Felicia Day and Wil Wheaton Launch New Gaming Series Amid 'The Guild' Reunion Challenges

Felicia Day and Wil Wheaton are reconnecting through their shared passion for tabletop gaming with a new series titled “Conludo,” which translates to 'play together' in Latin. This innovative show is being launched as part of a Kickstarter campaign for the reunion movie of Day’s hit web series, “The Guild.” The campaign has already garnered an impressive $5.26 million, far exceeding its original goal of $1.5 million.

“Conludo” will consist of ten episodes where Day and Wheaton engage in discussions before selecting a board game relevant to their conversation, inviting celebrity guests to join in the fun. Fans may recognize the format from their previous collaborative effort, “TableTop,” which aired on Day’s Geek & Sundry YouTube channel from 2012 to 2017.

Day expressed her excitement to return to the realm of web content, especially given the current popularity of actual-play series. “I was told that people wouldn’t want to watch others play board games,” she recalled. “Now, it's a robust and diverse world, and it’s a wonderful time to venture in and do something different.”

Wheaton added that “Conludo” will focus more on the interactions and experiences shared at the table rather than solely on the games themselves. “With ‘TableTop,’ we highlighted games that were available in stores. This time, we can play with any games, even if there are just a handful of copies out there,” he explained.

As for the potential longevity of “Conludo,” both creators are exploring options for an ongoing series beyond the initial ten episodes. “We’re considering whether to create our own channel or partner with an existing platform,” Wheaton noted. “Our goal is to make it accessible to as many viewers as possible.” Day echoed this sentiment, emphasizing her desire to prioritize the audience's ease of access to the show.

Meanwhile, the Kickstarter campaign for “The Guild: Ren Faire’d” has raised significant funds, but the project faces hurdles after being denied a California tax credit that could have bolstered production finances. “We didn’t make it past the first round,” Day lamented. “If we were filming in Georgia, we would have qualified for tax credits easily.” She believes that the criteria for the tax credit unfairly disadvantages independent projects, especially those like her own.

Despite these challenges, Day remains committed to delivering the film to backers first, ensuring they receive their rewards before exploring other distribution avenues. The Kickstarter campaign, which runs through Friday, has the potential to set a record for the largest crowdfunded film, surpassing the $5.7 million raised by “Veronica Mars” in 2013. Day highlighted the importance of the Blu-ray option in achieving their funding goals, stating, “It was the minimum requested thing, and it helped us go over the top.”

Source: variety.com