Modiphius' Conan TTRPG Is Ending

At the end of this year, Modiphius' license to publish the 2d20-powered Conan: Adventures in an Age Undreamed Of is coming to an end. Taking over with a new roleplaying game will be French publisher Monolith Edition, which already produces the official boardgame.

While the license ends on December 31st, you will still be able to buy existing stock until the end of June 2023.

Other Conan games include Mongoose Publishing's Conan: The Roleplaying Game, which used the d20 System back in 2004, TSR's Conan Roleplaying Game in 1985, and even 1984 D&D adventure modules called Conan Unchained! and Conan Against Darkness!

MONOLITH HANDED THE CONAN ROLEPLAYING GAME LINE FROM MODIPHIUS FOR NEW EXCITING ROLEPLAYING STORIES IN THE HYBORIAN AGE!

“When we first started exploring Robert E. Howard’s world of Conan, little did we imagine the full expanse of what was to come. It’s been an incredible journey working with top Conan scholars, talented writers and artists who gave their all to dig deep into the Conan stories and bring them to life in a truly authentic way.” Said Chris Birch, Chief Creative Officer of Modiphius Entertainment. “Now with twenty beautiful hardback books to our name and numerous beautiful accessories, we are ready to call time on our journeys across Hyboria. We’ve reached the point where we feel like we have done justice to REH’s words, delivered some incredible Conan swords & sorcery gaming, and reached the ends of the Hyborian world in every direction we could imagine. It’s time to pass on the mantle to new hands who can tell a new story in the Hyborian age!”

The roleplaying game line, under licence from Heroic Signatures (Formally Cabinet Entertainment), will end on Dec 31st, no more re-stocks are being ordered, and all stock will be sold by June 30th 2023.

If you’ve been waiting to pick up one of the books, now is your chance, either from retail or from the US or UK-based webstores. Get them while you can!

Matthew John, Conan Board Game Developer for Monolith added “For 8 years now, Conan, Heroic Signatures and Monolith have been treading the lands of Robert E. Howard’s Hyborian Age, finding grand inspiration for our products. Our board game, which rallied tens of thousands of players, was soon joined by a great role-playing game, thanks to Modiphius, who did a fantastic job diving deep into this exciting setting. As fans, we’ll be forever grateful to Modiphius for their work and our collaborations on Conan.

We’ve said it before, Howard's stories are part of Monolith’s DNA, and so we happily accepted Heroic Signatures’ offer to develop our own Conan roleplaying game–one we can infuse with our passion and unique creative vision. While we prepare our next Conan board game project, which will offer new, long-awaited features next year, we wanted to let fans know it is not the only Conan game we’re bringing to the table–or rather, your tables.

So…Monolith will bring back the Conan board game, then an all-new role-playing game! And who knows–it’s certainly possible that our admiration for Robert E.Howard's work will lead us beyond the borders of the Hyborian Age.

Stay tuned, Conan fans; we’re just getting started”.

 

[Von Ether]

I think that a large part of the reason for this comes from the IP holder.

R.E. Howard's Conan goes full tilt public domain in 2028. (It's already public domain in some European countries, I know that Chuck Dixon is doing new Conan stories for a Italian based webcomics publisher.)

They have a less than a 6 year window to maximize profits for the Conan IP.

So in 2029 we'll get a slasher flick a Conan's name on it? A modern day dude who wears a loincloth when he goes on a murder spree?
(That's is what just happened to Winnie the Pooh and another IP that went public domain this year)

And don't tell the Lorraine Williams and the rest of the Flint family, I think they are still beating that Buck Rogers horse. And that hero is not even remotely on the same level of recognition as Conan.

 

[agrayday]

It's a damn shame. Modiphus' Conan was the closest to the source material of any tabletop rendition. Its protagonists felt like Hyborian adventurers from word go and the lose armor to avoid taking a wound bit really emulated Howard's combat scenes. Also, the supplements were immaculately sourced. That said there is a literal mountain of material for Conan 2d20.

How popular was the 2D20 system with Conan? I know lots of people who purchased the books for information and art more than playing the game. Online reviewers didn't seem to favor the system or how it was presented for play. I saw several games in our area start up but end pretty quick.

 

[MGibster]

So in 2029 we'll get a slasher flick a Conan's name on it? A modern day dude who wears a loincloth when he goes on a murder spree?

<announcer voice>They thought they were in for some live action role playing. Nobody told them, that for one player, it isn't a role.</announcer voice>

 

[Bayushi_seikuro]

How popular was the 2D20 system with Conan? I know lots of people who purchased the books for information and art more than playing the game. Online reviewers didn't seem to favor the system or how it was presented for play. I saw several games in our area start up but end pretty quick.

This is my question too. I'm sure 2d20 must be making money or else you wouldn't see so many variations on it.

My personal problem as an Old is that there's only so much energy to burn learning (or attempting) new systems, especially ones that are drastically different from ones you've used before or don't come from designers you know and trust. I've tried looking at 2d20 and it may sound weird, but I just can't grok it (at least when I looked at Star Trek)

 

[grimslade]

Conan as an IP still has legs. FunCom has leased the digital rights for a long time. From the Age of Conan MMO to Conan Exiles (which just got an update yesterday), to the bizarre but fun retro Conan Chop Chop. The R.E. Howard stories are still in print. There is a new show coming out for Netflix. Sadly, King Conan with Arnold will never come to pass, but it would pop up in almost every interview with Arnold.
So while the details of Conan might be fuzzy to younger generations, he is still the archetype of the burly barbarian. I wish Monolith well in their new TTRPG

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Arnold as King Conan would have been amazing. The Marvel Comics, for those who never read them, are, IMO, among the franchise's best stories.

 

[MGibster]

Arnold as King Conan would have been amazing. The Marvel Comics, for those who never read them, are, IMO, among the franchise's best stories.

I read the first issue a few years back. There's a scene where Conan cuts a dude's hand off and notices a large ruby ring on one of the fingers. Conan sees that the hand is still moving, comes to the conclusion that the ring is magical, and despite being flat broke and in severe need of cash, basically says, "%$#@ it! No way in hell am I going to mess with that kind of sorcery" and he just leaves it in the street. Very much an anti-D&D moment for me.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

The most of players would rather to learn only one or two game systems, no more three. The little fishes in the TTRPG industry can't allow the risk of game systems hard to be learnt.

If you want to spend your money, earned after days of hard work, to buy crunch (new powers or magic items) then you would rather the most popular games. If you want lore, then you can read lots of fandom wikis.

Conan can't be like the rest of D&D multiverse, because in those stories the main characters don't trust magic, and only the villains are really powerful spellcasters. And there is only humans, nothing about elves, dwarves and company.

Spoiler: in the end of the Hyrborian age the cosmic cataclysm caused some lands and zones appeared in the island of Fortnite: Battle Royal, or within the D&D multiverse.

* The first movie of Conan with Arnold Schwarzenegger was special because there was a contrast between the pragmatism, cynicism and simplicity of Conan and the concerns and spirituality of other characters.

 

[Yora]

I read the first issue a few years back. There's a scene where Conan cuts a dude's hand off and notices a large ruby ring on one of the fingers. Conan sees that the hand is still moving, comes to the conclusion that the ring is magical, and despite being flat broke and in severe need of cash, basically says, "%$#@ it! No way in hell am I going to mess with that kind of sorcery" and he just leaves it in the street. Very much an anti-D&D moment for me.

There is also the scene where Conan is crucified in a desert and when a vulture lands on his shoulder to peck at his throat, he bites the bird in the neck and drinks its blood to survive a few hours more!

The most metal thing ever put to page.

 

[MGibster]

There is also the scene where Conan is crucified in a desert and when a vulture lands on his shoulder to peck at his throat, he bites the bird in the neck and drinks its blood to survive a few hours more!

The most metal thing ever put to page.

I remember that from the movie, but not the comic. I wouldn't doubt it if it had been in the comic first though.