Celebrate Tabletop Gaming Magazine’s 11th Birthday with Former Editor Charlie Pettit: An Epic Celebration

As Tabletop Gaming celebrates its 11th birthday, former Editor Charlie Pettit reflects on her time at the helm, from favourite covers and interviews to the moments that made the job special.

CHARLIE PETTIT  

Issues 85-106

December 2023-August 2025

Do you have a favourite magazine cover from your time as Editor? 

I had a few. I loved being able to put Harmonies on the front cover, as it was a real favourite of mine and it felt like really distinct artwork. I loved putting Star Wars Unlimited front and centre, and having a fold out Disney Lorcana cover was really exciting. But my favourite cover was the peacock from Fetching Feathers – I wish I’d framed it!

Who was your favourite interview at Tabletop Gaming?  

That’s tough, because I had some incredible conversations. If pressed for one, I’d have to say Will Shick of Atomic Mass Games, who I spoke to a few times. We talked about Star Wars: Shatterpoint the first time, and I was blown away not just by his depth of knowledge (which extends to Marvel, too), but how naturally he made both miniatures and Star Wars accessible. At the time, I hadn’t delved into miniatures much, but I picked up Shatterpoint a few days later.

I began interviewing more people related to the miniatures side of the hobby to learn more about it, and after a really interesting interview with Chris Birch of Modiphius, I ended up committing to being a miniatures player in a way that suited me. Those interviews set me on a path – I now make Star Wars content for fun, and my goal is to make miniatures and wargames accessible to everyone!

Is there a game you always wanted to get involved with, but were too busy creating the magazine to sit down and play? 

So many! You’d think being Editor would mean you can play games all the time, but it wasn’t the case. Since leaving the magazine I’ve dedicated so much more time to Star Wars Unlimited, I’ve been painting my Fallout: Faction minis, and I’ve always got Flip 7 in my bag (which hasn’t changed, but comes out at any opportunity).

Was there one standout event you went to that made you feel this job is special?

The 2025 UK Games Expo was a huge standout for me. I compared it to the first one I went to professionally, during the pandemic, and it was unrecognisable. Huge halls full of happy gamers, designers, publishers. It’s a vibe you can’t explain, and you can’t help but walk away with the feeling this is the best industry in the world.

What was the biggest change in gaming during your time in charge? 

I felt the biggest shift was into cosy gaming. I’d started with the magazine moments before the Covid-19 lockdowns started, which meant I watched it rebuild almost from the ground up. It was a tough time. Later, when I became Editor, it was really noticeable how spoiled for choice we were for cosy games.

Did you make any gaming predictions when you were Editor? And were you right?

I predicted that Chris Priscott of game developer Unfringed, and the dynamic duo Tristam Rossim and James Emmerson of Wayfarer Games, were ones to watch – I’m confident time will prove me right!

What was the biggest challenge the gaming industry faced during your time in charge?

The gaming industry is pretty resilient, but the biggest issues at the time were the slow creeping of AI, and the huge shock of the tariffs.

What was your favourite game while you were Editor?

I loved gentle games – probably in response to how busy the job is! So Everdell, Harmonies, Tranquility, A Gentle Rain (I still regret not giving it a Must-Play badge!) were regularly at my home table.

Hear from the other magazine Editors from Tabletop Gaming’s 11-year history:

Rob Burman: Issues 1-6 (Summer 2015-Autumn 2016)

Matt Jarvis: Issues 7-35 (September 2016-October 2019)

Christopher John Eggett: Issues 36-79 (November 2019-June 2023)

Matt Chapman: Issues 107+ (September 2025-Present Day)