Steve Jackson Games Announces Munchkin Paranoia

Steve Jackson Games announced Munchkin Paranoia, a new core set for the Munchkin card game based on the RPG Paranoia that seems like a thematic perfect match. This set will follow the standard Munchkin rules with a bit of tweaking to better reflect Friend Computer and the Alpha Complex. Races will be replaced with mutations, classes with secret societies, levels become security clearance color-coding, and monsters will be (mostly) fellow citizens of Alpha Complex. Steve Jackson himself will take on writing duties for the set while the art will be done by veteran Munchkin artist John Kovalic.

From the announcement:

I have been a Paranoia fan since the very first edition, and I am absolutely delighted to be working on this project. Of all the RPGs ever created, Paranoia is hands down the one that I wish I had worked on, and now I can!† A lot of the cards will write themselves. A lot of the rest, I can steal! And, of course, I will. What would a game of Paranoia be without Hot Fun, Cold Fun, and Bouncy Bubble Beverage?

Invited to comment, World Famous Game Designer Greg Costikyan opined: "Munchkin. Paranoia. What could possibly go wrong? (Flees rapidly for cover.)"

† Mike, wherever you are, I hope you're proud!

While most Munchkin titles are general parodies of roleplaying games and there have been several licensed sets based on TV shows, comics, books, or other media; this marks only the third Munchkin set licensed directly from a roleplaying game following Munchkin Pathfinder and Munchkin Starfinder.

Munchkin Paranoia is currently scheduled for a release in late 2024.

 

[MGibster]

Again, maybe it's just the passage of time ... but the original Paranoia wasn't just a comedy game. And it wasn't just a fun setting.

I didn't know Paranoia was ever meant to be taken seriously. Oddly enough, it's one of those old school RPGs I have zero experience with. I saw Paranoia at the local game store, but nobody in my group played it or even owned it.

And speaking of the passage of time, who would have thought in 2003 that Munchkin would still be going strong in 2023? I got tired of the game a long, long time ago and haven't played since '07 or '08. Good for Steve Jackson Games, but I can't believe it's still so popular.

 

[overgeeked]

I didn't know Paranoia was ever meant to be taken seriously. Oddly enough, it's one of those old school RPGs I have zero experience with. I saw Paranoia at the local game store, but nobody in my group played it or even owned it.

It’s an absolute blast to play. The setting and gameplay are hilarious. If you get the chance you should try it.

And speaking of the passage of time, who would have thought in 2003 that Munchkin would still be going strong in 2023? I got tired of the game a long, long time ago and haven't played since '07 or '08. Good for Steve Jackson Games, but I can't believe it's still so popular.

Still going, yes. Not sure how strong at this point. The last time I cracked a Munchkin box was to play the Adventure Time set with my kid...a few months after the set came out. Haven’t touched any of them since.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

I didn't know Paranoia was ever meant to be taken seriously. Oddly enough, it's one of those old school RPGs I have zero experience with. I saw Paranoia at the local game store, but nobody in my group played it or even owned it.

I mean ... for various values of seriously. Paranoia is one of the funniest, and most fun, games ever, but it also was a satire of RPG tropes that existed at the same time.

The entire game was a sendup of RPGs and how people played them. The whole idea of zero-to-hero? Nope. It was zero-to-dead.

The players working together to adventure? HA HA. Nope. The players were working against each other.

The idea of an adventure as something you completed, or even solved? Again, no. Survival was success enough, and completing the mission? Naw,

Monsters that you fought against? The real monsters were the people in your party, and the other humans in the complex.

Finally, the Computer? Yeah, the Computer was the arbitrary "killer DM" that you could never please, sending you on missions that made no sense.

There was a lot of cleverness in the stupidity. The original Paranoia wasn't just a funny game, it was also a parody of the tropes and themes that were common in RPGs at that time.

 

[MGibster]

Still going, yes. Not sure how strong at this point. The last time I cracked a Munchkin box was to play the Adventure Time set with my kid...a few months after the set came out. Haven’t touched any of them since.

Like I said, I haven't played it in 15 or 16 years, but various versions of Munchkin have been continuously sold at my local gaming stores for more than twenty years now. It's even sold at Barnes & Noble. It's going pretty strong.

Monsters that you fought against? The real monsters were the people in your party, and the other humans in the complex.

Hell is other people.

In 2020, I was trying to decide whether to purchase Traveller or Paranoia. I got Traveller.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

In 2020, I was trying to decide whether to purchase Traveller or Paranoia. I got Traveller.

....and for your sins, you will be forever consigned to the circle of hell of people going, "Wait, is it one 'L' or two?"

Or should I say Hel????

 

[ProfessorDetective]

Neat. Having seen (but not owned) the Warhammer Fantasy, Warhammer 40,000, and Pathfinder adaptations, I have high hopes for this. Actually owned Bites, but never had anyone to play it with.

 

[MNblockhead]

Big fan of Paranoia. I like Munchkin for a quick and easy social game with friends and family. I might get this just for nolstalgia, I can't imagine that the game play will offer much more than classic Munchkin. Seems like I'll buy and play a couple times with friends and then sit on my shelf. But Munchkin games are not expensive. So, I'll probably get it.

 

[Achan hiArusa]

Isn't that just splat Paranoia?

 

[Maxperson]

....and for your sins, you will be forever consigned to the circle of hell of people going, "Wait, is it one 'L' or two?"

Or should I say Hel????

You called?