The RPG boxed set typically makes great gift during the holidays. This product type has been very popular this year as several new sets have hit prior or are headed to market during the 2025 holiday season. Publishers have gravitated back to producing RPG boxed sets over the last decade or so, primarily as entry point products. However, more recently, the RPG publishers have been offering players more sprawling campaigns in as boxed sets as a way to cut down on the cost of printing multiple hardcover books and reprinting entire campaigns from eras past (see “ICv2 Interview“).
Regardless, all these products come in a boxed form, and that means, during the holidays, they can be easily wrapped and given as gifts. Naturally, ICv2 has few suggestions for RPG Boxed Sets for retailers to stock for the holiday season (in no particular order):
Tales of the Valiant Starter Set. This Kobold Press and Steamforged Games collaboration is one of the most interesting starter sets to come out in 2025. It is one of the hybrid IP Epic Encounters sets produced by Steamforged this year; the others being with Free League’s Symbaroum (see “‘Epic Encounters: Ruins of Symbaroum’“). This one stands out as a gift, in particular, because it is an entry level boxed set that comes with an array of character miniatures, which is ideal for giving to new players. Also, Tales of the Valiant is an RPG with a rich lore and great gameplay, which is a fantasy product that can give players a break from D&D universe.
ALIEN RPG: Hope’s Last Day Starter Set. Generally, the cheer of the Christmas season doesn’t scream “Hey, let’s go get massacred by Xenomorphs a rousing game of ALIEN RPG!” However, between the downer of tariffs making everything cost more and the release of ALIEN: Earth on FX (see “‘Alien: Earth’ Racks Up Big Views“); yeah, this Christmas season may very well warrant a heavy dose of sci-fi survival horror. If this is the case, Free League Publishing totally has everyone covered on that one for gifts, as they are sending a new starter into retail on November 25, 2025 (see “‘Aliens’ Continue to Evolve“). So, bust out the egg nog, and go wipe out some Xenomorph eggs before the facehuggers sense a human presence.
Welcome to Night Vale RPG Boxed Set. Once again keying in on the “Horror for Christmas” sub-theme, some fans might want less a “massacre” vibe and more of a “creepy supernatural” vibe for their RPG setting. In which case, Renegade Game Studios’ newly released Welcome to Night Vale RPG Boxed Set is the product to stock (see “‘Welcome to Night Vale’ Gets a Retail Date“). This game is based on Joseph Fink’s and Jeffrey Cranor’s podcast where they detail the supernatural ongoings of the fictional town of Night Vale. The box comes with everything needed to play the game for $65.00.
Dungeons & Kittens Starter Set. In contrast to the Horror for Christmas sub-theme, some RPG players may opt to cope with the holiday season by seeking cozy and comfortable. Edge Studios has a product that fits that bill: Dungeons & Kittens Starter Set (see “‘Dungeons & Kittens Starter Set’“). This $39.99 RPG set appeals to players of all ages and makes a great gift for the holidays.
D&D Stranger Things: Welcome to the Hellfire Club. This is definitely one of the coolest RPG boxed sets of the season. WotC is releasing the D&D adventures of everyone’s favorite The Upside Down rocker Eddie Munson in this new boxed set (see “Eddie Munson’s Lost ‘D&D’ Adventures“). It should do really well at retail this year for a reasonable $49.99 MSRP.
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