Steve Jackson Games Announces Munchkin Paranoia

Steve Jackson Games announced Munchkin Paranoia, a new core set for the Munchkin card game based on the RPG Paranoia that seems like a thematic perfect match. This set will follow the standard Munchkin rules with a bit of tweaking to better reflect Friend Computer and the Alpha Complex. Races will be replaced with mutations, classes with secret societies, levels become security clearance color-coding, and monsters will be (mostly) fellow citizens of Alpha Complex. Steve Jackson himself will take on writing duties for the set while the art will be done by veteran Munchkin artist John Kovalic.

From the announcement:

I have been a Paranoia fan since the very first edition, and I am absolutely delighted to be working on this project. Of all the RPGs ever created, Paranoia is hands down the one that I wish I had worked on, and now I can!† A lot of the cards will write themselves. A lot of the rest, I can steal! And, of course, I will. What would a game of Paranoia be without Hot Fun, Cold Fun, and Bouncy Bubble Beverage?

Invited to comment, World Famous Game Designer Greg Costikyan opined: "Munchkin. Paranoia. What could possibly go wrong? (Flees rapidly for cover.)"

† Mike, wherever you are, I hope you're proud!

While most Munchkin titles are general parodies of roleplaying games and there have been several licensed sets based on TV shows, comics, books, or other media; this marks only the third Munchkin set licensed directly from a roleplaying game following Munchkin Pathfinder and Munchkin Starfinder.

Munchkin Paranoia is currently scheduled for a release in late 2024.

 

[overgeeked]

That’s sweet.

 

[Vincent55]

I love Munchkin and have many of the expansions, this would be cool

 

[Ulfgeir]

Looks very interesting. Will definetly keep my eyes open for it...

 

[Professor Murder]

I'm in.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Um, not to rain on anyone's parade, but I do have one observation.

Paranoia is (or, at least, was) a parody gaming system.
Munchkins is a parody gaming system.

Parodying parodies does not usually result in added value. IMO.

 

[MGibster]

Parodying parodies does not usually result in added value. IMO.

That’s the beautiful part! When you make a parody of a parody you end up with a serious product. Munchkin Paranoia will provide players with a harrowing experience as they navigate a dystopian future in a society controlled by an insane computer. A setting where betrayal comes from those you trust most and even in death you cannot escape.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Munchkin Paranoia will provide players with a harrowing experience as they navigate a dystopian future in a society controlled by an insane computer. A setting where betrayal comes from those you trust most and even in death you cannot escape.

Eh, sounds pretty much like real life to me.

 

[Abstruse]

...or it'll just be a Paranoia card game using Munchkin's mechanics. They've done Munchkin sets based on comedy shows before like The Guild, Axe Cop, and Gloom and that's pretty much how they handled it.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

...or it'll just be a Paranoia card game using Munchkin's mechanics. They've done Munchkin sets based on comedy shows before like The Guild, Axe Cop, and Gloom and that's pretty much how they handled it.

Again, maybe it's just the passage of time ... but the original Paranoia wasn't just a comedy game. And it wasn't just a fun setting.

It was also, quite deliberately, a parody of the popular games of the time (especially D&D!) ... in fact, it was a parody of roleplaying games in general. While people think of all of the ways that in parodies and satirizes different subjects (including a lot of popular culture, especially in the adventures it released), at is very heart the game did something much more interesting and profound; it was a biting satire of RPGs, and how people played them.