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Stafford & Petersen Return to Chaosium


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We have pressed the reset button... 

In 1975 Chaosium started out as a quirky boutique game company. We were all about creativity, artistry and craftsmanship. With every game we provided you with new realms of imagination and entertainment. Over the last few years we forgot that, and lost our way. 

The Great Old Ones have Returned… 

Greg Stafford, founder of Chaosium and creative force during its heyday, is now President. Sandy Petersen, world renowned game designer who brought Cthulhu into the light three decades ago, has rejoined the team as well. 

Greg says: "Chaosium is part of my legacy. My intent is to restore it to its rightful place in the world of gaming. Something we can all take pride in, and something that fans will look forward to.Where 'what’s next?' is answered with 'I can’t wait'."

The Stars are Right… 

Sandy says: "I am excited to return to active participation in the Call of Cthulhu line, and I’m eagerly looking forward to working directly with Greg again. We are Chaosium's original team from the 1980s. My first focus is going to be the Call of Cthulhu 7th edition Kickstarter campaign." 

Our main plan is simple (but will be a lot of work): 

Quickly sift and sort through the current company problems 

Immediately ship the remaining Horror on the Orient Express backer rewards

Focus on the Call of Cthulhu 7th edition Kickstarter backer rewards 

Return to regularly making awesome new games.

We offer new hope, and ask only for your patience." 

Please visit Chaosium.com for regular news and updates. Contact us with questions, kudos, curses, or kindness. We are listening, and we will respond. 

Greg Stafford, President and CEO of Chaosium Inc. 

I’m puttin' the band back together.

 

From: http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?757863-The-Great-Old-Ones-have-Returned-Chaosium

 

 

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Geek blogging at http://strangestones.com

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I'll be in a holding pattern to see what happens.

I really have no idea of what expectations I could/should have... but I know that I have NOT been impressed with Chaosium of late... and I'm NOT a fan of the changes to CoC (yes, I've played it). Quality has been slipping for a while and felt like they were thrashing around, trying to get on the coattails of popular trends.

I'd like to see them embrace the BGB core and let it shine... and steer CoC back from wherever it was heading.

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Why do I get the feeling it is a last ditch effort to save Chaosium as a company?  Still, good news.  

It does kind of feel like that to me, given my sinking feelings about the company for the last couple years. Resigning myself to, "Well, at least I've got the BGB... and great D100 stuff coming from other sources."

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Yes, awesome news!

 

This is kinda like it would have felt if the Beatles got back together in the '70s, well kind of...

I hope this is a return to the good old days :-)

 

"Contact us with questions, kudos, curses, or kindness. We are listening, and we will respond".

Well, that indicates a new direction for Chaosium, heh heh (just joking!)

 

I have a more optimistic feeling about Chaosium now, I think this can only be good thing

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" Sure it's fun, but it is also well known that a D20 roll and an AC is no match against a hefty swing of a D100% and a D20 Hit Location Table!"

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This is kinda like it would have felt if the Beatles got back together in the '70s, well kind of...

Now that Lynn Willis has passed, I think its more like The Beatles getting together in the ninteties.

Still great news, though.

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I'm afraid I was stuck in TSR AD&D black hole during Mr Staffords time at Chaosium so I'm not sure what this means...but wish them the best of luck and much success if they're dealing with my favorite system!

Author QUASAR space opera system: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/459723/QUASAR?affiliate_id=810507

My Magic World projects page: Tooleys Underwhelming Projects

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I'm afraid I was stuck in TSR AD&D black hole during Mr Staffords time at Chaosium so I'm not sure what this means...but wish them the best of luck and much success if they're dealing with my favorite system!

Author QUASAR space opera system: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/459723/QUASAR?affiliate_id=810507

My Magic World projects page: Tooleys Underwhelming Projects

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I kinda always associate Greg with RuneQuest/Glorantha and Pendragon, and Sandy with Call of Cthulhu.

So I can see where Sandy's content niche will be, but Greg? Well I guess being CEO itself will take up a fair bit of time.

RuneQuest is currently published by the Design Mechanism, and Glorantha is a property of Moon Design (who appear to be in close consultation with Greg, given the recent products and presentations). I don't think I have ever seen Glorantha so fully realised as it is now.

Maybe we will finally see a BRP version of Pendragon perhaps? It would not take much to have BRP as its core system, and just add the bells and whistles which make it Pendragon.

I'm just sayin'

 

But as a teen in the 80s, most of my old Chaosium books have Greg Stafford and Sandy Petersen's names emblazoned on many of the products, so it feels kind of like a home coming seeing that is how its going to be again

 

"I'm putting the band back together"

 

You just gotta dig that last bit :-)

Great news

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" Sure it's fun, but it is also well known that a D20 roll and an AC is no match against a hefty swing of a D100% and a D20 Hit Location Table!"

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It is difficult to overstate what these two guys represent for Chaosium and for the rpg industry in general. They are true heroes of the 1st age of rpg. They are part of the fabled dream team of Chaosium's heyday (together with Lynn Willis, Steve Perrin and obviously Charlie Krank).

 

It easy to let expectations rise unreasonably with such a comeback. I'm trying to keep them in check.

 

It's strange that there are no quotes from Charlie in Chaosium's announcement. Let's hope for the better.

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This is really great news. I'd about given up on them after the last two books I bought.

 

Somebody please invent a time machine, take Greg and Sandy back in time and have them convince their past selves to do this before Mongoose gets ahold of Runequest and CoC 7 is even thought of :P

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I'm still using my 3rd edition Games Workshop hardcover of Call of Cthulhu from 1986. It is pretty chaotically organised inside but the core rules still only take up a few pages. I certainly haven't bothered to buy 4th, 5th, 6th or 7th editions -- I couldn't see the point, though I've purchased quite a few CoC adventures over the years.

 

And my point is that constantly re-releasing a flagship game which didn't have much wrong with it didn't seem to me to be a great marketing strategy for Chaosium. Hopefully with "the band back together" we can see some change, as well as a real embracing of BRP and its spinoffs.

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