Exalted Funeral’s latest collaborative project, TAVERS: The Meow Wolf Roleplaying Game, has shattered its funding goals on Kickstarter, raising over $100,000 within the first 24 hours of its launch. This ambitious partnership between the immersive art collective Meow Wolf, independent publisher Exalted Funeral, and Genuine Entertainment aims to translate the maximalist, non-linear experience of a psychedelic art exhibition into a structured tabletop format.
The project, which reached its initial funding target within minutes, introduces players to the role of Tavers – interdimensional travellers capable of manipulating “Source,” a raw creative energy that allows them to manifest impossible ideas and reshape reality. While the commercial success is undeniable, the project represents a significant creative risk: the attempt to codify a brand famous for its lack of instruction manuals into a functional set of rules.
The Challenge of Surreal Systems
Translating the abstract nature of Meow Wolf installations into a tabletop roleplaying game is a primary hurdle for the design team. As explored in an exclusive interview with Matt Kelley and Luke Dorman on Geek Native last year, the goal was never to create a “lore dump” but to build a framework for collaborative mystery-solving. To achieve this, lead designer Tiger Wizard (Andrew Bellury) has integrated a “mystery-forward” approach that relies on “MEMs”, group-created memories and dreams, rather than traditional static character statistics.
Tiger Wizard, a veteran Hollywood prop and graphic designer, brings a distinct physical sensibility to the game’s mechanics. The game features tactile “Itemtronical” sheets where inventory management functions as a visual puzzle, reflecting the designer’s background in physical storytelling. This “exquisite corpse” style of narrative building ensures that the story evolves through the shared doodles and notes of the entire group.
The “Quantum” Logistical Logjam
Despite the “kind” reception from the community, the project faces a formidable logistical journey. The “Quantum Parabox” deluxe edition is a heavy-duty production involving custom “Ossahedral” dice, a vinyl soundtrack LP, and an oversized Nimsekaiju miniature. Exalted Funeral has demonstrated a commitment to high-quality physical production, but the sheer complexity of these components suggests a challenging fulfilment period ahead.
With shipping handled by Zatu in the United Kingdom and Meeples Group in Europe, the team is targeting a December 2026 delivery. However, the international shipping climate and the manufacturing requirements for holographic foil and injection-moulded PVC mean that backers must prepare for a long wait before these “portal-hopping” materials reach their tables.
James Stephenson, SVP, Creative Director of Emerging Media at Meow Wolf, said in a statement,
“We’ve always believed Meow Wolf is a universe, not just a set of locations. TAVERS is proof of that — a way for fans everywhere to inhabit our worlds, bend our lore, and make it their own.”
Matt Kelley, owner of Exalted Funeral, said in a statement,
“The game is something special. Every choice the players make feels impactful, and drives the direction of the story. Go anywhere you dare. Make and manipulate whatever your warped mind can whip up.”
The campaign continues through early April, with stretch goals already unlocking additional locations such as the Glowquarium and Convergence Station. For a brand that started as a mystery house in Santa Fe, TAVERS represents the final step in making the impossible tangible for a global audience.
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