Pixel P&L: India's Board Game Boom, Esports Nations Cup Details, Kojima Tablet

Welcome to another Pixel P&L edition. This issue takes 5 minutes to read. If you only have one, here are the 5 most important things:

• Bengaluru's TTOX convention drew 1,800 attendees and Rs 15-18k spending per person, signaling India's tabletop gaming boom.

• The Esports Nations Cup 2026 will feature 16 titles in Riyadh with strict rules banning established org rosters from competing as national teams.

• Kojima Productions partners with ASUS on gaming tablets and peripherals featuring Death Stranding designs.

• Brandon Sanderson is in early talks with AAA developers for a Mistborn game after rights were tied up for years.

• Fallout Season 2 doubled Steam player counts across the franchise, with Fallout 4 jumping from 20k to 40k daily players.

Let's get into it.

Bengaluru Board Game Expo Signals India's Tabletop Renaissance

India's board game market is experiencing robust growth, with Bengaluru emerging as the country's largest hub for tabletop gaming. TTOX, billed as India's biggest tabletop games convention, drew over 1,800 attendees in December 2025 to its three-day expo, nearly quadruple the 500 visitors at its 2024 debut, according to Deccan Herald. The convention, organized by Mozaic Games founders Phalgun Polepalli and Shwetha Badarinath, showcased more than 1,000 games from 65 indie designers and 25 publishers.

Attendees spent an average of Rs 15,000 to Rs 18,000 ($175 to $210) per person, purchasing four to five titles each. The city commands the highest spending power for board games in India, supported by the country's largest ecosystem of designers, cafes, and player communities.

Indian-themed games comprised 10% of showcased titles, a significant increase from recent years. The Karnataka government has begun issuing grants to local studios for developing export-oriented Indian games. Growth drivers include Gen Z's preference for screen-free socializing and schools adopting game-based learning.

Esports Nations Cup 2026: More Details Unveiled

The Esports World Cup Foundation has unveiled details for its first Esports Nations Cup (ENC), scheduled for November in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The four-week event will feature 16 titles across team-based and solo formats, with confirmed game partners including Chess.com, SNK, and MOONTON Games.

Team competitions will host between 24 to 48 national teams per title, while solo tournaments will feature 32 to 128 players. Each country can field one national team per title and a maximum of two players for solo events. Half of the participants will receive direct invitations based on competitive performance throughout the season, with remaining spots determined through open regional qualifiers.

The foundation has prohibited full rosters from established esports organizations from competing as national teams, emphasizing merit, diversity, and national identity in team composition. All qualified players are guaranteed at least three matches in their respective titles.

The ENC will operate on a biennial cycle with rotating host cities to support national esports initiatives globally.

⚡️Quick Bytes

Kojima Productions Partners With ASUS on Gaming Tablet

Kojima Productions is launching a gaming tablet and PC accessories line with ASUS Republic of Gamers. The ROG Flow Z13-KJP features a 13.4-inch display at 2.5K resolution and 180Hz, AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processor, and designs by Death Stranding artist Yoji Shinkawa inspired by the studio's Ludens mascot. ASUS will also release themed gaming peripherals including headsets and mice. Pricing remains undisclosed, with products expected in the first half of 2025.

Brandon Sanderson Explores AAA Mistborn Game Development

Fantasy author Brandon Sanderson revealed he is in early discussions with multiple AAA developers about a potential Mistborn video game adaptation. The project remains years away, with Sanderson noting the film and gaming rights were "tied up for six to seven years" until recently. The author previously designed the world for tactics game Moonbreaker and saw Mistborn protagonist Kelsier appear in Fortnite. A previous Mistborn game, Birthright, was canceled during development.

Fallout TV Series Doubles Steam Player Counts

Prime Video's Fallout Season 2 has driven significant player growth across the game franchise on Steam since its December premiere. Fallout 4's daily concurrent players doubled from 20,000 to over 40,000, while Fallout: New Vegas climbed from 8,000 to nearly 20,000. Even older titles like Fallout 3 saw player counts double to 200 concurrents. The surge mirrors similar gains following Season 1's 2024 release, outpacing concurrent Steam Winter Sale discounts for comparable RPGs.

⚔️Side Quest

🤣Laugh:

📺 Watch: Linus offers a reality check on AMD's concerning pivot toward rebranding and marketing innovation over engineering breakthroughs at CES 2026. 

🎮 Play: Overboard! explores a 1935 murder mystery where protagonist Veronica must cover up pushing her fascist husband off a ship. Through time-loop mechanics and multiple playthroughs, players build knowledge to perfectly execute the crime while navigating gossiping passengers and suspicious investigators. A straightforward but entertaining narrative puzzle about getting away with murder.

📚 Read: Maddie Agne investigates Arc Raiders' AI voice controversy by breaking down actual voice acting costs and workflows. Through interviews with industry professionals including SAG-AFTRA's Sarah Elmaleh and voice actor Tim Friedlander, the piece reveals that standard four-hour sessions cost around $1,600, demonstrating AI replacements save minimal money while eliminating creative discovery and throttling emerging talent.

💡Did You Know

HyperX and Neurable are developing a gaming headset that uses AI to read your brain signals and boost performance. Unveiled at CES, the headset incorporates Neurable's non-invasive neurotechnology and brain-computer interface (BCI) to monitor cognitive activity and enhance accuracy and reaction time. The neurofeedback system analyzes brain signals in real-time to optimize player focus and cognitive performance. The companies claim that they aim to give competitive gamers unprecedented insight into how their mental state impacts gameplay, potentially revolutionizing how players train and compete.

📜 Quote of the Day

Was this forwarded to you? Sign up for free here. 

We read every email! Share your feedback by hitting reply.