Hello everyone, Darryl here with this week’s gaming news! A new D&D survey, filming update for the Dungeons & Dragons live-action movie, a Lupin the 3rd roleplaying game coming soon, and more!
Don’t forget, you can get all the news every week with Morrus’ Unofficial Tabletop RPG Talk! This week, Morrus and Peter are joined by Mike Olson to talk about Carbon Grey: The Role-Playing Game and Omnibus.
In case you missed it elsewhere on EN World this week:
Wizards of the Coast posted a new survey asking about the different classes for Dungeons & Dragons 5e. The survey starts off by asking you if you would like to rate the classes for D&D and surprisingly, if you answer “No”, you are not kicked immediately out of the survey with a “Leave and Begone!” like the old Ultima games. Instead, you’re asked if you have anything else you’d like to say. However, if you would like to give feedback on the classes, you will be asked to choose which classes you wish to give feedback on and then rate your satisfaction with the class overall and then for specific powers or abilities for that class. The survey doesn’t have an end date, but likely there will eventually be a cutoff before they stop looking at the data so be sure to get your opinions in soon.
John Francis Daley, one of the co-directors of the live-action Dungeons & Dragons film, announced on Twitter that the film is a wrap. This means that all shooting on set or location has been completed for principal photography, but there still remains a lot of work to be done. On top of editing and special effects, there will likely be reshoots scheduled in the coming months. While this is sometimes reported as a sign of a production in danger, all films undergo a reshoot process after principal photography has finished so don't be surprised when it happens for this one. The film is set for release in March 2023. And yes, I’m going to keep using that poster image until they release official images for the movie.
Unfortunately, things do not seem to be going as smoothly for the Magic: The Gathering animated series for Netflix. Showrunners Anthony and Joe Russo (Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame) have left the project due to creative differences. Two writers for the series, Jose Molina (Agent Carter, Grimm, The Tick, Vampire Diaries) and Henry Gilroy (Star Wars Rebels, Batman: The Enemy Within, Star Wars: The Clone Wars), have also exited the project. Veteran animation director Jeff Kline, who has acted as showrunner for multiple Transformers series as well as Jackie Chan Adventures and the Men in Black animated series, will be taking over production of the CG-animated original series with Steve Melching (Star Wars: Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars Resistance, Transformers: Robots in Disguise) taking over as co-producer and story editor. The only announced cast so far is Brandon Routh (Superman Returns, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Scott Pilgrim vs The World) as Gideon Jura. The series is planned for a 2022 release.
The advanced 5e rules supplement Level Up from EN Publishing is almost here and you can sign up for notifications when the Kickstarter launches in a matter of weeks! Level Up 5e is fully compatible with the standard 5e rules while adding layers of additional options, choices, and detail for your games. The website has been updated with an exhaustive list of what to expect from Level Up 5e. Over the past year, EN Publishing released several previews for what to expect from the game, with the newest featuring a peek at the encounter-building table. The Kickstarter for Level Up 5e goes live on October 5.
Renegade Games announced a new roleplaying game system to power their Hasbro-licensed games, Essence 20. The system is somewhat based on the D20 System but with heavy modifications. Designer Elisa Teague spoke with Rob Wieland for Forbes describing the system:
The system will make its debut with the Power Rangers Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook and will be used in other Hasbro-licensed games from Renegade including Transformers, GI Joe, and My Little Pony. More information will be announced over the weekend at Renegade Con, specifically at the panels held on Friday, August 27 at 5:30 PM Pacific (8:30 PM Eastern, 1:30 AM London) with announcements and hour-long panels on Saturday, August 28 with a RPG game walkthrough at 2:30 PM Pacific (6:30 PM Eastern, 10:30 PM London), art previews at 3:30 PM Pacific (6:30 PM Eastern, 11:30 PM London), and a character creation walkthrough for GI Joe at 5:00 PM Pacific (8:00 PM Eastern, 1:00 AM London). The event will be live streamed on the Renegade Games Twitch channel.
Long-running anime and manga series Lupin the 3rd is getting a tabletop roleplaying game adaptation. The game published by Magnetic Press will feature a core rulebook using the D6 System from West End Games. Magnet Press is currently Kickstarting another licensed property using the WEG system, Carbon Grey based on the 2011 Image Comics series (which you can find out more about on this week's Morrus' Unofficial Tabletop RPG Talk podcast). Lupin the 3rd first appeared in manga form in 1967 and over the decades has been adapted into six television anime series, eleven theatrical films, two live-action films, and more. The series is based loosely on the character Arsène Lupin by French author Maurice Leblanc which helped popularize the “gentleman thief” archetype in the early 1900s. The series focuses on his grandson, Arsène Lupin III, and his team of thieves as they attempt to steal valuable treasures around the world (while getting caught up in more dangerous plots of others) while evading their nemesis, Koichi Zenigata of Interpol. There is no announced release date for the game at this time, but further details will be released during the 50th Anniversary celebration for the original anime series this October.
Multiple companies have broken ties with The Broken Token following abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual assault allegations against the company’s CEO, Greg Spence. The Broken Token designs and manufactures wooden inserts and cases for popular tabletop games, some of which are produced under license. A former employee posted details of her interactions with Spence, which prompted Evil Hat Productions, Cephalofair Games, Arcane Wonders, Iello USA, Floodgate Games, Greater Than Games, Grey Fox Games, and others to announce they were ending all licensing agreements with the company. GAMA, the trade organization for the tabletop gaming industry, reacted to the news by announcing they will create a code of conduct for all members beginning in 2022. In a statement posted to Twitter, Spence denied the allegations.
The Mutant Chronicles bundle is still going on Humble Bundle featuring not just rulebooks but plans to print 3D miniatures for the post-apocalyptic roleplaying game. The base level of just $1 gets you digital copies of the Mutant Chronicles 3rd Edition core rules plus a 50% off coupon for the physical book, the Mutant Chronicles Player’s Guide, the Mutant Chronicles: Dark Symmetry campaign book, and more. The $7 level adds on seven more sourcebooks for the system, and the top level of $18 adds on the Savage Worlds core rulebook for the setting, STL files to 3D print your own miniatures, decks for Chronicles, Locations, Symmetry, and NPCs, plus more sourcebooks and campaign books. This bundle benefits the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and runs until Thursday, September 2.
That’s all from me for this week! Don’t forget to support our Patreon to bring you more gaming news content. If you have any news to submit, email us at news@enpublishingrpg.com, and you can get more discussion of the week’s news on Morrus’ Unofficial Tabletop RPG Talk every week. You can follow me on Twitch to get notifications when I go live, subscribe to Gamer’s Tavern on YouTube for videos on gaming history, RPG reviews, and gaming Let’s Plays, or you can listen to the archives of the Gamer’s Tavern podcast. Until next time, may all your hits be crits! Note: Links to Amazon, Humble Store, Humble Bundle, and/or DriveThru may contain affiliate links with the proceeds going to the author of this column.
Don’t forget, you can get all the news every week with Morrus’ Unofficial Tabletop RPG Talk! This week, Morrus and Peter are joined by Mike Olson to talk about Carbon Grey: The Role-Playing Game and Omnibus.
In case you missed it elsewhere on EN World this week:
- EN5ider #409 is a mini-adventure for a party of 4th-8th level, “A Trade of Bride and Pride”, where the party must help the local guard captain rescue his wife from kidnappers.
- EN5ider #410 is a new Dangerous Scenario “Kobold Cache” for 9th-11th level featuring a cult of kobolds with eight brand new deadly traps.
- EN Publishing teased the release of Apocalypse War, the next supplement for Judge Dredd & The Worlds of 2000 AD with a full chapter breakdown.
- Ben Reece reviewed the newest setting book for Pathfinder 2nd Edition, the 300 page hardcover for The Mwangi Expanse and the newest adventure in the Agents of Edgewatch adventure path, Sixty Feet Under.
- Charles Dunwoody looked at the recently-released rules-light universal roleplaying system Elemental from Gildor Games.
- A copy of the first issue of The Dragon Magazine is currently on auction on eBay ending this Saturday with bidding at over $1100.
- Lewis Pulsipher’s newest Worlds of Design column talks about how to keep a game challenging at higher levels and more powerful characters.
- Rob Wieland takes a nostalgic trip to talk about his first roleplaying game, Top Secret/SI from TSR.
- Mike Myler continues his Robin Hood theme with the recent Mythological Figures to give us 5e stats for the Sheriff of Nottingham.
- Don’t miss out on the newest RPG crowdfunding projects ending soon with Egg Embry’s RPG Crowdfunding News and keep up with all the new print RPG releases with Charles Dunwoody’s RPG Print News.
Wizards of the Coast posted a new survey asking about the different classes for Dungeons & Dragons 5e. The survey starts off by asking you if you would like to rate the classes for D&D and surprisingly, if you answer “No”, you are not kicked immediately out of the survey with a “Leave and Begone!” like the old Ultima games. Instead, you’re asked if you have anything else you’d like to say. However, if you would like to give feedback on the classes, you will be asked to choose which classes you wish to give feedback on and then rate your satisfaction with the class overall and then for specific powers or abilities for that class. The survey doesn’t have an end date, but likely there will eventually be a cutoff before they stop looking at the data so be sure to get your opinions in soon.
John Francis Daley, one of the co-directors of the live-action Dungeons & Dragons film, announced on Twitter that the film is a wrap. This means that all shooting on set or location has been completed for principal photography, but there still remains a lot of work to be done. On top of editing and special effects, there will likely be reshoots scheduled in the coming months. While this is sometimes reported as a sign of a production in danger, all films undergo a reshoot process after principal photography has finished so don't be surprised when it happens for this one. The film is set for release in March 2023. And yes, I’m going to keep using that poster image until they release official images for the movie.
Unfortunately, things do not seem to be going as smoothly for the Magic: The Gathering animated series for Netflix. Showrunners Anthony and Joe Russo (Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame) have left the project due to creative differences. Two writers for the series, Jose Molina (Agent Carter, Grimm, The Tick, Vampire Diaries) and Henry Gilroy (Star Wars Rebels, Batman: The Enemy Within, Star Wars: The Clone Wars), have also exited the project. Veteran animation director Jeff Kline, who has acted as showrunner for multiple Transformers series as well as Jackie Chan Adventures and the Men in Black animated series, will be taking over production of the CG-animated original series with Steve Melching (Star Wars: Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars Resistance, Transformers: Robots in Disguise) taking over as co-producer and story editor. The only announced cast so far is Brandon Routh (Superman Returns, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Scott Pilgrim vs The World) as Gideon Jura. The series is planned for a 2022 release.
The advanced 5e rules supplement Level Up from EN Publishing is almost here and you can sign up for notifications when the Kickstarter launches in a matter of weeks! Level Up 5e is fully compatible with the standard 5e rules while adding layers of additional options, choices, and detail for your games. The website has been updated with an exhaustive list of what to expect from Level Up 5e. Over the past year, EN Publishing released several previews for what to expect from the game, with the newest featuring a peek at the encounter-building table. The Kickstarter for Level Up 5e goes live on October 5.
Renegade Games announced a new roleplaying game system to power their Hasbro-licensed games, Essence 20. The system is somewhat based on the D20 System but with heavy modifications. Designer Elisa Teague spoke with Rob Wieland for Forbes describing the system:
The system will make its debut with the Power Rangers Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook and will be used in other Hasbro-licensed games from Renegade including Transformers, GI Joe, and My Little Pony. More information will be announced over the weekend at Renegade Con, specifically at the panels held on Friday, August 27 at 5:30 PM Pacific (8:30 PM Eastern, 1:30 AM London) with announcements and hour-long panels on Saturday, August 28 with a RPG game walkthrough at 2:30 PM Pacific (6:30 PM Eastern, 10:30 PM London), art previews at 3:30 PM Pacific (6:30 PM Eastern, 11:30 PM London), and a character creation walkthrough for GI Joe at 5:00 PM Pacific (8:00 PM Eastern, 1:00 AM London). The event will be live streamed on the Renegade Games Twitch channel.
Long-running anime and manga series Lupin the 3rd is getting a tabletop roleplaying game adaptation. The game published by Magnetic Press will feature a core rulebook using the D6 System from West End Games. Magnet Press is currently Kickstarting another licensed property using the WEG system, Carbon Grey based on the 2011 Image Comics series (which you can find out more about on this week's Morrus' Unofficial Tabletop RPG Talk podcast). Lupin the 3rd first appeared in manga form in 1967 and over the decades has been adapted into six television anime series, eleven theatrical films, two live-action films, and more. The series is based loosely on the character Arsène Lupin by French author Maurice Leblanc which helped popularize the “gentleman thief” archetype in the early 1900s. The series focuses on his grandson, Arsène Lupin III, and his team of thieves as they attempt to steal valuable treasures around the world (while getting caught up in more dangerous plots of others) while evading their nemesis, Koichi Zenigata of Interpol. There is no announced release date for the game at this time, but further details will be released during the 50th Anniversary celebration for the original anime series this October.
Multiple companies have broken ties with The Broken Token following abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual assault allegations against the company’s CEO, Greg Spence. The Broken Token designs and manufactures wooden inserts and cases for popular tabletop games, some of which are produced under license. A former employee posted details of her interactions with Spence, which prompted Evil Hat Productions, Cephalofair Games, Arcane Wonders, Iello USA, Floodgate Games, Greater Than Games, Grey Fox Games, and others to announce they were ending all licensing agreements with the company. GAMA, the trade organization for the tabletop gaming industry, reacted to the news by announcing they will create a code of conduct for all members beginning in 2022. In a statement posted to Twitter, Spence denied the allegations.
The Mutant Chronicles bundle is still going on Humble Bundle featuring not just rulebooks but plans to print 3D miniatures for the post-apocalyptic roleplaying game. The base level of just $1 gets you digital copies of the Mutant Chronicles 3rd Edition core rules plus a 50% off coupon for the physical book, the Mutant Chronicles Player’s Guide, the Mutant Chronicles: Dark Symmetry campaign book, and more. The $7 level adds on seven more sourcebooks for the system, and the top level of $18 adds on the Savage Worlds core rulebook for the setting, STL files to 3D print your own miniatures, decks for Chronicles, Locations, Symmetry, and NPCs, plus more sourcebooks and campaign books. This bundle benefits the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and runs until Thursday, September 2.
That’s all from me for this week! Don’t forget to support our Patreon to bring you more gaming news content. If you have any news to submit, email us at news@enpublishingrpg.com, and you can get more discussion of the week’s news on Morrus’ Unofficial Tabletop RPG Talk every week. You can follow me on Twitch to get notifications when I go live, subscribe to Gamer’s Tavern on YouTube for videos on gaming history, RPG reviews, and gaming Let’s Plays, or you can listen to the archives of the Gamer’s Tavern podcast. Until next time, may all your hits be crits! Note: Links to Amazon, Humble Store, Humble Bundle, and/or DriveThru may contain affiliate links with the proceeds going to the author of this column.
