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Artwork for Rascal News

Rascal News

Rascal News
Magic: the Gathering
Wizards Of the Coast
Rpgs
Tabletop Rpgs
Tabletop Games
Tabletop Industry
Dungeons & Dragons
Tabletop Gaming
Polygon
Tabletop Role-Playing Games
Tariffs
Warden's Operations Manual
Apocalypse World
Daggerheart
Mental Health
Luigi Mangione
Charlie Hall
Crowdfunding
Mothership
Draw Steel

Rascal News is an independent, worker-owned outfit composed of Chase Taylor-Carter, Thomas Manuel, Caelyn Ellis, Rowan Zeoli, and Lin Codega. Join them in exploring the tabletop industry and its associated online spaces across two shows: Rascal Radio Hour is a biweekly show where the crew dig deeper into the biggest news and newest games; and Rascal Reading Club allows Thomas to wax long on RPG ru... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes66Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Entertainment NewsGamesLeisureNews

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Artwork for Rascal News

Latest Episodes

Chase and Thomas welcome publisher, designer, and union expert Eryk Sawicki of Peregrine Coast Press onto the podcast to discuss United Wizards of the Coast's two new unions and how these workers rights units operate in both the US and the UK. Later,... more

Book club episode! I am joined by Duamn Figueroa Rassol, game designer and Eberron afficionado, and we respond to people's responses about my discussions questions from last week. Audio is a little rough this week, apologies.

Also, in an attempt t... more

Chase is joined by fellow tabletop RPG journalist Christopher Hutton from TTRPG Insider to discuss a very busy couple of weeks for the hobby. Wizards of the Coast laid off community and social media managers, while the licensing rights for World of D... more

Book club episode! We discuss Eberron Campaign Setting by Keith Baker.

As always, you can participate in the talkback episode by sending in a response to any or all of the following questions. You can record yourself speaking, you can post in the ... more

Key Facts

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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Christopher Hutton
Journalist covering TTRPG Insider, contributor to Rascal News
TTRPG Insider
Episode: Rascal Radio Hour E43: Two Many Vampires, feat. Christopher Hutton
Cameron Kunzelman
Established games critic and co-host of Game Study Studies Buddies on Range Dust Podcast Network
Rascal News guest and writer
Episode: Interview: Cameron Kunzelman on Lifepaths
Asa Donald
Designer and creator of Spine
Spine
Episode: Rascal Interview: Agency, frustration, and secrets in Asa Donald's SPINE
Clayton Notestine
Guest on the show, designer and blogger
Explorers Design
Episode: Rascal Radio Hour E40: The Clicky-clacky Candy Metric, feat. Clayton Notestine
Jenna Stoeber
Video essayist, former Polygon contributor, horror courses instructor
Freelance media/Polygon (former)
Episode: Rascal Radio Hour E37: Entering a Horse Race on a Donkey, feat. Jenna Stoeber and Tomas Franzese
Tomas Franzese
Author of Remastered; retro gaming journalist
Remastered (newsletter)
Episode: Rascal Radio Hour E37: Entering a Horse Race on a Donkey, feat. Jenna Stoeber and Tomas Franzese
Adam Schwaninger
Guest, Draw Steel enthusiast and speaker in original episode
Independent
Episode: Talkback: Draw Steel
Caio Lente
Guest
The Dice Society (YouTuber)
Episode: Talkback: Draw Steel
Sebastian Yue
Guest
Draw Steel contributor
Episode: Talkback: Draw Steel

Hosts

Thomas Manuel
Co-host of Rascal Radio Hour and multiple Rascal News programs; long-time contributor with a central role in designing and guiding discussions.
Chase Taylor-Carter
Co-host and prominent voice; involved across Rascal Radio Hour and Rascal News, often driving industry-focused conversations.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 59 ratings
  • Rascal is THE gaming news source

    Rascal is a PHENOMENAL news organization for gaming and TTRPGs and often shares an interesting perspective that I hadn’t considered and hadn’t heard elsewhere. The Rascal Radio Hour is a great extension of their already excellent reporting.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Just Another Brian
    United Statesa year ago
  • Rascal is vital to the hobby and industry

    If you want to be involved in analog gaming, whether professionally or as a hobbyist, you should be supporting Rascal News. There is no other resource like this! Every game designer and fan should listen to this podcast as a great way to stay up to date with the goings-on of the hobby

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    becuzitsbitter
    United Statesa year ago
  • Great tabletop news and discussion

    Nobody does it like Rascal! Insightful discussion, critique and reporting of news and stories from within the tabletop industry and communities. Really great group of people behind this podcast.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    edmocat
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • A tight 60 minutes, every time

    Plus all the other minutes for good measure

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MossyToes
    United States2 years ago
  • Rascal Radio Hour, the new podcast from the team at Rascal News, provides an excellent critical look at the tabletop industry, from RPGs to Actual Play podcasts to Wargaming and more. If you care about tabletop game design and the news of this often bizarre industry, you need to be listening to these journalists' voices. The podcast both stands alone as an explainer and source of news and insightful commentary, and also provides important supplementary material of their stellar journalism.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    TheSpybrarian
    2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Covers a wide range of RPG topics with a strong community vibe.
Consistent depth and clear authorial voice; a reliable source for hobby and industry news.
Engaging, up-to-date industry analysis with thoughtful guests.
High-quality discussions and practical GM insights.
Tackles tough industry issues with nuance and candor.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Rascal Radio Hour E43: Two Many Vampires, feat. Christopher Hutton
Q: What are the biggest obstacles you face during journalism in the tabletop space?
Time and money are scarce; balancing multiple projects, reporting deadlines, and the broader shrinking economy for news journalism in the space.
Rascal Radio Hour E43: Two Many Vampires, feat. Christopher Hutton
Q: How do you conceive of TTRPG Insider within the media landscape?
Aimed at covering major developments, smaller projects, and indie creators, balancing industry news with coverage of both the art and business sides of tabletop games.
Rascal Radio Hour E43: Two Many Vampires, feat. Christopher Hutton
Q: Chris, explain who you are. How dare you do news? Like, what's your story?
A long history in professional journalism, now focused on covering the TTRPG space and building independent coverage through TTRPG Insider and Rascal News, with experience in DC, business journalism, and local media in Indiana.
Interview: Cameron Kunzelman on Lifepaths
Q: So with permission from the people who are interviewing, maybe some articles can exist both in text form and in audio form. That would be pretty cool.
They discuss how interviews can be repurposed into audio format with careful editing to preserve meanings, and how the Lifepath discussion benefits from both text and audio presentation.
Rascal Radio Hour E41: Three Damage Tracks!!
Q: do the Paizo and Wizards of the Coast stat blocks for Jimothy represent cynical bandwagoning on internet micro-celebrity or earnest celebration?
The hosts contemplate both possibilities and conclude that corporate posts are marketing content, while recognizing individuals may have authentic enthusiasm; overall, Jimothy is treated as a marketing artifact rather than a purely celebratory act.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Frequently Asked Questions About Rascal News

What is Rascal News about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show covers the tabletop gaming industry with a mix of news, design analysis, and guest interviews that span indie RPGs, classic systems, and publishing realities. Episodes frequently thread industry trends, licensing, unionization, platform dynamics, and design philosophies through thoughtful, opinionated conversations, plus in-depth author or designer spotlights. A standout aspect is its willingness to tackle contentious topics (labor, AI in publishing, platform economics) while maintaining accessible, practical discussions for GMs, designers, and fans. Listeners can expect a steady cadence of interviews, market analysis, and hands-on guidance for running games or assessing new systems, all delivered with a distinctive worker-owned pe... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Rascal News?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Rascal News:

1. Dice Exploder
2. Side Story
3. RTFM
4. Friends at the Table
5. Shelved By Genre

How many episodes of Rascal News are there?

Rascal News launched 2 years ago and published 66 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Rascal News?

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What guests have appeared on Rascal News?

Recent guests on Rascal News include:

1. Christopher Hutton
2. Cameron Kunzelman
3. Asa Donald
4. Clayton Notestine
5. Jenna Stoeber
6. Tomas Franzese
7. Adam Schwaninger
8. Caio Lente

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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