Ghost In The Shell TTRPG Coming In 2027, On Kickstarter Now
Update: The Ghost In The Shell Arise TTRPG campaign has now completed, hammering its €10,000 target.
Five years after first announcing the game, Don’t Panic Games has finally given some details on the long-awaited Ghost In The Shell TTRPG. The developer is working with Mana Project Studio to create Ghost In The Shell: Arise TTRPG, set in 2027 and using an adapted version of the Forged in the Dark system.
The title will stick closely to existing Ghost In The Shell lore while also introducing new elements, especially in the shape of new add-ons.
The Game
According to the project’s Kickstarter campaign: “Our version of Forged in the Dark focuses on the mechanical management of the entire Public Security Section, the recruitment of individual members, fast-paced missions, confrontations with extraordinary Nemesis, and Ghost Memories—lost memories that still reside in the characters’ Ghosts.”
At the table, players will be taking on individual operations. Meanwhile, the system also enables the management of the team of operatives. Developers have chosen the Forged in the Dark system as it is known for its storytelling, as well as its action focus.
Mechanically, the system uses a pool of D6 dice, and it promises a lot of depth. True to lore, a player character has a Shell and a Ghost, with the player determining how much to invest in each. The Shell determines physical attributes and skills, while Ghost skills include hacking and social skills. Cyber enhancements and natural traits allow further customisation through new skills and attributes. And playbooks allow for true specialisation, so you can choose to become a pro hacker or an elite ranger, for example.
Completing quests unlocks memory clocks, and when you reach certain milestones, you will unlock new memories or further information about your character.
The Campaign
The Kickstarter campaign has already reached roughly £250,000 in pledges, smashing its £8,832 goal, and there’s still more than a week to go. There are a couple of stretch goals left, but the vast majority have already been achieved, and it seems likely that the upper targets will be hit in the coming days.
The cyberpunk TTRPG project is being produced by Don’t Panic Games and Mana Project Studio. Mana Project Studio has produced some well-revered TTRPGs. While Journey to Ragnarok is probably its best known, the Cowboy Bebop Roleplaying Game is the closest to Ghost in the Shell: Arise in terms of genre and setting.
Ghost in the Shell was originally launched as a manga series, published between 1989 and 1991, and set in the mid-21st Century. Anime adaptations followed in 1995 and 2004, and animated TV series in 2002 and 2020. The live-action movie, Ghost in the Shell, launched in 2017 and starred Scarlett Johansson, bringing new fans to the franchise.
Ghost in the Shell: Arise, which the new tabletop role-playing game is based on, was launched as a reimagining of the original in the mid-2010s.
Fittingly, the game is set for launch in 2027, and, considering that’s the year the game is set, it’s unlikely to miss its release date.
