It’s Friday, and as a friend of mine likes to say, “Welcome to the geekend!”
Also, though, welcome to the 100th issue of this RPG news round-up. The Friday feature began as an experiment, and that we’re here at issue 100 suggests it has had some success.
Suggestions welcome, especially how I can manage to make the 6pm deadline when regular working hours return. Hmm.
Last week, Geek Native launched new geeky convention calendar features. If you like the new art then you can grab it as merch on Redbubble as The Calendar and you can check out the alternative image of The Find as well. Which do you like best?
There are two additional sections in the RPG news round-up this week. Well, Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft returns since last week’s call-out was popular, and we’re about to get the book. Also, as a test, there’s a new bundle section.
Today is also Itch.io Creator Day and creators get 100% of the proceeds from any purchases you make today. Itch.io get nothing.
Right now, here’s the rest of the RPG news!
Win History Heroes – Children | Buzzard
RPG news from Geek Native
- Amazon’s sale either managed to sell out of D&D or triggered surge defences.
- Flyos and Paradox announced an RPG-board game combo called Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Retaliation.
- R. Talsorian Games offered up more free rules for Cyberpunk RED with Hardened Mooks.
- Modiphius shared free to download Star Trek Adventure adventure outlines with Mission Briefs: Disasters.
- Zadmar Games published two lots of freebies, including a design template for RPG makers with Interstellar Laser Knights and Interstellar Troopers.
- Studio Passerine made a free introduction to the Icosa RPG available.
- The free season continued (or pay what you want in this case) continued with Inspirsles released on DriveThruRPG.
- Geek Native reviewed the dark fairytale of innocence lost A Lugubrious Lullaby.
- I also reviewed Porcupine Publishing’s excellent The Elephant and Macaw Banner.
- The Bundle of Holding has two different deals on Steve Kenson’s superhero Icons RPG.
Spotlight Tacitus Publishing
RPG news from around the web
- April Kit Walsh made an open license for Thirsty Sword Lesbians available. Your RPGs can now be Powered by Lesbians.
- Wizards of the Coast are looking to hire a D&D Adventurers League (DDAL) Community Manager.
- WizKids announced a D&D Ghosts of Saltmarsh expansion for the D&D Adventure System.
- Pegasus Spiele announced two new Talisman RPG titles.
- Dicebreaker’s Matt Jarvis introduced the Kickstarter Necrobiotic RPG.
- EN Publishing’s Marc Langworthy shared some insight on what happens after the Awfully Cheerful Engine Kickstarter with An Eye to the Future.
- Japanime Games is taking pre-orders on the RPG Glitter Hearts.
- Chaosium hired Daria Pilarczyk as licensing manager.
- In a big release, Demiplane the gamer-find-game site, made profiles optionally public.
- Sadly, Richard Halliwell passed away.
Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft updates
- Polygon’s Charlie Hall said Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft is the biggest, best D&D book of this generation.
- Beth Rimmels put together Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft: An In-Depth Review.
- Christian Hoffer notes how Dungeons & Dragons Makes Curses a Lot More Relevant.
- D&D Beyond plugged Unlock These Preorder Perks With Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft!
RPG reviews and interviews from around the web
- The Indie Gaming Reading Club’s Paul Beakley wrote up Vaesen: Deep Dive.
- Joann Walles of Angel’s Citadel reviewed Hard-Wired Island.
Parallel Publishing released their latest issue of the RPG magazine Parallel Worlds (21). - Throat Punch Games offered a Ring Side Report-RPG Review of Have You Found It? Act 1:The Jitters.
- Refereeing and Reflection shine a light on Death On the Reik – The Return Voyage.
- Signals from Delta Pavonis share First Impressions – Temples & Tombs RPG (Year Zero Engine Pulp).
- Jared Rascher wrote up Hit Point Press Presents Big Bad Booklet Patreon.
- While, on Gnome Stew, Jared penned Orun: Post-Apothesis Afro-Centric Space Opera review.
- Reviews from R’lyeh looked into Cthulhu Classics IX.
- Ben Reece reviewed Starfinder Adventure Path #32: The Starstone Blockade.
- The Other Side reviewed Gamma World, 1st Edition (which has been out since 1978).
- Mahelan reviewed Dream House of the Nether Prince.
- Ten Foot Pole looked at She who is a fortress in Dark Water.
- OnTableTop reviewed Age of Sigmar: Soulbound Bestiary.
- The Old Games wrote up a review of Star Wars: Invasion of Theed.
RPG new releases
Today is Itch.io Creator Day 100% of revenue on sales goes to creators. There are some good recommendations on this Reddit thread.
- Out this week is the playtest set for the Powered by the Apocalypse multi-genre Chimera RPG.
- Genesis of Legend Publishing published their cosmopolitan planar fantasy heist Sig: City of Blades.
- Kestrel Rae published a game about a witch trying to bring her lover back from the dead. It’s time for Necromance.
- Modiphius released a new sourcebook Infinity: Nomads.
- Machine Age Productions released issue 18 of the #iHunt RPG Zine with The 80s: Killing Monsters in the Reagan Economy.
- Zadmar Games released their Tricube Tales: Solo Rules.
- Oakbound Studio released their 90s-inspired The Dreamstone Roleplaying Game.
- EN Publishing released Here There Be Dragons: Unique Dragons For Your D&D Game!
- The English language version of Empyreal Media Production’s Lore & Legacy: Rules & Settings are out.
RPG bundle deals
- Save $21 (54%) with Evil Hat’s Fate Essentials Bundle.
- Save $173.23 (95%) with Frontier Gaming’s All FrontierGaming Products Bundle.
- Save $14.91 (50%) with Underground Oracle Publishing’s Gothic Nights Bundle.
- Save $9.55 (50%) with Skirmisher Publishing’s Asian & Pacific Islander Heritage Bundle.
- Save $6.07 (26%) with Lion Banner Games’ Ultimate Cyberpunk Maps Vol 8 Bundle.
- Save £204.92 (29%) with Modphius’s Vampire the Masquerade Summer of Blood Luxury Bundle
RPG ideas, tips and discoveries
- The Genre Police looked at how different player numbers can be managed.
- The terror of the dangerous Honkdra!
- MMK made this impressive trailer for Mutant Year Zero The People at the End of Time.
- Here’s how D&D parents do pregnancy announcements.
- Kobold Lab has some impressive but expensive Gothic Temporal gamer dice.
- Geek Native spun up a quick Fantasy festival generator.
- Then, in search of better RPG generators, I introduced Perchance and The Loot Shop.
- Bridgett Jeffries on Gnome Stew suggested Where to Draw the Line on Horror Gaming.
- DeAngelo Murillo penned How to Introduce Psychological Horror in Your Next Campaign.
- Wargamer’s Callum Bains suggested D&D character creator: the best online D&D character builders.
RPG Crowdfunding
You can see those Kickstarters and other crowdfunding campaigns that caught Geek Native’s attention over at Kickstarter watch. Here are some industry projects worth a mention;
- Mighty Boards has a “Project We Love” award from Kickstarter and thousands in pledges as backers support Vengeance: Roll & Fight.
- Ceno the Crocodile is exploring fashion and collectibles with this 12 piece, standard class, D&D-inspired Tabletop Classes Acrylic Set by Ceno the Crocodile.
- Evil Beagle Games has funded a sourcebook for Prowlers & Paragons called Blood & Justice: Welcome to Nocturne.
- Atlas Games needed less than two hours to fund an all-ages RPG called Magical Kitties Level Up!.
- Benjamin Sperduto is a fantasy and sci-fi author and game designer collecting funds for the cyberpunk RPG Augmented.
- Daniel Locke is a professional graphic novelist and illustrator who is funding a full-colour 28+ page zine for RPGs. It’s Helms of the Multiverse.
- Kevin Montes is raising money to offer an online video course on Fantasy Music Composing and Soundscape Course.
- Moonmares Games have funded a project to produce high quality Dragon Scales Dice – Unpainted Resin Dnd Dice Set.
- Dry River Gaming has a rules-light RPG of hard choices in a zombie-apocalypse called They Stirred.
- RebarINFgames are funding a game of mechs and dinosaurs with The Crushing Thunder!
- Gaming Ballistic have hundreds of backers and thousands pledged in cash for the GURPS-powered dungeon fantasy of Delvers to Grow.
- Imp3dsion are offering tabletop ruins for your gaming table. It’s Dungeon Fantasy :Modular printable terrains STL.
- Eliede is funding the means to chase your players around (slowly) with GOLEM PACK – 3D Printable Miniatures.
- Matt Plotecher is a gaming veteran of 15 years experience and is funding a 5e supplement of wild magic with The Vade Mecum for Aspiring Practitioners of Wild Magic.
- Next-Level Gaming has a supplement filled with challenges, hazards and other encounters for the wilderness. It’s Grio’s Guide to the Wildlands (D&D 5e).
- Holdjáró has a novel design for a Dice Dragon Dice Tower.
- Lance Wilkinson has funded STL files and physical resin minis with Epics ‘N’ Stuffs – The Tortles.
- Glynn Seal is funding an OSR bundle with Midderzine Issues #6 and #7 – Zines for Old School Games.
If there’s a source or news you think is worth monitoring, please get in touch or leave a comment below.
