World-renowned independent creative studio, Rebellion, has announced the acquisition of Tunnels & Trolls, one of the trailblazing games of the fantasy genre and the second-ever published roleplaying game. Tunnels & Trolls was first published in 1975 by Flying Buffalo, providing a more player-friendly alternative to Dungeons & Dragons. With its streamlined mechanics and pioneering approach to solo roleplaying, Tunnels & Trolls introduced roleplaying to new audiences. Now, almost 50 years after its original publication, the Rebellion Unplugged team is bringing Tunnels & Trolls into a new era.
“The team at Flying Buffalo responded to an entirely new medium by focussing on how roleplaying could be more approachable, more accessible, and more fun,” said Duncan Molloy, head of Rebellion Unplugged. “So much of the modern era of roleplaying, from old school hacks to streamlined systems to solo play, can directly trace its roots back to this series. We’re very excited to channel that spirit in bringing Tunnels & Trolls into the modern era.”
The acquisition of Tunnels & Trolls also includes Flying Buffalo’s entire line of roleplaying games, including the cult classic Citybook, Grimtooth, and Merchants Spies and Private Eyes series. The entire back-catalogue of Flying Buffalo PDFs will remain available to purchase online, with future releases coming directly from Rebellion Unplugged.
Rebellion CEO and Creative Director Jason Kingsley OBE said, “When I first discovered Tunnels & Trolls in the mid-1970s, I didn’t realize I was unlocking a lifelong interest in fantasy roleplaying games, books, movies, and all things genre-based. The game has remained with me throughout my life, and I can’t wait to see what the team has in store for it!”
After the passing of Flying Buffalo founder Rick Loomis, the company had been taken over by Webbed Sphere Inc. “We are very excited to see Rebellion expand this rich property,” added Jon Huston, president of Webbed Sphere.
As part of the acquisition, Rebellion Unplugged is now in charge of bringing Tunnels & Trolls into the modern era. Comprised of a small team of industry veterans, Rebellion Unplugged makes tabletop games that are fun and clever, in that order. The team is uniquely placed to draw on the best elements of tabletop, video game, and comic book design and storytelling to bring players unique and memorable gaming experiences. They are best known for the critically-acclaimed hidden-movement game Sniper Elite: The Board Game, as well as Adventure Presents, the pick-up-and-play magazine-format RPG series. They most recently worked closely with Sir Ian Livingstone on an anniversary edition of his classic board game Judge Dredd: The Game of Crime-Fighting in Mega-City One.
With the acquisition of Tunnels & Trolls, Rebellion Unplugged aims to bring new life to the game and introduce it to a new generation of tabletop gamers. Fans of the series can expect exciting new developments and expansions, which will be announced in the coming months.