Gencon: Fantasy Flight previews Star Wars games

After announcing last week that Fantasy Flight Games had obtained the licensing rights for Star Wars-themed RPG, card and miniatures games, it seemed pretty natural for them to be demoing their upcoming titles at Gencon this past weekend. Beasts Of War interviewed Fantasy Flight Games on the two upcoming titles demoed the gaming convention: X-Wing, the miniatures game, and Star Wars: The Card Game. io9 enjoyed their chance to try out a demo version of the starfighter combat minis.

Buzz on Board Game Geek for the card game seems to be positive, especially from the fans of FFG’s other cooperative Living Card Games. But a few CCG gaming friends tried it out and weren’t as positive – was it a poor demo experience (not being told that it was cooperative and not competitive)? Several players remarked on the game having some bad artwork. Hopefully the look and feel will get more polished as they finish it up for its 2012 release. But as a co-op game with all players being the Rebels against the Empire, players seeking to play on the Dark Side of the Force will be left unhappy.

TheHopelessGamer has some pictures of both Star Wars: The Card Game, and X-Wing.

Fantasy Flight Games to produce Star Wars card, roleplaying, and miniatures games

Fantasy Flight Games has picked up the dormant license to produce Star Wars roleplaying, card, and miniature games.

The license was previously held by by Hasbro’s Wizards of the Coast, which let it go in 2010. Star Wars roleplaying and card games originated under West End Games and Decipher, respectively, but from what I’ve heard over the years, WOTC’s versions suffered when compared to the much-beloved originals.

Fantasy Flight is launching their Star Wars line with a miniature game, X-Wing, and Star Wars: The Card Game.

Wizards of the Coast jumps off the Star Wars ship

In what I’m sure is not a shock to any and all active gamers, Wizards of the Coast will not be renewing their Star Wars license.

They picked up the RPG license back in 2001, redoing the game twice, and some say they never quite captured the spirit of the original West End Games line that was an important launching point for the modern EU, and many writers still working with the franchise today.

I don’t think we’ve seen the end of a Star Wars RPG: StarWars.com’s line about “announcements regarding future products” almost guarantees it – so here’s hoping that Lucasfilm can find a company with the enthusiasm they – and the fans – need.

Lucasfilm and Verizon, sitting in a tree: L-I-C-E-N-S-E-E

If you keep an eye on mentions of Lucasfilm on Twitter, it’s pretty hard to avoid the wide range of reaction as folks spot the trademark notice on the various promotional materials for Verizon’s Droid phone. As pointless as it may be to ask on a site full of Star Wars fans, what do you think? Answer on the sidebar or under the cut. Continue reading “Lucasfilm and Verizon, sitting in a tree: L-I-C-E-N-S-E-E”

Lucasfilm seeing bank on Verizon’s Droid?

See anything familiar in there? Okay, it can be hard to spot on Youtube, but Twitter has been buzzing about the fine print on Verizon’s latest run at the iPhone: “DROID is a trademark of Lucasfilm Ltd. and its related companies. Used under license.”

Lucasfilm isn’t exactly a stranger to cell phone companies, but I wouldn’t expect much involvement besides what we see here… At least not yet.

The quick guide to Star Wars on Twitter

Match the icon with the username! Okay, it's easy.

As the legion of Star Wars accounts on Twitter grows, it’s getting harder to keep track of. It’s impossible to list everyone, but here are a few accounts that may be of interest.

Please note that although we provide this page as a service to fans to find official accounts and other people they may wish to follow, we do not encourage pestering or harassing celebrities and/or other fans. Please be respectful to the celebrities and each other.

And if you’re wondering about hashtags, StarWars.com has some suggestions (though I’m not about to give up on #EpisodeVII!)

Marquee names
  • Carrie Fisher (@CarrieFFisher) Played Princess Leia in the original trilogy.
  • Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) Played Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy.
  • Anthony Daniels (@ADaniels3PO) Played C-3PO in all six movies.
  • Ewan McGregor (@mcgregor_ewan) Played Obi-wan Kenobi in the prequel trilogy.
  • Samuel L. Jackson (@SamuelLJackson) All -around badass; Played Mace Windu in the prequel trilogy.
  • David Prowse (@isDARTHVADER) Played Darth Vader (in the suit) for the original trilogy.
  • Peter Mayhew (@TheWookieeRoars) Played Chewbacca in the original trilogy and ROTS.
  • Bonnie Piesse (@BonniePiesse) Played Beru Lars in AOTC and ROTS.
  • Ahmed Best (@ahmedbest) Played Jar Jar Binks in the prequels.
  • Warwick Davis (@WarwickADavis) Played Wicket W. Warrick in Return of the Jedi as well as several characters in The Phantom Menace and many other films.
  • Ray Park (@PARKYBOY74) Played Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace.
  • Richard LeParmentier (@AdmiralMotti) Played Admiral Motti in A New Hope.
Crew
  • Joel Aron ( @joelaron ) Visual effects on Revenge of the Sith, The Clone Wars
  • Bad Robot (@bad_robot) Home base of Episode VII director J.J. Abrams.
  • Dave Filoni (@dave_filoni) Supervising director of The Clone Wars, Rebels.
  • Phil Tippett (@PhilTippett) VFX artist who now heads Tippet Studio; Did stop motion effects for ANH and ESB.
  • Greg Weisman (@Greg_Weisman) Writer on Rebels. Worked on Gargoyles, Young Justice.
  • Matthew Wood (@matthewood) Skywalker Sound; Voice of General Grievous in Revenge of the Sith and The Clone Wars.
Voices
  • Matt Lanter (@MattLanter) Voice of Anakin Skywalker in The Clone Wars
  • Ashley Eckstein (@HerUniverse) Voice of Ahsoka Tano. Used mostly for Her Universe business, and also listed under licensees, but Ashley shares other stuff here as well.
  • James Arnold Taylor (@JATactor) Voice of Obi-Wan in The Clone Wars
  • Catherine Taber (@cattaber) Voice of Padme Amidala in The Clone Wars
  • Sam Witwer (@SamWitwer) Voice of Darth Maul on The Clone Wars, Galen Marek/Starkiller in The Force Unleashed.
  • Dee Bradley Baker (@deebradleybaker) Voice of The Clone Wars clonetroopers.
  • Phil LaMarr (@phillamarr) Voice of The Clone Wars’ Kit Fisto.
  • Meredith Salenger (@MeredthSalenger) voiced Barriss Offee in The Clone Wars.
  • Simon Pegg (@simonpegg) Voice of Dengar in The Clone Wars. Director/Actor, Shaun of the Dead, Scottie in Star Trek prequel/reboot.
  • Greg Proops (@GregProops) Voice of Beed Annodue in The Phantom Menace.
  • Peter Serafinowicz (@serafinowicz) Voice of Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace.
Lucasfilm and licensees
Other official types
  • Chris Argyropoulos (@ThatChrisA) Lucasfilm Publicist
  • Dan Brooks (@dan_brooks) Works for StarWars.com
  • Tracy Cannobbio (@Tcann13) Lucasfilm Publicist
  • Mary Franklin (@MaryLFL) Sr. Event Lead for Lucasfilm, queen of all she surveys
  • Jennifer Heddle (@jenheddle) Senior Editor (fiction) at Lucasfilm.
  • Pablo Hidalgo (@infinata) Brand Communication Manager for Lucasfilm, author, internet rockstar
  • Leland Chee (@HolocronKeeper) Keeper of the Holocron, Lucas Licensing
  • Matt Martin (@missingwords) Works for StarWars.com
  • Erich Schoeneweiss (@Darth_Duff) Del Rey editor
  • Randy Stradley (@Randy_Stradley) Vice President of Publishing, Dark Horse Comics
Writers
  • Aaron Allston (@aaronallston) Author, X-Wing, Legacy of the Force, Fate of the Jedi series.
  • Kevin J. Anderson (@TheKJA) Author, The Jedi Academy Trilogy
  • Corinna Bechko (@CorinnaBechko) Writer, Legacy
  • Haden Blackman (@HadenBlackman) LucasArts / Writer, The Force Unleashed
  • Jeremy Barlow (@Jeremy_Barlow) Writer / Dark Horse editor
  • Bonnie Burton (@bonniegrrl) Writer, You Can Draw: Star Wars
  • Nathan P. Butler (@swfanworks) Writer, ‘Equals and Opposites’ / StarWarsFanWorks.com
  • Chris Cassidy (@Yav14) Writer, ‘Precipice’
  • James.S.A.Corey (@JamesSACorey) aka Daniel Abraham (@AbrahamHanover) and Ty Franck. Authors, Empire and Rebellion: Honor Among Thieves.
  • Paul Ens (@paulens) Writer, R2-D2: Beneath the Dome, ‘Evasive Action’ webstrips / Owner of Red 5 Comics / Former Director of Lucas Online
  • Jason Fry (@jasoncfry) Author, The Essential Atlas
  • Christie Golden (@ChristieGolden) Author, Fate of the Jedi
  • Kevin Hearne (@KevinHearne) Author, upcoming Empire and Rebellion Luke novel.
  • Helen Keier (@HelenKeier) Writer, The New Essential Guide to Alien Species
  • Drew Karpyshyn (@DrewKarpyshyn) Author, Darth Bane novels.
  • Paul S. Kemp (@Paulskemp) Author, Crosscurrent
  • Tim Lebbon (@timlebbon) Author, Dawn of the Jedi novel
  • John Jackson Miller (@jjmfaraway) Writer, Knights of the Old Republic, Kenobi
  • Abel G. Peña (@ThePhilodoxer) Writer, things fanboys love
  • J. W. Rinzler (@jwrinzler) Writer, The Making of Star Wars, other nonfiction.
  • Joe Schreiber (@joeschreiber1) Author, Death Troopers
  • Mike Stackpole (@MikeStackpole) Author, X-Wing series
  • Matthew Stover (@MWStover ) Author, Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor, Revenge of the Sith novelization.
  • Tom Taylor (@TomTaylorMade) Writer, Invasion comic.
  • Paul Urquhart (@quhart) Writer, The Essential Guide to Warfare
  • Dan Wallace (@danwall88) Author, The Essential Atlas
  • Martha Wells (@marthawells1) Author, Empire and Rebellion: Razor’s Edge
  • Sean Williams (@adelaidesean) Author, The Force Unleashed novelizations
  • Ryder Windham (@ryderwindham)
  • Brian Wood (@brianwood) Writer, Star Wars, the comic that began in 2013
Artists
Organizations
Fan sites and the like
Notable fans
‘Characters’
Misc
Other notables

Wacky merchandise: Tiny Mos Eisleys for you and me

Hawthorne Village, which produces those little Christmas villages beloved by grandmas, aunties, and other connoisseurs of twee*, is now a Star Wars licensee. First up is the Mos Eisley Cantina, which Rebelscum has thoughtfully provided a picture of. (Click the picture above to go directly to the full ad.) I’m getting a total kick out of the image of fanboys drooling all over these things, and/or little kids begging Mom to include the Hoth Rebel base next December.

* They have the Thomas Kinkade license: ‘Nuff said. And, less alarmingly, Disney, which leads to Pirates of the Caribbean.