Fantasy Flight Games Discontinuing RPGs?

Back in January, it emerged that FFG was laying off a lot of staff, including RPG staff. Now, GM Chris over at d20 Radio is reporting that the company is discontinuing all RPG development, including Star Wars, Legend of the Five Rings, and its relatively newer Genesys universal system.

He says that all currently announced products will be produced, but in the long-term the RPG production is ending. There's some speculation regarding sales of companies to each other (FFG's owner is Asmodee, which is owned by PAI Partners who bought it from Eurazeo), but it's only conjecture. More info at the link below!

Fantasy Flight Games Long Term Plan will Discontinue RPG Development - d20 Radio

This article is a follow-up to a prior article published on January 8, 2020. We at d20Radio are sad to announce that we have independently confirmed [...]

www.d20radio.com

FFG's Katrina Ostrander appears to have confirmed the news:


Back in January, FFG laid off over 14 staff, and shut down Fantasy Flight Interactive. Reports were that the tabletop RPG department had been "shuttered" -- reduced to a couple of full timers. It sounds now like the cut is more severe even than that.

 

[MerricB]

That sounds interesting... how do I get a copy of that

According to the Amazon Australia site... it'd be expensive for me!

 

[Reynard]

I feel like it is potentially a good opportunity to Disney to have a looser, less crunchy system designed for Star Wars and then to leap onto the streamwagon. Star Wars could make for some great streaming play, could potentially tie into other media, and enjoy some pretty cool guest stars.

 

[Morrus]

Star Wars could make for some great streaming play

It already does!

 

[vpuigdoller]

Welp when I posted the link this morning I was hoping for someone to contradict it. This sad news.
@Morrus I like your idea about Paizo picking Star Wars franchise up!! @Paizo make it happen!!

 

[BadEye]

I predict Fandom will pick up the license and do a Star Wars RPG using the Cortex RPG system they recently acquired. They would include D&D Beyond-style digital support with DRM content. I also predict it will be awesome!

Great idea... I'll get right on it.

 

[DruidsGrove]

I doubt it. They're just rethinking their strategy. They decided to not go with the EU so they could tell the post-original trilogy stories they wanted to tell, not try to fit them into a bunch of stories they had no relationship with. That was a decision I endorse since the Yuuzhan Vong sucked.

But as far as their Star Wars lines taking hits? The success of their new theme park sections and The Mandalorian suggest the market is still pretty strong. They're just feeling out all the right avenues for them to pursue.

There is literally NOTHING coming out of Disney's SW lines, except another season of Clone Wars, and the Mandalorian. One has nothing new, the other very limited new. There are NO cartoons or movies coming, and a one show, since Obi-Wan is on hiatus. Yes, we can see the quality of the stories that has come out from Disney SW, and their success. Sucking or not, the Vong sold A LOT of product, and created years of story.
The theme park is a disaster, there are numerous facts to back that up. So they have one thing, that isn't enough to create RPG products consistently. Let alone anything else.

 

[ccs]

Maybe, but X-Wing is still selling well, so I doubt it would come down to losing the contract over no Star Wars products being produced.

It might be that there are different licenses concerning SW RPGs, Board/Card Games, & Miniatures games.
So just because they're making X-Wing might not have anything at all to do with RPGs.

 

[Wolfram stout]

There is literally NOTHING coming out of Disney's SW lines, except another season of Clone Wars, and the Mandalorian. One has nothing new, the other very limited new. There are NO cartoons or movies coming, and a one show, since Obi-Wan is on hiatus. Yes, we can see the quality of the stories that has come out from Disney SW, and their success. Sucking or not, the Vong sold A LOT of product, and created years of story.
The theme park is a disaster, there are numerous facts to back that up. So they have one thing, that isn't enough to create RPG products consistently. Let alone anything else.

obi-wan is still being made,the hiatus is not even interrupting the planned start date. The Cassian Andor series is still slated for production. I personally think we have some great Star Wars to look forward to seeing.

 

[Professor Murder]

It's a damn shame. A company with clout and publishing heft, able to reliably put books into gaming stores.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

If WotC makes a new d20 Star Wars Disney could create a new game-live show as Critical Role, without worrying about the canon.