Those of you that know me know Zombies aren’t my thing but if you’re a fan of The Walking Dead and RPG’s then I have some exciting news for you! The Walking Dead Universe RPG is a co-production between AMC Networks and Free League Publishing, the award-winning tabletop publisher, is live on Kickstarter and has already reached its initial funding goal.
The game is set in the post-apocalyptic world of The Walking Dead, where you play as a survivor struggling to survive against all odds and offers two ways to play: Campaign Mode and Survival Mode. In Campaign Mode, you create the storyline through your group’s goals and choices, while in Survival Mode, you are faced with a dangerous situation that needs to be handled immediately.
The game’s mechanics are based on the Year Zero Engine, used in Free League’s award-winning games such as the ALIEN RPG, Blade Runner RPG, Tales From the Loop, Mutant: Year Zero, and Forbidden Lands. However, it’s been uniquely tailored to fit the world of The Walking Dead.
What makes this game unique is that it not only challenges you to hone your physical skills but also explore who you truly are as a character. What drives you to go on? What do you consider worth fighting for, and what are you capable of doing in the best and worst of times? Expect the stress and stakes to be high as you explore the unforgiving, post-apocalyptic world of the dead.
The Kickstarter campaign is running through a long list of stretch goals, such as an Atlanta area map, custom dice, a threat meter, adventure maps, pre-generated characters based on the TV series, and a solo mode, with more on the way. All backers that make a pledge within 24 hours of the campaign launch will receive a bonus art print of the cover art by artist Martin Grip. This only applies to pledge levels including physical rewards.
If you’re a hardcore fan of the franchise, the game offers a chance to explore your own stories in The Walking Dead Universe. The Free League team is working closely with key people behind the franchise, including Chief Content Officer of The Walking Dead Universe, Scott M. Gimple. The RPG series will introduce new story elements while drawing inspiration from the current series and upcoming spin-offs.
Free League co-founders Tomas Härenstam and Mattias Johnsson Haake, along with Nils Hintze as lead writer, Gustaf Ekelund and Martin Grip as lead artists, and Genuine Entertainment’s Joe LeFavi as producer and brand manager on the game series, are all working together to make this game an amazing experience for the players.
The Walking Dead Universe RPG Kickstarter Chat is also scheduled for Wednesday, March 15 at 12:00 PM ET/9 AM PT/5 PM CET. You can join the Q&A session with Free League game director Mattias Johnsson Haake and producer and brand manager Joe LeFavi to chat about The Walking Dead Universe RPG and get your questions answered by the community. So, what are you waiting for? Back the Kickstarter campaign now and get ready to explore the world of The Walking Dead like never before. Fight the dead. Fear the living!
For more news and previews, head over to thewalkingdead-rpg.com, or to The Walking Dead Universe RPG Kickstarter to back the campaign here and let me know if you’re going to be backing the project and what excites you about it below or in our Community Discord.