The Buzzlist: What Upcoming Games are BGGers anticipating?
Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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With the myriad sources of game news coming out of hundreds of publishers, large and small, it's difficult for even the informed gamer to know which releases to look forward to. This list is an attempt to aggregate what the BGG community as a whole is anticipating, omitting my own personal biases as much as I can.
Basically, this is a list of new releases sorted by the number of wishlists they are on. I'm using BoardGameNews's excellent Gone Cardboard page as my master list of releases. Of course, BGN only highlights North American releases, so I'll do the same. I'm going to omit reprints of old games, except in the case where they're different enough to warrant new BGG game entries.
In any case, in the age of information overload, hopefully this list can help focus our rabid obsessions on games truly deserving of the hype.  If there's enough interest, I may make this sort of list a regular feature.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
-
#1: Age of Conan: The Strategy Board Game
629 Wishlists
Francisco Nepitello, Marco Maggi & Roberto Di Meglio
Fantasy Flight Games
2 to 4 players
Expected release: February 2009
This figures to be another epic game in the Fantasy Flight tradition. In this game, you will take the role of one of four kingdoms, increasing your power by vying with the other kingdoms directly, as well as influencing Conan to undertake adventures on your kingdom's behalf.
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2.
Board Game: Steam
[Average Rating:7.88 Overall Rank:22]
Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#2: Steam
573 Wishlists
Martin Wallace
Mayfair Games
2 to 6 players, 120 minutes
Expected release: 1st Quarter 2009
This is a reworking of Martin Wallace's classic train game, Age of Steam. Supposedly, this game will be more forgiving than the original Age of Steam, but at the same time not subject to the imbalances of Railroad Tycoon.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#3: SuperNova
483 Wishlists
Mike Roy & Oliver Harrison
Valley Games
3 to 5 players, 90 minutes
Expected release: December 2008
In this interstellar civilization-building game, you take control of a race of beings in search of a new homeworld. You have to expand your territory, develop your technology, and interact with other races to create the best civilization by the time your own sun goes supernova.
The release of this game is very imminent: some people have already gotten their pre-order copies, but it has not yet hit general distribution.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#4: Tales of the Arabian Nights
431 Wishlists
Eric Goldberg
Z-Man Games
1 to 6 players, 120 minutes
Expected release: 1st Quarter 2009
This is a reworking of the 1985 classic by the same name. Dubbed as a "storytelling" game, this game promises to immerse players into the world of the Arabia of legend, where they will undertake quests and make their destiny.
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5.
Board Game: Endeavor
[Average Rating:7.56 Overall Rank:72]
Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#5: Endeavor
304 Wishlists
Carl de Visser & Jarratt Gray
Z-Man Games
3 to 5 players, 60 minutes
Expected release: 1st Quarter 2009
This game involves taking the part of a European colonial power, establishing trade and colonizing the rest of the world. Comparisons have been drawn to Rudiger Dorn's classic game Goa.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#6: Galaxy Trucker: The Big Expansion
294 Wishlists
Vlaada Chvátil
Rio Grande Games
2 to 5 players, 60 minutes
Expected release: January 2009 (?)
This is the (big) expansion to Vlaada Chvátil's amazingly popular Galaxy Trucker. The expansion will have pieces to allow for a fifth player, as well as a new alien species and special "adventure" cards that players can individually insert into the event deck.
Already released in Europe, this figures to hit the States sometime early in 2009.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#7: Constantinopolis
262 Wishlists
Giancarlo Fioretti
Fantasy Flight Games
2 to 5 players, 90 minutes
Expected release: 2009
Constantinopolis will be a heavier Euro-style game that will draw inevitable comparisons to Puerto Rico. Like Puerto Rico, this is a game in which players select roles in order to build, produce, and ship goods.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#8: Reins of Power
237 Wishlists
Christian Peterson & Corey Konieczka
Fantasy Flight Games
3 to 5 players, 240 minutes
Expected release: 2009 (?)
Despite apparently having been in the pipeline since 1999, little is known about this game. Players will take the roles of heads of state and engage in global politics in a near-future setting.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#9: Wars of the Roses
227 Wishlists
Jerry Taylor
Columbia Games
2 players
Expected release: 2009
This 2-player wargame in the spirit of Hammer of the Scots will have players reenact the struggles between the Lancaster and York houses of England in their quest for the throne. The card concepts from Hammer of the Scots will be greatly enriched in this game.
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10.
Board Game: Giants
[Average Rating:7.11 Overall Rank:413]
Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#10: Giants
222 Wishlists
Fabrice Besson
Asmodee
3 to 5 players, 60 minutes
Expected release: January 2009
In this game players take the part of Easter Island clans, competing to create the largest Moais (giant head statues) and place them in the best spots.
Already released in Europe, Asmodee plans to distribute this game in North America.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#11: Battles of Napoleon: The Eagle and the Lion
194 Wishlists
Sergio Guerri & Ugo Di Meglio
Fantasy Flight Games
2 players, 90 minutes
Expected release: 2009
This is the first in a planned series of "Battles of Napoleon" games, in which players will reenact Napoleonic battles. This wargame will be staged at a tactical and operational level, and the rules complexity will facilitate both experienced and neophyte wargamers.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#12: Mystery Rummy: Bonnie & Clyde
167 Wishlists
Mike Fitzgerald
Rio Grande Games
Expected release: 2009 (?)
This is the fifth in the series of Mystery Rummy games, this time featuring the infamous gangsters Bonnie & Clyde. Gameplay is likely to be similar to others in the series. The actual release date of this game remains somewhat of a mystery.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#13: MotoGrandPrix
166 Wishlists
Gianluco Santopietro
Fantasy Flight Games
2 to 6 players, 60 minutes
Expected release: January 2009
This is a motorcycle racing game with modular board components that let you create your own racetracks. Movement along the track is dice-based, and the game allows for team play.
This game has already been released in Europe, and will be seen in the U.S. in early 2009.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#14: Roll Through the Ages
157 Wishlists
Matt Leacock
FRED Distribution
2 to 4 players, 30 minutes
Expected release: January 2009
Despite similarities in title and art, this game has little to do with Vlaada Chvatil's Through the Ages. In fact, this game was designed by Matt Leacock of Pandemic fame. In this game, players will roll and re-roll dice to gain resources that allow them to roll more dice in subsequent turns, gain special abilities, or just score points. However, getting too greedy with dice rolls can lead to catastrophe.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#15: Ubongo Extreme
132 Wishlists
Grzegorz Rejchtman
Z-Man Games
2 to 4 players, 30 minutes
Expected release: 2009
This sequel to the hit puzzle game Ubongo features hexagonal tile combinations instead of the square Tetris-like pieces of the original.
This title has been available in Europe for a while, and Z-Man plans on bringing the game to the U.S. sometime in 2009.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#16(t): Tannhäuser: Operation Novgorod
130 Wishlists
Didier Poli & William Grosselin
Fantasy Flight Games
2 to 10 players
Expected release: December 2008 (?)
This expansion for the tactical skirmish game Tannhäuser. The expansion will feature a number of factions competing to discover the fate of the failed Russian superweapon, codenamed S.V.A.R.O.G.
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17.
Board Game: Veritas
[Average Rating:0.00 Unranked]
Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#16(t): Veritas
130 Wishlists
James Ernest & Mike Selinker
Rio Grande Games
Expected release: 2009 (?)
Veritas truly has a unique theme: players represent "truths" trying to preserve themselves in the books of medieval monasteries. Unfortunately, these monasteries have a penchant for catching on fire. Further details on this game, including release information, are somewhat of a mystery, though, and it has been in the pipeline since Essen 2007.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#18: Tide of Iron: Normandy
129 Wishlists
Robert Kouba
Fantasy Flight Games
2 to 4 players, 120 minutes
Expected release: December 2008
This is an expansion to the scenario-based tactical combat game Tide of Iron. The expansion will add terrain to simulate beaches and bunkers, as well as a host of new scenarios, units, and cards.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#19: StarCraft: Brood War Expansion
119 Wishlists
Corey Konieczka & Robert Kouba
Fantasy Flight Games
2 to 6 players, 180 minutes
Expected release: January 2009
This expansion for Fantasy Flight's giant-box game StarCraft will feature leadership cards for each of six factions, as well as powerful hero units and now allows for scenario play.
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Doug Faust
United States
Malverne
New York
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#20: Master Builder
117 Wishlists
Harmut Witt & Wolfgang Kramer
Valley Games
2 to 4 players, 60 minutes
Expected release: January 2009
In this game, players are builders competing to bid on construction contracts and hire artisans to erect buildings in the town. Buildings in the game are actually represented by 3-D cardboard constructs.
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Posted Fri Dec 12, 2008 6:38 pm
The WotR team does a Conan-theme? I'm sold. 
Had my eye on this one for awhile. It has potential...but it could also be a horrible travesty. I'll wait & see...and play Napoleon's Triumph in the meantime. 
