Here is their press release:
For Immediate Release: 6-13-2014
Growling Door Games Acquires License For Chill RPG
US Roleplaying Game Publisher Brings Back Classic Horror Game
Cleveland, OH: Today, Growling Door Games, Inc. is proud to announce that they have entered into a licensing agreement with Martin Caron, the owner of the Chill RPG. The agreement gives Growling Door Games the English-language rights to publish the Chill RPG core book and supplementary materials for that game, setting the stage for a new release of a classic property that helped make horror gaming a staple of the RPG landscape.
Matthew McFarland, President of Growling Door Games, said, “We’re thrilled to bring such a classic of horror gaming back to print. Chill has a great history of success in the market. There’s been a lot of enthusiasm for the game even during its long stint out of print, and we hope both those fans and new ones will enjoy our revival of Chill.”
Growling Door Games is planning on releasing the new core book for Chill, 3rd Edition in August 2015, with a Kickstarter in late summer 2014 to launch the project. The initial release of the core book will be as a full-sized hardcover, available in both print and PDF.
Now I have been a fan of Chill for a very long time. I even participated in Otherworlds Creations own Chill 3.0 playtests. A quickstart was produced after years of work but soon disappeared after dispute over who owned Chill came up. Also all the Mayfair Chill products have been transferred to Martin Caron on DriveThruRPG.
I also wonder what this means for Goblinoid Games and their line of Pacesetter books, especially Cryptworld their Chill clone.
Of course I will be following this one closely.
8 comments:
Not sure what you mean by "What this means for Cryptworld." The systems are different, the games are different, there's no real crossover. Cryptworld is the new Pacesetter Action Table horror game, and Chill 3e is the new Mayfair edition -- if they don't rewrite/redesign the system aand just retain the IP (SAVE, the Unknown, etc.).
It's like asking how D&D 5e would affect Lab Lord or OSRIC. It won't.
Actually...it depends on how the rights were sold. The new Chill IP owner might see Cryptworld as a threat. While there are differences between 1st and 2nd edition Chill, there are far more similarities at a system level.
Growling Door might see Cryptworld's system and attempt to stop or otherwise block it.
Martin owns the rights to Mayfair Chill and the IP connected to the line (SAVE, the Unknown, etc.), which is what Growling Door now has access to via a licensing agreement. Dan owns the Pacesetter brand name, the Action Table, and any games developed with the Action Table, with the exception of Chill and Star Ace. Cryptworld, although inspired by the Chill 1e (and Nightlife and Stalking the Night Fantastic, and other 80s horror RPGs), is its own entity and was written from the ground-up using the basic Action Table system. Cryptworld is the new Pacesetter Action Table horror game, and Chill 3e is the new Mayfair edition -- if they don't rewrite/redesign the system and just retain the IP (SAVE, the Unknown, etc.). So I can't see the conflict you envision, honestly.
I hope then that you are correct.
In any case I am looking forward to seeing this new Chill. Been waiting a long time for a 3rd Edition.
On that we agree. I thought the OWC Chill 3e attempt had some good ideas and concepts. Would have really liked to have seen that come to fruition. So I'm really interested in this new version.
Although, since they're planning on an August 2015 release, I believe growling Door might be considering a complete reworking of the system itself, and the Chill IP elements will be the only things retained. Otherwise, they could just go with a retweak, repackage, and reprint of the current materials and just begin adding supplements and adventures to the current line.
For more info, this thread at RPG.net has input from the Growling Door folks on their intentions with the line:
http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?728572-Chill-RPG-3rd-Edition-Coming-for-real-this-time
Cool.
I have mixed feelings on a new system.
I loved SAVE and all that, but I also enjoyed the quirky system.
I've known for a while that a 3e would come, in part because Martin first approached me to produce it. I turned him down eventually because I am most interested in the Pacesetter line and game system, and my own horror brand. We concluded our conversation amicably and wished each other success in our efforts.
Excellent!
Then we have the best of all worlds.
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