Free League's Alien RPG Evolved Edition and Rapture Protocol crowdfund campaign is racing through the six-digits as the most funded RPG of 2025 so far. Announced late last year, the Alien Evolved Edition Kickstarter is currently sitting at $1,260,563 in pledges (£977,977 for UK denizens). With 22 days left to go on the campaign, there's no telling where that number is going to end up.
This is our first real look at the refresh of one of the best tabletop RPGs around, which Sweden-based publisher Free League only teased in a trailer two months ago. Here's what you can expect when it comes to changes from the previous edition of the Alien RPG:
- New graphic design
- Revised and expanded stealth mode
- Revised and expanded talents
- Revised stress and panic rules
- Revised ammo, armor, grenades and stun rules
- Zero gravity rules
- Miniatures play support
- Weapons and ships from Alien: Romulus
- Revised spaceship combat
- Expanded campaign play tools
- Jackson's star from Alien: Romulus
- Last Survivor solo rules
- Life path character creation
As for the story and locations, the Evolved edition will be exploring more locations, items, and ships from Alien: Romulus, so you can wander through the Weyland-Yutani mining colony of Jackson's Star.
Also available is the Rapture Protocol set, a cinematic scenario written by Jonathan Hicks and Tomas Härenstam that goes back to the roots of the franchise, allowing players to pilot a starfreighter on its way to the Jeremiah VI industrial colony. The Miniatures set you can get along with Rapture Protocol will contain "at least 17" minis sculpted by Daniel Fernández-Truchaud, all of which are looking absolutely stunning, especially the examples that have been fully painted by SKOLD Painting.
The new books will use artwork from the incredible Johan Nohr – whose work appears in one of my favorite RPGs, Mork Borg – in collaboration with a host of new and old artists who dare pay homage to the great H.R. Geiger.
Alongside the Core Rulebook, and Hope's Last Day Starter Set, fans can get their hands on an awesome Geiger-esque limited edition of Alien Evolved Edition.
Free League also plans to reprint Colonial Marines Operations Manual and Building Better Worlds, with minor revisions and a graphic overhaul. These will be available separately as addons, or you can grab them along with the base Evolved Edition in the Engineer Bundle.
In case you were concerned, the FAQ notes that previously published Alien RPG supplements Destroyer of Worlds and Heart of Darkness – while not being updated for the Evolved Edition – will be compatible with only minor tweaks.
The Alien Evolved Edition Digital Core Book will set you back just £20, while the physical and digital version comes in at just £23, and everything else like dice, the GM screen and VTT modules all come as addons. Backers of the Alien Evolved Edition Kickstarter will get the Beta PDFs and early, too, so you can brag to your friends.
For more, why not learn about Fallen London's Kickstarter from earlier this year, which Free League's Alien RPG refresh just beat as the most funded RPG of 2025. Or check out this deal on Tales From The Loop from the same Publisher.
