"There's no denying it: board and card games are hot right now. In fact, they're one of the most popular leisure activities around. Kickstarter, the largest funding platform for creative projects in the world, is packed with entrepreneurs developing new, innovative experiences, and the industry has become a multibillion-dollar giant in gaming and collectibles in a short amount of time. Readers no doubt have seen or heard of one or perhaps many of these games, but in this volume, they'll get the inside scoop needed to join, play, and win."

Pro-gaming, or e-sports, has an enormous and dedicated following; almost a billion people worldwide. It's even covered on ESPN. It boasts international tournaments, big-name stars, massive prize money, and tons of action and excitement. This book unpacks the world of eSports for readers, encouraging them to enter, compete, and conquer by giving them insider knowledge directly from a real-life eSports journalist. Filled with essential terminology, bold graphic elements, and vivid photographs, this book is sure to be a hot commodity in any collection.

The detailed craft of creating a unique costume, props, and makeup to bring both beloved and reviled characters to life has become a serious art form in the past decade. Today, cosplay is one of the hottest hobbies around, with huge international conventions and competitions making headlines around the world. In this volume, filled with insider info, helpful tips, spectacular color photographs, and dynamic graphics, readers learn not only how to enter the world of cosplay, but how to conquer it.

Robot battling is one of the hottest hobbies out there, with dedicated television shows, international stars, and crazy, freaky, metal creations. Now, the inside scoop on the wild world of robot battling is available to budding enthusiasts everywhere. Filled with insider know-how, action-packed graphics, and dynamic color photographs, this volume guides readers through this imaginative world of automated competition. The exciting yet accessible language inspires and engages with every turn of the page, ensuring this book will be a hit in any collection.

Drones, those radio-controlled flying machines that everyone's abuzz about nowadays, provide many people with an exciting opportunity to navigate and modulate. The newly developed sport of drone racing, however, brings excitement and competition to the air like never before. Live-streaming directly from a camera mounted onto the drone even makes drone racing a spectator sport. This colorful, dynamic book not only introduces readers to drone racing, but gives them tips and insider information about to how to participate themselves.

The world of miniatures is huge! People of all ages enjoy assembling and painting scale models of characters for their favorite tabletop games. From warriors and workers to monsters and other mythological creatures, there are unlimited possibilities. This book explores several different types of miniatures, with a focus on where to find them, how to design them, and where to play with them. Other miniatures, such as dollhouses, fairy gardens, and historical dioramas, are also discussed. Vivid images on each page give readers a chance to see these tiny creations in great detail. Captions and sidebars provide more information about how to get involved with this fascinating and fun hobby.

"LARPing, or live-action role playing, is one of the hottest hobbies today. Its devoted participants develop detailed characters, inventing names and personalities, as well as costumes and props. The improvisational nature and opportunity for creativity at LARP events makes for a new experience every time. Readers will dive headfirst into this fascinating pastime, guided by experienced LARPer and writer Michael Sciandra through the ins and outs of participation. Age-appropriate engaging text and full-color photography from actual LARPers brings readers into this whole new exciting world."

Don't Be a Beardy Gamer "A very funny and useful read on its own, but it also makes a great gift for that sore loser in your life." --The New York Times "An indispensable, laugh-out-loud guide to the pitfalls and pleasures of gaming." ~Graham McNeill, Warhammer Fantasy and Warhammer 40,000 novels author; former Games Workshop designer "For anyone looking to be a part of one of the greatest communities in the world!" ~Brittanie Boe, editor of GameWire "A warm, insightful guide for exploring one of geek culture's oldest realms." ~Aaron Dembski-Bowden, author of New York Times bestselling book The Horus Heresy: The First Heretic Whether you're new to the world of tabletop games or a veteran gamer, The Civilized Guide to Tabletop Gaming is your go-to game-night etiquette guide. Expert gamer Teri Litorco, of the gaming site Geek and Sundry, helps you to get along as you play and make the most out of your time with your gamer group. Packed with insider advice and etiquette tips, this essential guide includes advice on everything from sharing crib sheets and meeples to avoiding drama and poor sportsmanship at the game table. With 100 gaming etiquette rules, The Civilized Guide to Tabletop Gaming provides you and your group with all you need for a fun and respectful game night--without rage-quitters, bad losers, terrible winners, and Incredible Sulks!

Tabletop and board games aren’t just for rainy days or awkward family events anymore. As the game industry grows, people of all ages are jumping to play “the original social network.” In our ever-increasing technological world, playing old-school games is a welcome retreat from the overexposure to Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and the rest of social media. Over the past few years, board games have become the hot new hobby. Instead of friends sitting around the same table and staring at their phones, they are now either working with or against each other. Millions upon millions of new fans have begun to join their friends in real life for a fun game of Pandemic, 7 Wonders, or Ticket to Ride. The Everything Tabletop Games Book shows how to play some of the best tabletop games in the world, from classic strategy games like Settlers of Catan to great new games like Gloomhaven. Throughout the book, you’ll learn the different genres of tabletop and board games; how to play each game; rules and strategies to help you win; and even where to play online—including new expansions to keep your favorite games fresh and exciting. So gather up some friends, pick a game from this book, and start playing! You’ll be having a blast in no time.

Tabletop gaming is enjoying a huge renaissance. Sales of hobby board games have risen in double digits yearly for the past decade, with more people enjoying the physical, non-digital aspects of playing, along with the social interaction. It's one of the biggest sectors in crowd-funding platform Kickstarter.