Shadowdark Setting Looks Set To Be 2025's First Million Dollar TTRPG Crowdfunder

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Just launched today, the new Western Reaches setting for the Arcane Library's popular Shadowdark roleplaying game (which itself raised $1.3M in 2023) has flown past half a million dollars in the first few hours, and looks certain to join the Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarter Club imminently!

[[Edit/Update--and it's done it! $1M less than 12 hours into the Kickstarter campaign!]]

2025 has been quiet so far this year on the million-dollar crowdfunding front. This new setting is a sandbox environment with new classes and ancestries, and various areas such as the Gloaming Forest, Djurum Desert, and Myre Swamp. It comes in two 200-page digest-sized hardcovers. Also included are new issues of the game's Cursed Scroll zine. The full core set will cost you $129, or $149 for a premium version, with fulfillment expected in December 2025.

At $670K at the time of writing, just 3 hours into the campaign, The Western Reaches is already the 7th most first-day funded TTRPG ever, having just passed 2024's Terry Pratchett's Discworld RPG: Adventures in Ankh-Morpork. It looks set to pass 6th place very soon, which is 2023's Ryoko's Guide to the Yokai Realms - A 5e Tome. Only five TTRPG crowdfunders (so far!) have ever hit the million-dollar mark on the first day. You can see the full ranking at the Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarter Club.

The Western Reaches are an unexplored land of fragile civilizations, majestic landscapes, and forgotten horrors that lurk in the dark.

In the Reaches, you could play as:

• A painted witch from the steppes hunting for the secrets to deeper magic
• An armored knight from the City of Masks guarding frontier villages from attack
• A silent monk from the mountains searching for the assassin who killed his teacher
• A scarred pit fighter from the desert looking to make her fortune outside the arena
• A quick-witted explorer from the jungle who can find any artifact for the right price
• A seafaring warrior from the northern isles who fights for the glory of the Old Gods

This sandbox setting is fast, elegant, and flexible in the signature Shadowdark style. You don't have to memorize lore; you'll discover it as you go. The world moves and grows with you as you explore it.

 

[aiouh]

I very much prefer the A5 format, everything important fits in the spreads and is easy to see. Preferences vary, of course, but I think it allows for easy and quick digestion of the necessary information without overload with stuff I do not need right now.

The way I meant running means to GM the game on the table.

It being digest-sized is a stylistic choice that has its purpose (letting artwork breathe, easily cozy time readability and keeping it modular enough for A4 Landscape prints and handouts), but you cannot convince me that more page turning makes a better reference for table play.

I think I have plopped down more money on Shadowdark on any other game, but I gotta keep it three hundred and just point out that the A5 format does not contribute to "Ease of Running"

 

[zottel]

The way I meant running means to GM the game on the table.

It being digest-sized is a stylistic choice that has its purpose (letting artwork breathe, easily cozy time readability and keeping it modular enough for A4 Landscape prints and handouts), but you cannot convince me that more page turning makes a better reference for table play.

I think I have plopped down more money on Shadowdark on any other game, but I gotta keep it three hundred and just point out that the A5 format does not contribute to "Ease of Running"

Honestly, I don't experience much need to flip pages while running, as most info I need in a current situation is located in one spread. I appreciate that there is no information overload, it helps finding the stuff I look for on the page quicker. Also, it helps with limited tables pace.
Granted, I have not run many sessions yet, so this opinion may yet change.

 

[DarkCrisis]

The way I meant running means to GM the game on the table.

It being digest-sized is a stylistic choice that has its purpose (letting artwork breathe, easily cozy time readability and keeping it modular enough for A4 Landscape prints and handouts), but you cannot convince me that more page turning makes a better reference for table play.

I think I have plopped down more money on Shadowdark on any other game, but I gotta keep it three hundred and just point out that the A5 format does not contribute to "Ease of Running"

I printed out the pdf on 8.5x11 paper and mostly use that. The small digest size book isn’t super convenient as a DM IMO. Every time I try to read from the actual book I feel like I’m going to break it in half if I turn the pages to fast or something.

 

[Bae'zel]

I don't think that's an adjustment. That's part of the game.

Sigh... you'd be surprised. I think that it depends on the GM.

When there are gaps, interpration and ruling of ambiguities can vary from table to table.

 

[TiQuinn]

Having played Shadowdark, I can say that while some of our group loved it, others seriously bounced off it. The light, free form nature of the rules is contrasted with its deadliness at times, and if that’s not what you are into, you are not going to have a fun time. It’s definitely a system where I think more rules, or better yet, more words would’ve been helpful in communicating how the game is played.

 

[Reynard]

Having played Shadowdark, I can say that while some of our group loved it, others seriously bounced off it. The light, free form nature of the rules is contrasted with its deadliness at times, and if that’s not what you are into, you are not going to have a fun time. It’s definitely a system where I think more rules, or better yet, more words would’ve been helpful in communicating how the game is played.

I think the adventures themselves, along with the core book's explicit explanation of the design and play ethos, do a fine job.

But it isn't a game for everyone and I think people suggesting it for people, groups or campaigns for which it isn't well suited are doing Shadowdark a disservice.

 

[The Firebird]

Kelsey is a class act, and a force for good in the industry, and I can only wish her all the success in the world! One small niggle... I wish there wasn't forced duplicated content. Despite the large acknowledged content overlap between Zines 1-6 and the new bound books, there isn't a pledge level to get the new setting books but without also paying for physical versions of Zines 4-6. I'm pondering why...

It looks like there is now; just the guides at $85.

 

[TiQuinn]

I think the adventures themselves, along with the core book's explicit explanation of the design and play ethos, do a fine job.

But it isn't a game for everyone and I think people suggesting it for people, groups or campaigns for which it isn't well suited are doing Shadowdark a disservice.

Ehhhh. Don’t know about “doing Shadowdark a disservice.” The adventure/setting in Cursed Scroll #1 for instance is extremely scant on details, for example. Second, our group is trying a lot of different systems as our DM wanted to get away from D&D and so we’ve been playing many different systems in the past year and a half. Since our group has different people with varying interests, obviously not every system is going to click for everyone - that’s simply part and parcel with the hobby. Likewise there are people who haven’t played SD here who might be wanting to know what the buzz is about. Being above board about what the game is and is not is important. Try not to take umbrage because someone bounced off something you personally liked.

 

[darjr]

Having played Shadowdark, I can say that while some of our group loved it, others seriously bounced off it. The light, free form nature of the rules is contrasted with its deadliness at times, and if that’s not what you are into, you are not going to have a fun time. It’s definitely a system where I think more rules, or better yet, more words would’ve been helpful in communicating how the game is played.

If the deadliness is a problem there are suggestions to make it less so. They do help.

 

[Bill Zebub]

Honestly SD would be much easier to run if it was Legal/A4 sized, just because the pages are smaller doesn't mean the system has less words

It does have fewer words (relatively speaking) but you're right that's not necessarily because of the format. Except...

...if you watch Kelsey live-stream her design process, page size is definitely a factor for her. I suspect if she used larger pages she would be more wordy.