V49. Let’s get into it.

Stefan kicks off the corners with Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution: Delta Reign, including a Groudon promo card gift with purchase from 6 November and an important stock arrival update. Mariska introduces Pembe The Pink Cat, the GIPHY favourite whose feel-good range has just landed, Terry has news about his own corner, which becomes the home of everything Wizards of the Coast, and Etienne shares a photo tour of SPIEL Essen 2026. 🔥

Our new Season of Savings special runs through to the end of December, Top of the Pops brings an indie pop ode to EXIT, and new pre-orders open for the One Piece Premium Card Collection Vol.7, the Star Wars: Unlimited Cards’ Shuttle and expansions for Flamecraft and Harmonies, while Braided Skies and Namiji make their final pre-order call.

Add a clearance shelf full of bargains, new arrivals from Jisogi to Pembe, and a reminder of our December closure dates so you can plan your final festive orders. 🎄

Now Playing: “One More Clue”

Howzit everyone! This week’s track is an indie pop ode to EXIT, the escape room range that turns any table into a locked room. All you get is the box, a deck of riddle cards and a decoder disc. From there it is pure teamwork: fold, tear, scribble and search until the final code clicks and the door swings open.

Every box is a one-time adventure, rated from beginner to expert, so there is always a new mystery waiting on the shelf. Press play, gather your team and see if you can escape before the last chorus. 🔐🎶

Pre-Orders Expiring

Last call on four titles that opened in V48. ⏳ Stonemaier’s Braided Skies, the first game set in the new Smoking Bones world, closes alongside the fresh edition of Namiji, In a Nutshell and Dark Kingdoms. Lock in your quantities before the window shuts.

New Pre-Orders

TCG collectors can look forward to the One Piece Card Game: Premium Card Collection Vol.7, while Star Wars players get the Star Wars: Unlimited Cards’ Shuttle to keep decks organised between games.

Board game fans get two expansions to favourites: Flamecraft: Dragons & Dragons and Harmonies: Crescendo. For something different, Murder Mystery Party Case Files: Fire in Adlerstein turns game night into an investigation. 🔍

This week’s clearance shelf has something for every table: crew capers in Firefly: Misbehavin’, ancient Greek empire-building in Khora: Rise of an Empire, swashbuckling in Pirate Box, a time-travel mystery in Time Stories: Under the Mask, quick-thinking fun with Tuki, and the Zombicide: Nostalgic Box for collectors.

New arrivals mix strategy, craft and cute: build your own studio empire in Jisogi: Anime Studio Tycoon, try dnup, stitch up a cute companion with a Hook & Heart Crochet Kit, and collect the Pembe Bento Box with its mystery charms. 📦

Pokémon Mega Evolution: Delta Reign Promotion Announcement And Stock Arrival Update

Stock Arrival Update

Due to unforeseen delays with air freight from the US, Delta Reign items will be arriving in South Africa later than expected. The public holiday for the upcoming Local Government Elections will delay deliveries to retailers, and Solarpop expects that not all items from the expansion will reach all retailers by the official release date of 6 November.

My Corner Is Changing: A Very Special Announcement

Ok, that might be a bit of an oversell on how big of a change this is, but it is nevertheless quite an exciting one for me, and since this week is a little bit quieter in terms of product news, this seems like the perfect opportunity to make it official.

The longtime readers among you might actually have spotted it already. While I’ve always made a point to highlight news from the world of roleplaying games in the past, the last few issues have had a much stronger focus on Dungeons & Dragons in addition to the regular alternative systems that I usually write about, and in last issue (What’s Pop’n 48) I started adding some updates about Magic: The Gathering as well.

And that’s because this will be the norm going forward. You’ll still get your regular updates from the world of TCGs from Stefan’s Corner, but any news specifically about Wizards of the Coast products will now be found here as I start becoming more actively involved with those brands. I’ll also still be talking about the broader world of roleplaying games, and maybe even the odd board game here and there when I get the opportunity. I’ve always tried to let my passion for gaming steer the direction of my content, and I don’t intend to change that even with things becoming a bit more focused.

So that’s it. I don’t really know how to end this one since I don’t have a product or pre-order deadline to direct you towards, so let’s just say “see you all in issue 50.”

A Glimpse At SPIEL Essen 2026

Etienne is recovering after living his best life at SPIEL Essen, and we look forward to hearing about his adventures next issue. 🎲 Until then, here is a glimpse at what he and thousands of fellow gamers got up to across four days in Essen.

The Deutscher Spiele Preis went to Artengarten this year, with Boss Fighters QR in second and Galactic Cruise in third. The SPIEL team closed the show with a huge thank you to every visitor, exhibitor, partner and helper, because SPIEL would not be the same without them.

Festive Season Closure Dates

What a year of play it has been. 🎄 From blockbuster TCG releases to brand-new ranges landing on your shelves, 2026 has kept us all busy, and none of it happens without our retail partners, players and collectors.

Before the team takes a well-earned break, here is everything you need to plan your final orders of the year. Our warehouse will be working hard to get every order out the door ahead of the closure, so the sooner your festive stock is in, the better.