Gale Force Nine Sign Master License for Dune ‘Games’; Modiphius Designing RPG!

Gale Force Nine have announced they have entered a multi-year deal to act as master Licensee for ‘Games’ for Frank Herbert’s Epic “Dune” Series. The deal will see Gale Force Nine publish a range of games based upon the property, as well as sub-license the rights to partner companies. The first of these has been assigned to Modiphius Entertainment for the Dune Roleplaying Game.

(Cover of the Last Unicorn/WotC Dune RPG; 2000)​

The license agreement, with Legendary Entertainment and Herbert Properties LLC, allows Gale Force Nine to produce tabletop games covering the length and breadth of the Dune franchise, including the novels of Frank Herbert, Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, as well as the upcoming Dune movie directed by Denis Villeneuve.

The agreement allows GF9 to work with other game companies on various projects, across a number of categories. The first of these to be announced is with Modiphius Entertainment, who have a track record of working with licensed properties such as Star Trek, John Carter of Mars, Fallout and Kung Fu Panda. Modiphius will be developing a new Dune tabletop RPG, slated for release in late 2019. This will be the first time Dune has appeared as an RPG since the Last Unicorn/Wizards of the Coast edition which appeared as a limited edition run in 2000.

The full range of tabletop games, including board and miniature games, are slated to hit the market just prior to Legendary’s theatrical release of Villeneuve’s Dune in 2020.

 

[cmad1977]

I read up to Chapter House, the whole thing about the Honored Matres controlling people through sex was meh, so I stopped there. I take it that it will probably cover the initial setting just from the book Dune, because later books aren't so game-able, imo.

About the first three are good. Then it takes a major jump into wackyville.

 

[dragoner]

About the first three are good. Then it takes a major jump into wackyville.

God Emperor is good, but the huge interval of time between Children of Dune and it, makes for a completely different setting. Rolling it back to pre-Dune, or during Paul's sojourn in the high desert, sound to be the best for an RPG setting, imo.

 

[Water Bob]

Fading Suns always looked to me like something I would really enjoy. I stayed away from it because it looked dense, as far as background, which would require a long learning curve time--but, mostly I stayed away before the publisher refused to print adventures. I know companies don't make near as much on adventures as they do rule books, but they need to print them to make it easy access to their games. It takes a dedicated GM to create an adventure from scratch, and for a new game, when the GM doesn't know if he's yet enamored with the game, the answer is usually to avoid such involving work.

 

[Water Bob]

God Emperor is good, but the huge interval of time between Children of Dune and it, makes for a completely different setting. Rolling it back to pre-Dune, or during Paul's sojourn in the high desert, sound to be the best for an RPG setting, imo.

I agree. The other "settings" or time periods could be added later. The original Dune RPG was set just as the Atreides took over Arrakis. That's a short period, I know, but I also think that's the sweet spot for a Dune RPG: The Atreides, starting to negotiate with the Fremen, searching out Harkonnen traps and fighting Harkonnen treachery.

Other expansions can lead into the Harkonnens re-taking Dune, and the Fremen revolt. Then, Paul's empire. Then, other periods.

 

[DerKastellan]

About the first three are good. Then it takes a major jump into wackyville.

Funny. I think of "God Emperor of Dune" to be the the deepest book of the series and the last two books an exciting fast-forward of the whole setting, something not many authors have the skills and ingenuity to do well. In comparison, books two and three are affairs that I have to make myself read because they're a bit predictable and seem like high quality filler as a lead-up to God Emperor.

 

[Jhaelen]

The big question. Does this license allow them to reprint the classic Dune game from the 80s?

Over at BGG (BoardGameGeek) it was clarified that Gale Force 9 has the license to create original, new games. It doesn't cover re-releasing the original 1979 board game.

Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing a board game in the vein of 'Tyrants of the Underdark' with a Dune theme.

Regarding 'Fading Suns': This is a setting I really liked. I never got to actually play it, though.

 

[Jay Verkuilen]

Fading Suns always looked to me like something I would really enjoy. I stayed away from it because it looked dense, as far as background, which would require a long learning curve time--but, mostly I stayed away before the publisher refused to print adventures.

As I recall they did have some adventures but you're right it was mostly setting material. I tend to write my own and almost never really like someone else's so the fact that they gave some interesting locations was good enough for me. I really wanted to like the system (VPS) and did for a while in some ways, but it was highly swingy.

 

[Jay Verkuilen]

I hope whatever system they incorporate social intrigue system as @TrippyHippy mentioned above. Mind control, manipulation, willpower and politics is such a huge part of the setting.

Conan 2D20 has a psych damage mechanic, including the ability to intimidate and do psych damage. Various fear attacks also affect that wound track. I'd suspect that that or something like it would be in the game. (Though as several of you have said, 2D20 is a loser for many of you regardless.)

 

[CubicsRube]

Just want to specify that there's likely nothing wrong with 2d20. I've never played it. But I have far too many systems I still want to play than put another on the pile.

Free leagues Year Zero system is an excellent balance for me and seems to do a good job at genre emulation woth a universal core mechanic. I'd just to see the system getting more traction.