Brainwaves Episode 167 - Shrinking Minis

Brainwaves - Board Game and Tabletop News Show

Iain and Oliver bring you a bumper packed episode of Brainwaves with all the latest news, controversies, and occurrences from across the tabletop gaming world in episode 167 of Brainwaves.

Headlines

Devir… damn guys that’s racist as hell

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3555308/just-some-ole-racist-history-crap/page/1

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3555308/article/46440167#46440167

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3555679/a-message-to-the-community

https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2025/08/08/devir-to-recall-all-copies-of-new-release-ace-of-spades-after-backlash-over-slavery-depictions-in-artwork-apologises-for-causing-harm/

https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/60259/devir-recalling-ace-spades

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3555679/a-message-to-the-community

More CMON Executive Leavers and profit warning

https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2025/08/07/cmons-long-serving-chief-financial-officer-company-secretary-latest-to-resign-from-financially-troubled-business/

https://www.marketscreener.com/news/cmon-limited-announces-resignation-of-koh-zheng-kai-as-chief-financial-officer-with-effect-from-14-ce7c5ed2dd8bf026

https://consent.yahoo.com/v2/collectConsent?sessionId=3_cc-session_a4de1fe9-336e-4f30-98af-42f7d08fc4ce

https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2025/08/21/new-cmon-profit-warning-says-losses-could-reach-8m-for-first-half-of-2025-almost-three-times-its-overall-profit-from-the-last-ten-years/

US Import Tariff Troubles

https://www.ctpa.org.uk/news/usa-de-minimis-exemption-suspended-8542

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2p17xypgko?fbclid=IwY2xjawMWgf5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHjtV7mqx6qv6P4-CSGWofvqYpk1vI-O59FV4q2U0N-UOduSuyZ8kGm8ruuFX_aem_rHTP6ygrvyZB_JDrDY_mYg

Updates

CGE Responds to HP Codenames Backlash

CGE’s response on various social media platforms:
Instagram: https://discord.com/channels/653652846167851008/1397834273645396100/1403479858251825285
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/czechgames.com/post/3lvw44i6tk32r

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1328670495928290&id=100063560561493&mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=c6aJLUWZCsvY5SJG#

Block Collective’s response: https://bsky.app/profile/blockcollectives.bsky.social/post/3lvyas4jezs2q

Read this

https://www.rascal.news/zatu-denies-toxic-workplace-allegations-from-former-employees/

News

Ultimate Guard jump into Harry Potter controversy

https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/60061/new-harry-potter-ultimate-guard-deck-boxes-unveiled

GenCon 2025 Sets New Attendance Record

https://www.gencon.com/press/record-breaking-gencon-2025

https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/60227/gen-con-2025-sets-new-attendance-record

https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2025/08/05/gen-con-exhibitor-numbers-rebound-to-record-levels-despite-tariffs-uncertainty-biggest-ever-attendance-reaches-almost-72000/

Suzanne Sheldon post on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/425suzanne.bsky.social/post/3lvqiqhyche2g

Funforge has been liquidated

https://ludovox.fr/funforge-en-liquidation-judiciaire-le-dernier-mot-de-son-fondateur/

Mobeus makes Big Potato a Hot Potato

https://www.mobeus.co.uk/news/mobeus-backs-big-potato-games/

https://www.mobeus.co.uk/investments/big-potato-games/

https://www.dcadvisory.com/news-deals-insights/deal-announcements/dc-advisory-advises-mobeus-equity-partners-on-its-investment-in-big-potato-games/#gref

Jobs, Opportunities, and Events

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TabletopJobs

Pegasus Designer Days 2025

https://pegasus.de/UEber-uns/Karriere/Designer-Days/

Application form: https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/KS5KF9F

Playfest London

https://www.minervatabletop.co.uk/playfest

Patreon Shoutouts

Kevin Bertram

https://www.fortcircle.com/

James Naylor

https://naylorgames.com/

Shaun Newman

game-a-lot.fun/en

facebook.com/gamealotboardgames

Our Patreon

https://www.patreon.com/thegiantbrain

Support Us

https://giantbrain.co.uk/support-us-new/

Fanroll

https://fanrolldice.com/ref/2783/

Outro

Pictionary Potato

https://shopping.mattel.com/en-gb/products/pictionary-pic-tato-hot-potato-game-jdx95-en-gb

Our Links

Thanks very much for listening. If you like what you’ve listened to then the best way to help us out is to share the podcast and drop us a review and rating on itunes. You can also follow us on

Oliver: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/

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Blusky

Iain https://bsky.app/profile/giantbrain.co.uk

Oliver https://bsky.app/profile/tabletopgamesblog.com

Jamie https://bsky.app/profile/jamsandwich.bsky.social

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