Last chance to get a 2009 Christmas Surprise Package. Before I forget, I want to remind people that the Surprise Package deal ENDS next week and will not be repeated till next Christmas season. Get yours before it is too late.
The Rifter® Super-Subscription offer will begin on January 15. This is the best subscription offer ever. You get each issue at below cover price, the expanded, Anniversary Issue #50 at no extra cost, your choice of a FREE gift worth $13-$24 (there is a small cost for shipping and handling), and The Rifter® delivered to your door.
I’m the guest on Gateway to the Megaverse®, live podcast, Monday, January 11, 6:00 PM. I’ll talk about our upcoming books, schedule, and anything the listeners want to talk about. Call in or email your questions to the show/Matthew Daye. Remember, the podcasts are recorded and available to download and listen to any time.
Online sales remained strong this week. They weren’t record breaking, and less than the same period last year (down about 15%), but they were solid and welcomed. As I stated in my Murmur, if sales stayed at this level every week for the rest of the winter, we’d be in pretty good shape. That’s not likely to happen, but you never know. Cash flow will depend a lot on Palladium getting out new releases.
Progress on releasing new titles. As you know, we have many books in the pipeline that folks are anxiously awaiting. The Catch 22 so far this year is that I’ve spent much of my time coordinating work for upcoming books – talking to freelancers about writing, concepts, artwork, schedules, and other business aspects of production – and not doing much actual writing and editing myself.
Wednesday was the first day all week that I put in a decent number of hours working on the editing/writing of Dimensional Outbreak. Thursday, I’ve spent about 4 hours on the phone, an hour and a half on email correspondences, an hour on other business matters and a couple hours working on this press release. However, I expect to get in a solid 5 hours of writing in the late afternoon and evening and write all day Friday and through the weekend.
Great ideas for new books are pouring out of me. Yesterday morning I made notes for two ideas that could easily become a series of books that you will love. These ideas are so fresh out of my brainpan that even the Palladium staff hasn’t heard about them yet. One is for Rifts and the other for Palladium Fantasy (or maybe a cross Megaversal series of titles). I’m not going to mention them here. Why not? Because I need to put them on the back burner until we get many of the books we’ve already promised in your hands, like the rest of the Minion War™ series, Triax™ Two, Robotech titles, and many others. I mention it only to let you know my creative juices are flowing. And so are those of my freelancers. I can’t tell you how many cool ideas have been proposed to me by freelance writers and artists in the last 2-3 months. We’re definitely locked into some kind of creative synergy.
UPDATE: Dimensional Outbreak. This book is going to be great. I clocked some good hours of writing on Wednesday and a few hours here and there over the last week. I can hardly wait till the book is finished so you can see all the wonders Carl Gleba has created for your gaming experience.
UPDATE: The Rifter #49 is at the printer. We were told we should get it from the printer sometime around January 18. Vampires for Nightbane (suitable for other modern settings) are the focus of this issue, but there is a lot of other good stuff.
UPDATE: The Rifter #50 is shaping up nicely. Brandon Aten, who is coordinating the effort, has already received 3-4 of the articles and says they look pretty darn good to him. Cool. A sizeable portion of the material will be “official” source material, plus some optional rules and variant ideas for things. Our goal is to represent each of Palladium’s main game lines.
UPDATE: Henry Siembieda. For the time being, my Dad and his friend and roommate Arlene are holding their own. They had a lot of doctor visits and things going on this week so I had to skip my weekly visit, but otherwise, it sounds like things are status quo.
I can’t believe the Palladium Open House is almost here! Sheesh, the POH is less than four months away. I’ve already been thinking about and planning events, layout, special celebrations, scheduling, etc., with Kathy Simmons. We want to make this POH the most memorable and best Open House ever! We know times are tough for a lot of you, but if you are thinking about coming, I can promise you it will be a great time.
Few Conventions in 2010? Last year, Palladium skipped attending conventions so we could focus on releasing new product. That plan worked so well that a number of freelancers, friends and even fans, have suggested we do the same in 2010.
I haven’t decided yet, but I’m thinking we may only do a couple of local conventions and, again, devote the majority of our time on getting out lots and lots of new product. So if you don’t see us around at Gen Con and other game conventions, you’ll know why.
The rest of this Press Release is rather long because we list and describe most of the new books coming out from now through June. We hope you like what you see.
– Kevin Siembieda, Publisher
Yep, only ONE week to order your 2009 Christmas Surprise Package. If you’ve been meaning to order one, you’d better do it SOON because the deal ends next Friday. The extended offer ends at midnight, Friday, January 15, 2010. Miss out and you’ll have to wait till next Christmas to get one. Order today!
The best bargain of the New Year for role-playing gamers.
For more information and to order, click here.
B.R. in Salem, Oregon, writes: This is my 3rd order. I have been very pleased with my first two, which made Christmas quite fun, the drawings in the first one, especially.
C.B. in Mulberry, Florida, writes: I am so glad this [offer] is still going. As I said before, I am very limited on funds, and this opportunity is just one I cannot miss. I already got one Christmas grab bag, which was a great Christmas present to myself. [Ordered two more.]
J.H. in Richmond, Texas, writes: I want to thank the entire Palladium staff for extending the Grab Bags. The only thing I enjoy more than playing Palladium games is sharing them with my friends and these Grab Bags make that easy.
J.A. in El Centro, California, writes: I haven’t been able to afford the Surprise Package, so when I can get one it is very special . . . Palladium has been a source of enjoyment for many years . . .
S.K. in Oromocto, New Brunswick, Canada, writes: I love you guys and I wish I could get the local game store here to carry your products more. They are Wizard of the Coast types. But rest assured, the number of Palladium loyal gamers is growing steadily with the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery!
C.P. in Hillsboro, Texas, writes: I absolutely love Christmas, and you guys are the reason why. I’m a college student on a very strict budget, and I always save up for the Surprise Package, as it’s the only way I get gaming books every year. . . You guys rock! Peace, love and lots of dice.
S.S. in Reno, Nevada, writes: I love this set up for Christmas. I try to order a Package every year. Thanks for always being here for us Kevin, and keep up the great work.
C.P. in Oak Forest, Illinois, writes: Not enough is said about your company keeping your prices low. Other RPG companies are still charging $40 or more per book, and you also need to buy three books just to play the game. Most of your products are $25 or less. I’m so glad you guys sell your books for low prices. Thanks for keeping the fans in mind and for all the great work you do.
S.M.A. in Radcliff, Kentucky, writes: We’ve played Palladium games since we were kids, and are now teaching our daughters to play.
W.L. in Olympia, Washington, writes: I read your newsletter [December 31 Press Release] and I’d like to offer my own words of encouragement. I feel a game company as loyal to its fans as Palladium will never, ever have to worry about disappearing. Just like at the Battle of Helm’s Deep, things look bleakest just before the dawn. And then there is the White Wizard Gandalf, leading the charge! The people will rally around you and Palladium Books, so do not fear. There is a bright future for Palladium.
This will be Kevin’s first podcast of the New Year. He’ll talk about what’s coming up for Palladium, our release schedule, the Open House and anything listeners want to talk about. Call in or email your questions. The podcasts are recorded and available to download at your convenience and listen to any time.
For more information and to pre-register, click here.
Note: POH Game Masters and games needed. Please let us know, the sooner the better, so we can put together and post a schedule online by the end of February. Thanks.
Palladium Freelancers, please let us know as soon as possible if you are planning on attending. Thanks.
It helps Palladium plan and organize when we know how many gamers are coming to the 2010 Palladium Open House (POH), so please pre-register as soon as possible. We want to make sure to schedule enough games for EVERYONE. Thank you.
All release dates are tentative, but these are the dates Palladium is shooting for. All titles listed either have been turned in as final manuscripts or are in various stages of final development.
- The Rifter® #49 – January 18, 2010
- Rifts® Dimension Book™ 12: Dimensional Outbreak™ – February
- Rifts®/Phase World® Sourcebook: Heroes of the Megaverse® – February
- Rifts® World Book 31: Triax™ Two – February or March
- Robotech® UEEF Marines – March
- Rifts® World Book One: Vampire Kingdoms™, Expanded & Updated – March
- Rifts® Dimension Book™: Thundercloud Galaxy™ – March
- The Rifter® #50 (expanded, anniversary issue) – April
- Rifts® Vampire Sourcebook™ – April
- Rifts® World Book™: Lemuria – April
- 2010 Palladium Open House Event – April 29 thru May 2.
- Armageddon Unlimited™ – May
- Rifts® Megaverse® in Flames – June
- Robotech® New Generation – June
- Plus more Robotech® sourcebooks, more Mysteries of Magic™ sourcebooks (hoping to slot one in before June), more Nightbane® sourcebooks, more Dead Reign™ sourcebooks, Warpath™ and other good stuff.
The Rifter® is your doorway to unlimited imagination and numerous Palladium role-playing worlds. It offers new heroes, powers, weapons, magic and adventure for your games. It presents new villains, monsters and dangers to battle, and new ideas to consider.
Author Carl Gleba has created another masterpiece brimming with ideas, new demons, new Deevils, new whacked out spaceships, new magic spells, more about Phase World, Center, the escalating Minion War and much more. Dimensional Outbreak™ is another exciting and surprise filled book in the Minion War™ series as war spills into Phase World®, the city of Center and the Three Galaxies™. The epic scale of the Minion War just got bigger and even the Worlds of Warlock, the Splugorth and Naruni are involved.
The Book of Heroes is said to be one of the greatest magic artifacts in the Megaverse. Only one copy is known to exist, and everyone wants to get their hands on it – Demons, Deevils, the Splugorth, the Dominators, the Kreeghor, the United Worlds of Warlock and everyone in between. For it is said that he who wields the “Power of the 2000” can rule the universe.
Once protected by the Cosmo-Knights, the book has gone missing. No one knows its fate or the true power contained within its List of Heroes. No one except YOU – the new keepers of this legendary Rune book.
This book is exactly what you’d imagine it would be. In short:
An in-depth look at the Expeditionary Force Marines, their history, strategies and tactics, M.O.S. skill packages, operations and missions.
Kevin Siembieda is reorganizing, tweaking, expanding and updating one of the most popular Rifts® World Books ever published: Vampire Kingdoms™. This will include some new artwork and an expanded page count. The book will be updated and expanded in much the same way as Kevin did with Rifts® Sourcebook One a couple years ago. Best of all, it’s just the prelude to a Rifts® Vampire Sourcebook that will follow a month or two later.
Why wait? A special printing of the original Rifts® World Book One: Vampire Kingdoms™ is available exclusively from Palladium Books.
Palladium intends to support all of its game lines and that includes the setting of the Three Galaxies. The Thundercloud Galaxy™ is just the second of several books crafted by the talented Braden Campbell to expand your gaming Megaverse in the Three Galaxies. History, aliens, weapons, spacecraft, and adventure in a galaxy far, far away.
To celebrate The Rifter® turning 12 years old this year and reaching issue number fifty, we present an issue filled with official source material and adventures from a list of guest freelance writers that you all know and love. Plus an expanded page count.
Trouble is stirring in the Vampire Kingdoms as ambitious vampire lords, ladies and misanthropes seek to expand their power to dominate more mortal life forms.
Written by Kevin Siembieda and a handpicked selection of other writers, this sourcebook explores the vampires of Mexico and their kingdoms in ways you never imagined. Much new data, adventure ideas and revelations.
At last, the underwater realm of Lemuria. The people and history of Lemuria, new magic, sea herbs and healing, monsters, the New Navy, and much, much more.
Demons and Deevils are trying to turn Earth into one of their playgrounds. It’s worse than you think. The plan is to bring about Armageddon to unleash a powerful force that could change the tide of the Minion War™. Only Earth’s greatest superheroes (that’s your characters) stand in their way. Can be played as a Minion War™ crossover bringing in heroes from across the Megaverse, or as a stand-alone adventure setting for Heroes Unlimited™.
The Minion War spills across Rifts Earth, where demons and infernals hope to recruit allies and use the Rifts as gateways of destruction. Their influence shakes things up across the planet, especially at locations where demons and Deevils already have a strong presence. More details to follow, but for now, ‘nuff said.
The Robotech® core sourcebook you’ve been waiting for . . . only it’s going to be more than you imagine.
Data about the chaos and madness of the early days of the Great Apocalypse, and the brave men and women who tried to stem the tide of destruction and save lives, the First Responders.
The following are in the pipeline, but are not yet scheduled. Most are likely to be released after those previously described, but a couple might get slotted into release sooner.
Robotech® New Generation™ Freedom Fighters Sourcebook (and others)
More Rifts® Chaos Earth™ sourcebooks
More Rifts® sourcebooks
More Phase World®/Three Galaxies™ sourcebooks
Nightbane® Sourcebook Six
Mysteries of Magic™ Three
Dead Reign™ Sourcebook Three
The Rifter® Number 51 & 52
Warpath™ Urban Jungle™
and more . . .
Aliens Unlimited™, Revised is back as a special printing currently available exclusively via Palladium’s online store. We are making it available to meet the demand of our fans who have been requesting this fan-favorite sourcebook for a long while now. It is ideal for space based campaigns, and alien invasion scenarios, and can be easily adapted to Rifts® and Phase World®/The Three Galaxies™.
Old Ones™ is back in print as a special printing currently available exclusively via Palladium’s online store. Old Ones™ is an epic sourcebook packed full of information, people, places and ideas. Details about the Old Ones, the Minotaur R.C.C. (an ancient minion of the Old Ones), the Monk Scholar and Illusionist, 50 cities and towns mapped and described, adventure ideas and the epic Place of Magic adventure.
Dead Reign™: Dark Places™ presents four new, gruesome zombies that will make your skin crawl, plus more survivor secrets, using railroad tracks and the urban underground – sewers, storm drains, steam tunnels and other subterranean labyrinths – to travel unseen and undetected by the walking dead. Of course, these “secret highways” of the human survivors have their own dangers and problems.
The Heart of Magic™ is packed with new information, details and new insight about magic, P.P.E., the Palladium World, Men of Magic, Wizards, Warlocks, Priests, Familiars, true names, apprenticeship, scroll conversion, learning magic, new and different magic O.C.C.s, new Wizard and Warlock spells, and data that expands, defines and clarifies a number of aspects about the practice of magic in the Palladium Fantasy setting. Easy to adapt to Rifts® (just change S.D.C. damage to M.D. and you are ready to go).
Palladium has made several out of print titles and the first 40 issues of The Rifter® available as PDF digital downloads from DriveThruRPG.com. We are regularly asked if out of print titles such as Nightbane® Book Four: Shadows of Light™, the original Mechanoids® RPGs, Boxed Nightmares™, BTS First Edition, etc. are available, and they are, at DriveThruRPG.com. Check ‘em out. And sometime in 2010, DriveThruRPG.com expects to be able to offer complete print on demand features so you can get a pdf of the game or an actual, printed book. Cool, eh?
Palladium’s own Kathy Simmons launched her Queen of Ghouls™ business and Ebay store. She makes and sells one of a kind, life-sized Halloween props. You know, killer clowns, vampires, werewolves, witches, wizards, zombies and more for displaying on your front lawn. She hit a couple of speed bumps due to the economy, but word of mouth spreads, and her sales have started to pick up. Her work is imaginative, original and the craftsmanship is impressive. If you think the photos online look good you should see them in person. Wow. A typical “ghoul,” as she calls her creations, costs $89-$150. You can see some of her work (available off-season at lower prices) at her Queen of Ghouls™ Ebay store – queenofghouls.com.
© Copyright 2010 Palladium Books Inc. All rights reserved.
Robotech® and Robotech® The Shadow Chronicles® are Registered Trademarks of Harmony Gold USA, Inc.
This press release may be reprinted, reposted, linked and shared for the sole purpose of advertising, promotion and sales solicitation.
Rifts®, The Rifter®, RECON®, Splicers®, Palladium Books®, Phase World®, The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, Megaverse®, Nightbane®, The Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, Coalition Wars® and After the Bomb® are Registered Trademarks of Palladium Books Inc. Beyond the Supernatural™, Dead Reign, Heroes Unlimited, Ninjas & Superspies, Minion War, Mysteries of Magic, The Three Galaxies, Warpath, and other published book titles, names, slogans and likenesses are trademarks of Palladium Books Inc., and Kevin Siembieda.