High Stakes Drifter Rides Into Town

 High Stakes Drifter  10 Responses »
Nov 232005
 
High Stakes Drifter

As posted on the WizKids website:

November 23, 2005 (SEATTLE) – WizKids Inc., creator of the runaway hit games HeroClix and Pirates of the Spanish Main, is proud to announce the release of High Stakes Drifter, the company’s first collectable card game (CCG)!

“High Stakes Drifter is the fast-paced game of Wild West action,” said Mike Samora, vice president of Sales and Marketing at WizKids®. “The game uses betting-and-bluffing mechanics to simulate a series of challenges with historical personalities like Billy the Kid and Wyatt Earp.” The game adds elements of luck to each challenge as well, with a unique kicker chip mechanic that can add a random effect to each showdown.

Each card features vintage photography and a western feel. The game play has been described as a mix between a saloon-style betting-and-bluffing game and a spaghetti western shootout.

High Stakes Drifter is sold in Starter Sets (MSRP $9.99) and Booster Packs (MSRP $2.99), and is available in hobby and specialty game stores.

Founded by 25-year game-industry veteran Jordan Weisman, WizKids is a Seattle-based game developer and publisher dedicated to creating tabletop games driven by imagination. Its MechWarrior® and HeroClix CMGs and Pirates and Rocketmen CSGs are among the most successful games on the market today, and the company has sold hundreds of millions of game pieces worldwide. For additional information, visit http://www.wizkidsgames.com.

They also have a fully searchable card gallery up on their website, just to make it easy to complete your collection. So, when you’re out shopping this Black Friday, be sure to pick up some High Stakes Drifter for yourself. Then come on back here and tell me what you think of it. Thanks! And Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Conan Books and Flats

 Conan  No Responses »
Nov 232005
 
Conan

This week, Ginjer Buchanan at Ace Books sent me two of the latest releases in the Age of Conan line I edit with her. (I do my part for Conan Properties, while Ginjer manages the line for Ace.) Courtesy of Gjiner, UPS brought me at book and a flat.

The book is Venom of Luxur, the third and final book in J. Steven York‘s Anok, Heretic of Stygia trilogy. It brings Anok’s tale to a rousing and triumphant close. If you’re interested in the books, you can download the first chapter of each of them and read them for free. The first two books are already out, and Venom hits stores on November 29.

As for the other thing, a “flat” is a promotional copy of the cover of an upcoming book. The publishers print these up in advance of the real thing to show distributors and booksellers what they can expect to see. Ace has done them for all of their Age of Conan titles, and I’ve gotten them for each of my Blood Bowl novels from the Black Library too. I had some for Secret of the Spiritkeeper too, and Nina Hess—my editor at Wizards—just sent me some promotional bookmarks for the Knights of the Silver Dragon line too.

This flat is for Winds of the Wild Sea, the second in the Marauders trilogy. These are young adult (YA) novels set in the Age of Conan and written by Jeff Mariotte, and old friend of mine from IDW and WildStorm fame. Gearing gritty fantasy novels for younger readers isn’t easy, but Jeff does a fine job of it, making the books good for kids from 10 to 100. The first in the series, Ghost in the Wall, is due in stores at the end of January, while Winds of the Wild Sea should be out in March.

Sudden Death Match

 Blood Bowl  No Responses »
Nov 232005
 
Blood Bowl

I just got word from the Black Library that we’ve had to retitle Sudden Death (the third in my Blood Bowl trilogy of novels) to Death Match. I don’t know the whole story yet, but apparently someone else is claiming that title in a way that involves attorneys. In the grand spirit of not wasting money on silly things, it’s easier to change the title than it is to bother with a litigious argument over changing one word in the title and the order in which they appear. No matter what, as either title implies, you can be sure to get plenty of death in the book.

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