Ares Games

10/09/2026

Hope and Despair: Rulebook available for download

The complete rules of Hope and Despair, the new expansion for War of the Ring - The Card Game, are now online. Hope and Despair introduces Story cards, a new type of faction card inspired by key moments from The Lord of the Rings™ trilogy, which that add powerful new abilities, deck customization, and deeper tactical choices to the game.

Download here War of the Ring The Card Game - Hope and Despair (English Rulebook) (2 downloads ): https://www.aresgames.eu/41225

Drawing on Tolkien's rich lore and the emotional depth of Middle-earth, the Story cards represent the natural and supernatural forces that shape the fate of its peoples, offering new strategic options, greater replayability, and additional content, making every adventure in Middle-earth even more immersive.

Hope and Despair is due to release in October 2026, and pre-orders are open on Ares Games webshop.

08/09/2026

War of the Ring - The Card Game is a game inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, recreating the epic struggle between the Free Peoples and the Shadow as the race to destroy the One Ring and defeat the overwhelming forces of Sauron.

Enhance and personalize your games with the War of the Ring – The Card Game: Deluxe Playmats Complete Set, featuring six neoprene playmats: three for the Free Peoples (Gandalf, Frodo, and Aragorn) and three for the Shadow (Saruman, the Witch-king, plus a double-sided The Balrog/Bill Ferny playmat). The double-sided design supports every faction combination across all scenarios, from 2 to 6 players.

Each playmat features an illustration of a location from the saga associated with its featured character, finished with finely stitched edges. Elegant markings indicate the draw deck and discard pile positions in the lower-left corner, while the remaining mat area has space for cards in reserve and in play. Every playmat showcases original artwork by John Howe, one of the world's most celebrated Tolkien illustrators.

04/09/2026

Bamboo Smash: rulebook available for download

Check out the rules of Bamboo Smash, a fast-paced competitive card game where 2 to 5 players combine elemental bamboo cards to summon powerful Pandemon spirits, unleash explosive Smash attacks, and outplay their opponents through clever combos and chaotic Action Cards.

Download here: https://www.aresgames.eu/41093

01/09/2026

Good news, Seniors of all ages! New spots have opened* for the peaceful Green Oaks! Reserve yours now at https://ks.aresgames.eu/product/green-oaks.
(Link in bio)

*No need to know why or how.

This is a US-only pre-order.
We will ship your copy of Green Oaks as soon as it arrives in our warehouse in October. Please note that for the pre-order to go through correctly the product cannot be purchased together with any other!

31/08/2026

The Council is a standalone expansion for Mini Rogue, designed to be played either on its own or combined with the base game for an expanded experience.

Step into a doomed city ruled by a power-crazed regent and his secretive Council, where dark schemes unfold in the shadows. As a lone adventurer or as part of a group, you will explore randomly generated alleyways card by card, face increasingly dangerous encounters, carefully manage your resources, and improve your abilities as you gain levels.

Whether played solo, cooperatively, or competitively thanks to the Overlord module, The Council offers multiple gameplay configurations. Players who do not own the base game can still enjoy the full experience in solo or competitive play, while owners of Mini Rogue unlock additional modes, greater card variety, and expanded player counts.

The expansion also introduces a new campaign that continues the story of the base game, while remaining fully accessible as a stand-alone narrative. All content in The Council is fully compatible with Mini Rogue, seamlessly integrating into the core system while delivering deeper challenges and darker themes. The ultimate goal remains the same: survive the city and defeat the terrifying King’s Remains.

28/08/2026

“Welcome to Green Oaks, the best nursing home in this dimension! With daily games of bridge and bingo and top-tier care, your elders will never get bored.
Green Oaks’ growing popularity means placement is limited, so book your spot now!”

Reprint is coming 🔥

28/08/2026

Quartermaster General: South Front now available on Boardgame Arena!

After two months in beta, Quartermaster General: South Front is now fully released on Boardgame Arena (BGA), where it can be played for free directly from the web browser on different devices. The online version of the game was developed by the French developer Lunalol, who previously developed Quartermaster General: East Front on BGA.

The largest boardgame table in the world, Boardgame Arena (BGA) is a community-based website, where players themselves develop the online version of their favorite games. BGA makes it possible to learn and play games online with friends and players around the world, with over 10 million players registered and 945 games available, in 42 different languages.

Check out Quartermaster General: South Front online here: https://en.boardgamearena.com/gamepanel?game=quartermastergeneralsouthfront

26/08/2026

24/08/2026

Crash Derby is a fast-paced and highly interactive racing game where destruction is just as important as speed. The game challenges players to complete their racing route while actively sabotaging their opponents through crashes, bumps, and explosive obstacles.

At the heart of the game lies an innovative “three-gear system” that determines which actions players can—or must—perform each round. Managing gears efficiently is key to gaining momentum, timing attacks, and avoiding being taken out of the race.

Developed in collaboration with Pruša Research, Crash Derby fully embraces community-driven creativity. The game is explicitly designed to support user-generated content: new car models, obstacles, map elements, and even gameplay modules can be 3D printed at home. From launch, a selection of printable expansions will be available on the Printables platform, ensuring that no two copies of Crash Derby are ever exactly the same.

Featuring detailed 3D-printed cars, modular maps, and a strong emphasis on tactical positioning and player interaction, Crash Derby offers a dynamic and chaotic racing experience that remains accessible to families while rewarding clever play.

21/08/2026

Hope and Despair is an expansion for War of the Ring – The Card Game that introduces Story cards, a new type of faction card inspired by the most memorable moments and turning points of The Lord of the Rings. Drawing on Tolkien's rich lore and the emotional depth of Middle-earth, Story cards represent the natural and supernatural forces that shape the fate of its peoples, adding new strategic possibilities and thematic depth to every game.

Unlike other faction cards, Story cards are played only to the Reserve and remain there for the rest of the round, providing unique effects that can influence the course of the game. As with Character and Item cards, the same Story card can never be played more than once in a round, encouraging players to carefully plan how and when to use these powerful abilities.

The expansion also includes additional cards for the Northmen, Easterling, and Ruffian factions introduced in the Fire and Swords expansion, to be used in scenarios featuring those factions. With 54 Story cards – including dedicated Shadow Bot cards for solo and cooperative play -, 40 Story tokens, and rules for integrating the new mechanics, Hope and Despair greatly expands the tactical depth, replayability, and narrative experience of War of the Ring – The Card Game.