XCOM and Gloomhaven creators see cross-industry collabs as a lifeline for gaming

Both the video game and tabletop industries are under serious financial pressure right now, but the creators of XCOM and Gloomhaven think cross-medium collaboration could be part of the answer.

On the video game side, Xbox layoffs have triggered further cuts at studios Microsoft dropped, Bungie slashed headcount after shipping Destiny 2's final update, and Epic let go of 1,000 employees following a dip in Fortnite engagement. Tabletop hasn't been spared either — Pathfinder publisher Paizo had to restructure after distributor Diamond Comics went bankrupt, CMON cited rising tariffs while struggling to fulfill crowdfunding orders, and two projects, Plaid Hat's The Monolith and the Altered expansion Roots of Corruption, were cancelled even after hitting their crowdfunding targets.

Against that backdrop, the people behind XCOM and Gloomhaven — two franchises that have already crossed between digital and physical formats — are arguing that tighter collaboration between video game studios and tabletop publishers is a viable path through the downturn. Both properties have demonstrated there's a real audience that follows a game concept across mediums, which gives that argument some practical weight.

The article doesn't detail specific upcoming projects, but the framing suggests both creators are actively pushing for more of these partnerships rather than treating them as novelties.