We didn't think we would make a game quite like this, but here we go: Playthings is going to be a thing you can play! While the design idea is pretty old (the first seed of it coming from a game of Mafia in 2010), this design now has the help of Joey Palluconi and Jerry Bright to round out an inventive, chaotic, and silly 'sensory guessing game' for 3 - 5 players. The art is by Nick Tofani, who also did Scream Park, which is fantastic and creepy as always.
Playthings progresses simply, but can go off-the-rails in an instant. Players, as children going to bed, will close their eyes while one of them, the Night Terror, announces and place toychest tokens face-down on a map of a house. Before bed, though, the players use abilities to try and get some additional clues, like making physical obstacles for the Night Terror, or getting to move or place things to help them feel vibrations, or create sounds to give some small hint to where their favorite toy has gone. However, each player may instead just try and sneak a peek, but will need to play dumb about it later. When all the toychests are hidden, the players will share what they know and are looking for, gaining the most points for guessing their own toychest, but but also bonus points for all toychests correctly found. However, they know the Night Terror is now assessing. If the Night Terror can guess who didn't peek, and who did, they will score their points. Be bold and ignorant, or quietly knowing, and gather your toys without being confronted by the Night Terror.
Gameplay continues with each player getting a turn as the Night Terror, scoring across all rounds cumulatively. This creates some variability, but the game usually lasts about 25 minutes. It is intended for players over 13, and is destined for Q2 2026, with a pre-order discount live until then.