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Personally, I first learned to play Pathfinder by listening to an actual play podcast called The Glass Cannon Podcast. Since my early days learning a new system by listening, Glass Cannon has become a full-fledged actual play network. The network features actual play series centered on everything from Vampire: The Masquerade to Delta Green and beyond. And if an actual play centered on cosmic horror sounds like your cup of tea, the Glass Cannon Network recently announced a brand-new angle on their live shows. In 2026, a rotating cast from the GCN will be performing Call of Cthulhu one-shots across the U.S. And if my experience listening to Get in the Trunk, their Delta Green actual play, is any indication, horror fans won’t want to miss this.
Actual Plays Are a Great Way to Get Acquainted with New TTRPG Systems
Whenever I’m curious about a new TTRPG, one of the first thing I do is seek out an actual play. Listening to (or watching) other people play a system can help you get a feel for how it works, and these shows are typically pretty entertaining in their own right, as well. The Glass Cannon Podcast is how I fell in love with Pathfinder for the first time. And another Glass Cannon Network show, Get in the Trunk, introduced my husband and I to the modern-day cosmic horror TTRPG that is Delta Green.
Actual plays are popular for a reason. They often feature a talented cast of actors with a knack for improv, showing the storytelling capacity of TTRPGs in its best light. Though not every actual play digs into the crunchiness of actual dice rolls and system mechanics, many of them do. And that makes them a great way to get a feel for whether a new-to-you system will be a good fit. From podcasts to livestreamed video to live shows, actual plays are a big part of bringing TTRPGs to life these days. And personally? I’m here for it.
Listening to actual plays has expanded my own interest in TTRPGs I might never otherwise gravitate towards. Delta Green is a great example. As more of a fantasy RPG cozy gaming kind of person, the words “cosmic horror” typically send me running. And yet, seeing that there can be humor even within the truly unsettling horror of something like Delta Green made me want to try it.
Delta Green is closely tied to another beloved cosmic horror TTRPG, Call of Cthulhu. This TTRPG, first released in 1981, owes its name, and much of its truly terrifying vibes, to the HP Lovecraft short story of the same name. It has long been a mainstay of the horror RPG genre, even getting a video game adaptation back in 2018. Now in its 7th edition, Call of Cthulhu is still a stunning example of how horror can translate to the tabletop RPG space. And the same actual play company that brought me to Delta Green is about to take Call of Cthulhu on tour.
Call of Cthulhu‘s Cosmic Horror Comes to the Stage with Glass Cannon Network’s New Live Shows
