This week, we finally get some news about the fate of Fantasy Flight’s Star Wars RPG: unsurprisingly on its way from Edge. Meanwhile, Square Enix promises a tabletop RPG based on one of the best-loved video game franchises of all time. And a new Kickstarter campaign joins the ever-growing Million Dollar Club.
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Industry
Chaosium owner, Moon Design Publications, merges with Black Monk Games to form The Chaosium Group.
Dicebreaker looks at the trend of Lyric games.
New & Upcoming
At last, we hear a word about Fantasy Flight’s Star Wars RPG: as expected, it is coming soon from Edge Studio.
I’m getting a little weary of reading announcements by Edge Entertainment promising future releases: they’ve been in charge of Asmodee’s RPG line for over 18 months now, with nothing to show for it.
The renewal of the Star Wars license is definitely news: for a while it looked like it might not be happening. But it’s an open question of where they go from here. The FFG Star Wars games (which they’ve inherited) were moderately successful — but not nearly as successful as you would expect from one of the biggest franchises, in the middle of an RPG renaissance.
I do wonder if Edge has what it takes to make the most of this license. And I have to question the wisdom behind Asmodee’s decision to split Fantasy Flight’s properties up between so many different companies, most of which seem to lack direction. — James
Square Enix announces Lara Croft’s Tomb Raiders, a tabletop RPG based on the Lara Croft universe.
It’s always challenging to make a group RPG based on a property with a single, iconic character. This one has the added challenge to somehow dodge the colonialism of the property. Let’s see… — Amy
Paizo and Demiplane announce Pathfinder Nexus, a digital toolset for the game.
Chaosium announces the Cults of Cthulhu sourcebook for Call of Cthulhu.
Bully Pulpit announces a set of new playsets for Fiasco 2nd Edition.
The DIE RPG has been delayed to avoid issues caused by the shipping crisis and the worldwide paper shortage.
Bundles & Deals
Bundle of Holding is offering a bundle of Shotguns and Sorcery books, a bundle of Deadlands Noir books, a bundle of Cthulhu Mythos books, and a bundle of Traveller books.
Humble Bundle is offering a bundle of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay books, a bundle of Numenera books, a bundle of mapmaking software, and a bundle of 3d-printable miniatures and terrain.
Crowdfunding
Noteworthy New Projects
Fool’s Gold: Into the Bellowing Wilds: A 5e campaign based on the Fool’s Gold YouTube series, by Hit Point Press (Humblewood Campaign Setting for 5e, Heckna! Carnival Horror Campaign Setting for 5e, Hexbound: A Witchy Supplement for 5e). So far this project has raised $1,030,000 from 7,500 backers. Ends November 18th
Another entry in the Million Dollar Club, which has become increasingly crowded in 2021. I guess this is what happens when you combine a company with experience of running mega-Kickstarter projects with a popular YouTube show. — James
Especially if that company sponsors the season premiere of the biggest D&D live stream. — Amy
Planebreaker: A planar sourcebook for 5e, by Monte Cook Games (The Devil Made Us Do It, The Darkest House, Ptolus: Monte Cook’s City by the Spire). So far this project has raised $250,000 from 2,400 backers. Ends November 20th
Monte Cook Games has been finding success with more experimental projects recently, but this one is very much a return to more traditional fare, being their answer to Planescape. — James
Skyraiders of Abarax: A fantasy skyship setting for 5e,by Tracy & Laura Hickman (Skyraiders of Abarax). So far this project has raised $297,000 from 2,400 backers. Ends November 16th
The Hickmans have swapped out dragons for airships and brought along a bunch of big-name creators to help them on their way. From the name, I had hoped that the “Living Tome System” would be a more innovative, story driven system approach to campaign development, but it appears to be merely an app with augmented reality features. Ho hum. — James
GURPS Girl Genius Roleplaying Game: A GURPS-powered RPG based on the Girl Genius comics, by Steve Jackson Games (Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game, Powered by GURPS, The Fantasy Trip – Old-School Roleplaying!, Munchkin Steampunk: Girl Genius). So far this project has raised $136,000 from 2,300 backers. Ends November 8th
Closing Soon
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition is a standalone “advanced” ruleset using the 5e OGL. So far this project has raised £520,000 ($712,000) from 4,400 backers. Ends November 5th
I don’t think this project will quite join the Million Dollar Club but it looks set to get pretty close. It will be interesting to see how much life this ruleset has beyond the campaign. It’s certainly created some buzz, but how many people end up using it as a whole (as opposed to cherry-picking from it) remains to be seen. — James
5e
Adventure Kit — The Battle for Arctor’s Vault: A modular adventure compatible with 5e, by Absolute Tabletop (Adventure Kit: Oath of the Frozen King, A Dead Man’s Guide to Dragongrin: 5E Campaign Setting Guide, The Mecha Hack: Mission Manual) — November 7th
Shotguns & Sorcery for 5E: A sourcebook for the fantasy noir setting for 5e, by Matt Forbeck (12 for ’12 Novels) — November 17th
I’m a bit surprised Matt Forbeck has time to write a sourcebook, as the author of the upcoming Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game — but perhaps this is a sign that he has more or less finished his work on that. — James
Tempest Hold: RPG Book and STL Collection: A 5e sourcebook and 3d-printable miniatures & terrain, by M. Chabot (Arvalon 8, 3D Printable Sci-fi Terrain and Miniatures, Stormguard Undone: 3D printable Terrain for RPG and Wargames, Stormguard: 3D printable Terrain for RPG and Wargames) — November 23rd
Amazing Encounters & Places, Vol 1: A collection of drop-in encounters & locations for 5e, by CZRPG — November 25th
Other & Generic Fantasy
Kalymba: An Africa-inspired RPG, by Craftando Games — November 19th
As “Africa-inspired” RPGs go, this one looks fairly inoffensive. It’s also great to see books coming out of the Brazilian RPG scene. But please oh please oh please can we have some African-inspired RPGs written by Black Africans? — Amy
Relic: An RPG with a series of sandbox settings populated by colossal titans, by Bandit Camp (Fairy Trails, Colorful Characters: 100 NPCs for D&D and Fantasy RPGs, Wicked Ones) — November 26th
Definite Shadow of the Colossus vibes — not just because it includes colossi, but it looks like it shares a similar mood. Have you played Shadow of the Colossus? You should play Shadow of the Colossus. — Amy
Don’t get her started on Shadow of the Colossus. — James
Horror
Cthulhu Hack RPG Second Edition: A second edition of the rules-light Lovecraftian Horror RPG, by All Rolled Up (The Dee Sanction: Elizabethan Agents of the Supernatural, The Dee Sanction: Adventures — Print Edition) — November 28th
Storygames & Experimental
Exquisite Crime: A surrealist detective storytelling game, by Hunters Books (Gods of Metal: Ragnarock, Alice is Missing: A Silent Role Playing Game, Altered Carbon: The Role Playing Game) — November 16th
Hunters Books have had a mixed year. They received multiple accolades for Alice is Missing but Altered Carbon seemed to be a critical dud and their status as the developers for the new edition of Werewolf: The Apocalypse now looks uncertain. This is a return to developing more experimental games. — James
Women are Werewolves, a nonbinary story game: Play as non-binary characters in a family where only the women transform into werewolves. On the next full moon, who will you be?, by 9th Level (Mazes Fantasy Roleplaying, Kobolds Ate My Baby!, Rebel Scum The Anti-fascist Space Opera RPG Zine) — November 24th
This is a great concept. — Amy
Upriver, Downriver: A tarot-inspired RPG of journeying along the Great River, by Ella Watts — November 25th
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