Mugen Gaming has released the first official English-language materials for Sword World RPG, as well as announced plans for a full Kickstarter next year. Available now as a free downloadable PDF, the Sword World RPG Quickstart is an early version/early release of the 2.5 system, and includes everything new players need to begin adventuring: an overview of the core rules, a solo adventure, a ready-to-play one-shot campaign, and pre-generated characters.
First published in 1989, Sword World RPG was created by Group SNE and became one of Japan’s most influential tabletop roleplaying games. Built on a 2d6 system and known for its emphasis on teamwork, structured play, and accessible storytelling, Sword World has been popular for over 35 years, inspiring novels, actual-play series, anime adaptations, and video games. More than 10 million copies of Sword World books – including rulebooks, replay books, and tie-in novels – have been sold to date. It is best known a major part of the Record of Lodoss War franchise, which began as a replay of the author’s D&D game.
“This free quickstart is the perfect entry point for English-speaking players who’ve always been curious about Sword World but never had a way to experience it,” said Ai, one of the founders of Mugen Gaming. “For decades, fans in Japan have built incredible stories with these rules. Now we can join them.”
The release of the Sword World RPG Quickstart marks the first step toward the game’s full English debut, which will be launched via crowdfunding early next year.
“We wanted to give fans more than just an announcement. We wanted them to play,” said Shawn, the other founder of Mugen Gaming. “The Quickstart offers a real taste of what makes Sword World special, and we believe once players try it, they’ll immediately see why it has been Japan’s most played RPG for over three decades.”
More information about the upcoming crowdfunding campaign, release timeline, and additional game support will be shared in the coming months. Fans can also join the Sword World Discord community for updates and to share their experience with the Sword World RPG Quickstart.
To download the free Sword World RPG Quickstart, visit swordworldrpg.com.
Images via Mugen Gaming and Group SNE
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