Ancient Robot Games – Details, episodes & analysis

Ancient Robot Games is an independent board game shop/café on Leith Walk in bonnie Edinburgh.

On the Ancient Robot Podcast, hosts Dougal Freir (Owner, Ancient Robot Games) and Robert Gelb (board game designer) talk trends, design, and development of all things tabletop! Each episode features guests from the industry sharing their insights into the world of game development and the ever-growing community of game designers in Scotland.

Tune in for your bi-monthly dose of board game nerdisms!

Ancient Robot Games: https://ancientrobotgames.co.uk
Midnight Trading Co: https://midnighttradingco.com
Ryan Scott Film: https://www.ryanscottfilm.com

Making or want to make tabletop games in Edinburgh? A new community and coworking space opens May 2025 in Edinburgh! https://ancientrobotworkshop.co.uk

Music: Coffee Break by Sensho


If you have any burning game questions, or special events coming up and need some advice for what game to bring - email us at ancientrobotpod@gmail.com and we’ll endeavour to answer in an upcoming episode!

Ancient Robot Games - https://ancientrobotgames.co.uk
Midnight Trading Co - https://midnighttradingco.com
Podcast Producer Ryan Scott - https://www.ryanscottmedia.com/

Making or want to make tabletop games in Edinburgh? A new community and coworking space opens May 2025 in Edinburgh! https://ancientrobotworkshop.co.uk

Music: Coffee Break by Sensho

In this episode of the Ancient Robot Games podcast, Dougal and Gelb dicuss what brought them into the world of tabletop gaming and some of the quirks and culture around the board game community of Japan. As well as in depth reviews of some original games from incredible Japanese publishers, and this barely even scratches the surface of the many, many, many games Dougal brought back with him!

Ancient Robot Games: https://ancientrobotgames.co.uk
Midnight Trading Co: https://midnighttradingco.com
Podcast Producer Ryan Scott - https://www.ryanscottfilm.com/

Making or want to make tabletop games in Edinburgh? A new community and coworking space opens May 2025 in Edinburgh! https://ancientrobotworkshop.co.uk

Music: Coffee Break by Sensho


If you have any burning game questions, or special events coming up and need some advice for what game to bring - email us at ancientrobotpod@gmail.com and we’ll endeavour to answer in an upcoming episode!

Ancient Robot Games - https://ancientrobotgames.co.uk
Midnight Trading Co - https://midnighttradingco.com
Podcast Producer Ryan Scott - https://www.ryanscottmedia.com/

Making or want to make tabletop games in Edinburgh? A new community and coworking space opens May 2025 in Edinburgh! https://ancientrobotworkshop.co.uk

Music: Coffee Break by Sensho

Dougal and Gelb sit down with early career psychologist, Joe Murphy, to discuss his paper on the coming and goings of players in group roleplaying games and the overall effect that social gaming can have on individuals.

Ancient Robot Games - https://ancientrobotgames.co.uk
Midnight Trading Co - https://midnighttradingco.com
Podcast Producer Ryan Scott - https://www.ryanscottfilm.com/

Making or want to make tabletop games in Edinburgh? A new community and coworking space opens May 2025 in Edinburgh! https://ancientrobotworkshop.co.uk


If you have any burning game questions, or special events coming up and need some advice for what game to bring - email us at ancientrobotpod@gmail.com and we’ll endeavour to answer in an upcoming episode!

Ancient Robot Games - https://ancientrobotgames.co.uk
Midnight Trading Co - https://midnighttradingco.com
Podcast Producer Ryan Scott - https://www.ryanscottmedia.com/

Making or want to make tabletop games in Edinburgh? A new community and coworking space opens May 2025 in Edinburgh! https://ancientrobotworkshop.co.uk

Music: Coffee Break by Sensho

Dougal and Gelb sit down to discuss the change in game design for older audiences and go in depth on reskinning and reimplementation of popular games (Gelb doesn't need anymore Star Trek Monopoly's!) and how this could be affecting the development of original ideas in the industry. 

Ancient Robot Games - https://ancientrobotgames.co.uk
Midnight Trading Co - https://midnighttradingco.com
Podcast Producer Ryan Scott - https://www.ryanscottfilm.com/

Making or want to make tabletop games in Edinburgh? A new community and coworking space opens May 2025 in Edinburgh! https://ancientrobotworkshop.co.uk

Music: Coffee Break by Sensho


If you have any burning game questions, or special events coming up and need some advice for what game to bring - email us at ancientrobotpod@gmail.com and we’ll endeavour to answer in an upcoming episode!

Ancient Robot Games - https://ancientrobotgames.co.uk
Midnight Trading Co - https://midnighttradingco.com
Podcast Producer Ryan Scott - https://www.ryanscottmedia.com/

Making or want to make tabletop games in Edinburgh? A new community and coworking space opens May 2025 in Edinburgh! https://ancientrobotworkshop.co.uk

Music: Coffee Break by Sensho

Dougal and Gelb sit down with "Deep Regrets" designer, Judson Cowan, to discuss his process as a solo game designer and his change from a corporate background to being a completely self-employed game designer.

Judson's latest release "Deep Regrets" is a phenomenal strategic horror fishing game completely designed and developed by himself, and is NOW available at Ancient Robot Games. 

See more of Judson's work at https://tettixgames.com/

Ancient Robot Games - https://ancientrobotgames.co.uk
Midnight Trading Co - https://midnighttradingco.com
Podcast Producer Ryan Scott - https://www.ryanscottfilm.com/

Making or want to make tabletop games in Edinburgh? A new community and coworking space opens May 2025 in Edinburgh! https://ancientrobotworkshop.co.uk

Music: Coffee Break by Sensho


If you have any burning game questions, or special events coming up and need some advice for what game to bring - email us at ancientrobotpod@gmail.com and we’ll endeavour to answer in an upcoming episode!

Ancient Robot Games - https://ancientrobotgames.co.uk
Midnight Trading Co - https://midnighttradingco.com
Podcast Producer Ryan Scott - https://www.ryanscottmedia.com/

Making or want to make tabletop games in Edinburgh? A new community and coworking space opens May 2025 in Edinburgh! https://ancientrobotworkshop.co.uk

Music: Coffee Break by Sensho

Dougal and Gelb chat with Iain McAllister of Giant Brain, a board game and tabletop review site, to discuss his career in game journalism and his thoughts on what can make a truly unique and standout game! Full of handy tips for the budding game journalist, and absurd catchphrases from the one and only, Gelb.

See more of Iain at https://giantbrain.co.uk/

Ancient Robot Games - https://ancientrobotgames.co.uk
Midnight Trading Co - https://midnighttradingco.com
Podcast Producer Ryan Scott - https://www.ryanscottfilm.com/

Making or want to make tabletop games in Edinburgh? A new community and coworking space opens May 2025 in Edinburgh! https://ancientrobotworkshop.co.uk


If you have any burning game questions, or special events coming up and need some advice for what game to bring - email us at ancientrobotpod@gmail.com and we’ll endeavour to answer in an upcoming episode!

Ancient Robot Games - https://ancientrobotgames.co.uk
Midnight Trading Co - https://midnighttradingco.com
Podcast Producer Ryan Scott - https://www.ryanscottmedia.com/

Making or want to make tabletop games in Edinburgh? A new community and coworking space opens May 2025 in Edinburgh! https://ancientrobotworkshop.co.uk

Music: Coffee Break by Sensho

Dougal and Gelb sit down with the creators of The Old Kings Crown, a highly anticipated new release from Eerie Idol Games - an Edinburgh-local board game company.
The guys discuss Andrew and Pablo's journeys from their jobs in design and video games respectively, to the creation of Eerie Idol Games and The Old Kings Crown, as well as some recommendations with some strong thoughts and feelings on digital versions of board games. 

Check them out at https://www.eerieidolgames.com/

Ancient Robot Games - https://ancientrobotgames.co.uk 
Midnight Trading Co - https://midnighttradingco.com 
Podcast Producer Ryan Scott - https://www.ryanscottfilm.com/ 

Making or want to make tabletop games in Edinburgh? A new community and coworking space opens May 2025 in Edinburgh! https://ancientrobotworkshop.co.uk 

Music: Coffee Break by Sensho


If you have any burning game questions, or special events coming up and need some advice for what game to bring - email us at ancientrobotpod@gmail.com and we’ll endeavour to answer in an upcoming episode!

Ancient Robot Games - https://ancientrobotgames.co.uk
Midnight Trading Co - https://midnighttradingco.com
Podcast Producer Ryan Scott - https://www.ryanscottmedia.com/

Making or want to make tabletop games in Edinburgh? A new community and coworking space opens May 2025 in Edinburgh! https://ancientrobotworkshop.co.uk

Music: Coffee Break by Sensho

Dougal and Gelb sit down to review their weekend at one of the biggest tabletop conventions in the UK, the UK Games Expo. Gelb was there showing off some new games including 'Hot Shot Pickleball' and Dougal was there from a retailer perspective, staying up to date on current and new trends within the gaming community. See more of the UK Games Expo here https://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk/

Ancient Robot Games - https://ancientrobotgames.co.uk 
Midnight Trading Co - https://midnighttradingco.com 
Podcast Producer Ryan Scott - https://www.ryanscottfilm.com/ 

Making or want to make tabletop games in Edinburgh? The Ancient Robot Workshop is a new community and coworking space in Edinburgh! https://ancientrobotworkshop.co.uk

Music: Coffee Break by Sensho


If you have any burning game questions, or special events coming up and need some advice for what game to bring - email us at ancientrobotpod@gmail.com and we’ll endeavour to answer in an upcoming episode!

Ancient Robot Games - https://ancientrobotgames.co.uk
Midnight Trading Co - https://midnighttradingco.com
Podcast Producer Ryan Scott - https://www.ryanscottmedia.com/

Making or want to make tabletop games in Edinburgh? A new community and coworking space opens May 2025 in Edinburgh! https://ancientrobotworkshop.co.uk

Music: Coffee Break by Sensho

In this weeks episode, we are joined by Will Tempest, an illustrator for graphic novels, board games, and roleplaying games. Best known for his TTRPG work with his brother, Sam, and their publishing company Grave Goods Pub - including Frogmen, and the upcoming Strang Beorn, a Grimdark setting based on Ancient Britain and Celtic Mythology for the MORKBORG system. 

See more of Wills work at:
https://www.willtempest.com/
https://www.gravegoodspub.co.uk/


If you have any burning game questions, or special events coming up and need some advice for what game to bring - email us at ancientrobotpod@gmail.com and we’ll endeavour to answer in an upcoming episode!

Ancient Robot Games - https://ancientrobotgames.co.uk
Midnight Trading Co - https://midnighttradingco.com
Podcast Producer Ryan Scott - https://www.ryanscottmedia.com/

Making or want to make tabletop games in Edinburgh? A new community and coworking space opens May 2025 in Edinburgh! https://ancientrobotworkshop.co.uk

Music: Coffee Break by Sensho

In this episode, we're joined by Phil Harris, a Creative Consultant for all things game and narrative design, and is the coordinator for Conpulsion, Scotland’s longest running tabletop game convention!
From working on MMORPGs, writing tabletop roleplaying systems, and running tabletop games at conventions (you may recognise him from Tabletop Scotland), this episode covers a lot for those interested in game design - both digital AND physical - or budding Game Masters wanting tips and tricks from a true professional!

See more of Conpulsion at their site - https://conpulsion.org/
Find Phil on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-harris-18199922/?originalSubdomain=uk


If you have any burning game questions, or special events coming up and need some advice for what game to bring - email us at ancientrobotpod@gmail.com and we’ll endeavour to answer in an upcoming episode!

Ancient Robot Games - https://ancientrobotgames.co.uk
Midnight Trading Co - https://midnighttradingco.com
Podcast Producer Ryan Scott - https://www.ryanscottmedia.com/

Making or want to make tabletop games in Edinburgh? A new community and coworking space opens May 2025 in Edinburgh! https://ancientrobotworkshop.co.uk

Music: Coffee Break by Sensho