Fans of Numenera, The Strange, and the Cypher System roleplaying games, along with brick-and-mortar retailers carrying those lines in their stores, can look forward to great game play and a new tool for building local communities for MCG games. Monte Cook Games today announced its new Cypher Play program of organized play for brick-and-mortar retail.
The Cypher Play program launches with Cypher Play: Numenera Season 1 in September. This season, which sets the template for future seasons, offers bi-weekly play over a 17-week period running through December. Future seasons are planned for January and May of 2017, with three seasons per year going forward. Although Season 1 focuses on Numenera, other settings may take the stage in future seasons.
Cypher Play is perhaps unique among RPG organized play programs in its laser-like focus on building communities around retail stores, and driving sales in those stores. The program is limited to brick-and-mortar retail sites, and multiple incentives are baked into the system to encourage gamers to purchase MCG products from that retailer while their enthusiasm for the game is at its peak. The program is also designed to be particularly easy for retailers to run and report their events.
Gamers will love the fact that all content is produced in-house by the famed MCG design team. They will also take cool rewards away from the program, including adventure material that they’re incentivized to take home and run for their friends, extending the reach of the in-store activity and further growing the local community for MCG’s games.
“We’ve worked closely with a number of retailers and distributors to design a program that takes a fresh approach to RPG organized play,” commented Charles Ryan, COO of Monte Cook Games. “MCG has a stellar record of supporting our players online and at key cons and events, and we’re incredibly proud of the creative and active community that has grown up around our games. Now we want to apply that same energy and support to the local communities at game stores around the country, in a way that works well for retailers and rewards them with strong sales.”
Monte Cook Games is currently launching a Season 0 beta test of the Cypher Play program, with roughly 20 key retail sites around the US participating. This half-length test season will give MCG additional retailer feedback and allow the company to further improve the ease of running the program while optimizing its results.
Cypher Play: Numenera Season 1 officially launches on 1 September. Retailer registration will begin in August. Interested brick-and-mortar retailers can contact MCG via the Monte Cook Games website.
