The crowdfunding platforms haven’t been this busy in months. Between a massive franchise changing hands, a video game adaptation making waves, and a litRPG series smashing records on BackerKit, there’s a lot to unpack. Here’s what caught our eye this week.
🏴☠️ Zombicide: Dead Men Tales — The Pirate Zombicide We’ve Been Waiting For
Platform: Gamefound | Launched: April 22 | Ends: ~May 12 | Pledge: $110+ (Davy Jones’ Plunder)
This is a big deal for multiple reasons. Zombicide: Dead Men Tales isn’t just a new core box — it’s the first Zombicide game under Fantasy Flight Games and Asmodee’s banner after they acquired the IP from CMON. And they’ve kicked things off with the pirate theme the community has been begging for since roughly the Black Plague days.
What’s New
Dead Men Tales is part of the Fantasy Zombicide line (1–6 players, cooperative), but the pirate setting brings a stack of genuinely fresh mechanics:
- Sea zones — survivors can’t cross them, but zombies can. Because of course they can
- Rope swinging — spend one action to swing across three zones in any direction, leaping over buildings, water, and zombie hordes. The designers officially encourage muttering pirate shanties while doing this
- Grom — a fantasy booze mechanic. Visit taverns, stockpile Grom tokens, then spend them for devastating bonus attacks. Get too greedy and your survivor passes out mid-combat
- Dual equipment decks — Governor (precise, tactical) and Pirate (chaotic, pistol-heavy) gear found in different zones
- Treasure hunting — almost every tile has a buried “X” that can spawn epic loot, events, or fresh threats
- Moral compass — your in-game decisions push you toward gold-obsessed scallywag or heroic noble heart, affecting quest objectives and the campaign finale
The campaign funded in 32 minutes and had already crossed $700K+ within the first 48 hours. Stretch goals are flying — at last count, 12 of 14 were unlocked, including exclusive survivors, special zombie types, and classic zombie cards. There’s also a tie-in RPG (Plaguebearer) available as an add-on.
Should You Back It?
If you’re already in the Zombicide ecosystem, this is a no-brainer — the pirate theme is fresh enough to justify the buy, and the new mechanics (Grom, ropes, sea zones) genuinely change how the game plays. For newcomers, the $110 core pledge with all stretch goals is solid value, though you’ll need patience — delivery is estimated for June 2027.
The lingering question: compatibility with older Fantasy Zombicide content. FFG has promised backwards compatibility for survivors and said they’ll offer conversion packs for dashboards and decks. Early signs are positive.
🎯 Hitman: The Board Game — Silent Assassin on Your Table
Platform: Gamefound | Launched: April 30 | Pledge: TBC
Hitman: The Board Game just launched two days ago from MOOD Publishing (the folks behind Valheim and Deep Rock Galactic board games), developed in close collaboration with IO Interactive.
The Pitch
A 1–4 player competitive game where everyone plays as assassins for hire competing to eliminate the same target. That competitive twist is the key differentiator — this isn’t a cooperative experience. You’re infiltrating exotic locations, improvising with disguises and tools, and trying to deliver the killing blow before your rivals do. Or sabotaging their plans entirely.
What We Know
- 4 modular maps with 8 different targets — mix and match for near-endless replayability
- Each agent is a distinct character from the Hitman universe with unique abilities
- Paris with Viktor Novikov confirmed as one of the scenarios (classic Hitman fans will approve)
- Standees in the base game, with a miniature upgrade available through the campaign
- The sandbox design emphasises improvisation and creativity over scripted solutions
MOOD Publishing has a decent track record with video game adaptations, and IO Interactive’s direct involvement suggests this isn’t a lazy license slap. The early previews from content creators have been cautiously positive, highlighting the competitive tension and the modular sandbox design.
Our Take
This one’s intriguing but wait-and-see. The competitive assassination concept is genuinely novel for board games, and the Hitman license is a great fit. But video game adaptations live and die on whether the tabletop version captures the feeling of the original — and we haven’t seen enough to know if Hitman’s signature “creative chaos” translates to cardboard. Follow the campaign and watch the preview videos before pledging.
🏆 Dungeon Crawler Carl RPG & Unstoppable — The $9M Monster
Platform: BackerKit | Launched: April 14 | Ends: May 15 | Pledge: From $50+
This is the crowdfunding story of 2026 so far. Dungeon Crawler Carl from Renegade Game Studios launched with 65,000+ followers (the most-followed TTRPG campaign ever), funded in under a minute, and has currently raised over $8.9 million — making it one of the biggest tabletop RPG campaigns in crowdfunding history.
What You Get
It’s actually two games in one campaign:
- Dungeon Crawler Carl RPG — a full skill-based TTRPG set in the brutal, televised World Dungeon from Matt Dinniman’s bestselling book series. 30+ playable races, massive class roster, progression that mirrors the books (you unlock race and class choices after surviving to floor three)
- Dungeon Crawler Carl: Unstoppable — a solo/co-op card-crafting deck-builder with 280+ cards, four difficulty levels, and campaign/arcade modes
The RPG’s standout mechanic is skills improve through use — every check gets marked, then you roll after the session to see if the rank increases. That’s a lovely old-school touch that rewards actually playing your character rather than min-maxing at creation.
The Numbers
- $8.9M+ raised (goal was $250K)
- 37,000+ backers
- Already surpassed Draw Steel’s BackerKit record ($4.6M)
- Trending toward $12M+ by campaign end
- Delivery target: October 2026
For context, the all-time records are Avatar Legends ($9.5M) and Cosmere RPG ($15.1M). Dungeon Crawler Carl is on pace to challenge Avatar for second place.
Should You Back It?
If you’re a DCC book fan, this is a must-back. The campaign is loaded with physical goodies (dice, miniatures, GM screen, character journal) and the dual-game structure means there’s something for both RPG groups and solo players. The October 2026 delivery target is ambitious but Renegade has a solid fulfilment history.
If you’re not familiar with the books — this is still a well-designed TTRPG with an unusually creative premise (reality TV dungeon survival). The Starter Set at a lower price point is a sensible entry.
🤖 Tamashii: The Final Amendment — Cyberpunk Co-op Returns
Platform: Gamefound | Live Now | Pledge: €59+ (Standard) / €164 (All-in)
Awaken Realms is back with Tamashii: The Final Amendment, the standalone sequel to Tamashii: Chronicle of Ascend. This is a 1–4 player cooperative adventure game set in a cyberpunk dystopia where a rogue AI has returned and humanity must stop it — again.
What Makes It Interesting
- Unique programming mechanic — arrange data patterns on your player board and “execute code” to attack enemies or augment yourself. It’s genuinely different from anything else on the market
- Body-swapping — jump between different body shells mid-game, fundamentally changing your capabilities
- Semi-campaign scenarios with high replayability — no fixed story path, branching decisions, unlockable content
- Two-way compatibility with the first game — some miniatures and body types work in both games
The campaign funded in under 9 minutes and has already raised over €500K. Delivery is estimated for May 2027.
Our Take
Awaken Realms campaigns always deliver impressive production value, and the programming mechanic genuinely sets Tamashii apart from the crowded dungeon-crawler space. The cyberpunk theme is a refreshing break from fantasy. If you played the first game and wanted more depth and polish, this looks like exactly that. Newcomers can jump in — it’s standalone — but the niche theme and heavy mechanics mean this is firmly aimed at experienced gamers.
👀 Quick Hits — Other Campaigns Worth Watching
- Earth Express (Kickstarter) — A streamlined version of the hit game Earth from Inside Up Games. Paired with Behind the Lens, a photography-themed tile-laying game. Already well-funded
- Bloodwork: The Reckoning (Gamefound) — Dark fantasy co-op for 1–4 players from I Demo Games. Grid-based tactical combat with a branching dual-faction campaign. A ground-up rebuild after the original campaign didn’t land. Worth watching if you like Gloomhaven-style tactical puzzles with a darker aesthetic
- Yotei (Kickstarter) — Quietly generating buzz. Keep an eye on this one
- Claustrophobia 1692 (Gamefound, Devir) — A revival of the classic two-player asymmetric dungeon game, now with a witch trial theme
The Bottom Line
This is one of the strongest crowdfunding months we’ve seen in a while. The standouts:
- Best Value: Zombicide: Dead Men Tales — $110 for a massive co-op box with all stretch goals is hard to beat
- Most Exciting: Dungeon Crawler Carl — the numbers speak for themselves, and the dual-game approach is smart
- Most Innovative: Tamashii: The Final Amendment — that programming mechanic is genuinely unlike anything else
- Best Watch-and-Wait: Hitman — great concept, needs more gameplay evidence
Whatever you back, remember the golden rule of crowdfunding: never pledge money you can’t afford to wait 12–18 months to see again. Estimated delivery dates are exactly that — estimates.
Happy backing! 🎲
