Burky and Badger's Board Game Babble Show · Kevin Burkhardsmeier & Barry Doublet

Another great show - B&BBGB #102

·1 hr 40 min·5 clips

Magic sales dropped 15%, but Post Malone bought a Lord of the Rings card for $2 million.

This episode features hosts Berkey and Badger sharing their recent board game convention experiences and industry news. Berkey attended Origins and Gen Con in the United States, while Badger visited Paraludic and FLIP festivals in France. The hosts discuss a financial report showing Wizards of the Coast sales declined 11% in Q2, with Magic: The Gathering sales down 15%. They mention the $2 million sale of a unique "One Ring" Magic card to Post Malone. Badger describes Paraludic as an outdoor Parisian festival with 180,000 visits over a weekend, featuring family activities like lightsaber fighting and giant games. Berkey recounts winning the "Ralphie" trophy at a Baseball Highlights 2045 tournament at Origins. He lists several Origins Award winners, including Boop for Game of the Year and Dead Reckoning for Thematic Game. Badger details the FLIP festival in a village of 10,000, emphasizing its international and playful atmosphere. Berkey notes strong sales at Gen Con, with publishers like 25th Century Games and Capstone Games restocking from warehouses mid-event. A surprising claim is that a half-pallet of Magic cards valued at $300,000 was stolen at Gen Con. The frenzy for the Lorcana card game at Gen Con reportedly led to crowding where people were "smashed against the wall." Berkey found it remarkable that Arcane Wonders sold 500 copies of World Wonders at Gen Con in just two hours. The idea of a major outdoor board game festival in Paris, complete with unpredictable weather, contrasts sharply with typical indoor U.S. conventions. The financial discussion reveals that despite reported sales declines, the convention floors showed no visible slowdown in consumer spending. The tone is highly conversational and enthusiastic, with both hosts excitedly sharing personal anecdotes and observations. The style is informal and meandering, often jumping between topics and conventions based on the hosts' memories. This episode would appeal to board game enthusiasts interested in convention culture and industry trends from both U.S. and European perspectives. Listeners preferring tightly structured, single-topic discussions might find the free-flowing format less engaging.

As heard by us

A loose convention recap that turns hobby news into practical chatter.

This episode stays close to convention season, with Berkey and Badger moving from Origins and Gen Con to Paraludic and Flip before widening out into board game news and the business side of the hobby.

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Why you'd press play

You want a loose board game babble recap from the convention circuit.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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