Following the crowdfunding campaign for The Crooked Moon, the folk-horror supplement for Dungeons & Dragons 5E that raised over $4M in funding, Avantris Entertainment has announced their upcoming Kickstarter for Neon Odyssey, a neon-soaked science fantasy space opera trilogy for D&D 5E, that “channels the nostalgia of the 80’s, 90’s, and early 00’s.” Avantris calls it “Star Wars meets Cowboy Bebop with a coat of Synthwave paint.”
Coming to Kickstarter this May, Neon Odyssey is Avantris Entertainment’s largest project to date, built for both longtime players and newcomers who “want to blast off to the stars, explore the galaxy, and chart their own cosmic destiny.” Neon Odyssey is built to provide gaming groups everything they need to experience a classic space opera with friends thanks to a combination of robust GM tools and player options.
“Going from the relatively narrow scope of Folk Horror in The Crooked Moon to the enormous, sweeping scope of Space Opera in Neon Odyssey was a huge jump,” said Mikey Gilder, Avantris Entertainment’s CCO and Creative Director on both projects. “We knew we had to go big with Neon Odyssey if we wanted to fill an entire galaxy and make it feel real, lived-in, and filled with endless opportunity for adventure.”
At 1,400+ pages, Neon Odyssey spans three books filled with tools and options allowing players to chart your own cosmic destiny:
- Outrunner’s Handbook – The Character Book. Everything you need to begin your cosmic journey including space combat rules, reimagined classes, subclasses, species, backgrounds, spells, and more.
- Cosmic Codex – The Setting Book. The whole Stardust Rhapsody campaign setting at your fingertips including monsters, missions, worlds, realms, magic items, and more.
- Overdrive Expansion – The Expansion Book. Even more of what’s above to fill out an entire galaxy, plus optional and advanced systems like professions, racing, stress & entertainment, ship upgrades, and more.
Set in the campaign setting of the Stardust Rhapsody, players step into the boots of an Outrunner making their way in the galaxy by taking on bounty hunts and other jobs throughout strange worlds, mega cities, outer space and beyond, inevitably being swept up into grander adventures as they run into inevitable complications that throw them into thrilling, cinematic conflicts.
The Space Opera Trilogy Includes:
- Cosmic Campaign Setting of the Stardust Rhapsody, an entire galaxy with infinite horizons of neon-soaked aether.
- All-New Space Combat System and Vehicle Rules: Hop into the cockpit of your own starfighter and engage in cinematic space combat.
- New Class: the Machinist, an engineer and inventor of mechanical marvels with the power of technomancy.
- Sci-Fi Class Skins that reimagine all core 5E classes, including new names and mechanical upgrades.
- 40+ Subclasses, 30+ Species, and countless other player options to customize your own Science Fantasy protagonist.
- 300+ Alien Monsters and Enemy Vehicles for battles across strange worlds, mega cities, and outer space.
Leading into the launch of the Kickstarter, Avantris Entertainment will roll out an updated programming slate with weekly Neon Odyssey–focused content spanning March through June 2026. The programming will spotlight new mechanics, character options, and the setting of the Stardust Rhapsody, giving audiences a clear on-ramp into the setting’s tone and play experience.
Fans can also become a VIP ahead of launch with a $1 deposit, which unlocks bonus perks tied to the campaign. VIPs who back the campaign will receive the digital Space Clown’s Guide to the Galaxy adventure, and VIPs who back any physical reward will also receive the exclusive Neon Nights Dice Set. VIPs will also receive immediate access to a huge playtest document that includes space combat rules, plus access to a VIP-only Discord for sneak peeks and discussion with the Avantris team.
Learn more about the project and its VIP perks at NeonRPG.com.
Images via Avantris Entertainment
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