Heroscape

History

Heroscape debuted in 2004 under the Milton Bradley Company, a Hasbro subsidiary, with the master set Rise of the Valkyrie. From 2004 to 2008, releases included a second master set, Swarm of the Marro, ten small-figure expansions, three large-figure expansions, four large terrain expansions, and various exclusive sets. In 2007, a Marvel Comics master set, The Conflict Begins, was released after Hasbro acquired the Marvel license. In 2008, the brand shifted to Wizards of the Coast, which also handled Dungeons & Dragons.

From 2008 to 2010, a D&D-themed master set, Battle for the Underdark, and three small-figure expansions appeared. Wizards of the Coast discontinued Heroscape on November 3, 2010, to focus on Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering, canceling planned expansions. The announcement sparked backlash, including petitions and boycott threats, but the game retained a strong community.

Reception

Heroscape's interlocking hexagonal system and high production quality have been praised by fans years after discontinuation. In a review in Black Gate, Howard Andrew Jones recommended the game for families, noting it rewards tactical planning over luck. A 2022 retrospective by Comic Book Resources ranked Heroscape as the best discontinued board game, citing its combination of Lego-like construction with miniature gaming, and noted that modern plastic costs would make such a game difficult to replicate.

Fan-generated content and tournaments

Heroscape players have created extensive fan content, including custom terrain, jungle pieces from aquarium plants, battle boards, ruins, buildings, and sci-fi terrain. Custom figures are made by creating cards for other miniatures or 3D printing. The Classic Customs Creators of Valhalla (C3V) maintains continuity with official characters, while the Soldiers of Valhalla (SoV) reviews customs for inclusion in Fanscape; together they form Valhalla Customs (VC).

The Comics Customs Creators Guild (C3G) produces superhero customs using HeroClix figures. Other groups create figures from Star Wars, Middle-Earth, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The most prominent custom community is on Heroscapers.com. Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast never held official tournaments, but a fan-run tournament scene began soon after release, with major events at Gen Con and Comic-Con, plus local and regional tournaments.

In August 2022, Avalon Hill attempted a HasLab crowdfunding campaign for Heroscape: Age of Annihilation, which failed to meet its goal. In June 2023, Renegade Game Studios announced a licensing deal to reboot the game.