Archetype Entertainment, a branch of Wizards of the Coast, the folks behind Dungeons & Dragons, just revealed some exciting news: a tabletop RPG experience for their upcoming AAA sci-fi game, Exodus. This announcement comes on the heels of Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks’ comments to Bloomberg spotlighting plans to launch one to two games annually in the next few years. It looks like Exodus is gearing up for its moment in the spotlight.
Guided by a team of former BioWare veterans, the names behind classics like Baldur’s Gate, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and the Mass Effect series, Exodus made its splashy entry with a cinematic trailer graced by none other than Matthew McConaughey during The Game Awards 2023. The trailer teased a fresh take on the sci-fi RPG realm, pondering the effects of time dilation during space travel. This seems to echo the deep fascination spurred by Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar, which explains the McConaughey appearance. Though details on the game itself have been sparse, fans have been treated to a peek into the rich world and the talented team behind Exodus, with an in-universe novel by Peter F. Hamilton hitting the shelves earlier this year.
The tabletop game’s rollout comes with a unique twist: it’s a “special limited time offer” for those eager to join Archetype’s “founders” email list. Sign up by December 10, and you might get the chance to snag an early edition of the rulebook. Details about the tabletop RPG are largely under wraps, aside from knowing it’s crafted by James Ohlen, renowned for titles like Baldur’s Gate 1 & 2, Neverwinter Nights, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. All we have is a tantalizing cover image, some hints about exploring the universe of Exodus, stepping into the shoes of “the Traveler”, and tackling time dilation. The specifics of gameplay remain a mystery.
Launching a tabletop RPG alongside a big-title game is becoming a trend, seemingly to build momentum around crowdfunding or preorder drives. Take the Neopets RPG, for example, which garnered tons of support—and cash—on Kickstarter without sharing much on gameplay mechanics upfront.
Whether this high-stakes investment will pay dividends remains uncertain. Notably, this is Wizards of the Coast’s first venture into non-D&D tabletop games since Gamma World. So far, the anticipation around the Exodus tabletop game is more about potential than reality.
Exodus is set to launch on PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X. As of now, no specific release date has been announced.
