![COVID-19 at the Gaming Table: Delays, Cancellations, Retailer Support, and Free RPGs](https://cf.geekdo-images.com/mTn-dbIPgdf-_l668UGi_g__thumb/img/yxdiI1ZfNRlXmO_GQr8dFqBnxIs=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic5031257.jpg)
• HABA USA has announced on Facebook in a private industry group its plan to be a retail hero and support outlets that might close temporarily for whatever reason they might do so. From representative T. Caires:
If you are a retailer partner and would like to opt-in to this program with your existing HABA account information, please let me know. If you are not an existing HABA customer and would like to place a qualifying order of $250 to join the program, please let me know.
• Somewhat similarly, Atlas Games is introducing a program called "Friendly Local Game Drop" that works as follows:
The current Friendly Local Game Drop product list includes Atlas Games' best-selling titles, including Gloom, Once Upon a Time, and Godsforge. Additional products will be added to the program in the coming days and weeks.
• Greek publisher Drawlab Entertainment is offering a similar deal: "20% to the retailer of your choice for anything you buy from the Drawlab Entertainment website". Adds Evangelos Foskolos, "Just write their name in the notes section of the order and we'll send the money their way. Plus we will add a small something as a token of appreciation to the generosity towards the industry."
• Van Ryder Games will be running a similar program, donating 20% of the sales proceeds to non-VRG Select Retailers and 50% of the sales proceeds to VRG Select Retailers. (If you are a U.S. b&m retailer that doesn't fall into the latter category, sign up here.)
• Japanime Games is going so far as to offer 50% of each online sale to a brick-and-mortar store of your choice. In detail:
Place an order today, and in the comments of your order, tell us what store you want to support. We will contact that store and PayPal them 50% of your order. Consider this a wholesale order placed directly through that store, and this is our way of bringing a sale to that store, to bring them a little bit of income.
To that end, Luma Imports is announcing that we are postponing all new releases indefinitely. There are many retailers that are closing either their event space or their entire retail space temporarily to deal with the Covid-19 situation. We would sooner halt our releases and have them at the ready when these restrictions begin to ease up to encourage customers to come back to their welcoming spaces.
Folks, this is the largest and most striking example of a co-operative game being played out in my lifetime, and likely many of yours. I do not say that glibly. Remember those gameplay lessons: play safely, play responsibly, and play with the rest of your extended team in mind.
• Along similar lines, Unpub 10 has been moved from May 22-24, 2020 to August 20-23, 2020. Here's part of a note from the organizers:
As you know, Unpub is a small organization and we knew there was risk of potential fees when we began to discuss adjusting the date with our venue. While we would have no issue covering these additional costs to ensure everyone in our organization (including you) was as safe as possible, we are very grateful that Marriott worked with us. They not only provided multiple options but also waived all fees associated with these changes. We have been very lucky that they are working with us so that we do not have to outright cancel.
In addition to the date changes, the hotel has provided all of us a lower nightly rate than originally quoted.
LeiriaCon in Portugal initially moved its convention from March 2020 to May 2020, but as of March 16, it's cancelled the event, noting that the current difficulties will still likely exist in May.
• To encourage your self-distancing efforts, Greater Than Games is offering free downloads of Sentinel Comics: The Roleplaying Game – Starter Kit, the two one-shot adventures for that RPG system, and the book Cheapass Games in Black and White by designer James Ernest. Visit the GTG website in order to download these items.
• The Top Secret: New World Order RPG and related items can also be downloaded for free, specifically from Drive Thru RPG.
• Finally, IELLO had planned for a worldwide launch of King of Tokyo: Dark Edition on April 24, 2020, but a representative for IELLO USA has noted the following in a private industry group:
King of Tokyo: Dark Edition is in our warehouses in Fort Wayne, where our small warehouse staff continues to work diligently and in the safest possible conditions to fill orders taken at GAMA Expo and to make sure our distributors continue to receive the stock they need. With the cancellation of our planned worldwide release, and with the importance of entertainment in this trying time, we have made the decision to ship King of Tokyo: Dark Edition to our distribution partners immediately and allow retailers to sell this product as soon as you receive it.
Brick & mortar retailers may sell King of Tokyo: Dark Edition as soon as you receive it through your local methods (in-store, curbside pickup, local delivery, your STORE website). Online sales of King of Tokyo: Dark Edition, through third-party sales platforms like Amazon, will be release-day gated until 13 APR, allowing brick and mortar retailers at least two weeks to sell without online competition, as we do for all of our titles.