For Millennials, the Neopets franchise is one drenched in nostalgia. The novelty virtual pet game let players adopt, customize, and interact with the titular creatures in an online virtual world. In celebration of the series' 25th anniversary, a Neopets Tabletop RPG is coming to store shelves.
The Neopets Tabletop RPG Announcement
According to an official press release, the Neopets Tabletop RPG is being developed by Geekify. This is the studio behind dedicated Neopets merchandise, including calendars, enamel pins, and keychains.
This tabletop adaptation has been in development for two years. The game will be a dice-driven, d20-based adventuring system. It will feature a class-less, feat-oriented skill system designed for accessibility for new players while scaling to advanced players.
The Neopets Tabletop RPG will be set within the series' unique setting of Neopia, showcasing the series' fun and goofy tone through game mechanics. Lastly, Geekify confirmed that several campaign modules are in development, starting with The Fall of Faerieland.
The Neopets craze started back in 1999. It was one of the earliest examples of a free-to-play experience. Players could earn two kinds of virtual currency, which could be spent on customizing their Neopet. One was earned in-game, and the other bought with real-world money. At its peak, the game sported more than 35 million players.
The series has changed hands across multiple platforms and publishers. In 2005, Neopets Inc. was purchased by Viacom for $160 million. In 2014, Jumpstart Games purchased the property from Viacom. In 2017, Chinese company NetDragon purchased Jumpstart Games. The franchise seemingly died under this stewardship; the servers shut down June 2023.
Across this storied history, Neopets continued to grow and expand. It introduced unique characters, storylines, and more sophisticated customization options for their players. It also introduced some moments of embarrassment like data leaks and NFT drama.
The Neopets Tabletop RPG is part of a franchise revival, courtesy of a management buyout by the aptly named World of Neopia.
The Neopets Tabletop RPG will be coming to Kickstarter May 31.
