Is There A New STAR TREK RPG Coming?

It sounds like CBS is going to be doing a lot of licensing of Star Trek merchandise in the next year or so, to coincide with the show's 50th anniversary, and it's looking like Gale Force Nine might be launching a some kind of hobby game. Liz Kalodner of CBS Consumer Products reports that "in toys and games, Gale Force Nine will launch a new Star Trek hobby game title, Spin Master will launch RC vehicles and USAopoly will develop new Star Trek themed board games." That's not all they're doing, of course - there's lots of watches and toys and novels and 3D chess sets and the like coming, too, but it's the hobby game which interests us here on EN World! Thanks to Sentinel Marshall for the scoop.

Here's what else is coming (non-RPG stuff):

• Spin Master remote controlled vehicles
• Wooden Expressions 3D chess set
• Cross Cult novels for the German market
• National Geographic Star Trek Guide To Our Universe hardcover
• Accutime Star Trek themed watches
• Brainstorm running apparel
• Somerbond sleepwear
• Treadless t-shirts and socks
• Items from Build-A-Bear Workshop, Mezco, Roads Innovation, Titan and Wish Factory
• Gale Force Nine Star Trek "hobby game"
• USAopoly Star Trek boardgame

Of course, that list only says "hobby game", and GF9 is more known for cards and accessories, so there's a strong chance this is a collectible card game or something similar. It's not a board game, though, as that's being handled by USAopoly. Hobby games traditionally include CCGs, boardgames, RPGs, and miniature games. My bet is on a card game, but a new Star Trek RPG would certainly be fun.

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[Brodie]

An RPG would be great. And GF9 has at least dabbled in the RPG market by putting out the first official D&D 5E adventure/base rules book a while back (before 5E launched). Hopefully GF9 would take a page from the Doctor Who RPG and have multiple yet compatible rulebooks for each version of Trek. TOS, the original movies, TNG, DS9, Voyager, and (bleh bleh bleh) NuTrek. I would like a system that puts more emphasis on actual role playing vs. roll playing. TNG was all about diplomacy and social conflict.

That being said, I'm pretty positive I would enjoy anything GF9 puts out for Star Trek; they put out quality stuff. As long as an RPG isn't just a reskin of another game, I'll be happy. Cortex is not the greatest system and while I love Fate, Fate isn't meaty enough for the times combat does happen.

 

[Jester David]

It'd be a long shot. GF9 doesn't seem like it has the staff with the skill set to design RPG rules, write a rulebook, layout and format a rulebook, and generally publish a big hardcover book. They do minis and cards and are just looking at board games. Books would be a huge jump.

 

[TrippyHippy]

It's also a factor that RPG books don't sell enough to justify the investment.

 

[Morrus]

It's also a factor that RPG books don't sell enough to justify the investment.

Then why are there RPG books?

 

[Umbran]

Then why are there RPG books?

Yes, yes, Morrus, we know. His absolute statement has issues. Does that satisfy the pedantic?

We also know that it's a niche hobby, and that big companies, by in large, avoid it. The generally accepted reason for this is pretty much reason TrippyHippy gave- it typically doesn't make a whole lot of money.

 

[TrippyHippy]

Then why are there RPG books?

They don't sell enough....to justify the investment of a Star Trek license. If you get a Star Trek license, you are more likely to make money from miniatures and card games.

Most RPG games that are made don't have to worry about a Star Trek license, in answer to your question. Yet the last two companies that had Star Trek licenses had real problems with it.

 

[Morrus]

They don't sell enough....to justify the investment of a Star Trek license. If you get a Star Trek license, you are more likely to make money from miniatures and card games.

Most RPG games that are made don't have to worry about a Star Trek license, in answer to your question. Yet the last two companies that had Star Trek licenses had real problems with it.

May I introduce you to Fantasy Flight Games and their popular range of Star Wars roleplaying games? Or Green Ronin and its successful DC superhero RPG? Or it's Game of Thrones RPG? Or the dozens of other licensed games out there?

Of course RPG licenses are worth it. That's why they happen all the time.

 

[TrippyHippy]

May I introduce you to Fantasy Flight Games and their popular range of Star Wars roleplaying games? Or Green Ronin and its successful DC superhero RPG? Or it's Game of Thrones RPG? Or the dozens of other licensed games out there?

Of course RPG licenses are worth it. That's why they happen all the time.

FFG has a license that covers miniatures, card games and board games as well as the RPG. The RPG section is not the major money spinner in that licence, but they can make enough money from it to make it worth including it in their overall package.

Green Ronin maintains their Mutants & Masterminds brand alongside it's DC RPG, despite it being almost entirely identical as a game. If the license is lost, they still have business contingencies. May I also introduce you to the Marvel Heroic Roleplaying game that was created by Margaret Weis Games on license, but had the rug pulled out from under them in less than a year.

I'm not saying that licensed games can't be successful, but the tendency is that they are often shorter lived than other RPGs and they don't usually make as much money as other game mediums. As such, businesses who want licensed games have to think through the cost/reward options before they opt for them. For a company that has no history of making RPGs, it's a bit of a risk.

I just happen to recall the faces of the WotC team when news broke at a con way back in the early 2000s when Paramount pulled the license from under them. These big companies can sometimes act so swiftly and ruthlessly, that small RPG companies can barely get a breath.

 

[Morrus]

FFG has a license that covers miniatures, card games and board games as well as the RPG. The RPG section is not the major money spinner in that licence, but they can make enough money from it to make it worth including it in their overall package.

Green Ronin maintains their Mutants & Masterminds brand alongside it's DC RPG, despite it being almost entirely identical as a game. If the license is lost, they still have business contingencies. May I also introduce you to the Marvel Heroic Roleplaying game that was created by Margaret Weis Games on license, but had the rug pulled out from under them in less than a year.

I'm not saying that licensed games can't be successful, but the tendency is that they are often shorter lived than other RPGs and they don't usually make as much money as other game mediums. As such, businesses who want licensed games have to think through the cost/reward options before they opt for them. For a company that has no history of making RPGs, it's a bit of a risk.

I just happen to recall the faces of the WotC team when news broke at a con way back in the early 2000s when Paramount pulled the license from under them. These big companies can sometimes act so swiftly and ruthlessly, that small RPG companies can barely get a breath.

Ah, No True Scotsman, eh? Been a while!

 

[TrippyHippy]

I await with interest whether there will be any new Star Trek RPG (ever). It just it won't be with bated breath.