Dangerously, as midnight and the deadline for this RPG news column approaches, I’m writing with a second whisky in my hand and distracted by booking tickets for Hogmanay.
It’s that time of year, though, which explains the trends. There’s still a generous number of bundle deals, not much activity on Kickstarter and some end of year / new year announcements.
News sparks? Okay, here goes!
- One D&D will mean a new OGL, and that’s the rules that allow third-party creators to make and sell 5e/D&D games.
- Cynthia Williams, WotC boss, was interviewed about tabletop trends and 2023 plans.
- Geek Native (yay, it’s us) has begun to reveal 2022’s best sellers.
- Mana Project Studio has released several bundle offers
Do you have RPG plans for 2023? More games? More conventions? Less money spent on dice? I’m about there too and have now booked tickets for Tabletop Scotland and UK Games Expo. Geek Native’s not yet been granted Press Stats at UK Games Expo, but I’m hoping I will, as it gives a bit more access to publishers.
If you’re a hero patron, please consider casting a vote in the last RPG Publisher Spotlight of the year.
Now, the RPG news!
Competition: Roll vs Evil | Roll20Con tee
RPG news from Geek Native
- Wizards of the Coast has tried to clarify the future of the OGL with One D&D. There’s still debate.
- Pinnacle has released a free to download Palladium Gaming Using Savage Rifts.
- There’s a free to download game from Neverwake Games’ ChaosDream.
- The Arcane Library has also released a free to download Shadowdark Quickstart.
- More freebies? A dark one! Saril has an intro with Dead Exit: The Warehouse.
- Last week Routinely Itemised highlighted several large bundles; this week DMsGuild author offers over $280 in savings on end of year D&D bundle.
- The AI-powered Never Ending Dungeon is wishlist-able on Steam.
- At the Bundle of Holding, there’s an OSR deal for The Fantasy Trip.
- The BoH also has a large 13th Age Fantasy megabundle.
Spotlight: Handiwork Games
2022’s best selling OneBookShelf/Roll20 products
At the end of the year, for the last few years, Geek Native has been lucky enough to showcase the top sellers from DriveThruRPG published in the year. I’m getting to do the same in 2022 and will leave a running tally here.
RPG news from around the web
- D&D’s Yawning Portal has new rules updates and additional campaign options.
- Handiwork Games has shared a table of contents from King Beowulf.
- Green Ronin have announced they’ll use Backerkit for the Fifth Season RPG.
- Role has announced their Creators Program.
RPG reviews and interviews from around the web
- James Maliszewski has written up a retrospective on Booty and the Beasts.
- Seed of Worlds has shared thoughts on 5e’s Spelljammer: Adventures in Space.
- Robert Sullivan reviews Pelgrane Press’ Night’s Black Agents.
- Also on RPG.net, Fred Furtado has written up Mousehole Press’ Artefact.
- Russell Holly at CNET notes D&D Dragonlance Reboot Is More Than Nostalgia, Less Than It Could Be.
- Jared Rascher shares first impressions on MCDM’s Arcadia #23 and a review of Fables: Pirates of the Aetherial Expanse.
- /Film’s Matthew Monagle covers Frontier Scum Is A Rules Lite Western RPG With A Heart Of Lead.
- Roleplayers Chronicle reviews Free League’s CY_Borg and Renegade Games’ Transformers RPG.
- TechRaptor shares a Blade Runner The Roleplaying Game preview.
- Meanwhile, Wargamer’s Mollie Russell crats Blade Runner RPG review – Shines like tears in the rain.
- Reviews from R’lyeh writes up the zine Night Soil #1 and a review of Warhammer’s Rough Nights & Hard Days.
- GameTyrant’s Dean Clark reviews Death in Space.
- Egg Embry reviews Levi Combs of Planet X Games on An Occurrence at Howling Crater.
- Also at EN World, Charles Dunwoody has a The Red Star interview with Nils Hintze and Erik Hylander.
- Wizard of the Coast boss, Cynthia Williams, is interviewed on tabletop trends and 2023 strategy.
RPG new releases
- Stephen James Wardle, of Threshold, has written the DMsGuild adventure Daddies & Dragons.
- Tri Tac Games, one of the first RPG publishers, has released Incursion Player’s Guide 2022 Edition.
- Gerard Early Balsley IV has published the grim-dark sci-fi Terracore : Basic Edition
- Original Frontiers has released the condensed and concise RPG Dusk’s Ascent.
- Daylight Publications was inspired by the likes of Mouse Guard, Redwall and Brambly Hedge for Jaqlaund.
- Hack Shack Games follows up on their Kickstarter with The Year Without a Cinderclaws.
- Exalted Funeral has an exclusive on Darcy Perry and Star Hat Miniatures’ Duck Quest.
RPG bundle deals
- The en vogue Mana Project Studio has several bundles
- Save $161.51 (60%) with the Definitive bundle.
- Save $34.92 (40%) with the Journey to Ragnarok – Omnibus.
- Save $19.70 (40%) with the Historia – Omnibus.
- Save $45.00 (50%) with Daylight Publication’s Rusty’s Forge: Microsetting bundle.
- Save $25.89 (50%) in the DMsGuild’s Laws of Chaos bundle.
- Save $22.80 (48%) with Ennead Games’ 2022 Collection.
- Save $14.97 (48%) with FSpace Publications’ Xmas 2022 bundle.
- Save $6.84 (50%) in the DMsGuild’s Serious Wizness Holiday bundle.
RPG ideas, tips and discoveries
- Ben and the Genre Police have RPG tips for GMs who’ve tried to be fair but might be making mistakes.
- It’s quirky, but I went there; The most distracting Christmas songs to design a D&D adventure to.
- At the Mary Sue, Samantha Puc breaks it down with a helpful How ‘One D&D’ Will Affect TTRPG Creators When It Launches.
- Marcus Goh offers Year in Review 2022: Dungeons & Dragons returns to its 3rd Edition heyday.
- Kobold Press’ Benjamin Eastman shares One Better: Inspiration Aspirations.
- All Dead Generations pens Dungeon Design, Processes and Keys.
- On publisher Tor’s site, Destiny Soria reveals How Fantasy Roleplaying Made Me a Better Writer.
- Mike Bourke gives us part two of To Roll Or Not To Roll.
- Meguey Baker pens part two of Follow The Thread: A Worldbuilding Guide.
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;
- NIGHT HUNGER – TTRPG Zine – Compatible with Mörk Borg and 5E by Old Lore Dispensed is three quests for 5e and Mork Borg.
- Hex Field – OpenLOCK Edition from Flame of Udun Studio is a system of 3d printable tabletop tiles.
- Scale Dice: Balance between Human and Natural Powers from 76Ray have hit funding target for their mathrocks.
- Forty Fiends – A Mork Borg Compatible Bestiary by Crow Heart Roleplay Resources is full of monstrosities, beats, terrors and mutants.
- The Book of Borealis 9, the World of Asreil from Blue Feather Society, is an RPG world twisted by madness.
- Fantasy Warrior Women Series to fight in your RPG Adventures by Cosmondo has hit the target for 32mm STL files.
- Potions and Herbalists II – Expansion Deck from Diego Pisa Artowks offers up new potions and ingredients for fantasy RPGs.
Do you know of an RPG news source that I don’t? Let me know, or leave a comment below.
