Dust off your dice bags, Apocalypse World is getting a new edition. Creators Vincent and Meguey Baker confirmed that a third edition of their end-of-the-world RPG is in development.
Apocalypse World is hardly just another tabletop RPG; it’s the spawn of an entire design movement. Much like Dungeons and Dragons created a ruleset that other games have since taken inspiration from – and sometimes flat-out copied – the Powered by the Apocalypse, or PbtA for short, went on to inspire its own range of games.
If you’ve played a narrative-heavy indie RPG in recent times, chances are it was built on Apocalypse World’s structure, even if it was buried underneath a host of subsystems. Now, more than a decade after the second edition hit the shelves, a long-awaited sequel dubbed Apocalypse World: Burned Over is on the horizon.
The Impact Of Apocalypse World on Modern Tabletop RPGs
In 2010, Apocalypse World was unleashed on the world of tabletop RPGs, and it definitely left an impact still felt to this day.
The main difference from other dice-rolling role-playing games is that it doesn’t lose itself in the numbers, but rather lets the narrative drive you forward. It introduces story triggers, which push the story forward – no matter if you succeed or fail. A bad roll doesn’t stall the game, but rather creates clever complications within the story, making it all the more interesting to play.
This design philosophy was unheard of until that point, and it shaped some of the most popular RPGs, and still continues to do so, like the upcoming Doom The Dark Ages Arena tabletop game.
Dungeon World brought it to fantasy, and titles like Monster of the Week turned it into episodic supernatural hunts, whereas Monsterhearts took a completely different approach, by going neck-deep into emotional, sometimes quite raw stories.
As you can see, without the backbone of PbtA, this genre of tabletop games would probably look very different today – or wouldn’t even exist at all.
What Changes Can We Expect in Apocalypse World 3?
Sadly, there’s no complete rulebook yet, so the Bakers are keeping things under tight wraps.
One thing seemed abundantly clear, though; this third edition isn’t just a polished-up 2nd edition. Revised playbooks, more robust rules for factions, and fresh tools to help players and GMs (Game Masters) create denser, more intersecting storylines.
Another main component of new edition cocktail appears to be accessibility – and we know how that sounds for any veteran reading this. But it’s more about creating a streamlined version of what we already know and love.
Could This Be the Most Important RPG Release of 2025?
Calling Apocalypse World 3rd Edition the most important RPG of the year might sound bold, but it’s not that far-fetched. Its previous editions reshaped tabletop gaming, and a new one has the chance to do it again.
There’s a lot to cover here, and the modernized mechanics, sharper playbooks, or tools built for online play excite to no end. This edition could be the one that cements Apocalypse World as more than just a historical milestone.
For newcomers curious about where all these narrative-heavy RPGs came from, and for veterans eager to see how the Bakers evolve their creation, this is shaping up to be one of the year’s most-watched launches. We’re certainly excited, but not only because of the 3rd edition update itself, but rather the impact this new iteration will have on the games that follow in its footsteps for years to come.
Apocalypse World 3rd Edition Release Date
The Kickstarter “notify me” page for Apocalypse World 3rd Edition went up this week, capturing the attention of over a thousand followers already.
There’s no official launch date yet, but signing up to the Apocalypse World Kickstarter page will keep you in the loop.
