If there is a theme to this week’s news, it’s that in roleplaying games, politics matter. We see censorship in China leading to the destruction of RPG sourcebooks. We see how racist immigration policies in the 19th Century led to a racist RPG in the 21st. We see how Wizards of the Coast and creators like Satine Phoenix are working to make gaming spaces safe for marginalised groups.
We also get moms playing D&D, a Savage Worlds cruise, and a bunch of teasers on upcoming products.
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Real-World Fights
Art from The Sassoon Files, recently destroyed by censors in China
The Chinese government orders the printer of The Sassoon Files, a sourcebook for Call of Cthulhu set in 1920s Shanghai, to destroy all copies of the book.
James Mendez Hodes talks about a personal encounter with the creator of a racist Indie RPG. It includes a fascinating history of fortune cookies, and a little background on the wǔxiá parody in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
Wizards of the Coast is partnering with LGBTQ youth centre, Lambert House to reprise their D&D and Magic: The Gathering PRIDE gear.
Forbes interviews Satine Phoenix about D&D as storytelling, how livestreaming has broken down barriers, and defeating evil.
Speaking of real-world fights, March 31st was International Transgender Day of Visibility. Please consider supporting transgender creators or support groups: this year we are supporting Mermaids.
Stuff We Love
If you watch one Actual Play video this week, let it be this video of Xander Jeanneret playing Dungeons & Dragons with his mom and her friends.
Gamer’s Tavern drops a great video on the history of the Dragonlance novels and setting.
The Rocky Mountain Savages, a Savage Worlds licensee and fan group, are running a seven-day Savage Worlds Caribbean cruise.
Upcoming Products
Last week we spoke about the upcoming sequel to Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines, the cult video game adaptation of White Wolf’s RPG. This week, VentureBeat interviews the game’s writer, Brian Mitsoda, and developer, Hartsuit Labs’ CEO Andy Kipling on the game. The interview points to the game including more than just vampires, but adding monsters from the whole World of Darkness. (Pre-Orders include a “Season of the Wolf” Season Pass, which is suggestive.)
The release of Chaosium’s RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha slipcase set is delayed by a week.
D&D Beyond gives us a preview of the upcoming Acquisitions Incorporated sourcebook for D&D, coming June 18th. We were delighted to see some of the book’s gorgeous illustrations by Up to Four Players co-creator and friend of the blog, Aviv Or.
Pathfinder’s Second Edition has gone to the printers.
Pegasus Spiele gives some details about its forthcoming RPG based on Games Workshop’s Talisman board game.
Hunters Entertainment (Outbreak: Undead, Kids on Bikes) is developing a roleplaying game based on Netflix’s transhumanist sci-fi, Altered Carbon.
Grant Howitt (Spire, Honey Heist) hints at a new game sharing the system and setting of Spire, his game of revolutionary dark elves in a dystopian fantasy world.
Industry Miscellanea
The ENnies awards have updated their awards categories.
Sean Hillman and Egg Embry interview nine male ZineQuest creators on what motivated them to create Zines.
Deals and Bundles
Bundle of Holding launches a bundle of Traveller RPG books.
In honour of PAX East, D&D Beyond are offering a coupon for 25% off their digital books. They’re also sharing similar coupons on Facebook.
Jobs
Satine Phoenix is ending her term as D&D’s community manager, and the post is now open for applications.
Lynne Hardy becomes a full-time Associate Line Editor at Chaosium.
Wizards of the Coast seeks a Logistics and Operations Manager for European fulfilment.
Crowdfunding News
Our Picks
Amy picks Contagion Chronicle: Onyx Path’s new campaign, which allows players to play any creature from the entire Chronicles of Darkness series, makes me nostalgic for the bizarre, cobbled-together games of World of Darkness we played in university.
Contagion Chronicle – a Chronicles of Darkness crossover: a crossover campaign in which all the unnatural denizens of the world must come together to deal with the eponymous Contagion, which threatens the fabric of reality, by Richard Thomas/Onyx Path (Werewolf 20th Anniversary, Wraith 20th Anniversary, Pugmire) — April 25th
James picks Party Backstory Generator: I love backstories for my PCs, and I love story games — and this looks like it’s a bit of both!
Party Backstory Generator for 5e and Other Systems: a character backstory and one-shot generator for GMs and players of 5e, Pathfinder, and other games, by Justin Sirois (Dungeon Dealer, Settlers for Satan) — April 30th
5e & Pathfinder
Call To Adventure: A compendium of character Backgrounds for 5e, by Jerry Joe Seltzer (first project) — April 7th
The Forbidden Library 5E: A sourcebook and adventure set in a magical library, written by Gregory A. Wilson, for 5e, by Brian Dalrimple (Esper Genesis: Heroic Sci-Fi Role-Playing for 5E) — April 20th
Broadsword Magazine: A monthly Zine of old school adventures for 5e, by David Hamrick (first project) — April 25th
OSR
Secrets of the World Harvesters: A science-fantasy adventure for Dungeon Crawl Classics, by Scott Swift (first project) — April 4th
General Fantasy
Symbar – Mother of Darkness: The fourth instalment of the Chronicle of the Throne of Thorns campaign for Symbaroum, by Fria Ligan (Tales from the Loop, Coriolis) — April 11th
Fellowship 2nd Edition: An updated version of the Apocalypse-engine inspired story game about going on an adventure, by Jacob Randolph (Inverse World – A Dungeon World Sourcebook) — April 29th
Savage Worlds
Wiseguys: The Savage Guide to Organized Crime: A Las Vegas Mafia setting and organized crime sourcebook for Savage Worlds, by Eric Lamoureux (first project) — April 19th