Following the success of the four-million-dollar Kickstarter for The Crooked Moon, Avantris Entertainment has revealed its next major fifth edition roleplaying project. Scheduled to launch on Kickstarter in May, Neon Odyssey is a comprehensive sci-fantasy and space opera trilogy designed for the Dungeons & Dragons ruleset.
The upcoming release marks a significant tonal shift for the publisher, moving away from folk horror to a retro-futuristic setting known as the Stardust Rhapsody. Spanning more than 1,400 pages across three separate books, the supplement provides both players and Game Masters with the tools required to run galactic campaigns heavily influenced by classic science fiction, retro video games, and vintage animation. The setting casts players as Outrunners, bounty hunters taking on jobs across megacities and strange alien worlds.
The core of the new system is split into three distinct volumes to accommodate the massive page count. The Outrunner’s Handbook serves as the primary player resource, introducing overhauled sci-fi class skins, new species, and a brand new roleplaying class called the Machinist, an inventor who focuses on engineering and technomancy. The Cosmic Codex details the Stardust Rhapsody campaign setting itself, featuring hundreds of alien monsters, enemy vehicles, and various cosmic locations for Game Masters to utilise. Finally, the Overdrive Expansion provides advanced optional rules covering starship upgrades, racing mechanics, and new systems for stress and entertainment.
Mikey Gilder, CCO and Creative Director at Avantris Entertainment, said in a statement,
Going from the relatively narrow scope of Folk Horror in The Crooked Moon to the enormous, sweeping scope of Space Opera in Neon Odyssey was a huge jump. We knew we had to go big with Neon Odyssey if we wanted to fill an entire galaxy and make it feel real, lived-in, and filled with endless opportunity for adventure.”
Ahead of the May crowdfunding launch, Avantris has opened a VIP reservation system. For a small deposit, prospective backers can secure digital access to the Space Clown’s Guide to the Galaxy adventure, alongside an exclusive physical Neon Nights dice set for those who back at a physical reward tier. The publisher also plans to release weekly preview content from March through June 2026 to introduce the new mechanics and space combat systems to the tabletop community.
