Steve Jackson Games To Bring Back ‘Fighting Fantasy’
Talk about a blast from gaming’s past, Steve Jackson Games announced that it will be rereleasing the Fighting Fantasy solo adventure series.
After more than 20 years, a tabletop classic is returning to the US. Per a new announcement from Steve Jackson Games, the Fighting Fantasy series of solo gamebooks – which is another, legally distinct way of saying books where you play a character and get to choose an adventure that is your own – will be back in print in the US once more thanks to a new partnership.
Back in the 80s, Fighting Fantasy did some innovative work in the solo adventure field. And this was before the term “solo RPG” was as widely used as it is today. While there are some elements that might feel familiar, like turning to page 52 if you decide to pick the goblin’s pocket, these books also had their own dice system. Your character had three stats: Skill, Stamina, and Luck, and you’d roll d6s when making certain decisions and pick up an inventory of items along the way.
Funnily enough, the series was launched by Sir Ian Livingstone (of Games Workshop fame) and Steve Jackson—though not the Steve Jackson of SJ Games. Soon, it will also be that Steve Jackson. Here’s what we know.
Steve Jackson Games to Bring Fighting Fantasy Series Back
Here’s a look at the announcement from Steve Jackson Games:
“In 1982, British game designers Si Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson inroduced Fighting Fantasy, a revolutionary set of solo advenure books that combined nonlinear narratives with dice-rolling taletop RPG mechanics. Now, this fantastical, multi-million-selling book series returns to the United States thanks to an historic 50-book publishing collaboration with Steve Jackson Games.”
Fifty books is a lot of books, first of all. But it does look like the whole series is back on the table. Including the Fighting Fantasy books that were written by Steve Jackson of Steve Jackson games. Because the confusion doesn’t stop at just here being two people named Steve Jackson who work in the gaming industry like that.
According to Steve Jackson Games, the first five books are due to be released in early 2025, with five more coming later in the year. That’s ten solo adventures you can tromp off on after the year turns. So get ready to see how many different ways you die, either by your own choice or by the dice falling where they may.
