As the Internationale Spieltage in Essen, Germany begins, Portal Games has previewed plans for new games and expansions for popular titles in 2018.

Monolith Arena is a fantasy battleground board game designed by Michał Oracz (Neuroshima Hex!, Cry Havoc, This War of Mine: The Board Game). Players command one of five factions, each with unique abilities and units, and wage war on a hexagonal board against their enemies. The game is for 2 – 4 players, ages 10 and up, and plays in 30 – 45 minutes. MSRP and release date were not announced.

Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game is designed by Przemyslaw Rymer and Ignacy Trzewiczek. The mystery game is inspired by true events, and has detectives use any tool at their disposal, including the internet, to check facts and find new clues. The game includes five scenarios. The game is for 1 – 4 players, ages 14 and up, and plays in 90+ minutes. Trzewiczek previewed the game for ICv2 earlier this year (see “'Detective,' 'Alien Artifacts,' More 'First Martians' Details”). MSRP and release date were not announced.

Robinson Crusoe: The Lost City of Z is the second expansion for Robinson Crusoe (see “Early Launch Kit for 'Robinson Crusoe'”). This expansion follows Lieutenant Colonel Percy Fawcett, a great explorer who ventured deep into the Amazon in search of the mythical Lost City of Z.  The expansion introduces the new mechanism of Horror and Sanity into game play, as well as adding new characters, beasts and mystery cards. The box will include 5 missions which form an interconnecting campaign.

Portal also teased plans to release a Robinson Crusoe Companion app. It will introduce new events and adventures, and allow players to choose a theme for each scenario. No other information was available.

Alien Artifacts just released (see “'Detective,' 'Alien Artifacts,' More 'First Martians' Details”), but Portal already has an expansion in the works. Alien Artifacts: Discovery  moves the storyline out into the universe and introduces Alien Resources cards. It will include 50 cards total to the core game.  MSRP and release date were not announced.

The Iron Gang Hexpuzzle Pack is an expansion for Michal Oracz’s Neuroshima Hex! 3.0. It introduces new puzzles for players to solve on their hex board. It also will include a bonus army title for Iron Gang Army.

Imperial Settlers: We Didn’t Start the Fire is a new Empire Pack for Imperial Settlers. It will offer new cards which increase replayability.