Is Evil Hat Republishing TSR's Star Frontiers?

Last year, Sasquatch Game Studio announced that it had acquired the trademark for TSR's old Alternity science-fiction game. At the time, it was mentioned that they did not have the Star*Drive, Dark*Matter, Gamma World, StarCraft Adventures, or Star Frontiers, properties owned by WotC. This may be changing, though - because Evil Hat Productions has applied for the trademark to Star Frontiers.

Some caveats are worth noting - the trademark application was made in July 2017, and it's likely that nothing will happen on it for months. At this stage, it's just an application, so there's no guarantee that it will even be approved. Speculation is what speculation is, but this is very much a "wait-and-see" situation.

So, what's Star Frontiers? It's a space opera RPG produced by TSR back in the early 80s. Many elements of the game were later re-used in various forms in Spelljammer, d20 Future, and other TSR/WotC games and settings. It was a percentile system game, set in an area of space dominated by the United Planetary Federation composed of four races - Humans, the amoeboid Dralasite, the insectoid Vrusk, and the ape-like Yazirian.

Evil Hat, of course, is the publisher of the popular ENnie-winning Fate line of RPGs, which is a flexible system designed to accommodate a vast array of settings. Whether they plan to make a Fate version of Star Frontiers is far, far too early to start speculating on. I guess we may find out more next year, if the trademark application is approved.

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[lyle.spade]

I loved Star Frontiers. It was my first non-DnD RPG, and took over completely from DnD for me for years. I had both boxed sets and most of the adventures and played it to death. I'd love to see a reimagining of it, with more background (and background that made sense, frankly), and updated systems.

There's nothing quite like those old Elmore covers to inspire ideas, right?

 

[Zarithar]

I approve... this was also my first foray into Sci-Fi roleplaying, aside from a brief stint with Traveller.

 

[Bruce Heard]

The question with this is that acquiring a trademark only grants use of the product's title. Game mechanics are still covered under copyright laws, and those therefore remain WotC's property AFAIK.

 

[Charles Dunwoody]

Phone died before I could delete.

 

[Morrus]

I think if they get the name they would use their AGE system rules.

They would if they were Green Ronin. Being Evil Hat, I imagine they would use their Fate system rules, instead.

 

[Sketchpad]

I would love to see a Fate version of Star Frontiers!

 

[Reef]

There's nothing quite like those old Elmore covers to inspire ideas, right?

Heh...I think I'd buy it no matter the system if it kept the Elmore artwork .

A Fate version would be pretty sweet, for sure.

 

[Ghost2020]

I didn't think game mechanics could be copyrighted?

 

[aramis erak]

I didn't think game mechanics could be copyrighted?

IANAL; IANYL.

While they can't within the US, several countries in Europe do allow it, at least based upon successful litigation.

Still, it would be hard to do a functional clone without stepping upon a few elements which are - like the species described.