Fantasy Flight Games statement on Star Wars License

_NewbieDM_ · Dec 16, 2010

I put on my journalist cap this morning as a member of the RPG press and put out a call to FFG to respond to the internet speculation regarding the Star Wars license rumor that is floating around.

Here was the reply from the press rep.:

"FFG does not comment on speculation. Any and all public news is
available on our website."

Which is a very different answer from the straight "No we don't have it." from a number of other companies, including Paizo, Margaret Weis, Steve Jackson Games.

With this, I'll let you draw your own conclusions, but the press rep also added the following, and I only quote because I imagine all our exchange was on the record:

"...hope you find who did end up getting it."

Which could be read any number of ways.

My personal opinion is that we aren't talking about an rpg here at all, but rather a war game like Warhammer, and my gut tells me that GW is getting the license.

Nobody has really handled grand scale combats on the tabletop for SW before, in any capacity, in any of its many different versions of a tabletop hobby game.

Someone should put the WAR in Star Wars.

possum · Dec 16, 2010

In today's day and age, that's practically a confirmation in my eyes. Good work on this.

CharlesRyan · Dec 16, 2010

Thanks for digging, Mr. DM! Can't wait to finally hear who does have it, and more importantly, what they plan to do with it . . . .

MatthewJHanson · Dec 16, 2010

I read this as, yes they have the license, but they have a specific plan on how they want to make the announcement, rather than confirmation coming in an internet leak.

ggroy · Dec 16, 2010

A joint venture between FFG and GW, where FFG handles the rpg + card game stuff while GW handles the miniatures part?

Wik · Dec 16, 2010

_NewbieDM_ said:
Nobody has really handled grand scale combats on the tabletop for SW before, in any capacity, in any of its many different versions of a tabletop hobby game.

Sorry, but that statement is a tad misinformed. There was, in fact, a tabletop Star Wars game - it was a fighter vs. starship game that was called, I believe, Rogue Fighter or something to that effect.

It was produced by West End Games, if memory serves, and could (sort of) be used to complement their d6 Star Wars rules.

I remember having a copy of it, with all the cardboard tokens and whatnot, sometime in the early nineties. Never did play it, because I am really not much of a star wars guy, and Battletech really satisfied all my tactical blowing stuff up needs.

To be honest, the only Star Wars announcement that would get me stoked is if West End Games got the license again, and started re-releasing d6 supplements. But what're the odds of that, eh?

Still, I think a new star wars game would definitely be of interest to a large group of people.

Just not me.

fba827 · Dec 16, 2010

It's kind of like a cop drama episode where the suspect asks for a lawyer before answering and therefore is assumed to be guilty. I mean, I get it, really I do.
But IF it is the case, this is a major announcement that they should be able to make in the way they want to.

If this were with regards to previews of a specific game mechanic or something, that might be different.. but this is the -major- announcement. be it FFG or someone else, i think it's their announcement to make, not pointed out as speculation (albeit methodical speculation) based on an exercise of nonresponse to a question.

Stormonu · Dec 16, 2010

Wik, you have the right of it. It was called Star Warriors. West End also did a tabletop minis battle game for Star Wars that won several awards. Likewise, WotC has done an attempt at a space combat game (one with the Silent Death rules, another the short-lived Fleet battles game), and of course their DDM-like miniature battle game.

There is also the queen's gambit board game that reproduced the triple-aspect fight from the Phantom Menace (Space, the Gungans and the Royal Palace).

_NewbieDM_ · Dec 16, 2010

Yep, you're all right in regards to the combat games that have been released over the years. WEG even had a miniatures battles game (which if I remember correctly included scenarios like Endor Shield Generator Assault for example).

So I stand corrected, but my point is, that on a personal level, I don't know how many more RPG rules I need to run SW... I own d6, 2 d20 versions, and Saga. I'm kind of set in that regards.

Now a fresh take on grand scale combat is something I'd consider looking into, but rpg rules? Not yet, Saga's only been out of print since May or so.

And in regards to this being FFG's announcement to make, yes it is, but journalists still have a duty to ask questions.

kitsune9 · Dec 16, 2010

My bet is still on FFG.

I can see FFG taking the license and doing a Star Wars board game, a hybrid rpg/board game, a card game, and maybe their shot at a mini's game complete with Death Star and Alliance dice.