As the launch of the new edition Cypher approaches, we here at Monte Cook Games are excited to roll out the Cypher Open License, which allows publishers, gamers, and members of the public to freely create and market tabletop roleplaying games compatible with, and using the rules from, the Cypher TTRPG system.
Through the Cypher Open License, publishers and independent creators may duplicate content from the Cypher Reference Document, a version of the Cypher rules that includes nearly all the rules content in the forthcoming Cypher Character Rulebook and Cypher GM’s Guide. Character generation, core game rules, optional and variant rules, creatures, cyphers, items, artifacts, and more are included in the Cypher Reference Document. Text from this CRD may be duplicated in part or in full, or modified as the designer sees fit, to create Cypher-compatible products or entirely new games based on Cypher’s elegant, easy-to-use, and easy-to-design-for game engine.
Publishers are invited to capitalize on the commercial success of Cypher, which raised over $1 million in crowdfunding and is built upon a decade-plus of popular products in its earlier edition—and to make the most of its flexibility, ease of play, narrative focus, and fun gameplay as they bring their creativity to life. Open licensees can create adventures, settings, supplements, and even entire, self-contained games using the Cypher rules, and modify, change, and add to those rules as best serves their vision.
The terms of the Cypher Open License are very similar to those of the earlier Cypher System Open License, which related to the original edition of Cypher (then called Cypher System). CSOL licensees will find it easy to move to the new COL.
“We’re really proud of the Cypher Open License and MCG’s history with open licensing,” commented Charles Ryan, COO and partner at MCG. “Cypher’s a wonderful game at the table, and it’s built to make the most of a designer’s creativity. When you look at Cypher-based games like Old Gods of Appalachia, The Magnus Archives, Numenera, and core Cypher itself—those games have generated nearly $8 million in just their crowdfunding revenues, in just the past few years—you get a sense of what the commercial potential this offers licensees. And we’ve been really pleased with the open licensed games that have come to market to date, which really showcase the imagination of the designers and how robust and flexible Cypher is.”
The Cypher Open License and Cypher Reference Document were released to the public this week, and can be found at col.montecookgames.com.
Please note that the Cypher Open License, although open in nature, is a legal agreement that you enter into with Monte Cook Games, LLC, if you publish under its terms. This page’s depictions of the COL’s terms are descriptive only; refer to the Cypher Open License for actual terms and conditions. Be sure you read, understand, and agree to the terms of the Cypher Open License before publishing.
