Press inquiries: Please contact LaTia Jacquise at latia@montecookgames.com
Monte Cook Games, LLC, has an exciting slate of activities, features, and products planned throughout 2022 to mark a momentous milestone: the celebration of its 10th Anniversary!
Founders Monte Cook and Shanna Germain formed the company in the summer of 2012. They launched a Kickstarter campaign for the Numenera roleplaying game in August of that year and, following the campaign’s astonishing success, formed Monte Cook Games, LLC, as a business entity that September. Ten employees, scores of innovative and acclaimed products, and 21 highly successful Kickstarters later, MCG gratefully and joyously celebrates its tenth anniversary with special activities and features throughout 2022—and eagerly looks forward to its next exciting decade!
Looking back: It started small (kinda!)
“Ten years ago, we created a company almost on a whim, because Monte had this game—Numenera—that we were incredibly excited about and thought maybe other people might be excited about it too,” said founder and partner Shanna Germain. “Over the past ten years, both our company and the industry have grown and changed in huge ways, but one thing that will never change for us is making games that delight and excite us, and then sharing them with players.”
“I never would have believed it a decade ago,” commented Monte Cook, founder, partner, and Creative Director at MCG. “Ten years have gone by quickly, but I’m so proud of what we’ve accomplished: the smart, fun, creative team we’ve assembled; the ground-breaking games we’ve produced; and the active, enthusiastic, and positive community we’ve seen grow up around them.”
Ten years of true innovation
The company’s accomplishments showcase a decade of true innovation. The original Numenera reimagined the tabletop experience with a focus on fast-paced play that unshackles the narrative from plodding mechanics, all wrapped up in a truly fresh vision of high fantasy. No Thank You, Evil! brought tabletop gaming to the most imaginative members of the family—children as young as five—with an experience tailored to their interests but engaging for kids of all ages. Invisible Sun looked at how different types of gamers approach the hobby, optimizing the game for varying styles of play at the same table. (And combined that with the first truly new TTRPG genre in decades, and the most ambitious physical production of a roleplaying game ever.) The Darkest House created a whole new format of game product, uniquely optimized for online use—and an experience that integrates with an ongoing game to improve the dynamics of existing characters and groups. The forthcoming Stealing Stories for the Devil delivers an engaging RPG experience that requires literally no pre-game preparation—a first for the hobby since its inception in the 1970s.
(If you’re seeing a pattern of multiple innovations in any given product, that too is no accident. MCG is constantly focused on new thinking that delivers fun and compelling gaming experiences, and the company applies all of its experience and energy to every project.)
The list goes on: Instant Adventures, new forms of play accessories, unique approaches to crowdfunding experiences, the annual New Gamemaster Month program, clever product usability features, and supplements that redefine expectations are just more examples of the company’s continual dedication to innovation. Even the most “routine” MCG products rarely look routine by industry standards.
The company has been rewarded for this vision with critical acclaim, numerous awards, consistently strong sales that have required multiple reprints of most major releases, and—best of all—a diverse, dedicated, and positive fan community.
“Ten years—what a milestone!” added Charles Ryan, MCG’s COO, a partner in the company, and a 30-year veteran of the tabletop games industry. “Even among companies that have released fantastic, beloved game lines, longevity is, well, sometimes elusive. We’re so proud to have made it to this point, and of what we’ve accomplished in these first ten years. And we’re just getting started!”
A fun year in store
Tens are a theme as the company celebrates its anniversary year. MCG has ten full-time employees. The company has produced ten distinct game lines. And the celebration will be spread over a 10-month period starting in February and running through November. Throughout those months MCG will spotlight the amazing members of the small team that has made all of its successes possible, key products from a decade of true innovation in tabletop RPGs, and other accomplishments. Details about special 10th Anniversary activities will be rolled out in the weeks and months to come, but fans new and old can look forward to, among other things:
- Celebrations at major conventions, including Gen Con and Gamehole Con
- Exclusive 10th Anniversary product
- Special consumer and retail promotions
- A couple of amazing new initiatives that fans of our games, and the industry in general, are going to love!
In the meantime: Happy birthday, Monte Cook Games! Here’s a timeline looking back at just some of the fun and exciting things MCG has accomplished over the past ten years:
August 2012
Numenera Kickstarter
Generating $517,000, the Numenera Kickstarter blows away all records at the time for RPG crowdfunding.
September 2012
Monte Cook Games Officially Founded
Monte Cook and Shanna Germain establish Monte Cook Games, LLC as a business entity.
May 2013
Tammie Webb Ryan
Tammie joins the team, becoming employee #1!
June 2013
Charles M. Ryan
Charles comes aboard as a partner and COO. At the same time, Tammie’s role is upgraded to full time.
August 2013
Bruce R. Cordell
MCG’s design capability expands when Bruce joins as a Senior Designer.
September 2013
Numenera
MCG releases its first product to the public: The original Numenera roleplaying game.
October 2013
The Strange Kickstarter
MCG’s second Kickstarter is second only to Numenera in funding for an original roleplaying game.
October 2013
Thunderstone Advance: Numenera
AEG publishes a Numenera version of its popular Thunderstone game under license.
June 2014
Bear Weiter
Bear joins the MCG team as Art Director.
July 2014
The Strange
MCG releases The Strange, its second complete roleplaying game.
September 2014
How to Play Numenera Video
The company’s first how-to-play video goes up on YouTube. It goes on to receive over 130,000 views (and counting!).
January 2015
New Gamemaster Month
The first New Gamemaster Month is launched. It becomes an annual program supported by multiple partner companies.
August 2015
Cypher System Rulebook
The game engine behind Numenera and The Strange is now opened up for gamers to use with any genre they love!
February 2016
No Thank You, Evil!
The roleplaying game for creative kids and their families is an instant hit.
May 2016
Sean K. Reynolds
Sean joins the team in a role that focuses initially on community coordination, but grows to take advantage of his extensive design experience.
July 2016
New Warehouse
MCG expands its capabilities for rapid Kickstarter fulfillment and the MCG Shop with a new warehouse.
August 2016
Invisible Sun Kickstarter
The Invisible Sun Kickstarter sets a new record for the company as it funds one of the most physically sophisticated RPGs ever published.
October 2016
VURT
The first complete roleplaying game powered by the Cypher System from a third party is published by Ravendesk Games.
November 2016
Numenera Starter Set
This inexpensive boxed set makes it easy to step into the Ninth World.
January 2017
Numenera: Strand
A short film exploring the Ninth World, featuring astounding production values, is released to the public by production company Valdes/Eriksdotter.
August 2017
Cypher Unlimited
The Cypher Unlimited Discord server is launched. It will quickly become the largest hub of the MCG fan community, reaching several thousand members.
September 2017
Numenera 2: Discovery and Destiny
New corebooks for Numenera expand the scope of the game.
January 2018
50 Years of Monte Cook/30 Years of Great Gaming
Gamers and retailers around the world participate in a celebration of Monte’s 30 years of contributions to the RPG hobby—on his 50th birthday!
February 2018
The Raven Wants What You Have
MCG hosts its first streamed campaign with a production of Monte’s Invisible Sun game.
June 2018
The Ninth World
Lone Shark Games releases a board game based on Numenera that allows competitive, cooperative, and solo play as you explore the Ninth World setting.
September 2018
Invisible Sun
Invisible Sun, with an amazingly creative new setting and innovative gameplay elements, is released in the form of the massive Black Cube.
October 2018
Numenera Discovery and Destiny
New corebooks for Numenera expand the Ninth World experience in a beautiful new slipcase set.
June 2019
Jennifer Walls
With tens of thousands of Kickstarter rewards and store purchases occurring annually, MCG adds a dedicated customer service roll with Jennifer at the helm.
July 2019
Your Best Game Ever
A tool book (not a rulebook) reveals the secrets of awesome RPG experiences for players and GMs.
September 2019
Cypher System Rulebook
A new version of the expands and streamlines the original while remaining entirely compatible with all existing Cypher System products.
November 2019
The Stars Are Fire
The first in a series of hefty sourcebooks explores science-fiction for the Cypher System.
February 2020
Ptolus Kickstarter
Monte’s masterwork Ptolus is relaunched in new versions for Cypher System and 5e. The Kickstarter is affected by the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
April 2020
Arcana of the Ancients
MCG’s first substantial title for 5e brings the wonders of science-fantasy to the world’s most popular roleplaying game.
August 2020
Tidal Blades Announced
MCG and Skybound Entertainment announce a joint venture to publish a Cypher System RPG based on the beautiful fantasy world of Tidal Blades.
October 2020
LaTia Jacquise
LaTia joins MCG to head up our community relations.
December 2020
Teri Litorco
MCG welcomes Teri as our new Managing Editor.
March 2021
The Darkest House Kickstarter
In another pioneering product, MCG introduces a setting that integrates into—and enriches—any existing RPG, in a new format optimized for online play.
May 2021
Ptolus: Monte Cook’s City by the Spire
A legendary title returns in two versions of the premium 672-page tome, for Cypher System and 5e.
June 2021
The Darkest House
This innovative digital product is built from the ground up for online play.
July 2021
The Devil Made Us Do It Kickstarter
In another innovative crowdfunding campaign, MCG funds three standalone games that eliminate GM prep.
October 2021
Path of the Planebreaker Kickstarter
MCG heads into the planes with 5e and Cypher System versions of a title of extraplanar exploration.
November 2021
Old Gods of Appalachia Announced
MCG, together with Deep Nerd Media, announces the forthcoming roleplaying game based on the popular and award-winning Old Gods of Appalachia podcast.
