The nominations were nominated, and the votes were voted, and now we have the final results: this year’s official most anticipated TTRPGs–as voted by you! Well, a few thousand of you.
Just like we do every year, the EN World community votes on the games they are looking forward to. Here is last year’s Top 10 (spoiler: the winner was Legend in the Mist). Previous winners include 13th Age (2013), Star Wars Force & Destiny (2015), Rifts for Savage Worlds (2016), Trudvang Chronicles (2017), Vampire: the Masquerade 5th Edition (2018), Savage Worlds Adventure Edition (2019), Dune (2020 & 2021), Twilight 2000 (2021), Blade Runner (2022), Pendragon 6E (2023), and Shadow of the Weird Wizard (2024). What will be the most anticipated RPG of 2026?
Let’s find out!
10. Twilight Sword (Two Little Mice/Free League)
1st appearance (and Two Little Mice’s 2nd appearance).
This game from Italian studio Two Little Mice (Household, Outgunned) is inspired by classic video games like The Legend of Zelda and Final Fantasy. It raised close to a million dollars on Backerkit late last year and uses an original d12-based roll-under game system called the Created at Twilight (CAT) system. Publisher Two Little Mice appeared in this chart back in 2023 with Household, where players take on the roles of the ‘Little Folk’ of European folklore.
9. Old School Essentials 2026 Update (Necrotic Gnome)
1st appearance (and the 2nd for Necrotic Gnome).
The existing Old School Essentials is billed as a ‘retro adventure game’. OSE boasts light rules based on the D&D rules of the 1970s and 80s, with clones of both the B/X D&D rules, and AD&D 1st Edition. This 2026 update is a new edition with update art and a completely OGL-free text. Publisher Necrotic Gnome is also known for Dolmenwood, which appeared on this chart last year.
8. Discworld: Adventures in Ankh-Morpork (Modiphius)
2nd appearance (and Modiphius’ 5th appearance).
Appearing in the chart last year, Modiphius’ take on Terry Pratchett’s world made nearly $3M on Kickstarter. With all the satire, absurdity, and wonder of the Discworld novels, this game is set in the city of Ankh-Morpork.
7. The Black Company (Arc Dream Publishing)
1st appearance (2nd appearance for Arc Dream Publishing).
Currently in playtest, this is the second official Black Company TTRPG (the first coming from Green Ronin back in 2004). This time it’s from Arc Dream Publishing, probably best known for Delta Green. Based on Glen Cook’s gritty fantasy novel series of the 1980s, The Black Company featured morally grey characters with a military focus as it follows a mercenary unit through several decades of its history.
6. The Broken Empires (Evil Baby Entertainment)
1st appearance.
Described as a “Sim-Lite d100 skills-based TTRPG”, The Broken Empires is a fantasy world which apparently draws on over 125 roleplaying games. “Sim-Lite” refers to games which prioritise fast and simple mechanics along with detailed ‘simulation’ aspects. The game boasts no stats, classes, or levels and combat which is both detailed and fast. The game made over half a million dollars on Kickstarter with a whole bunch of endorsements from prominent gaming influencers back in 2024, and is available for pre-order now.
5. Ars Magica Definitive Edition (Atlas Games)
1st appearance.
Ars Magica was created in 1987 and is famous for creating the concept of the ‘verb-noun’ magic system. Set in a mythical Europe, players take on the roles of wizards and their companions. Ars Magica was also the originator of troupe-style play, where players have more than one character and uses whichever character is appropriate to the game session. There have been 5 editions of Ars Magica, and this Definitive Edition is a deluxe, expanded version of 5th Edition (of Ars Magica, obviously).
4. Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 5th Edition (Cubicle 7)
1st appearance (Cubicle 7 also appeared at #2 in this list for WFRPG 4E in 2018).
In 2018, Cubicle 7 featured in this list for the 4th Edition of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay. Now, in WFRP’s 40th anniversary, it’s back–with 5th Edition! Yes, lots of games have 5th Editions. Backwards compatible with refined rules and reworked combat flow, the iconic game is coming back in 2026. WFRP is known for its career system, in which characters advance by taking on sequential new careers, and its Old World fantasy setting.
3. Mistborn (Brotherwise Games)
1st appearance (or 2nd if you count it as included in last year’s Cosmere TTRPG nomination).
Last year, Brotherwise Games broke every TTRPG record with its Kickstarter for Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere RPG–it made over $14M! That game is out in the wild now, but now they’re following up with the Mistborn RPG. This was a stretch goal in the original campaign, so it won’t be another multi-million dollar Kickstarter, but it is a separate game to the Cosmere RPG currently out there. There will be 3 hardcover books containing lore and rules, as well as an adventure called Mistborn Legacy.
2. Invincible Superhero Roleplaying (Free League)
1st appearance (and Free League’s 13th appearance).
Where would this be without Free League’s traditional Q4 Kickstarter? Invincible is based on the comic-book series and animated show by Robert Kirkman (the guy who brought us The Walking Dead–they did a game of that, too, which featured in this list in 2023). Invincible is a superhero story which features graphic violence, bright costumes, alien invasions, and more. This game will use Free League’s Year Zero system.
1. Deathbringer (Roll For Combat/Dungeoncraft)
1st appearance for both the game and its creators.
The winner this year, with more than three times the second place’s votes, is a game from Dan DeFazio, aka Professor DM, a well-known social media influencer in the tabletop gaming space. This looks like an old-school style game, at least from the logo. Expect rules-light, grimdark stuff. There’s an earlier PDF version on DTRPG–a couple of pages of house rules to make D&D more dangerous–which is an Adamantine best-seller, the very top category in the store’s sales rankings, and described as:
As seen on the DungeonCraft YouTube channel, Deathbringer RPG is a grimdark fantasy rules kit compatible with 5E and any OSR retroclone. This tri-fold rules set contains all you need for character creation, combat, & spellcasting. The unique Deathbringer Dice mechanic replaces traditional features, feats and skills with a fast, flexible alternative. Get ready for breakneck, bone-crunching, skull-smashing, action with DEATHBRINGER!
So, congratulations to Professor DM–the creator of the most anticipated TTRPG of 2026!
Our mockup of what Deathbringer might look like
Previous Winners Of The Annual EN World Most Anticipated Tabletop RPG Of The Year
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