Free RPG Day

Last updated

Free RPG Day is an annual promotional event by the tabletop role-playing game industry. [1] The event rules are fairly simple: participating publishers provide special free copies of games to participating game stores; the game store agrees to provide one free game to any person who requests a free game on Free RPG Day. [2]

Contents

History

Shannon Appelcline discussed the comic book Crisis in Raimiton (2004), which was "an 'Adventure Guide to D&D' that Wizards gave away on Free Comic Book Day '04. It told the story of gamers playing D&D , and then the story of the characters they created. Wizards' interest in the free giveaway foreshadowed the industry's interest in a free giveaway day of their own: Free RPG Day." [3] : 91  Appelcline noted that for the game distributor Impressions Advertising & Marketing, their "most successful advertising program is one that continues today: Free RPG Day. Beginning in 2007, Impressions has every year coordinated the give-away of original RPG products in game stores across the country, resulting in considerable buzz and interest in those products — which is exactly what Impressions, an advertising and marketing company, was looking for." [4] : 65 

Inspired by Free Comic Book Day, Free RPG Day was started in 2007. The event was coordinated worldwide by Impressions from 2007 until 2019 when Free RPG Day was acquired by the gaming retailer organization Gaming Days, which has coordinated the event since. [5]

Appelcline noted that "Goodman Games' last stand against the dying d20 market was Free RPG Day 2007. Where most companies were offering up a single product of variable quality, Goodman contributed three different books to Free RPG Day, each one of them a top-quality production." [4] : 90  Paizo Publishing previewed the new GameMastery Modules series with D0: Hollow's Last Hope (2007), which first appeared on June 23, 2007, as part of the initial Free RPG Day. [4] : 218  Flying Buffalo assembled quick-start editions for Tunnels & Trolls for the 2007, 2008, and 2011 Free RPG Days. [3] : 132  Margaret Weis Productions released the Castlemourn Cortex System Quickstart for the 2008 Free RPG Day but then shut down the game line. [6] : 349  Green Ronin previewed their first new role-playing game, A Song of Ice and Fire Roleplaying (2009), at Free RPG Day 2008. [4] : 36  Troll Lord Games presented a "quick start" version of Castles & Crusades at each Free RPG Day from 2007-2011 to draw in new players, and Troll Lord also previewed their science fiction role-playing game StarSIEGE: Event Horizon at Free RPG Day 2008. [4] : 50  Pinnacle Entertainment Group presented The Wild Hunt (2011) as a "Savage Worlds Test Drive" at the Free RPG Day 2011. [6] : 292 

Shannon Appelcline outlined that Columbia Games published two adventures for Free RPG Days, Field of Daisies in 2008 and Dead Weight in 2010, but noted that "the latter product was more a teaser than anything. Stores only received one copy of the adventure when they purchased a box of Free RPG Day products; Columbia has since started selling the rest of the print run — and even admonished websites that reviewed Dead Weight as a 'free' release. More recently they produced a map of Hârn (2012) for Free RPG Day 2012." [7] : 240–241 

Germany's first event was February 2, 2013; it included 9 games. The German version of Free RPG Day is called Gratisrollenspieltag, also known as Gratis Rollenspieltag. [8]

Participation

The industry participants include the publishers of the participating games, the event organizer which coordinates delivery of the free product to the stores, and the brick-and-mortar store owners who agree to provide the free games to end users/gamers. Some publishers produce quick start adventures geared toward players unfamiliar with the game system or new to tabletop role-playing games in general. The games are distributed worldwide through participating stores.

The 1st annual Free RPG Day (June 23, 2007)

The first annual event in 2007 featured quick start adventures from 16 different publishers: [9]

The 2nd annual Free RPG Day (June 21, 2008)

This event took place on June 21, 2008. [10] The second annual event featured:

The 3rd annual Free RPG Day (June 20, 2009)

Games included in the third Free RPG Day event were:

  1. Generic map set "The Ice Temple" (PDF)
  2. Arcana Evolved / Dungeons & Dragons (3.5 Edition); Lands of the Diamond Throne setting: magical items supplement "Items Evolved: Rituals" (PDF)
  3. Arcana Evolved: bestiary supplement "Mythical Monstrosities" (PDF)
  4. Dungeons & Dragons (4th Edition); Feudal Lords setting: 9th level adventure "Oracle of Orcas" (PDF)

The 4th annual Free RPG Day (June 19, 2010)

This event took place on June 19, 2010. [14]

The 5th annual Free RPG Day (June 18, 2011)

The 6th annual Free RPG Day (June 16, 2012)

Games included in the sixth Free RPG Day event were: [15]

The 7th annual Free RPG Day (June 15, 2013)

This event took place on June 15, 2013. [16]

The 8th annual Free RPG Day (June 21, 2014)

This event took place on June 21, 2014. [17] Games included in the 8th annual event were: [18]

The 9th annual Free RPG Day (June 20, 2015)

This event took place on June 20, 2015. [19] Products included in the 9th annual event were: [19] [20]

The 10th annual Free RPG Day (June 18, 2016)

This event took place on June 18, 2016. [21] Products included in the 10th annual event were: [22]

The 11th annual Free RPG Day (June 17, 2017)

This event took place on June 17, 2017. Products included in the 11th annual event were:

The 12th annual Free RPG Day (June 16, 2018)

This event took place on June 16, 2018. Products included in the 11th annual event were:

The 13th annual Free RPG Day (June 15, 2019)

This event took place on June 15, 2019. Products included in the 13th annual event were: [23]

The 14th annual Free RPG Day (2020)

This event took place on July 25, 2020. Products included in the 14th annual event were: [24]

The 15th annual Free RPG Day (2021)

This event took place on October 16, 2021. Products included in the 15th annual event were: [25]

The 16th annual Free RPG Day (2022)

This event took place on June 25, 2022 (in North America) and July 23, 2022 (everywhere else). Products included in the 16th annual event were: [26]

The 17th annual Free RPG Day (2023)

This event took place on June 24, 2023. Products included in the 17th annual event were: [27]

The 18th annual Free RPG Day (2024)

This event will take place on June 22, 2024, products announced for the 18th annual event are: [28]

Related Research Articles

Open gaming is a movement within the tabletop role-playing game (RPG) industry with superficial similarities to the open source software movement. The key aspect is that copyright holders license their works under public copyright licenses that permit others to make copies or create derivative works of the game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keith Baker (game designer)</span> American writer and game designer

Keith Baker is an American game designer and fantasy novel author. In addition to working with Wizards of the Coast on the creation of Eberron, he has also contributed material for Goodman Games, Paizo Publishing and Green Ronin Publishing. In 2014, Baker and Jennifer Ellis co-founded the indie tabletop game company Twogether Studios.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Living campaigns</span> Table-top role-playing game format

Living campaigns, or shared campaigns, are a gaming format within the table-top role-playing game community that provide the opportunity for play by an extended community within a shared universe. In contrast to traditional isolated role-playing games, living campaigns allow and encourage players to develop characters that can be played at games run by many different game masters, but which share a game world and campaign setting, as well as a plot line that is overseen by a central core of professional or volunteer editors and contributors. Many living campaigns serve a dual role of providing a creative outlet for highly involved volunteer contributors while also serving as a marketing tool for the publisher of the game system that is the focus of the living campaign. While the earliest living campaigns were run by the now defunct RPGA, many groups around the world run active living campaigns which are independent or sponsored by other publishers.

An Adventure Path is a series of interlinked adventures (campaign) for tabletop role-playing games which can be played in succession and lead characters to advance from lower to higher levels, through a particular path of events.

Paizo Inc. is an American role-playing game publishing company based in Redmond, Washington, best known for the tabletop role-playing games Pathfinder and Starfinder. The company's name is derived from the Greek word παίζωpaizō, which means 'I play' or 'to play'. Paizo also runs an online retail store selling role-playing games board games, comic books, toys, clothing, accessories and other products, as well as an Internet forum community.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dungeon Crawl Classics</span> Role-playing game published using the Open Game License

Dungeon Crawl Classics Role Playing Game is a role-playing game published by Goodman Games using the Open Game License (OGL) and System Reference Document (SRD) version 3.5 to provide legal compatibility with the revised third edition of Dungeons & Dragons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goodman Games</span> Tabletop role-playing game publisher

Goodman Games is an American game publisher best known for the Dungeon Crawl Classics series of adventure modules and role-playing game, its science fiction offshoot Mutant Crawl Classics, and Original Adventures Reincarnated, a line of updated, annotated, and expanded republications of classic RPG adventures and supplements, mostly from TSR, Inc.'s Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. Additionally, Goodman Games produces RPGs using versions of the DCC rules for Fritz Leiber's Lankhmar and Jack Vance's Dying Earth settings, under license. The company has also produced licensed adventures for Wicked Fantasy Factory, Judges Guild, Xcrawl, Iron Heroes, Castles and Crusades, and Death Dealer.

<i>Pathfinder</i> (periodicals) Several related series of roleplaying game books

Pathfinder is a line of roleplaying game supplements published by Paizo Publishing since 2007. Originally designed for use with the revised 3rd edition of Dungeons & Dragons, they transitioned to the first edition of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game in 2009, then to the second edition of Pathfinder in 2019.

The Game System License is a license that allows third-party publishers to create products compatible with and using the intellectual property from the 4th edition of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D). It was released to the public by Wizards of the Coast (WotC) on June 17, 2008.

<i>Pathfinder Roleplaying Game</i> Tabletop role-playing game

The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game is a fantasy role-playing game (RPG) that was published in 2009 by Paizo Publishing. The first edition extends and modifies the System Reference Document (SRD) based on the revised 3rd edition Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) published by Wizards of the Coast under the Open Game License (OGL) and is intended to be backward-compatible with that edition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jason Bulmahn</span> Game designer

Jason Bulmahn is an American game designer who has written or contributed to several works.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of tabletop role-playing games</span>

The following is a timeline of tabletop role-playing games. For computer role-playing games see here.

Owen K.C. Stephens is a game designer who has worked on a number of products for the Starfinder, Pathfinder and Star Wars Roleplaying Game and other games.

<i>Dark Tower</i> (module) Dungeons & Dragons adventure module

Dark Tower is an adventure module published by Judges Guild in 1980 for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.

Amanda Hamon Kunz is an American game designer known for her work on the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and other d20 role-playing game products.

<i>Starfinder Roleplaying Game</i> Tabletop role-playing game

The Starfinder Roleplaying Game is a science-fiction/science fantasy role-playing game published by Paizo Publishing. It is built on Paizo's previous game, the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, both in its game mechanics and universe, but adapted to a more futuristic style than its fantasy predecessor; game content is intended to be easily convertible between the two systems. Like its predecessor, the Starfinder RPG supports adventure paths and other material written by Paizo and third party publishers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set</span> Role-playing game rule set

The Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set is a category of companion accessories across multiple editions of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. In general, the Starter Set is a boxed set that includes a set of instructions for basic play, a low level adventure module, pre-generated characters, and other tools to help new players get started.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Banana Chan</span> Game designer and writer

Banana Chan is a Chinese Canadian game designer and writer.

References

  1. ↑ Walters, Ashleigh (15 June 2013). "Free RPG Day: Video gamers enjoy 'Free Role Playing Game Day'". WPTV News Channel 5. Scripps Media Inc. Scripps TV Station Group. Archived from the original on 18 June 2013. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  2. ↑ Callahan, Timothy (17 June 2013). "When Worlds Collide: Celebrating Free RPG Day" (Column). Comic Book Resources. Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  3. 1 2 Shannon Appelcline (2014). Designers & Dragons: The '70s. Evil Hat Productions. ISBN   978-1-61317-075-5.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Shannon Appelcline (2014). Designers & Dragons: The '00s. Evil Hat Productions. ISBN   978-1-61317-087-8.
  5. ↑ Bunge, Nicole. "Free RPG Day Acquired by Gaming Days LLC". ICv2. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  6. 1 2 Shannon Appelcline (2014). Designers & Dragons: The '90s. Evil Hat Productions. ISBN   978-1-61317-084-7.
  7. ↑ Shannon Appelcline (2014). Designers & Dragons: The '80s. Evil Hat Productions. ISBN   978-1-61317-081-6.
  8. ↑ "Gratisrollenspieltag 13". RPG Geek. BoardGameGeek, LLC. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  9. ↑ "Series Listing, Free RPG Day 2007". RPG.net. Retrieved 2022-01-13.
  10. ↑ "Series Listing, Free RPG Day 2008". RPG.net. Retrieved 2022-01-13.
  11. ↑ "Series Listing, Free RPG Day". RPG.net. Retrieved 2010-02-17.
  12. ↑ Massawyrm (2008-06-20). "AICN Tabletop: FREE RPG DAY IS TOMORROW! And Massawyrm shares his picks of the litter!". Ain't It Cool News. Retrieved 2010-02-17.
  13. ↑ "Free RPG Day 2009: PDF Adjunct". RPG.net. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  14. ↑ "Series Listing, Free RPG Day 2010". RPG.net. Retrieved 2022-01-13.
  15. ↑ "Free RPG Day 2012 Listing - RPGnet RPG Game Index". index.rpg.net. Retrieved 2022-06-12.
  16. ↑ "Series Listing, Free RPG Day 2013". RPG.net. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  17. ↑ "Free RPG Day 2014 this Saturday! | RPGG News". BoardGameGeek. Retrieved 2022-06-12.
  18. ↑ "Free RPG Day 2014 Listing - RPGnet RPG Game Index". index.rpg.net. Retrieved 2022-06-12.
  19. 1 2 "Free RPG Day 2015 | Series | RPGGeek". rpggeek.com. Retrieved 2022-06-12.
  20. ↑ "Free RPG Day 2015 Listing - RPGnet RPG Game Index". index.rpg.net. Retrieved 2022-06-12.
  21. ↑ "Free RPG Day 2016 | Series | BoardGameGeek". rpggeek.com. Retrieved 2024-01-28.
  22. ↑ "Free RPG Day 2016 Listing - RPGnet RPG Game Index". index.rpg.net. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
  23. ↑ "Free RPG Day 2019 | Series | RPGGeek". rpggeek.com. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
  24. ↑ "Free RPG Day 2020 | Series | RPGGeek". rpggeek.com. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
  25. ↑ "Free RPG Day 2021 | Series | RPGGeek". rpggeek.com. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
  26. ↑ "Free RPG Day 2022 | Series | RPGGeek". rpggeek.com. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
  27. ↑ "Free RPG Day 2023 | Series | RPGGeek". rpggeek.com. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
  28. ↑ "Free RPG Day is June 22, 2024!". Free RPG Day. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.