The Empyrean series of fantasy novels from author Rebecca Yarros have proven incredibly popular, with three books released since 2023, and a fourth on the way.
The amount of popularity has led to the announcement of a TV adaptation produced by Amazon, a series of graphic novels which retell the events of the novels and now, naturally, a board game.
In fact, this is the second board game announced in 2025 to be based off the series. The first was a Fourth Wing board game themed version of the party game Priorities and will be released in October 2025, but this second one is something more unique – titled Fourth Wing: Rise of the Wingleader.
Fourth Wing Board Game – Rise of the Ringleader
As readers of the first book in the series will know, Fourth Wing takes place in the Basgiath War College, giving an academic backdrop to the series not dissimilar from how Hogwarts is the primary anchor of the setting of the Harry Potter series.
Rise of the Wingleader looks to put players into this setting, allowing them to focus on improving the four pillars of Strength, Agility, Cunning and Connection. More than just taking place in the same location, the board game looks to replicate key moments of the novel as events in-game – in much the same way as Lord of the Rings: Fate of the Fellowship approaches its source material.
In this way, it’s not just looking to replicate the setting but also the tone of the novel through emulating the dynamic between characters in how the players must strategise around one another.
Full details on how the game will play are currently light, but it’s known that it will feature choice as a prominent element, where earning and playing cards plays a role in whether you seek alliances with players or choose a certain moment to try and betray your way to the top. It’s also known that a metal dragon bookmark will be included in the game.
Goliath Board Games
Fans of the books might be wondering what Goliath’s previous lineup looks like. On their website, the publishers showcase their wide array of previous titles, including one recreating the Tri-Wizard maze from Harry Potter, showcasing familiarity with turning fantasy material into a board game.
In addition to this, Goliath has experience in multiple genres including strategy and puzzle games, which might bode well for the kind of flexibility and replayability being described in the pre-release material for Rise of the Wingleader.
