Fireside Games is bringing back the heat. Hotshots, the cooperative press-your-luck wildfire game originally released in 2017, is getting a full second edition with a deluxe Kickstarter campaign launching on April 21, 2026.
Designed by Justin De Witt, Hotshots puts one to four players in the boots of wildfire specialists. You build a modular forest from hex tiles, then roll dice to match firefighting icons, pressing your luck to contain flames, cut firebreaks, and call in vehicles before the blaze overtakes the board. Each crew member has a unique ability, and one bad roll can send a containment line up in smoke. It is tense, thematic, and easy to teach.
The original earned a respectable 6.8 on BGG and solid reviews for its accessibility, but the components were modest for a game about raging infernos. The second edition fixes that. The biggest draw is LED light-up fire tokens that glow on the board, replacing flat cardboard markers. Updated artwork, improved component quality, and clearer rules round out the refresh.
Fireside Games announced Hotshots 2E at GAMA Expo 2026, with the deluxe edition hitting Kickstarter on April 21 and a standard retail release planned for the second half of 2026.
If you missed Hotshots the first time around, the second edition looks like the version the game always deserved. Approachable enough for family tables, tactical enough for experienced players, and now with fire tokens that actually glow. April 21 is worth a diary note.
Sources: Gaming Trend | Graphic Policy | BGG