Happy Sunday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another week of Geek News. We have plenty of new releases for board games and video games this week, but first, we have our first headline news story in over a month. I’m still in the middle of the Novel in November event (over 36K of 50K words), but the DCU has made a seismic shift. The DCU fire James Gunn and Peter Safran and hired Jeremy Latcham (also a former Marvel Studios exec) to take their place. There’s a lot of information, mis-information, and even a petition for the DCU to retain Gunn and Safran floating on the net, so let’s talk about the DCU firing James Gunn.
James Gunn and Peter Safran Fired from the DCU
Here’s what we know. James Gunn and Peter Safran are out as heads of the DCU, and Jeremy Latcham is in as the new head of the DCU. As of writing this post, more than 175,000 fans have signed a petition to retain Gunn as the head of the DCU. Some actors will be retained (rumors cite David Corenswet as Superman and even Milly Alcock as Supergirl will be retained, for now) and some could be recast. The DCU’s new owners Skydance has expressed an interest in introducing well-known DC Comics characters, as opposed to Gunn and Safran releasing shows of lesser known DC Comics characters (Peacemaker, Creature Commandos, and Supergirl). Jeremy Latcham has issued statements of wanting DCU movies to be ones he can “take his grandmother to see” and “returning DCU to Christian values.” Oh boy. There’s a lot to unpack.
The rest of this will be various levels of conjecture and speculation. The most concrete piece of conjecture is that Skydance fired Gunn and Safran because of their contracts. Why pay two people to run a cinematic universe when you can pay one? It’s a cost cutting tactic. Easy.
The DCU has underperformed financially. True. But the same can be said of most movies in the mid-2020s. James Cameron, director of five of the highest grossing films of all time, massively underperformed with the latest Avatar movie, an established intellectual property. If Cameron and Avatar can underperform, anyone can and probably will, unless their names are Spider-Man (introducing the X-Men no less) and The Avengers. There comes a point when inflation becomes so huge that most people can’t afford to go to the movies. Couple this issue with streaming services airing the same movie after a few months, and most people will wait for the movie to make it to a streaming service that they’re already paying for.
Despite those obstacles, Superman (2025) made $618 million at the box office. Adjusting for inflation, that’s on par with Batman Begins. I’m not saying Man of Tomorrow will make as much money as Batman Begins’ sequel, The Dark Knight, but sequels do make more money. The announcement of Gunn and Safron’s dismissal can and probably will affect Man of Tomorrow’s box office numbers. Why would fans invest in a planned Superman trilogy, when the DCU has already made plans to pivot? This has led to numerous conflicting social media posts about actors like Corenswet’s Superman and Alcock’s Supergirl future.
Did Skydance realized they unveiled their plan too soon (about dismantling what Gunn and Safran built with the DCU) and are posting new updates reassuring fans and potentially avoiding a loss of $500 million? It makes sense to pretend to stay the course until after Man of Tomorrow releases next year. Or does Skydance plan on building off of what Gunn and Safran started with the DCU? More than 175,000 angry fans signing a petition may have played a role with plans of retaining portions of the DCU. Skydance has been all over the place with their responses. Gunn even posted a response debunking the rumor that Skydance saw Man of Tomorrow and requested edits. Who knows what the truth is? Gunn has reason to quell ugly rumors (or truths). He wants Man of Tomorrow to succeed. Regardless, Gunn and Safran’s firing has plunged the DCU into chaos.
And then we get to Gunn and and Safran’s replacement: Jeremy Latcham. His quote about making DCU movies that his grandmother can watch confused me. Wouldn’t a movie grandma could watch be quiet, so she can sleep? Or would she need the movie loud, so she could hear the movie? Anyway, the one thing that’s more grating than overt political views in movies is overt religious views in movies. Latcham’s quotes about the DCU and Christian values concerns me. Movies on Pureflix (a Christian version of Netflix) have some of the worst ratings on Rotten Tomatoes. God is Not Dead sports an abysmal 13%. Yikes!
But all of this could be for not. Again, this is conjecture and speculation. Lowering the payroll (one big salary instead of two) of an asset could make that asset more attractive to a potential buyer. Skydance purchased Warner Bros. Discovery for $110 Billion. The fastest way to earn capital is to sell assets; making money from movies takes more time. Warner Bros. Discovery wanted to sell off its parts, but they waited too long to pull the trigger on a deal.
Netflix offered Warner Bros. Discovery $83 Billion. That’s a difference of $27 Billion (from what Skydance paid), and Netflix didn’t plan to buy all of Warner Bros. Discovery. Netflix (and other suitors like Apple, Disney, and even Sony) could offer to buy pieces of Warner Bros. Discovery, pieces like the DCU. A bid for the DCU alone could cost well into the eleven figures, that’s tens of Billions of dollars. The DCU may be more valuable to Skydance as a trade asset. David Ellison needs to defray some of the cost of this massive purchase and fast.
Ultimately, we know that James Gunn and Peter Safran were fired as heads of the DCU, and Jeremy Latcham is the new head. Man of Tomorrow will release next year (2027). Beyond that, time will tell. Gunn has a great track record of movies and shows. The DCU projects he directly worked on (Superman, Peacemaker, Creature Commandos, and The Suicide Squad from the DCEU) have all been well received. They may not have made the most money, but they are well done.
But Gunn may also struggle with managing a cinematic universe. Honestly, cinematic universes may need to go extinct. They tend to get unruly. I’ve read comic books most of my life and crossover events usually ticked me off because you’d have to buy comics you didn’t usually read because you needed to “keep up with the overall story.” Sound familiar? That’s the same problem with interconnected cinematic universes. Sometimes, you just want to watch Superman, Batman, or Wonder Woman, and that’s okay.
We’ll keep you posted on this evolving story. For now, let’s talk about some new games.
Zoo Tycoon: The Board Game – Dinosaur Digs Launches on KickStarter
Zoo Tycoon: The Board Game – Dinosaur Digs is a new standalone board game set in the world of Zoo Tycoon. In this highly thematic dinosaur park simulation, each player builds their own dinosaur park in front of them and must keep an eye on animal welfare, revenue, popularity, science, and the danger level. Dinosaur Digs uses familiar mechanics such as set collection, worker placement, and tile placement, but also introduces completely new mechanics.
The game is played over several years (rounds), during which players perform different actions depending on the season. Players breed dinosaurs in the laboratory, obtain new dinosaurs/fossils from various dig sites, expand their zoos with new enclosures and buildings, improve the security of their fences, and must always keep an eye on their finances.
The player who does this best and maintains a balance between science and popularity wins the game.
Thank you, Treecer, for the description. The Zoo Tycoon base game has solid reviews on BoardGameGeek. It does a great job of conveying the video game series into a tabletop game. Zoo Tycoon: The Board Game – Dinosaur Digs adds dinosaurs. Just look at the dino meeples above. They’re so cute. This game has plenty of character. I also like the idea that players earn two scores throughout the game: popularity and science. The lower of these two scores is your final score. So, you may want the coolest dinosaurs in town (who wouldn’t?), but you’ll need to sustain these dinos. Clever. Zoo Tycoon: The Board Game – Dinosaur Digs has multiple pledge levels, ranging from $102 to $333 with a few options for expansions of the base game. If you’re interested in Zoo Tycoon: The Board Game – Dinosaur Digs, check out its KickStarter page.
Accidental Heroes Launches on KickStarter
Accidental Heroes is a spectacularly silly adventure game of quests, chaos, and highly questionable decisions, powered by a faithful (and sarcastic) Companion App.
Become the hero the realm neither wants nor deserves as you compete or co-operate to secure dragon eggs. How you get them, however, will be totally different each time you play. Every turn begins with moving to a new space on the hexagon filled map and drawing an Adventure Token. Each combo of Map Type and Adventure token spawns a whole new adventure – just input both into the companion app, and you’ll be presented with narrative events with multiple paths to take – such as dice tests, trading items, and interacting with NPCs.
Your terrific – or terrible – decisions shape the story you experience. Will you fight the bad guys, or join them? Recover the treasure, or steal it? Whatever you decide, hilarious consequences will surely follow. Grow stronger, get smarter, and gain favor (or not) with the Gods who’ll be judging you at every step of the way. Each player has 3 tracks on their player board corresponding to the 3 Gods. Appeasing them or displeasing them will buff or debuff your hero! Your hero board comes with multiple dual-layers slots where you’ll evolve your hero’s abilities.
Thank you, Lucky Duck Games, for the description. I know what you might be thinking: a tabletop game that uses an app? I can just play a video game. But you’d be wrong. Lucky Duck Games has a long history of blending apps with their games. Chronicles of Crime is a classic board game that uses an app. The app doesn’t get in the way. It adds to the fun. Accidental Heroes looks to continue that trend. In fact, I can see an app helping a game like Accidental Heroes more than it does Chronicles of Crime. The publisher saves on physical components. I don’t see a lot in the overview picture above. The story can evolve. I like how the description mentions each map type and adventure token spawns a new adventure.
Lucky Duck Games has always been at the forefront of integrating apps with their board games. Accidental Heroes could be the game that takes all those lessons learned and uses them to create an immersive experience. If you’re interested in Accidental Heroes, check out its KickStarter page.
Biozero: Tokyo Launches on GameFound
Biozero: Tokyo is a solo survival Print-and-Play (PnP) game set in an apocalyptic world overrun by zombies. Player acts as survivors fighting across Tokyo to find a way out before time runs out.
Each round, roll and assign action dice to attack zombies, search locations for items and weapons, or advance objectives. Balancing noise levels and managing zombie movements are critical to keeping survivors alive.
To win, the player must complete the chosen Objective and Escape Plan, ensuring all survivors escape before the city is sealed off.
Thank you for the description, Giza Games. Disclaimer: the above is a picture of Biozero: Tokyo on a virtual tabletop simulator. As the description says, the base game is a Print-and-Play. While this does mean that Biozero: Tokyo will be cheaper than most games at a similar price point, games will receive the print files and must print off their own copy of the game. Your copy of Biozero: Tokyo will vary from others. But that’s part of the fun. You can stick with a simple copy of the game or make it look as nice as you want. The choice is yours.
Typically, we don’t cover print-and-play games (unless they’re something like a roll and write), but I like Biozero: Tokyo’s theme and some of its mechanisms. Its time mechanism intrigues me. I wouldn’t mind checking out this game, and I can see why Giza Games decided to go the PnP route. Biozero: Tokyo is a solo gaming experience. PnP allows gamers to pay what they want.
Solo Game of the Month and Best At 1 Games Collaboration on GameFound
We’ve covered Solo Game of the Month on Geekly News most times they drop a new release (I missed a few here and there), and this month, Solo Game of the Month has something special. They collaborated with Best At 1 Games, another board game studio that specializes in solo games. The pair have a series of four games (and more) with this GameFound campaign. Night Breaker, FarHome, Behold Rome, and Boomtown Builder headline this event. While I don’t know much about Night Breaker (no description on BGG yet), the other three games offer a mix of gaming experiences like civilization building, action/adventure, and good old town building.
This collaboration will offer giveaways and other surprises (possibly more games to this list). If you’re interested in the Solo Game of the Month and Best At 1 Games collaboration, check out its GameFound page.
How to Make a Board Game Launches on GameFound
How to Make a Board Game does what it says. It shows readers how to make a board game from design to manufacturing. I’m interested in this entry for obvious reasons. LongPack, a manufacturer based in Shanghai, offers their insights into the board game design and production business. Each copy of How to Make a Board Game comes with a board game making kit. Fun! If you’re interested in How to Make a Board Game, check out its GameFound page.
Dust in the Wind Launches on GameFound
Dust in the Wind is a cooperative narrative-driven adventure game for 1–4 players, with playtime ranging from 90 minutes to extended multi-session campaigns lasting many hours. Players explore an open-world depiction of the American frontier, completing objectives, responding to narrative events, and confronting an ever-growing threat from a central antagonist.
Gameplay blends map exploration, character interactions, resource management, and cooperative combat. Conflicts take the form of fast-paced gunfights and tense duels, where teamwork, preparation, and exploiting enemy weaknesses are essential for survival.
A branching narrative system ensures that the world reacts to player decisions. Reputation shifts, story paths open and close, and the ending evolves based on the choices made along the way. Dust in the Wind presents the Wild West unfiltered — harsh, unforgiving, yet rich with opportunity for those bold enough to claim it.
Thank you the description, PHALANX. I don’t think I have any western themed games. I’ve played plenty. I do like the idea of survival elements, a strong narrative, and cooperative play, so Dust in the Wind might be right up my alley. I like the idea of fast-paced gunfights. Combat should be a part of any western game like Dust in the Wind (the game wouldn’t live up to its title if it didn’t have combat), but I like it when players have other options and combat doesn’t overtake everything. The images to the right (of the character card pictured above) makes me think that gamers could talk their way out of trouble or think of alternative means to solve problems. The die face in the bottom left makes me think Dust in the Wind allows for character development.
If true, all of this sounds great. PHALANX has collaborated with various other board game companies to produce games like, Brass: Birmingham, Scythe, Viticulture, Twilight Struggle, and Dominant Species. Yeah. I have my eye on Dust in the Wind. If you’re interested in Dust in the Wind, check out its GameFound page.
Dice Valley Launches on GameFound
Dice Valley is a chess-like board game of two armies fighting a battle in the forest: The Long-Eared Kingdom and The Pack of Claws.
Your units are large wooden dice bearing combat formation symbols. You constantly maneuver them to lure your opponent into a trap or exploit gaps in their defenses. Win the forest battle by eliminating all their dice or by reaching their side of the board.
The key to victory lies in leveraging the strengths of various combat formations and terrain features.
Thank you for the description, Smart Flamingo. Dice Valley trades Chess pieces for dice. Clever. It looks as if each die can be turned to a different face to depict a different unit. While the character cards shown above have similar abilities, I could see Dice Valley shake up gameplay with units having varying abilities. All you need are extra cards. Heck, the cards above could be double-sided. Each turn, players tumble their dice (move them one space forward) and claim the ability printed on that die face. Cool! It will matter which die face you choose at the beginning, and I could see someone opting to go sideways to claim an ability they would otherwise not be able to use. What you can’t see in the picture above is that the two dice in the river are on the only two bridge spaces. What? So, you may have to move sideways.
Dice Valley offers a simple but genius twist to Chess. I can’t wait to see the combinations each game offers. If you’re interested in Dice Valley, check out its GameFound page.
Warhammer Survivors Releases
Warhammer Survivors is the official grim and dark bullet-heaven game from the developers of Warhammer 40,000 Boltgun. Play as over 40 iconic champions from the Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Age of Sigmar universes and obliterate those who champion death and destruction.
I’ve never gotten into Warhammer, but I do like bullet-heaven games. Since Warhammer Survivors features famous characters from Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Age of Signar, it may be a great introductory for the series. Warhammer Survivors has received solid reviews. I like that some of the levels pay homage to tabletop games. Plenty of the levels feature graph paper, dice rolling, and measuring tapes, which are hallmarks of strategic miniatures games like Warhammer. Warhammer Survivors is available on PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and Xbox Series S/X.
Tanuki: Pon’s Summer Releases
The Tanuki Festival is just a month away, and the shrine is in disrepair. Follow Pon, a well meaning, if a bit lazy Tanuki with a part-time job at the Post Office, as he works to restore the shrine before summer ends. Deliver packages, make friends, and get the shrine ready for the big festival!
Tanuki: Pon’s Summer looks adorable. I like the tight window (one summer) for making things right. This gives the game sense of momentum. Tanuki: Pon’s Summer includes multiple anime-inspired goofy characters. I like the idea of Pon working as a part-time postal carrier. There’s something about making deliveries in video games that scratches an occasional itch I get. It feels good. But Pon is only a part-time postal carrier. Since Tanuki: Pon’s Summer is an open-world game, it has many other game mechanisms like building and fishing. You will have to get the shrine ready for the big day. Tanuki: Pon’s Summer has received good reviews. It’s available on PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and Xbox Series S/X.
Moomin: Midsummer Madness Releases
Midsummer is right around the corner in Moominvalley, when a sudden flood sets the Moomins adrift! Join Tove Jansson’s beloved Moominfamily and friends on an adventure of mirth and mischief aboard a mysterious floating theatre.
What is with all of these summer-time releases in autumn? Anyway, Moomin: Midsummer Madness is another adorable game, but this one has the occasional mean streak. Watch out for that sinister looking girl (pictured above). Moomin: Midsummer Madness is a point-and-click game like Escape from Monkey Island. It features plenty of puzzles and a story-rich game. It hasn’t received too many reviews so far and leans into the indie gaming space. At less than $20, I put this one on my Steam wishlist. Let us know if you’d like a review. Moomin: Midsummer Madness is available on PC, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2.
Sonic Pico Park Releases
The co-op action puzzle game series PICO PARK is back… and this time, we’re teaming up with SEGA’s legendary Sonic the Hedgehog! This collaboration is packed with co-op gameplay that combines the flair of Sonic with the puzzle teamwork fun of PICO PARK! Play locally or online with 2 to 8 players!
Oh my! I didn’t know the Pico Park franchise existed, but I’m so glad it does. The only downside I can see with Sonic Pico Park is that it requires at least two players. I don’t know if Sonic Pico Park offers crossplay with all consoles, but I can see PlayStation maintaining exclusivity with its players. They’re weird like that. Fortunately, Sonic Pico Park retails at $10, so it’s easy for multiple players to purchase a copy. Just look at those cute 8-bit sprites of classic Sonic the Hedgehog characters. I can’t wait to solve puzzles with my friends. We do mostly play on PlayStation. Fingers crossed that PlayStation will allow crossplay with other consoles. Sonic Pico Park is available on PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and Xbox Series S/X.
Hillthorn Releases
A disappearance in a secluded community. A mountain hiding its secrets. A detective running out of time. Welcome to Hillthorn, a dark investigation game that invites you to uncover the mystery without a single word spoken, using your skills of logic and intuition through cards.
Hillthorn is a card-driven Lovecraftian mystery game. Sold! Those all sound like features I love. Couple that with the fact that Hillthorn has received solid reviews, and this is another game I’ve added to my Steam wishlist. Our 2027 video game review slate is filling up. We may need to up the number of games we review to two a month. Hillthorn gives me vibes of Stacklands, which we already reviewed, and Chronicles of Crime, which I mentioned earlier in this week’s Geekly News. Yeah. Hillthorn has a lot going for it, and it doesn’t cost that much (less than $20). It could be worth a download. Hillthorn is available on PC and Nintendo Switch.
That’s all the Geek News we have for you this week. What are your thoughts on James Gunn’s firing from the DCU? And which games look the most interesting? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
