Archetype Entertainment, a branch of Wizards of the Coast, the same folks behind Dungeons & Dragons, made an exciting announcement this Wednesday. They’re bringing a tabletop RPG to life for their original AAA sci-fi game, Exodus. With Hasbro’s CEO, Chris Cock, mentioning plans to roll out one or two games annually in upcoming years, Exodus is gearing up for its big moment.
The project’s being led by a talented group of former BioWare developers, known for legendary titles like Baldur’s Gate, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and the Mass Effect series. Exodus made its grand debut with a spectacular cinematic trailer featuring none other than Matthew McConaughey, unveiled during The Game Awards 2023. This game promises to breathe fresh life into the sci-fi RPG genre by exploring the intriguing impact of time dilation in space travel, a theme that’s been buzzing since Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar, which explains the McConaughey connection. However, despite the initial buzz, details about the game have been scarce, with fans mostly treated to articles about the expansive universe and the talent behind it, and an in-universe novel by Peter F. Hamilton hitting shelves earlier this year.
As for the tabletop RPG, it’s being introduced as a “special limited time offer” for those signing up for Archetype’s “founders” email list by December 10. Joining doesn’t guarantee you a copy, but rather a chance to buy an early edition of the rulebook. The specifics on this game remain a mystery. What we do know is that it’s the brainchild of Exodus developer James Ohlen, who brought us gems like Baldur’s Gate 1 and 2, Neverwinter Nights, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Beyond a cover image and a few broad points—like diving into the Exodus universe, becoming “the Traveler,” and dealing with time dilation—there’s little clarity on what the gameplay will be like.
Launching a tabletop RPG alongside a big IP game is becoming a trend to stir excitement for crowdfunded campaigns or preorders, as seen with the Neopets RPG raising substantial funds even before explaining its mechanics on Kickstarter.
It’s still uncertain if this ambitious AAA venture will succeed, but given that it’s Wizards of the Coast’s first non-D&D tabletop RPG since Gamma World, the Exodus TTRPG universe is largely a blank slate right now.
Exodus is set to launch on PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X, although the release date remains unannounced.
