XCOM and Gloomhaven creators: video game–tabletop collabs can save the industry

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The gaming industry is in crisis. Layoffs at Xbox have led to still more layoffs from the studios Microsoft ditched. Bungie significantly reduced its staff right after releasing its final update for Destiny 2 and Epic Games cut 1,000 employees in March due to a downturn in Fortnite engagement. The tabletop industry has its own set of problems. Pathfinder publisher Paizo had to restructure after its book distributor Diamond Comics declared bankruptcy and CMON had layoffs , citing rising tariffs as it struggled to fulfill crowdfunding campaigns. The cancellation of projects like Plaid Hat’s The Monolith and the Altered expansion Roots of Corruption even after they achieved their crowdfunding goals further demonstrated the industry’s financing problems. Yet despite all the bad news, the creators of Gloomhaven and XCOM see collaborations across video games and tabletop games as the way forward.