Stonemaier Updates from August 2026

0:00 Hello everyone and welcome to the mill today. Today we have an update episode. So very quickly here I'm going to move to the computer. Sorry I'm doing this in the evening. It's well early September because I am doing the August Stone Meyer update. So we got a lot of game individual updates within the past week and a half and the Stonemire newsletter. So, I'm going to go over all of that, which means I'm mostly going to be showing you my computer screen. So, sorry if the lighting isn't the best. We're in the school year now. So, I am doing this now in the evening instead of my wonderful summer teacher breaks. So, all is good. Everyone's off to the school year. I hope if you have kids or if you're a teacher or related to school in any way, your school year is off to a good start. Otherwise, I hope you're enjoying the end of summer because wow, did summer fly. Anyways, I'm going to very soon take you to the screen. I'm going to go through the individual games first and then I will kind of go back to the general newsletter that also has the progress chart in it because we are very soon coming up on those fall stom releases and oh my gosh, I can't wait to start showing those to you. All right.

1:23 So, I am going to start showing you my computer instead of my horrible lighting with my back lit windows. All right. Here we go. Let's see. We are going to There we go. Share screen. Okay. So, I Hey, let's start with World of Scythe. So, these are all August updates. said, "While it is just barely September, I am filming this on the evening of Wednesday, September 2nd." All right, here is the Scythe and Expeditions update that was from August 20th. So, Duel of Melac. Now, one month after the release, 7,000 copies have arrived at doorsteps.

2:11 So, that is awesome. All right, here we go. So here we are. This is some of the recommendations that if you know one of them well that you start with that side more just because you don't need to fully know it. I will say uh you can get the rule books online. So if you need something a little bit I found that that's what I've kind of seen on Discord. If you need a little bit more to one of the rule books they are online. You can go read them. I know when I was playing as expeditions, it had been a while. So, I was getting my other rule book out just to kind of review different pieces. Um, there's also leaderboard results. They're kind of keeping track what mechs are people using, what factions are people using, so they can't what mechs and factions.

3:00 Um, a little different when you're talking expeditions versus scythe even in that language. Uh, but they're kind of keeping track of those leaderboards. So, if you like how Stonemare does the leaderboards, they have that for this now. Okay. Uh, frequently asked questions. Board Game Geek. Let's see. Expeditions. Oh, digital expeditions is making great progress on Board Game Arena. I can vouch for that. I am. It is in alpha. I am currently playing a game with a couple people on Discord. So, if you have alpha access on board game arena, you can play expeditions. Or if you know someone who has alpha access on board game arena, you can do that. Also, if you're in the Stonemer Discord, there are quite a few of us with alpha access.

3:46 So, if you go to the like finding a game channel on there, I'm sure someone will let get you in a game. So, if you want to play Expeditions online and on board game arena and kind of help test it out, the Discord is a great place to kind of get people to play. Let's see. Scythe updates. Third party accessories listed there. Digital scythe is on board game right now. We It's been there for a little while. All right. Milo Scythe updates. A digital version. There's now a digital version. Oh, on the merchants of play platform. I might have to see what the merchants of play platform is. I have not messed around with that. So, that's kind of interesting. I do love my little scythe. All right. And then this just remind you to rate games on board game geek and the picture is someone who painted the new faction. All right, so that looks like what is it for this?

4:48 Awesome. All right, we are going to stop sharing that one. Okay, let's see what do we want to go to next. So that was Syan Expeditions. Why don't we go to Vantage? All right, Vantage. Here we go. So, it said this is kind of this is also from August 20th. This was talking about how Jamie recently went to Iceland and it said it he said it reminded him of a bunch of places on the Vantage planet. So, that's kind of cool and kind of goes with the challenge. So, update. They're currently wrapping up production on the storybook pack, the updated one for the those who of us who have the first printing advantage. Um, I personally haven't gotten it yet. I might get it in the next batch. But if you have like the what is it, the Trails and Sales Pack, you already got the updated movement one, which is something I do have, but that looks like it'll be received in September, October.

5:52 So that'll be in the Vantage newsletter. So if you want to know that right away, this is where you go. And he does note that it's a completely optional thing. You don't actually need these. You can either go to rule pop if you find something confusing online to see if oh, was this something that was changed, but for mo you might not even come across some of it and some of it will just work perfectly fine. Actually, most of it will work perfectly fine as written. So, you don't necessarily need that purchase, but if you're interested, it is coming. All right. And this is an important note if you get that if you there because there was another update pack that had some updated cards. Those are not with the story books. Monthly challenge is Final Fantasy. Find an elemental and interact with them in an unexpected or different way. Oh, I love I love writing to Elemental's advantage. Actually, this is a game I really need to get back to. It was my favorite game of 2025 and I've yet to play it in 2026 just because I love it and I love it so I haven't got a big epic solo game to the table in a while. I might need to do that before the end of the year. I do love my solo like pseudo narratives. Um, I'm just going to kind of whip through this. This is the spoiler design story for this elementals challenge. So, this is kind of all about the elementals. So, in case you don't want to see it, I'm not going to go through it. But no, if

7:23 you want to know more about the elementals and the story design behind it, it is in this newsletter. And then it's the Before You Play Vantage. I'm just looking through this real quick. There's the story books, the Ara. I always like to emphasize with Vantage, the universal rule of thematic fun. Do what feels right. That's the kind of game it is. And some people don't like that kind of game, and that's okay. But that is something super important. But I don't know why something is beeping because I turned my Discord off. All right. Next, after you play Vantage, don't see anything there. There is a scoring app, but I think that covers Vantage. All right, let's see. What do we have next on all of my wonderful tabies?

8:12 Oh, I see what happened. For some reason, my camera switched. That was nice of it. Well, you're not really looking at me, so it'll be okay. All right, we did elementals, we did scythe. Let's go to Ruling Realms. And this might be a little repetitive to the overall newsletter cuz this was actually a really big one. it is that the there were a bunch of promos that were out of stock for Rolling Realms and now they're back. So, if you're missing any Rolling Realms promos, now you can go get them. Jamie has mentioned in the live cast because they are about to have kind of their big fall release. He hasn't mentioned when that's happening.

9:00 Um, I do admit I should have watched the live cast today, but I did not watch the most recent live cast. I apologize for that. Said back at work, second day of school with students. Life is kind of crazy right now. So, um, unless he mentioned something more specific in there. Uh, that is something to note that I have not watched that, but he said he can't imagine that these are going to sell out before they have their next releases. So, you should be trying to he recommends pairing these with another order. But I'm guessing this image is probably mo most if not all of the ones have been put back in stock. He does say here that looks like Canada and Europe are estimated for early September, which is September 2nd now. So if they aren't quite in Canada or Europe yet, they're supposed to be there. So just keep an eye on that. Also, if you're a big Rolling Realms fan, game 100 is coming up. So, he is looking Jamie as in he is looking for your realm designs. So, he is looking there says there are a number of Stonemire products that actually don't have realms. So, he's looking for fan designers to create realms that involve other Stonemire projects like Wingspan Asia, Smitten 2, Duel of Melo.

10:26 They don't actually have realms cuz they're more like spin-offs. I think I saw someone getting really creative with like the Frisbee too, the discs. Um, so like try to make a realm around that. So there are a bunch of ways you can go. Um, for instance, someone did a realm with speckled eggs at one point, but he's looking for those to kind of highlight and have fun with in his live plays for number 100. So, what? Let's see. He says posted in he has a link here for the board game in a board game thread. He says to post it by September 26 so he can pick them, get them out to people's people would have to print them to be able to play along with 100. So, I might do that. That feels pretty epic. I don't know about you guys, but I was one of those who during the early days of the pandemic, I was there the first time Rolling Realms came out and we were all playing with Jamie together with the little printouts, the one sheet of paper, and oh my gosh, it was glorious during the pandemic to get that interaction so early on. We're all kind of freaking out.

11:36 So, I don't know. I feel like for all time sake, I might have to really try to at least partake afterwards. I don't know if I'll be able to do it live now that I'm back at work, but yeah, I feel like that'll be pretty cool. So, by September 26 on this link, it's in the Rolling Realms uh newsletter, and I'm sure if you go to the Rolling Realms section of the website, you'll be able to find it as well, because he says this should be in early October. All right. links to live plays, link to Ian Wiltz's on um where there's a wills, there's a play, some of his Realm by Realm tutorials are on here. And that looks like what we have for Rolling Realms.

12:23 All right, let's go to our next one. Yeah, I love that my camera decided it was suddenly not going to work and moved to my computer camera. All right, go to uh World of Wingspan update. All right, so this is a little older. This is from August 19th, but still in that August update. So, Wingspan Pocket. This one has been selling like crazy, especially when I look at see it on Discord. So, already has over a thousand ratings on or is approaching a thousand ratings on BG when he did this. So, it's probably over a thousand. Now, I'm telling you, if you like wingspan and you want a wingspan that's easy to travel with or that's like super short or a nice way to introduce it, this one is great. Literally played it on our Alaskan cruise this summer. Made some people's day bringing it on and we had a blast.

13:23 All right. Um, wingspan news. Expansion five. Play testing and development are underway for the fifth wingspan expansion. I he says typically the entire process for the expansion takes 18 months. So it is underway. New promo packs. So Travis, who's kind of in charge of all of that, has been working closely with several designers in a new set of promo packs. 25 completely new bird packs are on track for 2027. So, there's an expansion underway and promo packs. Super excited for those accessories. Oh, this is kind of big. Production is complete for Wingspan America's flock mode pack. A apparently enough people said they wanted Wingspan America's in flock mode. So, they are making a separate pack because there's a most people don't need for six or seven players for that. But for those who do, you are going to get it. I know I kind of like my games a little bit shorter, so I feel like if I was playing flock mode, I probably wouldn't want the hummingbirds because they lengthened the game. But for those who are gung-ho about it, you're getting what you wanted. It's coming, which I think is super cool.

14:42 Digital Monster Couch now is a B. Oh, all the promo packs are now on Monster Couch and their digital version of America's on track for late 2027. All right, art prints. So, there are links to the artists art prints if you want that. And there is some fan content listed here because there are so many people who make so much Wingspan content. It's amazing. Wingspan media. So, there's some extra Wingspan Media. We do also have a solo playthrough on the mill. It was one of our most watched games, uh, games and videos this summer. Ratings, Roll Pop, Doodle Bugs. All right, Finsspan expansion one has already been out. Expansion 2 is in the works. Ooh, looking for 2027 release. I have not play tested that. I am super curious.

15:40 uh digital updates on Tabletopia. Monster Count is estimating late 2027 or early 2028 for Finsspan. And there is still even though that's interesting. Even though expansion 2 is in the works already, it does say that future expansions you can click here if there's any fish or aquatic life you still want in there. All right, what else do we have? Worms Monster Couch officially announced Worms Digital. You can wishlist it there. There's an article with a cinematic trailer. And Board Game Arena will release likely to follow in 2027. That's interesting.

16:29 All right. So, that is the world of Wingspan. All right. Let's see. Um, let's see what else do I have. Okay, I'm going to I'm going to double check. Uh, we just mentioned Travis who does kind of all the promo stuff for Wingspan and kind of coordinates all of that. He always puts out a Wingspan update every month. So, what I am going to do is I'm going to pull up his just to double check that I didn't miss anything. All right. So, we already got Wingspan expansion five, but he does more specifically put art development and blind play testing remain in progress.

17:16 Chroma packs 2. He says he's in contact with the designers. Just currently on track for 2027. Nothing new there. I missed this one if it was somewhere. Alternate art cardboard playmats. Production is complete on these player mats which include hummingbird slots. They'll be available from Stommyer's web store in September or October. Already went over the flock mode and then we expand pocket August 14th. I went to brick and mortar August 28th which is already passed general release and then we expand digital. Um, yeah, I think I have all of that. So, that is the anything additional from Travis that the other one might have missed.

18:06 All right, so let's continue here. Um, I'm not going to go too much into this, but Jamie just today, I believe, it was today, released his power rankings, and that has its own kind of update part. So, I have this here. All right. So, this is this power rankings if you're interested in that. Jamie likes to showcase different games every month that people are excited to play again. And so, then he goes over them. He does a video about them. So, these are the current ones. So, they're overall games and kind of a wild card of like cooperative, headto-head, or solo. So, let's kind of scroll through this. They also has the Stonewire ones.

18:52 Apparently, Scythe is at number one. All right. And then he has a video where he kind of gives his thoughts on everything. So, that just recently went out. I'm 99% sure it was today. If not, it was yesterday. And then the last thing I have is the general newsletter, which will also have the progress chart, which is always nice. All right. So, here we go. Here is the big one. Scroll back to the top. All right, that looks like the wrong one. Yep. Sorry, that's already the That's the Rolling Realms ones. Let's go to the right one cuz we already did Rolling Realms. It is the restocks of plenty.

19:41 That's why I got mixed up because it's emphasizing the restocks. All right, so this is the general newsletter. Here are all the restocks. So, there are links to the Rolling Realms promos, 1500 piece wingspan puzzle, Charter Stone, Charter Stone Recharge, Origin Story, Tuscanyany, Worms Span Upgrade Pack, Wingspan Bonus Cards with Americas, Scythe Art Book, Red Rising, and if you missed it, Jamie mentioned that Red Rising is now going to be in a smaller box. So they kind of one combined the two additions so it's just the one and now it's also in a smaller box because the insert was way too big for what it was. So that is also being restocked. And then in mid July there were these other ones as well new and coming up. So end of August early September which is where we currently are is the worldwide retail release for Wingspan Pocket Duo Melo and Origin Story Mini expansion. September, October is the Red Rising reprint, which as I said is going to be that smaller box, their version of Numiji.

20:52 Um, and the new mediumheavy Euro game, which all we know is this is the one that is in the Smoking Bones world that Andrew Bosley created. um which I can't remember if Jamie has mentioned it is a trilogy or a bunch of us assumed it was based on a champion shirt a few years ago where it used three hex's. So that is the first one in that is coming up from that series. There's a lot of people super excited for that release and for a nice medium to heavyweight euro. Um the Wingspan flock mode pack. We already went over Wingspan America's alternate art. We went over with the hummingbirds. And October 22nd is Esschin Spiel. So if you are in Europe or plan on going over there, Stomar always has a presence there.

21:42 And there's also the events and convention schedule if you're ever curious. The game specific new newsletters. I just went over all the August ones. And here is our progress chart. This one looks kind of old, but I mean it just has all that other stuff that's complete on there. So, it's not old. It's just done. Um, Bone, a bunch of I mean, we would all assume at this point that Bone is that smoking bones world game that is coming out very soon. And that has it. Let's see. The yellow part is in the print and assemble which tracks for almost being done along with Numiji being with it. So since they're supposed to release together in Q4. Um Conname Deep looks like it is 2027 and it is currently in the graphic design stage. Finsspan expansion 2. Wow, that is a lot of yellow dots. But that's also supposed to be next year, which is cool. And almost everything's in yellow dots besides the starting design.

22:50 We haven't feel we haven't had a new code name in a while. Bale code name looks that one isn't doesn't have a year. If you look at this, the only there is only one bowl game code name that currently says 2027. And that's deep because Bale lost in keys all have a question mark. So that's interesting. And Bale looks like it is currently in blind play testing and solo design. Huh. Interesting. I wonder if we will get Bale at the end of 27 or if we won't. And then Lost is still there. Wingspan expansion 5 also with quite a bit of yellow dots but it says the design is done which is pretty cool. So that's coming along and keys is still there at the bottom in the design process but that is the big pieces. We have the content highlights.

23:55 So launch day results for the most recent launches. All right, most viewed Stonemer video was easy to learn games with deep strategy. As I mentioned, the most watched video on the mill was wingspan pocket solo teach and playthrough. Hope you all are enjoying that. Let me know if you have questions. And then the positively board gaming podcast, best-selling web store products to no surprise, the newest products, wingspan pocket and duel of melo the metal mechs. I do love the metal and actually finan sharks and reef and the scythe metal mix. Scythe metal mix. Those cost a pretty penny. Nice job, guys. All right. And then other products, digital games, the scoring app, realistic resources, promos, accessories, then what they've been playing. So, that looks like what I have for you for, and this was from August 26, so not that long ago. That's what I have for you that came from Stonem in August of 2026.

25:04 I hope you enjoy it. I can't wait to start showing you the new stuff. I do have a solo play of the orig of origin story with the new expansion that I'm going I just need to edit it. So, that'll be going up soon. And I'm sure Molly has some stuff for you coming up as well. But I hope you are having a wonderful week. If you have kids in school or your related schools, I hope you're having a great start to the school year. I know at least in Wisconsin, we have just started. Other places started a little bit earlier, but hope that's going well. And if not, happy end to summer, happy early fall. And I'll see you next time on the mail. Bye.