Licensed RPGs

[Endless Flight]

.I was running a Star Wars game in BRP once and I had them find the Galactica …

 

[David Johansen]

Yeah, that's what they said. The only harder NOPE I ever got was the time I was running StarWars d6 and had them come across a badly damaged star destroyer that was broadcasting a distress call. The captain hailed the PCs and said, "be careful, they're still out there!" The PCs didn't stick around to find out "they" were Palladium's Mechanoids. Next week I wasn't even the GM.

 

[Rob Necronomicon]

Wasn't there a Blake 7 RPG too in the 80s?

I think there was some unofficial fan-made one floating about if I remember correctly. But that would be a cool game if done right.

PS - I think it may be this one but it's not official per se (AFAIK).

Blake's 7 Role-Playing Game

From the Overview: The book you are now reading is a set of rules for recreating and portraying the setting of Blake's 7. Using them, you can take on the roles of characters from the BBC television science-fiction series, usually as rebels or fugitives from the oppressive Federation. Players...

rpggeek.com

 

[Teyrnon]

1970's - 1980's

Flash Gordon & The Warriors of Mongo (1977) is the earliest licensed RPG I know of
Star Trek: Adventure Gaming in the Final Frontier (1978)
Dallas (1980)
Call of Cthulhu (1981)
Star Trek (1982)
James Bond, 007 (1983)
Ringworld (1983)
ElfQuest (1984)
Marvel Superheroes (1984)
MERP (1984)
Conan: The Role-Playing Game (1985)
DC Heroes (1985)
Doctor Who (1985)
Judge Dredd (1985)
Masters of the Universe (1985)
Stormbringer (1985)
TMNT & Other Strangeness (1985)
Ghostbusters (1986)
Robotech (1986)
Star Wars (1987)
Batman (1988)
Rocky & Bullwinkle (1988)
Willow (1988)
Judge Dredd: The Role-Playing Game (1989)
Prince Valiant (1989)

I don't see TSR's The Adventures of Indiana Jones or those 2001 and 2010 modules for Star Frontiers on this list.

 

[sharps54]

also The Lawnmower Man The Virtual Reality Roleplaying Game (1992), The Princess Bride (2019) and Zorro: The Roleplaying Game (2020)

 

[sharps54]

If you are doing modules don’t forget Mayfair Games’ The Keep (1984)

 

[Gabriel]

I think Cyberpunk 2020 had a module licensed off a novel series?

When Gravity Fails

 

[sharps54]

I think Cyberpunk 2020 had a module licensed off a novel series?

When Gravity Fails

Also on Hardwired.

 

[EmperorNorton]

I actually wouldn't have that problem with comic books. Both Marvel and DC have canon alternative timelines and they retcon stuff all the time anyway, so you can actually do almost anything you want.

Yeah, any time I run in the Marvel world I explicitly tell players at the start "This is not Earth-616 or any of the established Earth's from the comics. I'm going to broadly take things I like from various versions and ignore things I don't. If you have any questions that would be relevant when working up your backstory or otherwise about various lore stuff just ask me"

 

[David Johansen]

I ran a 616 campaign a couple years ago. It featured Transformers, Dire Wraiths, Magnus, The Magnus, Gilgamesh, and any other oddball and obscure thing I could dream up.

 

[RangerRupert]

For whatever reason, it seems like players are more likely to nitpick canon for some settings (e.g., Star Wars, Middle-Earth) than others (e.g., Marvel, Doctor Who). Maybe it has to do with the IP's fandom in general, not just the RPG aspect of it?

 

[David Johansen]

I think there's settings with tight and loose canon. I mean really, is there anything that hasn't been true at some point in the Marvel universe?

 

[JAMUMU]

I think there's settings with tight and loose canon. I mean really, is there anything that hasn't been true at some point in the Marvel universe?

Back in the early days I used to start Marvel and DCH games in the canonically correct universe, but that was always just a starting point from which the mayhem would ensue. I've never known a GM or player who insisted on comic-book canon being respected throughout a game. That way lies madness!

 

[Toadmaster]

My primary interest in licensed games is the background material which can be snagged to run with the system of my choice. If the games rules happen to fit the setting well, that is just a bonus. I think this also comes back to a limitation of licensed games, what do you do once the core is done? With some settings there is enough material to take a deeper dive and offer more focused books, area guides, star ship guides, culture books etc but really there is a limit unless a license holder is very hands off.
Pretty soon you are down to semi generic adventure modules so the relatively short life span of licensed RPGs is often not a that great of a loss unless you fail to get in on it before the license is pulled. LotR is one that has repeatedly failed to go the distance, leaving important supplements on the to do list. The completest in me will always be irked that a Return of the King book was never completed for the Decipher edition.

I'm kind of surprised that there are not many video game to RPG licences. I know there are a couple, but it seems like the transition would be fairly easy and popular. Fallout, Halo, Half-life etc.

 

[NinjaWeasel]

I think FFG did a reasonable job of keeping Star Wars going for a while with lots to spend your money on but whoever takes that on in the future will have to deal with the doldrums Star Wars is in.

Asmodee owns FFG and Asmodee still has the Star Wars RPG licence. The licence was renewed not that long ago. The RPGs have switched over to being branded as belonging to one of Asmodee's other subsidiaries (Edge Studio) and the line will continue to be published for a few years yet.

 

[TristramEvans]

I don't see TSR's The Adventures of Indiana Jones or those 2001 and 2010 modules for Star Frontiers on this list.

added Indiana Jones to the '80's list

also The Lawnmower Man The Virtual Reality Roleplaying Game (1992), The Princess Bride (2019) and Zorro: The Roleplaying Game (2020)

Added Lawnmower Man to the 90s list, haven't done lists for 2010's or 2020's yet

 

[TristramEvans]

If you are doing modules don’t forget Mayfair Games’ The Keep (1984)

Modules section just added to the 1980's

 

[A Fiery Flying Roll]

2010's

The Dresden Files RPG (2010)
The Laundry (2010)
Leverage: The Role-Playing Game (2010)
Smallville RPG (2010)
Abney Park's Airship Pirates RPG (2011)
Mistborn Adventure Game (2011)
The One Ring (2011)
Primeval RPG (2012)
Star Wars: Edge of the Empire (2013)
The Goon (2017)
Conan: Adventures in an Age Undreamed Of (2018)
The Princess Bride (2019)



(this list needs work)

I believe the Gor RPG is an official license.

 

[Imaginos]

Did we get The Black Company on the list?

 

[TristramEvans]

Did we get The Black Company on the list?

yep, 2004

 

[Ladybird]

For whatever reason, it seems like players are more likely to nitpick canon for some settings (e.g., Star Wars, Middle-Earth) than others (e.g., Marvel, Doctor Who). Maybe it has to do with the IP's fandom in general, not just the RPG aspect of it?

I think it's an example of fans having just as much respect for "canon" as the authors do. Star Wars used to have official tiers for how canon EU stuff was, Middle-Earth only has one author anyway, but Marvel love a retcon or an AU and Doctor Who canon has always explicitly been made up as it goes along.

2010's

DC Adventures (2010)
The Dresden Files RPG (2010)
The Laundry (2010)
Leverage: The Role-Playing Game (2010)
Smallville RPG (2010)
Abney Park's Airship Pirates RPG (2011)
Mistborn Adventure Game (2011)
The One Ring (2011)
Primeval RPG (2012)
Star Wars: Edge of the Empire (2013)
The Goon (2017)
Tales of Gor (2017)
Conan: Adventures in an Age Undreamed Of (2018)
The Princess Bride (2019)

Lists for the list god, facts for the fact throne:

Valiant Universe (2014)
Atomic Robo (2015)
War of Ashes (2015)
WH40K : Wrath and Glory (2018)
My Little Pony : Tails of Equestria (2018)
Uprising (2019)
Alien (2019)
Dishonored (2020)
Dune : Adventures in the Imperium (2d21)
Dark Souls (2022)
Konosuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! TRPG (2022)

 

[A Fiery Flying Roll]

I think it's an example of fans having just as much respect for "canon" as the authors do. Star Wars used to have official tiers for how canon EU stuff was, Middle-Earth only has one author anyway, but Marvel love a retcon or an AU and Doctor Who canon has always explicitly been made up as it goes along.

Maybe [the Patrician in The Colour of Magic] was Vetinari, but written by a more stupid writer? - Terry Pratchett

 

[TristramEvans]

I've moved the Lists to a separate thread, so it's easier to view & edit them.

 

[Imaginos]

What about licenses of other RPGs? Are those counted? If so:

Savage Rifts
Rifts Manhunter

 

[TristramEvans]

What about licenses of other RPGs? Are those counted? If so:

Savage Rifts
Rifts Manhunter

I'm not going down that rabbithole myself

 

[Panzerkraken]

I think that the power of a license in RPGs to pull people in can pretty easily be shown with the success of the Avatar RPG Kickstarter. They pulled almost $10 million dollars out of assorted pockets for a PBTA game.

 

[lategamer]

Over on the big list thread, there's a Narnia RPG?

 

[TristramEvans]

Over on the big list thread, there's a Narnia RPG?

Yeah. Not in English I'm afraid - it was released in Germany in 2008, with no translation plans AFAIK

 

[A Fiery Flying Roll]

I think the closest you'll get is the Narnia Gamebooks.

 

[ffilz]

I've moved the Lists to a separate thread, so it's easier to view & edit them.

Should you move discussion posts from the other thread here and lock that thread? I posted there not realizing it was a new thread... These kinds of things seem to work best when there's a discussion thread and a (possibly locked) content thread.

 

[Rob Necronomicon]

I would have loved to have gotten my mitts on the Keep (module RPG) I had no idea it existed. I'm a massive fan of the book and movie.

 

[Imaginos]

Starcraft (Alternity)
Diablo (D&D)
Punkapocalyptic (SotDL system)

 

[TristramEvans]

was Diablo ever not D&D? I thought the original videogame was based on the AD&D 2nd edition rules

 

[3rik]

Punkapocalyptic (SotDL system)

Oh yeah, I guess this is licensed as well! I own this.

 

[Sosthenes]

was Diablo ever not D&D? I thought the original videogame was based on the AD&D 2nd edition rules

Only very roughly, if I remember correctly. Not the same stats, not the same classes (no clerics), energy points for magic instead of Vancian casting. Actually mostly good ideas ;)

 

[sharps54]

I would have loved to have gotten my mitts on the Keep (module RPG) I had no idea it existed. I'm a massive fan of the book and movie.

I am as well, I love the Adversary Cycle and Repairman Jack books so I couldn’t resist picking it up when I found out about it a few years ago. It bounces the party across three time periods including WW2 but be warned it is super railroady.

 

[Ladybird]

was Diablo ever not D&D? I thought the original videogame was based on the AD&D 2nd edition rules

No, it was always it's own thing; you might be thinking of Baldur's Gate et al?

 

[TristramEvans]

No, it was always it's own thing; you might be thinking of Baldur's Gate et al?

Possibly, I've never played either games

 

[E-Rocker]

I quite like the Mutant Chronicles movie. But I accept I am in a minority here. I remember going to see it at the cinema with a mixed group of gamer and non-gamer friends to see it. I came out of the movie theatre with a excited "Wasn't that the best ever?" sort of statement and they all looked at me with a "Did we just watch the same movie?" expression.

I bought the DVD anyway when it came out.

There's a Mutant Chronicles movie??

 

[A Fiery Flying Roll]

I think someone may have made a game out of the Dungeons and Dragons movie.