Pinnacle Entertainment Group has released a free preview of the Petersen Asylum to mark the final days of their Kickstarter campaign for Deadlands: Mysterious Maze. Slated to close on Saturday, 5 September 2026, the crowdfunding project expands the Weird West setting with a California sourcebook and two campaigns, raising over £109,000 against a £5,906 goal. After the previous hospital in Lost Angels burned down, Dr Darius Hellstromme donated funds to build this new facility overlooking the Great Maze, and prospective patients can now preview its sinister secrets and staff before the full release.
Arriving at the tail end of the busy August 2026 tabletop convention season, this campaign capitalises on the ongoing 30th-anniversary celebrations for the iconic setting. The expansion requires the Deadlands Core 2026 rules and provides comprehensive updates to California’s shattered coastline.
Quakes, Floods, and Famine
California is presented as a land of upheaval. Following the gold rush, a devastating earthquake and subsequent deluge tore the coastline apart, leaving scattered settlements and treacherous waterways in their wake. The 180-page Mysterious Maze sourcebook details this fractured geography where prospectors and mad scientists risk everything for a few pounds of ghost rock. The guide introduces over 40 new cryptids and monsters, alongside 30 new Savage Tales set across Donner Pass, Death Valley, and the coastal ruins.
While Famine’s Servitor is gone, new evils known as the Harbingers are gaining power in the region, aiming to replace Reverend Grimme at Famine’s side.
Vampires and Riverboat Gamblers
Pinnacle expands the region with two distinct adventures designed to test both new and veteran posses. Curse of the Maze Queen is a boxed set adventure focused on a deadly 1884 poker tournament aboard a stately riverboat. Players compete for the Heart of Darkness diamond while navigating the flooded waters of the Maze, facing off against rival cowpokes and environmental hazards.
The second campaign, Red Tide, is a 96-page hardcover that brings Dracula to the Pacific Coast, tracking his path of vengeance from Seattle to the ruins of Lost Angels. Deadlands maestro Shane Hensley issues a clear warning regarding the campaign’s difficulty:
Red Tide is a brutal campaign for Veteran heroes and experienced players. The odds are long. The enemy is legendary. And if the posse fails, the Pacific Coast will drown in blood.”
Pledges and Rewards
Rather than offering an exhaustive shopping list of add-ons, Pinnacle Entertainment Group has structured the campaign around clear bundles. Backers can secure the Everything New digital tier for $50 (approximately £38), which includes PDF versions of The Mysterious Maze, Curse of the Maze Queen, Red Tide, and digital pawns. For those wanting physical hardcovers and the pawns, the $120 tier (roughly £91) delivers the three new books in print and PDF formats. At the top end, the $600 Fist Full o’ Deadlands bundle provides a comprehensive library of over 40 books and map packs aimed at entirely new players looking to enter the Weird West.
This is an all-or-nothing campaign. Funding will be collected only if the project meets its goal by Saturday, 5 September 2026, at 2:00 AM BST. Physical rewards have an estimated delivery date of July 2027.
