The Fantasy Trip outsells GURPS in 2019?

[darjr]

From Shannon Appelcline's article he points out that

• The Fantasy Trip ('70s) has been back for a couple years now, but what's notable is that it outsold GURPS, based on Steve Jackson's full-year 2019 report.

 

[Fenris-77]

That's crazy pants.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Shiny New Thing (for most gamers), supported by a huge kickstarter campaign, supported by nostalgia. I am not surprised.

 

[MGibster]

I don't find that particularly surprising given that GURPS isn't nearly as popular as it once was. I wish it were, I like the system, but my players have threatened to hang my by my heels if I ever imposed it on them again.

 

[ccs]

Yeah, but exactly how high a bar does GURPS set sales wise?

 

[Ace]

From Shannon Appelcline's article he points out that

• The Fantasy Trip ('70s) has been back for a couple years now, but what's notable is that it outsold GURPS, based on Steve Jackson's full-year 2019 report.

That's crazy pants.

That boxed set raised a lot of money and its funding bled into 2019. TFT is also is well supported for such a new game and scratches a lot of itches being OSR, GURPS-like and simple enough in its rules for modern tastes , a bit more than say Tiny D6 but much less than D&D.

As a GURPS guy its very high on my list of excellent games and I can use my hex maps.

Melee can be had free on Drivethru if you want to try the combat system

 

[Ace]

I don't find that particularly surprising given that GURPS isn't nearly as popular as it once was. I wish it were, I like the system, but my players have threatened to hang my by my heels if I ever imposed it on them again.

I feel ya. My group abandoned the tender embraces of GURPS for Monster of the Week.

 

[darjr]

I was a HUgE GURPS fan but the complexity isn’t my fav. I drifted away in 3rd and only played 4th a few times. I always loved the simple original boxed set of GURPS.

I didn’t know melee was free. Gotta try it.

 

[Retreater]

Sort of like being surprised when 5e outsold 4e?

 

[Ace]

Sort of like being surprised when 5e outsold 4e?

It would be closer to AD&D outselling 5E.

The Fantasy Trip the last book really dates from 1983. Melee from 1979 IIRC

GURPS , well Man to Man which is a slightly trimmed combat version would come out in 1985 soon after SJ found out he couldn't get TFT back from Metagaming for any reasonable amount of money.

It worked out best for him anyway. High complexity and realism were the fashion in that period and GURPS developed a reputation as the go to books for historical reference as well.

Now Steve Jackson (the American one not the UK one) is a very disciplined man and after the copyright expired he put TFT back into production. Made good money too.

To my way of thinking the quintessential SJ games experience would be The Fantasy Trip, Hex Maps and Cardboard Heroes along with snacks and a few D6. Its good for short games and campaigns though TFT isn't great for games that go one for years.