Brandon (Optimal Play)
@optimalplay.bsky.social
Brandon (he/him) from the board game youtube channel Optimal Play youtube.com/optimalplay 🏳🌈
Reposted by Brandon (Optimal Play)
we need to talk about that Ring Super Bowl ad
February 10, 2026 at 8:18 PM
we need to talk about that Ring Super Bowl ad
Reposted by Brandon (Optimal Play)
Amber Glenn, a queer Texan who started ice skating at the stonebriar mall in frisco at age 5, who plays magic the gathering, is an olympic gold medalist
grateful to work at a place that always lets me write about how much i love gay women
www.chron.com/culture/arti...
www.chron.com/culture/arti...
Amber Glenn, a queer icon from Texas, is about to make Olympic history
The American figure skater's unapologetic queerness feels more important than ever.
www.chron.com
February 8, 2026 at 10:45 PM
Amber Glenn, a queer Texan who started ice skating at the stonebriar mall in frisco at age 5, who plays magic the gathering, is an olympic gold medalist
Had a great time with our preview play of Stellar Ventures, attempting to sell out all of space capitalism to the aliens.
Stellar Ventures always plays out so differently - no game is the same! Thanks @optimalplay.bsky.social, @benmandelker.bsky.social, and Jordan for the awesome playthrough!
youtu.be/EMCmExPFgK8?...
youtu.be/EMCmExPFgK8?...
Stellar Ventures Playthrough
YouTube video by Play It Again
youtu.be
February 8, 2026 at 7:50 PM
Had a great time with our preview play of Stellar Ventures, attempting to sell out all of space capitalism to the aliens.
Reposted by Brandon (Optimal Play)
Stellar Ventures always plays out so differently - no game is the same! Thanks @optimalplay.bsky.social, @benmandelker.bsky.social, and Jordan for the awesome playthrough!
youtu.be/EMCmExPFgK8?...
youtu.be/EMCmExPFgK8?...
Stellar Ventures Playthrough
YouTube video by Play It Again
youtu.be
February 8, 2026 at 6:17 PM
Stellar Ventures always plays out so differently - no game is the same! Thanks @optimalplay.bsky.social, @benmandelker.bsky.social, and Jordan for the awesome playthrough!
youtu.be/EMCmExPFgK8?...
youtu.be/EMCmExPFgK8?...
Boooo I've always hated the community lingo "cluever" for someone who focuses on clues in Arkham, and FFG's "new player" article now codified it. 🤢
February 5, 2026 at 6:48 PM
Boooo I've always hated the community lingo "cluever" for someone who focuses on clues in Arkham, and FFG's "new player" article now codified it. 🤢
Something to make you smile this evening.
February 5, 2026 at 4:00 AM
Something to make you smile this evening.
Reposted by Brandon (Optimal Play)
All time moment
February 5, 2026 at 3:51 AM
All time moment
Heated Rivalry episode 5 is the hardest I've cried in years?!
February 2, 2026 at 7:08 AM
Heated Rivalry episode 5 is the hardest I've cried in years?!
Reposted by Brandon (Optimal Play)
"We see the tremendous weight of grief, anger, and fear that so many are carrying right now. No one should have to live with constant fear. Everyone deserves to feel safe, valued, and to be treated with dignity." Read more: stonemaiergames.com/we-stand-wit...
We Stand with Our Community
A few months ago, my coworker, Alex, moved from St. Louis to Minneapolis. This week I spent some time with him in person for the first time since the move, and we had a long chat about the horrifyi…
stonemaiergames.com
January 29, 2026 at 8:41 PM
"We see the tremendous weight of grief, anger, and fear that so many are carrying right now. No one should have to live with constant fear. Everyone deserves to feel safe, valued, and to be treated with dignity." Read more: stonemaiergames.com/we-stand-wit...
Tried out Dragons of Etchinstone last night! It played out kind of weirdly - I had almost no trouble at all cruising to the end game taking very little damage, then got trounced by the boss dragon when I drew a bad hand in the endgame. Not sure if just bad luck or poor leveling choices!
Dragons of Etchinstone
Use your action cards as efficiently as possible in this no-table-needed adventure.
boardgamegeek.com
January 28, 2026 at 7:08 PM
Tried out Dragons of Etchinstone last night! It played out kind of weirdly - I had almost no trouble at all cruising to the end game taking very little damage, then got trounced by the boss dragon when I drew a bad hand in the endgame. Not sure if just bad luck or poor leveling choices!
Escape!, the novel by @stephenfishbach.bsky.social just arrived! Perfect way to spend the time before Survivor 50 finally starts.
January 28, 2026 at 5:59 PM
Escape!, the novel by @stephenfishbach.bsky.social just arrived! Perfect way to spend the time before Survivor 50 finally starts.
Reposted by Brandon (Optimal Play)
Now get rid of the rest of them too
BREAKING Greg Bovino has been removed as Border Patrol "commander at large" and will return to El Centro Calif, where he is expected to retire soon. A stunning turnaround after Pretti killing. Bovino's traveling blue city crackdown is over www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
Gregory Bovino Gets Demoted
The Border Patrol chief was the public face of a traveling immigration crackdown on cities governed by Democrats.
www.theatlantic.com
January 27, 2026 at 12:40 AM
Now get rid of the rest of them too
Hahaha these people are evil but are also a lot weaker than they want us to think.
BREAKING Greg Bovino has been removed as Border Patrol "commander at large" and will return to El Centro Calif, where he is expected to retire soon. A stunning turnaround after Pretti killing. Bovino's traveling blue city crackdown is over www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
Gregory Bovino Gets Demoted
The Border Patrol chief was the public face of a traveling immigration crackdown on cities governed by Democrats.
www.theatlantic.com
January 27, 2026 at 12:33 AM
Hahaha these people are evil but are also a lot weaker than they want us to think.
Lance Bass said hi to my dog yesterday
January 25, 2026 at 10:58 PM
Lance Bass said hi to my dog yesterday
Reposted by Brandon (Optimal Play)
Trials for every ICE member.
January 24, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Trials for every ICE member.
12:01am on Ryan's birthday. Day seems to be off to a good start.
January 21, 2026 at 8:13 AM
12:01am on Ryan's birthday. Day seems to be off to a good start.
Ryan and I got Kingdom Rush back to the table last night, which was long overdue. We started from the beginning and scored three stars in the first two scenarios, actually stickering the map this time. I kinda can't believe this is the only game I've seen do polyominoes as damage, it's so clever!
Kingdom Rush: Rift in Time
Defend the kingdom by arranging damage tiles on grids of attacking hordes.
boardgamegeek.com
January 20, 2026 at 3:47 AM
Ryan and I got Kingdom Rush back to the table last night, which was long overdue. We started from the beginning and scored three stars in the first two scenarios, actually stickering the map this time. I kinda can't believe this is the only game I've seen do polyominoes as damage, it's so clever!
Reposted by Brandon (Optimal Play)
This makes me feel more patriotic than the national anthem ever could
January 16, 2026 at 5:28 PM
This makes me feel more patriotic than the national anthem ever could
I'm guessing pivoting this game to a licensed Invincible tie-in has worked out well for them business-wise, but I miss the Astro Knights. It was quirky and fun sci-fi and I just have no knowledge or interest in this show. Ah well.
We've hit a couple more milestones over on the Invincible: Aftermath campaign with more on the way!
👉 Back it now and join the fight. https://f.mtr.cool/nhpfbbyvlq
Built on the Astro Knights system, Invincible: Aftermath plays standalone or integrates with all Invincible and Astro Knights content.
👉 Back it now and join the fight. https://f.mtr.cool/nhpfbbyvlq
Built on the Astro Knights system, Invincible: Aftermath plays standalone or integrates with all Invincible and Astro Knights content.
January 17, 2026 at 5:09 PM
I'm guessing pivoting this game to a licensed Invincible tie-in has worked out well for them business-wise, but I miss the Astro Knights. It was quirky and fun sci-fi and I just have no knowledge or interest in this show. Ah well.
Played chapter 7 of Clank Legacy 2! This one had a timer mechanism to its main story contracts which was cleverly executed, but caused us to blitz those objectives then not have much going on for the remaining 2/3 of the session. Still a lot of fun as always.
Clank! Legacy 2: Acquisitions Incorporated – Darkest Magic
Fight bosses, avoid the dragon, and collect loot with or against fellow employees!
boardgamegeek.com
January 14, 2026 at 9:05 PM
Played chapter 7 of Clank Legacy 2! This one had a timer mechanism to its main story contracts which was cleverly executed, but caused us to blitz those objectives then not have much going on for the remaining 2/3 of the session. Still a lot of fun as always.
Reposted by Brandon (Optimal Play)
love this for Warhammer, James Workshop has done it again
frvr.com/blog/warhamm...
frvr.com/blog/warhamm...
Warhammer company Games Workshop bans Generative AI for all content to “respect our human creators”
Games Workshop has banned the use of Generative AI for future Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 content as the studio strives to protect artists.
frvr.com
January 14, 2026 at 2:53 AM
love this for Warhammer, James Workshop has done it again
frvr.com/blog/warhamm...
frvr.com/blog/warhamm...
We're planning a trip to Japan and a reel my husband was watching just highly recommended getting an eye exam and glasses while In Tokyo, because it's so much more affordable than the US. So that's a nice peek at the state of things.
January 12, 2026 at 2:22 AM
We're planning a trip to Japan and a reel my husband was watching just highly recommended getting an eye exam and glasses while In Tokyo, because it's so much more affordable than the US. So that's a nice peek at the state of things.
Lol
January 11, 2026 at 8:54 PM
Lol
Played a couple more games of Riftbound last night with precon decks - a 1v1 and a 4 player free for all. Avoided having a grindy endgame when the Lux player nuked everyone's big single units and grabbed all 3 battlegrounds as soon as she was at match point.
January 9, 2026 at 11:03 PM
Played a couple more games of Riftbound last night with precon decks - a 1v1 and a 4 player free for all. Avoided having a grindy endgame when the Lux player nuked everyone's big single units and grabbed all 3 battlegrounds as soon as she was at match point.
Reposted by Brandon (Optimal Play)
