Thirty years after first welcoming players to the Weird West at Gen Con, Pinnacle Entertainment Group (PEG) has announced a major slate of releases to mark the anniversary of its flagship setting, Deadlands.
Headlining the celebration is a significant shift in the game’s accessibility: a new, standalone Deadlands core book. Scheduled to launch on BackerKit on Tuesday, February 3rd, this upcoming volume will integrate the Savage Worlds ruleset directly into the setting book.
Currently, players wishing to explore the haunted frontiers of the Weird West must purchase two separate books: the Savage Worlds Adventure Edition (SWADE) core rules and the Deadlands: The Weird West setting book. This 30th Anniversary release removes that barrier to entry, combining everything required to play into a single volume.
In a move likely to be appreciated by long-time fans and those wary of “edition treadmills,” Pinnacle has clarified that this new core book does not render existing collections obsolete. The publisher stated that veterans who already own the SWADE rules and the current setting book will not need this new release to continue playing. It is positioned primarily as an easier starting point for newcomers, rather than a mandatory update.
Alongside the mechanical update, PEG announced the Deadlands 30th Anniversary Celebration book. This commemorative volume is set to feature a complete cover gallery spanning the game’s three-decade history, behind-the-scenes accounts of its development, and a sneak peek at future plans for the line. Notably, the book will include an account of the time Evil Dead actor Bruce Campbell participated in a live-action game of Deadlands.
The anniversary crowdfunding campaign will also introduce a Deadlands Starter Box, designed to introduce new Marshals and posses to the game. The box will include a full-length adventure, dice, cards, and tokens. Additionally, a new Powers Box will be available, providing reference cards for the various Arcane Backgrounds found in the setting, such as hucksters, mad scientists, and the blessed.
To mark the occasion, the publisher is also planning a face-to-face event this October, though specific details on the location and itinerary remain under wraps.
The crowdfunding campaign for these 30th Anniversary items kicks off on BackerKit on Tuesday, February 3rd.
The Weird West Back Catalogue
If you cannot wait for the anniversary edition to launch, the current edition of Deadlands and its many expansions are available now.
The Crowdfunder
