Out with the old…

In mid-2022, U.S. publisher WizKids announced Ascending Empires: Zenith Edition from designer Ian Cooper, with this game being an updated version of 2011’s Ascending Empires from Z-Man Games and with it carrying an anticipated Q3 2023 release date…a date that has come and gone without this game hitting the market.

What’s the common thread between Z-Man Games and WizKids? Zev Schlasinger, who founded the former and was director of board game development at the latter from 2016 until he left in mid-2023. A press release announcing this split noted that “WizKids and Mr. Shlasinger came to terms on a mutual and amicable parting of ways”, and it closed with this:

Quote:

Zev will seek new opportunities in the tabletop industry. “As with all good campaign settings in games, I look forward to my next adventures in the hobby game industry,” Mr. Shlasinger concludes.

Those next adventures became public today with the announcement of Play to Z, a new publisher for which Shlasinger will be president and COO, with the board of directors additionally consisting of Stephen Buonocore (chairman), Geoff Engelstein, Timm Metivier, and Marcus Ross.

Play to Z’s first release will be the aforementioned Ascending Empires: Zenith Edition, which the company plans to crowdfund in early 2024. Shlasinger notes that “The retail price of the game is (and should have been previously) $139.99. There are around 120+ miniatures in the game, neoprene mats, nice player trays, etc.” He anticipates releasing the game by SPIEL Essen 24 in October, while optimistically aiming for a debut at Gen Con 2024 in August.

…and in with the new

As for what Play to Z will release in the future, in a press release Shlasinger writes, “Play to Z carries the same philosophy I have had in my two decades in the industry: to publish the most fun, engaging, and especially unique games. Bringing together this group of game industry veterans as investors and advisors, Play to Z is positioned to become a major force in hobby gaming.”

Aside from the board of directors, other individuals who fall into the category of “investors and advisors” include Jeff Anderson (disclosure: BGG convention organizer), Nicole Brady, Scott Brady, Ruel Gaviola, David Gordon, Ryan Neumeyer, and Isaac Shalev.

Ascending Empires: Zenith Edition prototype at BGG.CON 2022

I’ll note in passing that while Shlasinger was with WizKids, that publisher released a new tabletop game roughly once a month. Most recently WizKids has released Star Trek: Discovery – Black Alert (Sept. 2023), Unboxed (Oct. 2023), and Jokkmokk: The Winter Market (Nov. 2023).

Beyond that, however, WizKids has only one board game on its release schedule for 2024: Dan Manfredini‘s Trail Stories: America, which I first covered in March 2023 when it bore an August 2023 release date.