John Wick will be joining Chaosium and has sold the rights to his popular 7th Sea RPG to them. He’ll be the line editor for the title and will also work on other Chaosium titles.
John Wick told press;
My first RPG was a Chaosium game. My second RPG was a Chaosium game. My third RPG was a Chaosium game. Saying ‘I’m excited to be joining the Chaosium team’ just doesn’t do it. I’ve respected and admired the company for over thirty years. I’m joining the same company who started me on this journey and I couldn’t be prouder.”
Chaosium is most well known for Call of Cthulhu but publish RuneQuest and King Arthur Pendragon as well.
This is good news for Kickstarter supporters of the 7th Sea and Khatai campaigns who are still waiting on their pledges. All of the 7th Sea product and merch will now be moved to Chaosium’s warehouses and shippers who will take over fulfilment.
7th Sea was a record-breaking Kickstarter. It raised $1.3m, an incredible amount, but it has struggled. In November John Wick Presents, the company, laid off their entire staff.
In an update to backers, Wick wrote;
After reviewing the company finances in August, I discovered JWP was not making enough to sustain its current work force. And so, in the ugliest and hardest day of my life, I had to lay off all the JWP employees. What this means is the 7th Sea lines are going to slow down. I cannot maintain the release schedule we promised before GenCon. That doesn’t mean books aren’t going to happen, it just means they’re going to be slower than expected.”
Chaosium has either been playing white knight and/or watching for struggling titles in recent months. In December they stepped in to help and/or take control of King Arthur Pendragon.
