Renegade announces new editions of Transformers, GI Joe, and Power Rangers RPGs, using D&D 5.5E instead of Essence20

Renegade is ending support for its Essence20 game system, in favor of Dungeons & Dragons 5.5E. Today, Renegade announced it was planning on publishing new editions of its Transformers, GI Joe, and Power Rangers RPG systems. However, the new editions will not use the bespoke Essence20 game system created by Renegade. Instead, the new editions will use a modified version of Dungeons & Dragons 5.5E. Renegade will also release Essence20 to 5.5E conversion guides for free on their website at a later date. Update: Renegade said on their Discord that they were ending support for E20 releases because sales were insufficient to continue with the system.

Renegade will release a BackerKit crowdfunding campaign for the new games, with Transformers and GI Joe running first and a Power Rangers BackerKit coming at a later time.

The Essence20 line seems to have been popular for Renegade, as they've been publishing content for all three licensed properties (as well as My Little Pony) since 2022. All three properties are licensed by Hasbro, which of course also owns Wizards of the Coast, the maker of Dungeons & Dragons. One could speculate that Hasbro could have pushed for a change to their big games system, but one could also argue that Renegade is looking to expand their playerbase by switching from a bespoke game system to a system with a massive existing playerbase.

 

[mamba]

I did not say they were paying a license for 5.5.

you did not, but the person I responded to had

They probably now have to pay licence fees for both D&D 5.5 AND the IPs

and that was what I disagreed with

As for the rest, Hasbro is clearly expanding DDB.

yes, took them long enough

They already had plans to add both GI Joe and Transformers to Sigil. They will want them for DDB. They need it in 5.5, not essence to make that happen.

Did they? Never heard about that

I think that is the clear motive for the change. Sales will probably improve too, especially once it is on DDB.

we do not know whether it will be on DDB, but the reason to change the system is to improve sales, that much is clear

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

My opinion is the intention is to use 5.5 to create something like a Fortnite-like metaverse with space from different IPs. Of course this is a serious challenge for game designers because firearms and advanced technology can break power balance too easily.

Renegade Games Studios could use the 5.5 system as a hook or bait to get licences from other companies, for example Resident Evil. Here Hasbro links could help to knock certain doors. After these licences could be sold in D&D-Beyond. Or they could licenced franchises like Blizzard's Overwatch or Warcraft.

* Do you know? The licence of Terminator for Nightfall Games ended. I mean if Renegade Games got it they could publish a Terminator d20 RPG.

 

[Belen]

They did? I don't remember any news about WotC adding Renegade's Essence 20 games to the Sigil VTT.

They had a trailer for Sigil that featured Optimus Prime and Drizzt at one point. I cannot remember if GIJoe was in it too.

 

[sigfried]

I didn't hear that. Was it to do with the kerfluffle? Or something else?

The licenses simply had a sunset date of two years, and they decided not to renew them as they only ever planned a single book for most of the licenses. Such licenses usually require an up-front guarantee, so it's only worth renewing them if you plan to sell enough of books to cover that cost.

 

[Shades of Eternity]

I already own a lot of these books, so I guess I'll grab the conversion when the time comes.

I still stand by that they need to make a book called the toybox that treats the characters as toys, and you end up stating the rest of the toys as monsters or pcs.

Basically, Toy Story meets Small Soldiers

So yes, you can be attacked by hungry, hungry hippos.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

That may possible with the release of a new generation or reboot of the franchise "Micronauts". An animated show was produced but not released. The "oficial" answer is Hasbro awaits the action-live production.

These characters aren't "constructs" but living aliens with the size of an action figure.

Other option could be little constructs in a post-apocalyptic setting style Tim Burton 2009 movie "9"

How would be a reimagination of "Transformers: Botbots" where these little characters are in an abandoned mall center... until the arrival of survivors during a zombie apocalypse?

 

[aramis erak]

That may possible with the release of a new generation or reboot of the franchise "Micronauts". An animated show was produced but not released. The "oficial" answer is Hasbro awaits the action-live production.

There were comics, tho'. Micronauts was a helluva product line... in the 1970's.