RIFTS Is Coming To SAVAGE WORLDS!

Palladium Books has licensed its Rifts roleplaying game to Pinnacle Entertainment Group in order to produce a Savage World version of the Rifts RPG. There's no date yet announced. Rifts is a multi-genre post-apocalyptic game which dates back to 1990.

Palladium's weekly update contained the first hints of this information:

Something new and exciting. In an effort to truly expand Rifts® across the Megaverse®, in cooperation with Palladium Books, another role-playing game company is currently adapting the Rifts® Earth setting to that company’s RPG system of rules, as well as producing adventure sourcebooks. This is only the second time in Palladium’s history that an outside company will create new game material under a different set of rules. Rumor Squashing: No, Palladium is NOT going to stop publishing Rifts®, nor change to a completely different set of rules. Far from it. In fact, Palladium expects to release six new Rifts® titles in 2015 and 98% of all Rifts® titles are in stock and available for purchase right now! The idea is that by offering Rifts® via another game company’s set of popular rules it creates a parallel dimension of gaming enjoyment. An expanding Megaverse®, if you will. This is a bit of an experiment, but we are excited to see how it all unfolds.
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And today PEG issued a press release:

News from Pinnacle Entertainment Group

For Immediate Release--April 21, 2015

Pinnacle Entertainment Group announced today the development of Rifts for Savage Worlds, their award-winning tabletop roleplaying game system.

Pinnacle released a mock cover, using art from Palladium’s 2005 Rifts Ultimate Edition with permission. The cover artist for the book was Scott Johnson.

“We are thrilled to follow up Kevin’s post with this announcement that we do, indeed, have the license to develop Rifts for Savage Worlds,” said Savage Worlds creator Shane Hensley. “We are early in the process, but anticipate having a core rulebook for the setting released in time for Christmas.”

The Palladium Books Weekly Update--April 19, 2015, written by Kevin Siembieda, recently made mention of a new roleplaying game system for the beloved setting:

“In an effort to truly expand Rifts® across the Megaverse®, in cooperation with Palladium Books, another role-playing game company is currently adapting the Rifts® Earth setting to that company’s RPG system of rules, as well as producing adventure sourcebooks.”

Rifts is an exciting multi-genre post-apocalypse game that began publishing in 1990. Featuring elements of everything from cyberpunk and fantasy to mecha and mythology, Rifts has always been Siembieda's vision of a game with everything for everyone, tied together with a strong narrative.

"I'm really excited to see what Rifts will look like in the Savage Worlds system," said Siembieda. "The Savage fans are great folks, and I think Rifts is going to be an amazing amount of fun for them, letting them explore all the possibilities of both the system and the setting."

Savage Worlds was created by Shane Lacy Hensley. Savage Worlds and the Pinnacle logo are all trademarks of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. For more information, visit www.peginc.com or contact Jodi Black, Marketing Manager for Pinnacle, at PEGJodi@gmail.com. More about Palladium and the Rifts setting can be found on their website here: http://www.palladiumbooks.com/.
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[Stacie GmrGrl]

I wouldn't mind if people more knowledgeable about SW told me I am wrong about SW and how it handles various power sources.

 

[Morrus]

Any release date accounced?

The answer to this question is carefully hidden in the second sentence of the above news article.

 

[darjr]

Shane of pinnacle has said its an entire line and the core sw book will be needed.

 

[Obvious_Ninja]

Wow... I like SW a lot. I did think the rules a bit thin on certain points but for RIFTS I think this will work very well... Really looking forward to this...

 

[Eminence_Grise]

You expected me to read up to the second sentence? I find your abundance of faith disturbing.

 

[Matchstick]

Interesting that as darjr said it's intended to be line of books, and not just one. Seems like a good thing to me. Here's what Shane said on RPGNet

Hi all,

Shane with Pinnacle here. I don't post a lot on RPG.NET but since most of you have been very kind and supportive I wanted to say a few quick words. Most any other information we give out in the future will be on our own forums--thanks for understanding.

So first off, it is a *line*, not a single book. We hope to explore many corners of the Rifts universe, and should have plenty of time and space to do it.

We aren't talking about the rules development at this time, but since Savage Worlds (in our obviously biased opinion) handles everything from gritty cop stories to four-color superheroes, we're feeling very good about Rifts' development.

Third, I love Fate, M&M, and many of the other systems you guys and gals advocated. Those are all AWESOME and we gamers are truly blessed to have so many amazing choices these days. I *truly* play and run everything, though of course Savage Worlds is my favorite.

The game *will* require the Savage Worlds core rules--it won't be a stand alone product.

We're very happy to be working with Kevin Siembieda. He's been gracious, encouraging, and awesome from the start.

Finally, we're happy to be working with Sean Patrick Fannon and Ross Watson on this. Sean got the ball rolling, Ross handles most of the project management, and the two of them together are creating something I think Rifts fans will find both familiar and different enough to open up new tales and adventures. Savage Worlds fans who haven't experienced Rifts will get to walk in one of the most rich, detailed, and over-the-top settings ever released. So we think this is a win-win and can't wait to show you our work.

All the best to everyone.

Shane Hensley
Pinnacle

Also, I thought this was kind of cool. Here's a post from SPF way back in 2009, looking for Savage Worlds/Rifts ideas. He's obviously been interested in doing this for quite a while!

http://www.peginc.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22570&sid=311d33613ecd6b30cb10536aed11bef2

 

[AverageCitizen]

Wait, what? I thought Paladium got gutted by some internal conflict (borderline white-collar crime) like, 10 years ago. When did they get back on their feet?

 

[KirayaTiDrekan]

Wait, what? I thought Paladium got gutted by some internal conflict (borderline white-collar crime) like, 10 years ago. When did they get back on their feet?

They did a bit of a fundraising campaign, selling art prints and such, as I recall, until they could back on their feet. Shortly after that they reacquired the Robotech RPG license and have been pretty steady since then.

 

[Sean Patrick Fannon]

To Shane's big message on RPG.NET, I'll just add that I really appreciate the excitement, the enthusiasm, and the support, but now I need to put my head back down and finish the design and writing of this thing you're all wanting to see. We know how important it is to stay connected with you, and we'll be sharing more information down the road, I promise. There are quite a few more bricks to lay on this road before we start rolling traffic down it, though.

So lock that drum feed into your rail gun, call up those eldritch forces from the nearby ley line, and get ready for the great adventures to come!

 

[MindMelterDLX]

Long time fan of Rifts, spent 100s on the game and put up with release date delays by Palladium Books more times than Rifter has issues. I ran most everything with New West + Spirit West with a with a heavy undertone of dark conspiracy found Dark Fantasy the imminent war in the setting between Tolkeen and the CS.

I apologize for the length of this Post (my first) but if I did not care ... it would not post.

I have played SvW in a Victorian Age with Space Travel .

*Savage Worlds = SvW

MDC: There are just easier ways of dealing with massive damage resistance. MDC weapons are hand-held military grade weapons (all of them) and can and will kill almost any PC except Psions who may be able to predict the attack before it happens.

Taming the MDC Beast (Rifts): I am surprised that any Savage Worlds designer would be excited about the prospect of redesigning a stagnant and contradicting mess of unbalanced OCC/Class rules that support individual self-sufficient gaming instead of a team dynamic where you not only should but have to depend on others.

Keeping the "spirit"of this cross-genre eerily familiar though alien Rifts Earth is easy enough, the writing is already there since the 90s though the best talent like CJ Carella have long since left to pursue their own games.

Translating the Rifts rules into 10-12 progressive and mechanically sound classes (there are hundreds!) while keeping close to a balanced for the sake of co-operative play instead of munchkin play seems a DC 40 task. Having worked on my own House Rules to say the least as has Hoops and some other creative fans. Good luck with that, SvW.

The average 1st level Rifts characters would be considered 5th to 10th+ taking into account multi-million credit vehicles, munitions, gear, powers, etc in almost every game I have played including Mutants and Masterminds 1e, 2e, and 3e.

Personally, I just can't see Rifts fans being happy about their base stats changing to 1d4 (yes 1d4, 1d6 and if you are lucky 1d8 and 1d10). My character could only afford 3-4 skills skills at rank 1-2, one feat (so useful I had difficulty selecting). Any skill you do not have is automatically a 1d4 roll with a -2 modifier. Given these rules you are better off having a 1d6 in your skills and abilities as it is easier to roll a 4,5,6 on a d6 then a d8 or d10.

Like many DnD fans, I was sour about the loss of many feats and power combos afforded by multi-classing in 3.5E. However, from my playing experience in Savage Worlds; it is the very antitheses of Rifts RPG norm.

Rifts Savage Worlds out by Xmas:
If they hope to have a book out my Xmas 2015, I think I know what to expect.

A thin book that capatures the theme but not the SPIRIT of what is was like to play and run the game from me and many fans.

Alternatively, they can give us a book rife with token reprinted art and NPC stat blocks (much much shorter), excerpts from NPC fan favorites like Tarn, Thorpe, etc.

Character creation SvW: Took 15-25 minutes, less for those familiar with the system (not unlike BootHill). The options I was considering would have been auto in most other games I play.

If you manage to have any character creation points left to get an ability it will be like have a character with 3-4 regular skills at 1-3 ranks and a feat when compared to any d20 game. It is said that Savage Worlds is a pro-story RPG that does not to over-gift on powers, gear and abilities.

I just can't see fans of the Rifts RPG roaring for more. They will be roaring though.

Closing thoughts:
d20 Apocalype seems a better choice for gritty PA world loving fans since it incorporates both psionics and mutations into any character build using a point system you can increase with Feats or GM leveling rewards. This sounds more closely in tune with iconic Rifts fan favorites classes like Psi-Stalkers (revised) and Dog Boys.

Ideally however, if the unbalanced power levels innate to the Rifts RPG have to be kept in check it would be with rules put out by Green Ronin (Mutants and Mastrerminds 2e or 3e) or Star Wars Saga (neither is a viable option due to new directions and licencing).

A Savage Worlds mechanics Rifts-themed game will undoubtedly not be what fans are expecting. Perhaps it will more closely resemble the new Mad Max movie scheduled to release later this year. Will long-time Rifts fans survive the alien intelligence possession?

I hope I am wrong and it is terrific.