The Weekly Podcast no.358 – Sword World 2.5, WotC Declines Union, 3 New for OSR and Goodman Games 25th

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The Weekly Podcast no.355 – D&D Hires, Algorithmic Loyalty, UK Expo Bans AI and Black Death City

Posted on October 3, 2026 by upturnedtable

Wizards of the Coast has expanded its Dungeons & Dragons design team by hiring veteran RPG creator Celeste Conowitch as a Senior Game Developer following her five-year tenure at Kobold Press. Meanwhile, former D&D community manager LaTia Jacquise was laid off amid broader leadership shifts, including the resignation of CEO John Hight. Additionally, D&D Beyond teased “Project Lamordia,” an upcoming horror adventure reimagining the Ravenloft setting as a tech corporation.

Mongoose Publishing announced “Algorithmic Loyalty,” a new adventure for the dystopian comedy RPG Paranoia that parodies influencer culture and social media platforms. Set in Alpha Complex, the module forces players to navigate demanding algorithms, viral video requirements, and troublesome in-universe celebrities on the platform “VidMe” while trying to survive the whims of Friend Computer.

UK Games Expo introduced a strict policy banning AI-generated art, text, and merchandise from its convention trade floor, joining other UK events like Dragonmeet and Tabletop Scotland in supporting human creators. The decision comes after public backlash regarding generative AI products at past events, though the policy leaves room for organizer discretion regarding minor digital editing and assistance tools.

Former Games Workshop lead designer Sam Pearson released “Black Death City,” a free skirmish wargame described as a spiritual successor or 2.0 edition to the classic game Mordheim. Featuring alternate model activations, interactive parrying mechanics, and atmospheric city-gothic warbands, the indie project offers a tactical ruleset set in a plague-ridden fantasy metropolis.

#wotc #paranoia #ukgamesexpo #BlackDeathCity

Black Death City:

Sam Pearson YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@SamPearsonGameDesign

Skullforge Studios Arsenal Mergabundle;

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The Weekly Podcast no.353 – Steve Jackson Steps Down, Dan Ayoub Speaks, Kobold Press’ Underworld and Mecha Hack

Posted on September 20, 2026 by upturnedtable

Steve Jackson is stepping down as CEO of Steve Jackson Games after 46 years to focus entirely on game design and development. Long-time staff member Sabrina Gonzalez is taking over as the new CEO, while managing editor Allison Page has been promoted to chief operating officer.Dan Ayoub and D&D’s Future Direction

In a recent interview, Wizards of the Coast’s Head of Dungeons & Dragons, Dan Ayoub, reflected on the fallout from the 2023 OGL controversy and the ongoing efforts to rebuild trust. He highlighted a new focus on community listening, establishing advisory groups, reintegrating classic creators, and opening the brand up to external storytelling partners.Kobold Press’ Underworld: Sunless Depths Kickstarter

Kobold Press launched a Kickstarter campaign running through October 9th for Underworld: Sunless Depths. Compatible with both D&D 5.5E and Tales of the Valiant, the project features a player/GM setting sourcebook and a Level 1–12 campaign book exploring a sprawling, lightless subterranean world.The Mecha Hack Bundle

Absolute Tabletop’s The Mecha Hack bundle offers a rules-lite, d20 roll-under mecha tabletop RPG built upon the mechanics of The Black Hack. The collection includes the core rules zine and the Mission Manual, allowing players to quickly build and customize titanic warmachines with various chassis, pilots, and modules.

#stevejackson #wotc #koboldpress #mechahack

Dan Ayoub Interview:

Underworld: Sunless Depths for 5E D&D and TOV:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/koboldpress/underworld-descend-into-darkness-for-5e-dandd-and-tov

Mecha Hack Bundle:

https://tabletopbookshelf.com/products/the-mecha-hack-bundle

Legend in the Mist and :Otherscape Collection:

https://humblebundleinc.sjv.io/k4vmMv

Caverns of Thracia & More by Goodman Games

https://humblebundleinc.sjv.io/vDvy03

Warmachine Lore Bundle:

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The Dying Earth RPG Collection:

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The Weekly Podcast no.346 – Hight Out at WotC, Nethys Update, Operation Salmon Run, GURPS and 1490 Doom

Posted on August 3, 2026 by upturnedtable

John Hight, the president of Wizards of the Coast, is stepping down from his position on September 1, 2026, after serving for two years. This departure follows a challenging fiscal period for Hasbro, which recently reported a $56 million loss due to canceled video game projects, although the company maintains that its core tabletop businesses remain strong. Simultaneously, leaks suggest a major upcoming collaboration between Dungeons & Dragons and World of Warcraft, potentially signaling a strategic shift toward a heavier crossover model similar to Magic: The Gathering’s successful approach.

Following initial community concern over the potential end of their commercial license, Paizo and the Archives of Nethys have established a new, less formal agreement that preserves the site as an official rules archive for Pathfinder and Starfinder. Under this new arrangement, the Archives of Nethys will no longer report royalties, though it must remove art that falls outside the Community Use Policy. While the site will receive content files later than it previously did, both organizations emphasize that this adjustment ensures the continued accessibility of rules for the community.

Paizo is partnering with the Seattle Mariners for a themed event titled “Pathfinder: Operation Salmon Run Day,” scheduled for August 9, 2026, at T-Mobile Park. Fans purchasing special tickets to this game will receive an exclusive set of Mariners-themed polyhedral dice and a custom Pathfinder adventure module. This promotion is not only an opportunity for fans to engage with TTRPGs in a stadium setting, but it also supports Gamers Engaged, a Seattle-based non-profit, with a donation of $5 for every ticket sold.

Steve Jackson Games has opened pre-orders for the *GURPS Basic Set, 4th Edition Revised*, an update to their long-standing universal roleplaying system. This revision focuses on improving layout, readability, and accessibility while incorporating errata fixes and 16 pages of new game content without altering the core rules or compatibility with existing 4th Edition books. This release highlights the publisher’s enduring history, which includes a significant 1993 legal victory against the U.S. government that helped establish critical First Amendment protections for digital publications through the founding of the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

1490 Doom is a brutal, grimdark tabletop skirmish game created by Buer Games that is set in an alternate, dying Europe consumed by “the Creeping Death,” a toxic, rising fog that forces survivors to climb man-made structures to survive. In this fast-paced game, which typically lasts about 30 minutes over seven rounds, players command a “Doom Company” of three warriors and compete to score victory points by reaching the highest points of terrain, scavenging resource caches, and keeping their miniatures alive. The game emphasizes vertical movement, such as climbing and jumping, and features a “Breach” mechanic where miniatures whose armor is compromised must pass skill checks each round to avoid suffocating from the toxic fog. Players can utilize official models or their own 28–32mm miniatures, and the game is currently available through an express crowdfunding campaign for The Outpost at Meerbridge starter set.

#wotc #archiveofnethys #paizo #GURPS #1490Doom

The Outpost at Meerbridge: 1490 DOOM Starter Set:

Pathfinder Second Edition: Bundle of Frogs!

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The Weekly Podcast no.339 – Paizo Layoffs, UK Game Expo Protests, WotC Senior AI Engineer and Infinity Suite for Traveller

Posted on June 14, 2026 by upturnedtable

Paizo is undergoing significant restructuring following a nearly $2 million financial loss in 2025, largely attributed to the bankruptcy of its former distributor, Diamond Comic Distributors. To manage the fallout, the company is laying off 12 employees, scaling back its organized play initiatives, and pausing Foundry VTT support for Pathfinder Society modules. While Paizo transitions its distribution to the Independent Publishers Group and works to recover book channel sales, it continues to focus on direct-to-consumer sales via its updated webstore.

The tabletop industry is grappling with the proliferation of generative AI, with tensions surfacing at the UK Games Expo 2026. Critics and attendees expressed deep disappointment over the convention’s lack of an official policy prohibiting AI-generated content, contrasting it with other conventions that have taken firm stances. In response, creators and vendors utilized “Human Made” signage on the convention floor as a grassroots effort to push back against the use of AI tools, which they argue diminish human creativity and threaten the livelihoods of freelancers and artists.

Meanwhile, Wizards of the Coast is signaling a shift in its technological approach, posting a vacancy for a senior AI engineer to develop customer-facing features, including systems for tutorials and NPC behaviors. This move coincides with Hasbro’s launch of “Sixth Wall,” a new AI studio focused on licensing company IP characters like Optimus Prime and Mr. Potato Head for interactive experiences. By utilizing its “CharacterOS” platform and real voice actors, Hasbro aims to provide authorized, guardrail-protected versions of its characters to mitigate the spread of unauthorized AI-generated content using its intellectual property.

In happier news for tabletop enthusiasts, Mongoose Publishing has released *The Infinity Suite*, a new 168-page campaign sourcebook for the *Traveller* RPG. The narrative centers on a band of interstellar rockstars who are heavily in debt and on the run from repo crews, forcing them to seek fame and inspiration across the Islands subsectors. The supplement introduces inventive mechanics to fit the rock ‘n’ roll theme, such as a Masterpiece System for song creation, a review system for music critics, Bass Battles, and Megastar Points to track the characters’ rise to fame.

#paizo #ukgamesexpo #wotc #travellerrpg

Roll Big or Go Home Bundle:

Doctor Who and Warhammer to Cthulhu, Transformers, and even My Little Pony! Return to Dark Tower Household and Visigoths vs. Mall Goths! over 50 TTRPG books! $5.50 – $44

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over 106 ebooks and PDFs $2 – $44

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Free League BundleRPG Collection:q

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The Weekly Podcast no.336 – Hasbro Uh Ohs, Worlds Beyond Brawl, Modiphius Sale, Dungeon Scrawl Maps and Free RPG Day 2026

Posted on May 25, 2026 by upturnedtable

Hasbro recently cancelled a Dungeons and Dragons action game being developed by Giant Skull, the studio led by former Star Wars Jedi director Stig Asmussen, though Giant Skull is currently looking for a new publishing deal. Meanwhile, Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks has announced that more D&D crossover products are in the works, drawing inspiration from the success of Magic: The Gathering, and he described the upcoming space opera RPG Exodus as “D&D in space”. Separately, the United Wizards of the Coast union reported that WotC and Hasbro have hired a union avoidance firm and are conducting a daily anti-union campaign via email. Wizards of the Coast launched “Drops,” a new weekly and monthly feature providing content like maps, spells, and feats exclusively for D&D Beyond Hero and Master tier subscribers. While intended as a value-add, Drops content cannot be shared among campaign members using the Master tier subscription—the traditional core benefit of the service—and access is lost if a subscription is cancelled. D&D Beyond executives claim this restriction is a necessary tradeoff to ensure designers are paid, but this shift effectively encourages every player in a group to purchase a minimum Hero Tier subscription to access all player-facing material.

Worlds Beyond Brawl is a campaign showcasing the One Page Rules Compatibility Program by offering over 500 3D printable models across 53 skirmish warbands from 18 miniature companies. All models are fully compatible with One Page Rules’ free games, Grimdark Future: Firefight and Age of Fantasy Skirmish, with custom stats provided on the Army Forge web app. The models are professionally supported and test-printed, available for personal use only, and are delivered to a user’s MyMiniFactory library upon pledging.

Modiphius is running its “Press Start to Play” spring sale for the next 40 days, offering savings of up to 50% on a massive list of RPGs, board games, and accessories. The sale includes major titles such as Fallout: The Roleplaying Game, Star Trek Adventures 2E, and Dune: Adventures in the Imperium, as well as a large collection of Fallout miniatures. Recommended RPG highlights include Homeworld: Revelations, Infinity, and the pulp WWII title Achtung! Cthulhu.

Dungeon Scrawl launched a free, instant, and browser-based map generator for TTRPGs that requires no installation or account. This easy-to-use mapmaking app is presented as a solution for Game Masters who need maps quickly during a session or a starting point for a new project. The feature uses procedural generation (not AI) to instantly create fully explorable, gridded dungeon maps. Users can customize the results by adjusting input criteria such as overall map size, layout style, room count, room size and shape, and corridor length and width.Every map generated is fully editable. Finished maps can be exported for use on any Virtual Tabletop (VTT), or they can be printed or broadcast to a TV/monitor using the “Send to Tabletop” tool for in-person games. The Random Dungeons feature is currently available in beta.

Free RPG Day 2026 will take place on June 27th, featuring 30 unique tabletop RPG publishers and accessory makers who will provide free modules, quick start guides, and accessories to participating Friendly Local Game Stores. Publishers participating this year include Paizo (with a Pathfinder 2E and Starfinder 2E adventure), Chaosium, Darrington Press (with a Daggerheart adventure), and Marvel (with a Multiverse RPG preview). The goal is to raise awareness of the TTRPG hobby, and customers are advised to use the official store locator and show up early due to limited inventory.

#wotc #myminifactory #modiphius #dungeonscrawl #freerpgday2026

Modiphius Sale:

Dungeon Scrawl:

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Free RPG Day 2026:

https://freerpgday.com/

Demonic Grimoire on Backkit:

https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/exalted-funeral/old-school-essentials-demonic-grimoire

Hellblaster: Against the Cyberfiend:

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The Weekly Podcast no.334 – Fresh Blood, Allies and Adversaries, Zombie Clot and Orphans & Straight Arrows

Posted on May 3, 2026 by upturnedtable

Pinnacle Entertainment Group is launching a Kickstarter campaign on Tuesday, May 5th, 2026, for East Texas University: Fresh Blood, a fully updated edition of their cult-favorite college horror setting for the Savage Worlds roleplaying game. The game, set in Pinebox, Texas, blends campus life with supernatural horror, challenging players to balance their academic lives with survival against strange and deadly forces. The new edition updates the fan-favorite setting for the latest Savage Worlds Adventure Edition and introduces a brand-new Plot Point Campaign that carries players through their entire college career. The campaign features a 228-page core book, the Chickens in the Mist graphic novel, and an accessories box.

Modiphius Entertainment announced the upcoming release of the Star Trek Adventures 2E: Allies and Adversaries Sourcebook, slated for July 2026. This 128-page, full-color supplement for the Star Trek Adventures RPG is geared primarily toward Gamemasters and offers new lore and mechanics for the various factions and NPCs in the Star Trek Universe. The book provides detailed background information on major powers, including the Borg, Cardassians, Dominion, Klingon Empire, Romulans, and Tholians. Additionally, it expands on NPC content with new stat blocks and includes rules and guidance for creating original creatures. The physical hardcover version will retail for $54 USD.

Wizards of the Coast (WotC) has launched a new official Actual Play show called Dungeon Masters, starring Jasmine Bhullar as the Dungeon Master. Alongside the show, WotC is releasing free Play-Along Packs, which are standalone encounters designed for home games and include early access to a monster from Ravenloft: The Horrors Within. The first pack, “Zombie Clot,” features a fight in the village of Hroth, where a grieving doctor has unleashed undead horrors. This pack provides stats for the Swarm of Zombie Limbs and the Zombie Clot, which is described as a putrid mass of rotten flesh with a singular will.

Two new softcover adventures for the Mothership Sci-Fi Horror RPG are now available: Orphans and Straight Arrows. Orphans by Tuesday Knight Games is a one-shot starter adventure that is highly-regarded as an excellent introduction to the system. In it, player characters (PCs) are a corporate retrieval team sent to Imuen Station to find two missing children, who are being protected by “AUNTIE,” a terrifying creature made of moss and bones. Straight Arrows by RAC Computing is a 36-page campaign setting where the PCs are bounty hunters for the insidious Arrow Biomed corporation, performing extrajudicial abductions of privileged addicts. This module focuses on a gritty, dystopian corporate horror vibe and incorporates social issues like drug crime and a tiered healthcare system.

#dungeonmasters #stal #eturpg #mothership

East Texas University: Fresh Blood:

D&D Beyond Play Along Pack:

https://www.dndbeyond.com/claim/source/dungeon-masters-zombie-clot-play-along-pack

Orphans:

https://www.tuesdayknightgames.com/products/orphans

Straight Arrows:

https://www.tuesdayknightgames.com/products/straight-arrows

Dune Bundles:

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The Weekly Podcast no.332 – D&D Outsourcing, Paizo Printables, Dune Sells Out and LowLife RPG

Posted on April 18, 2026 by upturnedtable

Wizards of the Coast (WotC) is signaling a massive strategic shift toward outsourcing the development of official *Dungeons & Dragons* content to third-party publishers, as evidenced by a recent job post for a “TRPG Publishing Lead”. This role is explicitly tasked with overseeing “externally developed D\&D content, including adventures, campaign materials, guides, and artwork”. This change follows internal team restructuring, the adoption of a holistic D&D franchise model, and WotC’s recent decision to actively feature third-party products on D\&D Beyond. Although WotC has previously worked with third-party designers for early D&D 5E supplements like “Hoard of the Dragon Queen” and “Princes of the Apocalypse” The practice was largely abandoned in 2016, making this an important new chapter in the company’s relationship with outside publishers.

Paizo’s Pathfinder launched a new subscription service called Paizo Printables on April 2, offering 3D printable miniature files and accompanying TTRPG content. The service provides two monthly subscription tiers—$4.99 and $9.99—with the higher tier including a welcome pack of 25 minis, a monthly themed pack, and digital rulebooks. Associate publisher Thurston Hillman stated that the primary goal is accessibility, bypassing the delays of physical production, and the new format offers Paizo the freedom to create niche, setting-specific miniatures. Ultimately, Paizo aims to use the platform to introduce exclusive rules content and new ancestries to the game in the future.

A new physical and digital bundle is available for the Dune – Adventures in the Imperium RPG by Modiphius, with a portion of the proceeds supporting the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The physical bundle includes the *Agents of Dune Deluxe Starter Set*, the Atreides collector’s edition of the *Dune: Core Rulebook*, and an Arrakis-themed dice set. Most of the titles offered in the physical bundle seem to be sold out as of this post.

The Kickstarter campaign for LOWLIFE: A DUNGEON DEGENERATES ROLE PLAYING GAME, by Sean Äaberg and Goblinko, is currently live and heading toward its funding goal. The project is a major expansion of the Dungeon Degenerates: Hand of Doom board game world, creating a full TTRPG described as “Grand Theft Auto meets Game of Thrones” and focused on “low drama” stories of survival in the dark fantasy continent of Bödengärd. The game utilizes a customized Old School Renaissance (OSR) engine with a d20 roll-low mechanic and features simultaneous, deadly combat. Key mechanics include tracking “Meat & Morale” as a combined resource—where the spirit often breaks before the body—and using “Heat” to track the players’ wanted level with local authorities. Core reward tiers include the *LowLife Core RPG Book*, the Doomed Life expansion (to bridge the RPG and board game), and world guides.

#dnd #paizo #dunerpg #lowliferpg

Paizo Printables:

Paizo Humble Bundle:

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LowLife RPG:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/seanaaberg/lowlife-a-dungeon-degenerates-role-playing-game

Dune Bundles:

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The Weekly Podcast no.329 – Gygax Returns to D&D, New Battletech, Warhammer 40k 11e and Trench Crusade Boxed Set

Posted on March 29, 2026 by upturnedtable

Luke Gygax, the son of D&D co-creator Gary Gygax, is collaborating with Wizards of the Coast (WotC) to return the Gygax name to the game’s original setting, Greyhawk. This move was engineered by Dan Ayoub, Dungeons & Dragons’ Head of Franchise, who publicly stated that the game had “lost its way” and that involving popular figures like Luke Gygax is an effort to set it on the “right path”. The collaboration will produce Melf’s Guide to Greyhawk (Melf was Luke Gygax’s original player character) and new adventures set in the world. WotC also announced a full presence at Gary Con to mend rifts with the Gygax family and reinforce their commitment to the community, with Ayoub affirming that retailers and “face-to-face physical play” will remain central to D&D.

Catalyst announced a new core product line for BattleTech, including a Core Rulebook, Starter Box, and Core Box, all scheduled to launch at Gen Con. These releases move the game’s entry point away from the Succession Wars and firmly into the ilClan era, introducing advanced tech like pulse lasers and Clan tech early on. The Starter Box replaces the older Beginner Box, featuring the Hammerhead and Kontio, while the Core Box replaces A Game of Armored Combat and Clan Invasion with eight mechs from various eras. The new Core Rulebook, built off the Battlemech Manual, incorporates significant changes from recent playtests, such as front-loaded unequal initiative and basing charge damage on the Target Movement Modifier (TMM).

Games Workshop announced Warhammer 40,000 11th Edition, slated for a June release, with a goal to bridge the gap between narrative and matched play. The edition refocuses the lore on the Armageddon conflict, pitting Imperial Forces against Orks. A key rules change eliminates fighting over objective circles, replacing them with combat for pieces of terrain. GW will allow current 10th edition codexes to remain usable at launch, and the new edition will feature over 70 new detachments. Other updates include reducing stratagem stacking (one per unit per phase), allowing players to roll charge dice before determining targets, and bringing back Combat Disembarking from transports engaged in melee.

Hours before Games Workshop’s major announcement, the “biblical horror wargame” Trench Crusade launched its first true starter set, Carcass Front, which is available for pre-order at $129.99 and set for a late July release. The box set contains 16 new plastic miniatures split into two warbands: the mobile, smaller-count Heretic Naval Raiders and the high model count, melee-focused Procession of the Sacred Affliction, a zealous cult who practice religious penance by deliberately inducing leprosy. Carcass Front emphasizes narrative play value, including two full campaigns: The Path to Leviathan, a 2-player narrative, and a map-based campaign designed for 2–8 players to battle over resources.

#dnd #battletech #warhammer40k #trenchcrusade

Warmachine Frontier:

Definitive HATE on MyMiniFactory:

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Low Life Sign Up:

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The Weekly Podcast no.326 – D&D Website & 5.5E, Orken, Pumpkin Spice and Exodus by Renegade

Posted on March 7, 2026 by upturnedtable

Wizards of the Coast (WotC) and Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), highlighting a perceived decade of “executive fumbling.” This includes an inconsistent rebranding of the current ruleset, which the community has largely settled on calling 5.5e (the D&D 2024 ruleset), moving away from the “OneD&D” working title. WotC also announced a “live service” style content roadmap for D&D in 2026, divided into three “Seasons”: Horror (starting June, anchored by Ravenloft: The Horrors Within), Magic (starting July, featuring Arcana Unleashed), and the mysterious Season of Champions (starting October).

Orken is a new transmedia universe from the IP design studio SIXMOREVODKA, creators of Degenesis. Unlike their previous work, Orken is not a tabletop game but a lore-driven fantasy suite expressed through art books and serialized fiction. The project explores the central conflict of the native, totemic Orken people of Edom fighting for survival against the technologically advanced invaders known as the Elemon (or “People of Metal”). The Kickstarter campaign for this project successfully funded its initial goal very quickly, focusing on providing immediate, finished, premium products to supporters.

Pumpkin Spice is a “magical cozy RPG” The game centers on a young coven of witches who run a magical cafe and protect a “Fount of Magic,” drawing inspiration from works like Kiki’s Delivery Service and Legends & Lattes. It utilizes a simple, narrative-first system with standard six-sided dice and “Essence Dice,” with mechanics revolving around brewing magical drinks and interacting with patrons, rather than combat. The campaign’s immense success led to the unlocking of several stretch goals, including a fully dedicated solo-play mode and expansions to the spellcasting system.

Renegade Game Studios will publish the Exodus Roleplaying Game in 2026. This sci-fi TTRPG is based on the upcoming Exodus video game developed by Wizards of the Coast’s Archetype Entertainment. The RPG was developed by James Ohlen (former lead designer for Baldur’s Gate) and notably uses 5E as its underlying engine. The initial releases from Renegade are scheduled for August and will include the Exodus Traveler’s Handbook and the Creature Catalog. This move is considered notable as WotC is collaborating with an outside company for the game’s wider release, suggesting a broader distribution strategy.

#dnd5.5E #OrkenRpg #PumpkinSpiceRpg #ExodusRPG #RenegadeStudios

Orken RPG on Kickstarter:

Pumpkin Spice RPG:

https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/acheron-games/pumpkin-spice-a-magically-cozy-rpg

Dragonbane Trudvang:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1192053011/dragonbane-trudvang-the-legend-returns

Fallout MEGA Bundle:

https://humblebundleinc.sjv.io/L0aArV

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