A TSR Announces a Star Frontiers Reboot

One of the new TSRs (yes there are now two TSRs!) has announced a reboot of Star Frontiers, the sci-fi game made by the original TSR back in the 1980s. Star Frontiers was a percentile dice roleplaying game set in a galaxy with four races (Human, Dralasite, Vrusk, and Yazirian) which were re-used by WotC in d20 Future in 2004.

Happy to announce that in addition to our flagship new world and game system by James M. Ward & Dinehart, GiantLands, and Justin LaNasa's children's RPG Tales & Tots, our next internal project "Star Frontiers", a reboot of the original, is currently in preproduction and has Larry Elmore attached. Stay tuned for more details!

It appears that one of the new TSRs registered the trademark in April. More if I hear it!

You can currently buy the game from WotC on DriveThruRpg, so I'm not sure how that works. When asked about this on Facebook, one of the TSRs answered:

Of course, Evil Hat Productions registered the Star Frontiers trademark, too, back in July 2017.

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...

www.enworld.org

 

[Sir Brennen]

Why cling to the past?!

Well, it sounds like this TSR is planning on updating/revising Star Frontiers, so it's no more clinging to the past than FrontierSpace is.

And what is an homage then, if not invoking something from the past?

 

[Marc_C]

Assuming "TSR games, the third" owns the Star Frontiers IP I'm wondering if the reboot system will be the same as the one used in the new Giant Lands. Both games use d100. That would make sense.

 

[atherion-foehammer]

I hope this is real and comes to fruition. I loved Star Frontiers, and actually last year went and bought either reprint's or originals of all the material. I always thought that it would make a great video game franchise.

 

[Undrave]

For some reason you saying, "One of the TSRs" makes me giggle.

Me too!

 

[Ghost2020]

What is the FrimtierSpace game system like?

It's a % system very similar to Star Frontiers. There are humans, and 3 aliens ( I think). Lots of gear, vehicles, ships, psionics, etc.

There is that Frontier Explorer mag with extra stuff, gm screen, and a handful of modules\scenarios to get as well.

Great looking books, and extremely affordable!

DriveThruRPG

www.drivethrurpg.com

DriveThruRPG

www.drivethrurpg.com

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

I suspect NuTSR is going to get into legal trouble with WotC. The way they're trying to act like it's the same company that created D&D, reborn, creating a new edition of a game that Wizards is currently selling on DriveThruRPG. Websites and YouTube channels are already running articles saying stuff like "the original creator of dungeons & dragons, TSR, returns! It's only a matter of time before Wizards decides that this crosses the line into brand infringement.

And what is a new Star Frontiers going to be, without its IP? Maybe Wizards really doesn't care if they use Dralasites and Yazirians - Star Frontiers has been dead for decades after all. But I wouldn't bet on it; I just checked Top Secret: NWO, and the agents work for ICON, not the ORION Foundation, for example.

 

[Marc_C]

I suspect NuTSR is going to get into legal trouble with WotC. The way they're trying to act like it's the same company that created D&D, reborn, creating a new edition of a game that Wizards is currently selling on DriveThruRPG. Websites and YouTube channels are already running articles saying stuff like "the original creator of dungeons & dragons, TSR, returns! It's only a matter of time before Wizards decides that this crosses the line into brand infringement.

And what is a new Star Frontiers going to be, without its IP? Maybe Wizards really doesn't care if they use Dralasites and Yazirians - Star Frontiers has been dead for decades after all. But I wouldn't bet on it; I just checked Top Secret: NWO, and the agents work for ICON, not the ORION Foundation, for example.

Minor nitpick: Star Frontiers races did make appearances in Alternity and in d20 Future (3e, 2004). I did a Star Frontiers campaign using d20 future. But yes it has been 10+ years, so only one decade technically.

 

[Sacrosanct]

I suspect NuTSR is going to get into legal trouble with WotC. The way they're trying to act like it's the same company that created D&D, reborn, creating a new edition of a game that Wizards is currently selling on DriveThruRPG.

By all accounts, Ernie Jr is a nice guy in person. But it sure seems like his entire career is selling his name and his dad's work, rather than create anything of his own. While I guess he helped run Gencon with Skip Williams back in the day, and managed the retail store, has he ever actually created a product or managed a product*? Everything I see is "Hey, I playtested dad's modules!". So to that point, it doesn't surprise me that they are being disingenuous by saying the old TSR is back, because his entire career has been on capitalizing on the work of his dad and others.

I find it ironic more than anything that Gary's son seems willing to use another's IP for their own monetary purposes.

* the last project he was associated with as a co-creator failed miserably and still hasn't delivered more than 6 years later.

 

[Maxperson]

I found this.

1980s space opera RPG Star Frontiers could be about to make a comeback

The UK's no.1 magazine for the latest news, reviews features and interviews from the world of tabletop gaming. Written for board game enthusiasts, by board game enthusiasts. Subscribe and save today!

www.tabletopgaming.co.uk

And...

See Dead/Abandoned Trademark STAR FRONTIERS with classes [028, 016]

role playing game equipment in the nature of game book manuals; a series of fiction works, namely, novels and books featuring stories involving role playing games; and instruction manuals for role playing games dice; equipment sold as a unit for playing role playing games; equipment sold as a...

trademark.trademarkia.com

 

[Morrus]

I found this.

1980s space opera RPG Star Frontiers could be about to make a comeback

The UK's no.1 magazine for the latest news, reviews features and interviews from the world of tabletop gaming. Written for board game enthusiasts, by board game enthusiasts. Subscribe and save today!

www.tabletopgaming.co.uk

And...

See Dead/Abandoned Trademark STAR FRONTIERS with classes [028, 016]

role playing game equipment in the nature of game book manuals; a series of fiction works, namely, novels and books featuring stories involving role playing games; and instruction manuals for role playing games dice; equipment sold as a unit for playing role playing games; equipment sold as a...

trademark.trademarkia.com

Yep, I remember reporting that!

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...

www.enworld.org