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.

 

[darjr]

This isn't about licensing though, or they wouldn't be still using those IPs.

It may be they need to hit sales or revenue goals to keep the license and this is the plan to hit them.

 

[Belen]

Someone who if familiar: tell be about Essence 20. How does it work? How compatible is it with 5E 2014? Is it fun? Can you use one or all of those games to build, say, a post apocalyptic campaign?

It is a d20 core, but the Transformers one is fairly different. No classes, really, 4 attributes, hardpoints, essence points that make stats go up.

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

If they’re going the 5Engine route, I’d like to see them pick up Visionaries.

 

[Retreater]

Will knitting be a feat?

It's a free unlock at level up
Aside: my wife watched Demolition Man for the first time last night and loved it.

 

[R_J_K75]

Essence 20 while it reminded me of d20 in theory, in play it was pretty different. I played GI Joe and one problem I found, as with games like Shadowdark that resemble d20, I kept wanting it to, and kept trying to make it play like 5.x, and it just didn't. I found it lacking and seemed like it was released before it was complete. The character creation system was clunky and not very well written. I'm not a fan of D&D 5.5E so I'm curious how it will translate to GI Joe. I'll probably pick it up when it comes out.

 

[Reynard]

Essence 20 while it reminded me of d20 in theory, in play it was pretty different. I played GI Joe and one problem I found, as with games like Shadowdark that resemble d20, I kept wanting it to, and kept trying to make it play like d20, and it just didn't. I found it lacking and seemed like it was released before it was complete. The character creation system was clunky and not very well written. I'm not a fan of D&D 5.5E so I'm curious how it will translate to GI Joe. I'll probably pick it up when it comes out.

That last sentence came as something of a surprise given all that preceded it.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

As I hear from the MLP fans the franchise is in a dormancy period at the moment which'd explain it. Which is ironic as uh, technically I'd argue the MLP one would fit the most into D&D, as Ponyfinder proved over on the Pathfinder side. Magical horses kind of just works more with fantasy than robots, military, or more robots

The Tails of Equestria RPG, which preceded the MLP game, was my youngest's first RPG. I have a lot of problems with it -- the system falls apart pretty quickly with campaign play and the adventures are all really poorly written -- but the kid LOVED it.

I think as long as Friendship is Magic is on streaming -- so, effectively forever -- there will be an audience for this franchise as an RPG.

 

[R_J_K75]

That last sentence came as something of a surprise given all that preceded it.

Probably should have added that I think that D&D 5.5 is a more complete and realized ruleset. That's why I'll buy it to see if the game plays better.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

games like Shadowdark that resemble d20, I kept wanting it to, and kept trying to make it play like d20, and it just didn't.

Probably a question for another thread, but whaaa-?

I think you may have an idiosyncratic definition of what a d20 system is. Shadowdark definitely is and plays like one

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

For one, I know no one who plays them, so not really much to see. For another this happens frequently enough, licenses expire. Talisman Adventures disappeared and no one noticed (no one noticing that it exists is why it ultimately disappeared too…), Conan, LotR, and others lost their license with other licensees releasing new games. Not much was noticeable in those cases either

I get the impulse for the Talisman RPG. Some folks, especially Brits, have really strong feelings around the board game. So doing an RPG of it feels like it would be successful.

But in practice, people really just want the Talisman stuff codified into a setting, bestiary and collection of playable character types. If you must have a Talisman RPG book, make it a supplement for another RPG, because the audience isn't big enough to learn a bespoke system for it.

Ideally, it could be made for an existing UK fantasy RPG system. Advanced Fighting Fantasy seems like the closest fit mechanically and tonally, but Arion Games is a very small outfit.