.
cheers,
Ceedee
WIl, only you are Wil Wheaton (other than any other people who happen to be called Wil Wheaton). Do what makes you feel right – I’d say happy but that is the obvious thing and sometimes the end goal we have has stops on the road which don’t make us happy.
I struggle with SAD and as BobC stated – I can only enjoy time in structured environments really. Don’t let yourself get there – you’ve made a massive difference to people’s lives and how and where you want to go now is up to you.
Wil, I got hooked on AD&D back in 1979, and haven’t been able to find a single game that captures my full attention like it did. Unfortunately, I’m much older now, and have moved a few times, and finding a gaming party of similar age is no longer possible. Thank you for your reviews of table top games, I keep watching and reading in hopes of finding another gem.
You introduced me to a world outside of the mainstream bored game through Tabletop, I now have Munchkin, and Gloom in my life(haven’t had a chance to play them yet but soon I hope).
So quit– put someone else as “host” of tabletop, stay on as a producer/whatever (assuming you don’t NEED the show to make a living). Life is too short to give up every little joy, because what else is there?
Every time i would whine/worry about not working in the art field my Dad would say the same thing. If your hobby is your job what do you do when you need to play? That (and a complete disgust for having to invent deeper subversive meanings about a painting you just completed) always helped. 🙂
Hi,
I just wanted to thank you for Tabletop. I started watching when it first aired on my own mainly because it was interesting and funny, but after watching the Ticket to Ride episode, I knew I had to show my husband. The episode was hilarious, and he loves trains. I knew he would love it. We watched the show together from that moment forward. We got Ticket To Ride and never looked back. Since then our game collection has grown, but there is always something special when we pull out that game.
We have used Ticket to Ride as a sort of gateway game to get our friends into board games. We always have games in our car, so if there is an opportunity to play with friends we are ready. While on vacation we introduced some of our friends who live in a different state to Pandemic. They bought the ipad version right after playing, then bought the game when they returned home. (We also played Ticket to Ride that weekend.) We pointed them towards Tabletop, told them to watch, and let us know if they had any game requests for us to bring the next time we met up. We have since met up and played Sushi Go and Roll for It.
When my sister-in-law and her family is in state, we always bring games to play with them. (Also, they always get us a new game as a Christmas present.)
My nephew and I have gotten closer this year because I started playing board games with him when he had to come to my house after school.
We discovered when it is just the two of us, my husband and I prefer to play co-op games. Tabletop games have become such a huge part of our lives that one of the pros for deciding on our new dining room table was that it would be great for games.
Wow, this has turned into something way longer than I planned when I started typing…I guess I should wrap it up now.
Thank you for giving us something new to love. Thank you for giving this socially awkward, introverted girl a way to bond with friends and family.
If Tabletop no longer brings you joy, then it is okay to stop. The current episodes will still be there for people to discover or re-watch or show to their friends. You have done an excellent job of introducing the fun of tabletop games to the public, and now it can be our turn as fans to continue to share it with as many people as we can.
Thank you, Wil.
So when are you going to publish your own board game or RPG? At this point you’re a trusted name when it comes to game reviews. If you published a game it would be a no-brainer purchase for me.
“On the other hand, taking my favorite hobby and making it my job left me without something fun to do when I wanted or needed to unwind after work…”
I’ve often wondered if porn stars have this same problem.
Oh, and also, thanks for being Wil, Wil. You’re pretty awesome.
As long as International Tabletop Day continues to be celebrated, then everything else is gravy.
I know you don’t need my validation or anything, but it sucks to hear you bummed out about tabletop. If it matters, you DID play a HUGE role in putting this gamer into the world, and I really appreciate it!
I watched the tabletop episode on Tiny Epic Galaxies yesterday, and immediately ran off after work to pick it up because it looked so fun and I had to play it. Me and my roommate hung out for an hour trying to outsmart eachother within the insane possibility space of that game and it was awesome 🙂 Despite the crappy stuff that’s happening/happened with Tabletop, I wouldn’t have had that experience without it, so thank you, sincerely 🙂
I have this same problem. I love playing games on my computer but after working all day on other peoples computers I dont want to look at a computer for awhile. (having 3 kids takes away some of the time to play but I enjoy their time just as much) I love my job because i love computers. Switching the work mindset and the play mindset is like a dimmer switch thats stuck in the middle.
This makes me sad, I hope you can enjoy games again. You’ve certainly created new gamers in our family, we’ve bought several games because of Tabletop. If you do end it, you can know that you were successful in what you set out to do.
Hello Wil,
Sad to hear that something you once loved has become a bit of a headache. I echo everything positive that people have said thus far.
I am a fresh new gamer — I became interested last month when some friends of friends brought a slew of games on our boat trip (Go Sushi, Love Letters, Dixit, Codenames) I JUST discovered TableTop TWO DAYS AGO after reading a Go Sushi review that encouraged watching your episode of TableTop to see the game play. Since then, I’ve been watching the old episodes non-stop, excited to learn about new games and instituting a game night at home with my husband.
Right now it’s just the two of us, so we are hoping to start a game night in our building, or find fellow gamers in our city. I plan on begging and pleading people to play some games at the NYE party we will be attending.
I want to thank you for creating something that will continue to live on and inspire new and old gamers for years to come. I’m sure there are thousands of people like me who will discover the joys of gaming because of you!
Is there a possibility that Tabletop will be put to hard media (dvd/whatever) and be available that way? I haven’t watched it, mostly because I don’t watch video alone/on computer. But I’d be more likely to toss a DVD in and watch in my living room where I actually have a table to play on.
Just a thought, from someone who discovered AD&D in 1979 and the wider world of boardgaming when I found my husband-to-be in 1988.
I understand your situation about hobbies becoming work. My dream was to work in a hobby-related field. It never materialized, which I realize was the best, given the benefit of life experience coupled with hindsight. Work has been good, and my hobby is still my hobby and I love the separation. I hope you can find something to fill the hobby void. And my thanks to Tabletop for clue-ing me in to Ticket to Ride. It’s a family favorite.
Actually, they do something like this in the Blogger (owned by Alphabet aka Google) every April. Called the A-Z Challenge, it involves all 26 letters in the month of April (not counting Sundays). No topic, theme or concept is denied, as all can be done. Usually involves about a month or so of planning/writing. It’s a very cool blog hop.
I hope you keep making Tabletop. It’s a great show and you should be proud of it.
But the prime directive is to have fun playing games. Don’t make the show if it ruins your love of board games.
Consider this idea:
Play lots of games with your friends in regular gaming sessions (maybe even live Twitch those, assuming you’re not locked up in a non-compete with Legendary), experiment with a lot of new games, go to Gen-Con, etc.
Then, if/when you’ve found a sufficient number of games that you think would work for Tabletop, do a season. Could be 24 games. Could be 10 games. Your fans will tune in.
A season could happen every year, every other year, every 18 months. Who cares?
There is no shortage of other entertainment content out there. We’ll all be fine. No pressure!
You could also do short board game review shows (or blog posts) to give us an idea of which games you think are cool. That’s a big part of Tabletop for me. You’re a trusted gatekeeper to introduce new games. It’s great to seem them played as well, but you’re recommendation carries a lot of weight.
Oh man, Will, I feel almost the same, but in another way. Tabletop was partly responsible for getting me into board gaming. I bought a couple of games, that somehow turned into an obsession of collecting and very little playing. I want to play, but I do not have any friends really who are into that. My wife’s job is mentally demanding, so she needs to veg. after work. A lot of my games can be played solo, and I’d love to play them, but my sleep disorder (severe RLS) keeps me feeling exhausted. In the meantime, I now have more games than I can find a place for. LOL!!
Tabletop gaming helped keep me sane for two years. I moved from L.A. to SLC in 2013. The only friends I had there, before I joined a board gaming group, had hobbies of loving or hating the Mormon Church. I knew I needed friends that weren’t always focused on that Church. I found the friends I needed in the tabletop gaming group. They didn’t focus on religion. All we did was play games. Our differences in gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, and/or physical ability did not matter, nor did anyone care. We didn’t care if someone knew how to play or not. If they didn’t, we taught them and they got hooked. And, yes, we talked about the Tabletop show.
I moved back to SoCal last year. I have tried to join the local gaming group here in the OC, but it’s not easy because of transportation. But, I know that I can get others to play tabletop games and you, Wil, helped.
I’m sorry that circumstances have soured your fun. I hope you can, once again, find that fun. Maybe you can make 2017 the year to, as you have said countless times, “play more games!”
Wil, Thank you so much for TableTop. It’s been an inspiration for our family’s entry into modern board gaming and I enjoy every minute games with them thanks largely in part to your efforts.
However, I can totally understand when you turn a hobby into a job and what that can do to the overall enjoyment. You deserve the opportunity to recharge and rekindle your love for gaming. I’ve no expectations that you will continue making TableTop forever and am thankful of the shows made.
Well done and thanks again.
I already am paying for GnS twitch. I wont also pay for Alpha. LDN is going to ruin everything 🙁 GnS should have followed Snugglelord
Hi Wil, I just want you to know that your show Tabletop was one of the things that kept me going during my lowest points. It’s a little sad to think I was lonely enough to feel joy just watching you guys play but nonetheless, Tabletop got me into the world of tabletop games. I took a module on Tabletop Game Design in my university, which got me into the school’s tabletop game club and now I’m a proud owner of 16 games. Most of them have been featured in your show: Takenoko, Tokaido, Betrayal at House on the Hill, Lords of Waterdeep, Forbidden Desert, Sushi Go! Party, Stone Age, Gloom and Five Tribes. Thanks for doing what you do. Always grateful.
Dear Wil,
I’m just going to throw my hat in here as well and thank you for Tabletop. While I wasn’t at a tough time in my life when it came along, it has definitely made my life brighter. My dad was a bit militant when he played Monopoly and Checkers with me growing up – always being the banker, being upset when he lost – and I lost my love for board games and moved on to computer/video games. Now, my wife and I love playing games together. It can be relaxing or challenging, and it’s always a fun way to spend time together vs a usually solo adventure. I mean, we recently saved the world from terrible diseases together playing Pandemic: Legacy. So … we are amazing.
We are now the proud owners of over 90 games, many of which were shared on Tabletop. And soon, I’ll be getting my own portable gaming table (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/975756734/the-game-anywhere-table).
Lastly, your brilliant Fiasco and Dragon Age episodes as well as a timely mention of the D&D 5e beginner’s box (in a blog, during a video?) got me into role playing games. My only experience playing D&D back in the day was through video games like Baldur’s Gate, Icewind Dale, and Neverwinter Nights. Who knew you could hang out with people while visiting these places? Apparently everyone else, but still!
So thank you. Despite whatever is going on, you continue to make people smile and make people play more games. Also, added benefit, you can continue to make people smile and play more games without additional effort because there are over 3 seasons of Tabletop episodes that continue to inspire. I put them on in the background when I’m in a slump. So thank you again.
And, play more games – you know, when you’re ready to. 🙂
Well, this is sad..
My first TableTop episode was the X-Wing one which caused me to go on a shopping spree for it.. This caused my family and I to start semi-regular gaming nights which has been fun…. We have moved on from that, but keep playing other games, so TableTop has caused us to have a lot of fun nights…
That being said, thanks for helping to get us started and do what’s best for you.