Tabletop Gaming Reporters to Know
Written by Nicole Brief
Refreshed May 8, 2026
On the surface, you’d think game reviewing and reporting is easy. But the intricate world of tabletops, co-ops, role-playing, pocket, and more is like an art to master.
There are dedicated beats at more outlets than you’d think where tabletop gaming reporters live and breathe all different types of games. If you take a closer look, you’ll quickly learn there’s nothing surface-level about it!
Right now, we’re deep in the trenches of an exciting category of tabletop games; Trading Card Games, better known as TCGs. From Star Wars: Unlimited to Pokémon TCG to the upcoming Neopets Battledome, this is a world, quite frankly, you can’t really understand until you embrace your inner nerd and experience it for yourself. That’s how I became a pseudo-pro for our client Upper Deck.
It’s fun to lean into the nostalgia of your youth and revisit classic characters. Learning this beat brought me back to the days of hanging out in a friend’s basement playing Yu-Gi-Oh. If you think about it, we’ve all been exposed to TCGs since we were little, but the older you get, the more you can comprehend the different strategies and unlock endless hours of entertainment.
Pro Tip: PR pros must do their homework to become experts in their clients' industries. Sometimes it’s having a game night to learn the ins and outs of a product, or taking a bike for a spin. Other times it’s digging into industry publications, newsletters, and thought leaders’ content on LinkedIn.
So, who are the reporters holding these coveted spots, dedicating their days… and I’m sure nights and weekends, too… to determine the best of the best new tabletop games? We’ve got you covered with the top six tabletop gaming reporters to know.
6 Tabletop Gaming Reporters to Know
Gavin Sheehan
Gavin has worked with Bleeding Cool as their game editor for over seven years. He describes himself as a “lifelong geek who can chat with you about comics, television, video games, and even pro wrestling,” among other topics. He’s super down-to-earth and a dream to work with.
I’ve worked with Gavin on several projects, including helping us to launch Upper Deck licensed TCGs and trading card sets. As I write this blog, he’s currently reviewing another card game client, Pickle Everything.
Check out Gavin’s recent articles here.
Benjamin Abbott
Benjamin (not Ben) oversees the tabletop and merch coverage at GamesRadar. He’s been covering games in one form or another for nearly his entire career. From tabletop game reviews to the latest LEGO updates, Benjamin reports on nerdy collectibles of all kinds.
When we supported a crisis communications project for a client in the gaming space, Benjamin was one of the first to accept the news and run with our story! He’s fast to respond and easy to communicate with.
PRO TIP: Crisis communications is all about taking control of the narrative. When you know a potential crisis may come to the surface, work with your marketing, leadership, and legal teams to align on the story, the key players involved, your company’s role, how the public may perceive the news, and more. Build a playbook that includes how you’ll handle all internal and external communications transparently before, during, and after the news breaks. Whenever possible, identify ways to flip it into a positive for your company that furthers your communications and business objectives.
Matthew Aguilar
Matthew has been a significant player in tabletop game news for years. He’s a content writer for ComicBook.com covering a variety of different topics daily. I honestly don’t know how he does it! The thing I love about Matthew is, he’ll always respond. Even if he can’t take the news, needs more time, or the pitch needs something more to warrant coverage, he’ll let you know.
Seeing an outlet called “ComicBook” might not make you think of “tabletop game reviewers” … but this is one of the go-tos; especially if your brand has licensed products within the pop culture world. I’ve developed a solid working relationship with Matthew over the past year.
Take a closer look at my first story with Matthew, where he helped us share the news about Upper Deck’s AEW trading card game!
Corey Plante
Corey is the Associate Editor of Tabletop Gaming at Polygon, where he covers everything from gaming industry trends to the fandom of Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons. He’s also a seasoned Dungeon Master himself, which gives him a deep understanding of the tabletop community and stories that resonate with players.
If your story taps into gaming culture, fandoms, new product launches, and the broader trends shaping the tabletop gaming space, pitch it to Corey!
See his past coverage at Polygon here.
Jesse Schedeen
Jesse is a Staff Writer at IGN covering anything related to comics, superheroes, movies, and television. He’s covered tabletop role-playing games based on popular franchises, including a Planet of the Apes role-playing game.
His reporting spans major entertainment franchises and fandom culture, making him a strong fit for brands working with recognizable intellectual property or products tied to strong communities.
See Jesse’s past coverage at IGN here.
Jeffrey Dohm-Sanchez
Jeffrey is the Managing Editor at ICv2 with more than two decades of experience. He covers the business of “geek” culture, gaming, and collectibles. He focuses on the trends, companies, and products shaping the hobby gaming and pop culture industries.
Outside of ICv2, Jeffrey’s company, 20 Eyes Entertainment INC, produces video content for a variety of game companies, including the Game Manufacturers Association.
See Jeffrey’s recent coverage of the Werewolves Among Us tabletop game here.