Enter the Arcverse Relaunch: Expanding Our World Beyond 5E

Enter the Arcverse is levelling up beyond D&D 5th Edition, embracing new worlds, systems, and a renewed mission.

In the past year I haven't done a lot with this site, principally because I was writing my debut novel The Blood of Tharta, but also because I knew it was time for a rethink, for a change and for something new to be born. In the coming months this site will grow in ways I could never have imagined when I first set it up. This article is about what were going to do, but it's also about the state of D&D and why I am going to bring about the changes that I think the site needs to keep growing.

Honoring D&D 5th Edition – Our Foundation

When I first launched Enter the Arcverse, it was born from a love of Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition. For years, 5E has been the gateway for countless new players – an edition praised for its streamlined rules and creative freedom. I have immense respect and appreciation for 5E: it rekindled my own passion for tabletop RPGs and built the vibrant community that gathered around this blog. Every adventure module, beginner’s guide, and GM tip we published here was, in some way, a thank-you to the 5E system and the fans who love it.

That commitment isn’t going anywhere. Enter the Arcverse will continue to actively support D&D 5E with fresh adventures, guides, and analysis. Whether you’re looking for your next one-shot idea or advice on mastering a tricky class, our archives and upcoming posts will remain a trove of 5E content. 5th Edition D&D is in our DNA, and we’re proud of it. Even as we grow, this blog will stay a home for 5E players and Dungeon Masters. From epic campaign outlines to niche rules clarifications, our 5E coverage will persist – we’re not abandoning the realm of Faerûn and Tiamat, elves and beholders, d20s and saving throws. If you’ve been with us for the D&D ride so far, rest assured: that journey continues strong.

A Turning Point – Reflections on Wizards of the Coast and 5E’s Future

While our love for 5E remains unwavering, the past year has brought some difficult reflections about the official direction of D&D. As many of you know, Wizards of the Coast (WotC) – the company behind D&D – made a series of controversial decisions that rocked the community’s trust. Late last year, WotC’s executives even described D&D as “under-monetized,” signaling a push for heavier monetization. Shortly after, an alarming draft of a new Open Gaming License (OGL) was leaked, revealing plans to impose royalties on successful third-party creators and assert tighter control over fan-made content. This OGL update would have upended a decades-old understanding that allowed creators to freely build on the game’s framework. Wizards and their owner Hasbro ignored the golden rules understood by every business that successfully profited from cult pop culture brands. Do not fuck with the fans. They are now in the 'finding out' stage of things and good luck to them.

The community’s response was swift and vehement. Players, Dungeon Masters, and independent publishers united in protest – hashtags trended, an open letter garnered tens of thousands of signatures, and longtime fans began canceling their D&D Beyond subscriptions in droves. The backlash was so intense that within days Wizards of the Coast issued a public apology and completely reversed course on the OGL changes. In a last-ditch effort to regain goodwill, they even released the core 5E rules into the Creative Commons. These events have been reported widely, but for us as a community, they were more than headlines – they felt personal. D&D isn’t just a product; it’s a shared creative space. Seeing the stewards of that space prioritize profits over players was disheartening.

Even with the rollback, something had cracked. As one Axios report noted, many fans were left wary, saying the company had “lost their trust.” I count myself among those fans. It was a wake-up call that the future of D&D – particularly the upcoming evolution dubbed One D&D – might not align with the values that drew us in. (One D&D, for those unfamiliar, is the codename for the 2024 update to 5E’s rules – essentially a “5.5 Edition” refresh of the game) Wizards insists these new rules will improve the game, but after the OGL saga, many of us in the community are approaching One D&D with caution. I for one have little interest in what appears to be (because they've said the quiet part out loud at Hasbro repeatedly) a way to improve shareholder returns at the expense of players and DMs the world over. In much the same way as a lousy superhero movie tends to come from producers and directors who have no love for the genre, poor excuses for RPGs are the product of corporate decision makers who have absolutely no interest in gaming or in the people that play.

Why does this matter for Enter the Arcverse? Because it forced a choice: Do we simply follow along with WotC’s new direction, or do we stay true to the spirit that 5E kindled in us, even if that means charting our own course? After much soul-searching, I’ve chosen the latter. This blog will not be pivoting to cover One D&D or future WotC-edition changes. Instead, we’ll keep our focus on the games and principles we believe in. We remain fans of D&D, but we’re no longer dependent on WotC’s vision. The Arcverse was always about empowering players and GMs to create great stories – that mission doesn’t require following the latest corporate rollout.

Still Rolling with 5E (and Classic Editions)

Let me be crystal clear: Our step back from WotC’s newest edition does NOT mean stepping away from D&D 5E itself. On the contrary, we’re going to support 5E better than ever. You’ll continue to see 5th Edition adventures, lore deep-dives, class build guides, and GM tools on Enter the Arcverse. This remains one of the best editions of D&D, and there’s so much more to explore within it. We have a backlog of ideas – from revisiting underused monsters to crafting fresh homebrew mechanics – all for 5E players to enjoy. If you love 5E, consider us your ally for the long haul.

Beyond that, many of us have fond memories of earlier D&D editions, and those deserve love too. As part of our expansion, we’ll also be delving into earlier D&D editions – yes, including D&D 3.5, 4th Edition, and even Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D). These past editions each have their unique charm and dedicated fanbases. Maybe you cut your teeth on the crunchy tactical combat of 3.5, or perhaps you’re curious about the much-maligned but intriguingly different world of 4E. Maybe you’re a grognard at heart who misses THAC0 and the old-school modules of AD&D 1st and 2nd Edition. The Arcverse will have something for you too. We plan to publish retrospectives, conversion guides, and adventures that celebrate these classic versions of D&D. There’s a treasure trove of material in the earlier rulesets, and we’re excited to dust it off and put it back on the gaming table.

In short, Enter the Arcverse isn’t leaving D&D – we’re embracing more of it (just not the corporate-driven changes we don’t believe in). Our goal is that whether you play 5E or an older edition, you’ll find useful content, inspiration, and community here. D&D has a rich history, and we intend to honor all of it – while also looking to the wider horizon beyond. And that brings us to the biggest change: the fact that this isn’t just a D&D site anymore.

Beyond Dragons: A Universe of RPG Genres

One of the most exciting parts of this relaunch is our evolution into a comprehensive tabletop RPG platform. D&D will always be a pillar of our content, but the Arcverse is too big to be contained by a single game. Starting now, we’re spreading our wings to explore every corner of the role-playing universe, across myriad genres and settings. Tabletop RPGs are a multiverse of imagination, and we want to travel it all – with you, our community, along for the ride.

What kinds of worlds can you expect? Practically any you can dream of. Enter the Arcverse will cover a wide range of genres, including:

• Fantasy – from high magic realms to gritty low-fantasy settings

• Science Fiction – star-spanning space operas and far-future societies

• Cyberpunk – neon dystopias of hackers, megacorps, and cybernetic intrigue

• Horror – gothic nightmares, cosmic terror, and survival against the unknown

• Post-Apocalyptic – worlds after the fall, be it nuclear wastelands or zombie outbreaks

• Steampunk – Victorian-flavored tech, airships, clockwork and alchemical marvels

• Superheroes – comic-book style adventures of capes, villains, and epic superpowers

• Historical & Mythic – roleplaying in real historical periods or mythological epochs

• Weird Fiction – surreal and genre-bending settings that defy easy classification

In other words: if you can imagine it, we want to explore it. RPGs aren’t one-size-fits-all, and part of our mission is to celebrate the diversity of role-playing experiences. Maybe you’re a die-hard fantasy fan who’s never tried a sci-fi game, or a horror GM looking to mix things up with a little steampunk flair – the Arcverse will be your guide to stepping outside your comfort zone and discovering new favorites. Expect articles that introduce these genres, compare how different games handle them, and offer tips for worldbuilding and storytelling in each style. Our message is that great stories can happen anywhere, any time period, any universe. By expanding our genre coverage, we invite every role-player to find something here that resonates with their imagination.

Our existing worlds of Arclands (a second edition called A Fire in the Heart of Knowing is coming in due course) and Nova City Heroes for Mutants and Masterminds will be joined in due course with Sci Fi, Cyberpunk, Horror and other Fantasy worlds.

Many Systems, One Arcverse – The Games We’ll Feature

Hand-in-hand with genre expansion is our commitment to covering multiple RPG systems. Each game system brings its own flavor and mechanics to the table, and part of the fun is finding which system best suits the story you want to tell. Up until now, our focus was on D&D 5E, but going forward Enter the Arcverse will highlight and support a wide variety of game systems. Here are some of the major RPG systems and titles you’ll see featured on the site (in no particular order):

• Pathfinder (1e & 2e) – Born from D&D’s 3.5e, Pathfinder offers deep character customization and tactical combat for fantasy adventurers. It’s a beloved system for those who crave crunch and options.

• Blades in the Dark – A sleek, narrative game where you lead a crew of scoundrels in a haunted industrial city. Expect content on pulling off heists in Duskwall, managing your crew’s reputation, and embracing the game’s fast-paced, fiction-first mechanics.

• Call of Cthulhu – The classic horror RPG of investigative dread. We’ll dive into running cosmic horror mysteries, keeping players on edge with sanity mechanics, and crafting unsettling adventures in Lovecraftian settings.

• Vampire: The Masquerade – The flagship of the World of Darkness. From navigating vampire politics to maintaining the Masquerade, we’ll sink our teeth into this gothic-punk game of personal horror.

• Cyberpunk RED – High tech, low life. As the latest edition of the Cyberpunk RPG, RED is all about ruthless megacorps, street cyberware, and neon-soaked action. Look out for articles on creating cyborg characters, designing futuristic cityscapes, and running high-octane missions in Night City.

• OSR Games (Old-School Revival) – A plethora of indie games that harken back to the feel of early D&D. Whether it’s Old-School Essentials, Labyrinth Lord, or Dungeon Crawl Classics, we’ll pay homage to that old-school dungeon-delving ethos: rulings over rules, lethal dangers, and creative problem-solving.

• Starfinder – Futuristic fantasy in the far future. Ever wondered what D&D in space might look like? Starfinder blends magic and sci-fi – we’ll explore its galaxy of alien races, starship combat, and cosmic adventure.

• Fate (Fate Core & Accelerated) – A versatile narrative system where the story takes center stage. We’ll show how to harness Fate’s aspect system to run games in any world you can imagine, from pulp adventure to romantic fantasy.

• Savage Worlds – “Fast, Furious, Fun.” This generic system is great for pulpy action across genres. Expect content on using Savage Worlds for everything from swashbuckling pirates to Weird West horror.

• Mutants & Masterminds – The go-to superhero RPG. We’ll talk about building superheroes, balancing powers, and crafting comic-worthy plot arcs in an M&M campaign.

• Indie RPGs – We also plan to shine a spotlight on the thriving world of independent RPGs. There’s a staggering array of innovative indie games out there (Powered by the Apocalypse games, one-page micro-RPGs, storytelling games like Ten Candles or Fiasco, etc.). The Arcverse will feature reviews and overviews of indie titles that catch our eye, giving you a taste of the creativity bubbling up outside the mainstream.

  
  

And of course, Dungeons & Dragons (5E and prior) will still be in the mix as one of many. Our aim is that the Arcverse becomes a hub where all tabletop gamers – not just D&D players – can find value. Maybe you’re a Pathfinder GM looking for worldbuilding tips, or a Call of Cthulhu Keeper wanting scenario ideas, or a Storyteller setting up a Vampire chronicle – we’ve got you covered. We’re building bridges between gaming communities, under the philosophy that we’re all part of one big RPG family. By sharing knowledge across systems, we can all become better game masters, players, and storytellers.

Worldbuilding at the Heart of the Arcverse

Amidst all these changes, one thing remains constant: worldbuilding is core to our mission. No matter the game or genre, worldbuilding – the art of crafting immersive settings, cultures, and histories – is the heartbeat of great RPGs. Enter the Arcverse started with that belief, and it will continue to guide everything we do.

For those who haven’t yet explored it, we have a dedicated Worldbuilding Hub on the site – a special section filled with guides and tools to help you create your own worlds from scratch. Expect everything round here for some time to look like a building site as I create new sections for you to use.

Worldbuilding has always been one of our most popular offerings, and we’re doubling down on it. In the Worldbuilding Hub you’ll find structured advice, creative prompts, and frameworks that apply to any genre. We want to empower you to build settings that feel alive and limitless, whether it’s a single city for a one-shot or an entire cosmos for an epic campaign. The goal is to make worldbuilding approachable, inspiring, and fun. You don’t need to be a professional author or have a PhD in history to make a compelling RPG world – you just need imagination and the right guidance.

As part of the relaunch, we’re highlighting some of our most popular free worldbuilding downloads. If you haven’t grabbed these yet, now’s the time! They include:

• “Build a World in 5 Easy Steps” – Our beginner-friendly worksheet that distills world creation into five simple, powerful questions. It’s the perfect starting point if you’re overwhelmed by where to begin. (Ever felt lost staring at a blank map? This will get you unstuck and full of ideas.)

• “Creating Cultures and Nations” – A guide to breathing life into the societies in your setting. From governments and religions to traditions and conflicts, this helps you design cultures that feel authentic and rich in story potential.

• “Magic, Powers & Technology” – Whether your world has spell-slinging wizards, super-powered mutants, or advanced alien tech, this guide assists in crafting the “rules of wonder.” Define how magic or technology works in your world in a balanced, imaginative way.

• ...and more. We have resources on mapping your world’s geography, populating it with creatures and ecosystems, forging its myths and legends, and plotting its history through ages. All these are available free in our Worldbuilding Hub, ready to download and use.

  
  

Worldbuilding is a journey, and the Arcverse is committed to walking that journey with you one step at a time. We’ll continue to post articles with worldbuilding tips, showcase creative world ideas, and update our tools based on your feedback. If you’ve used our guides before, you know what to expect – practical, system-agnostic advice that sparks your creativity rather than limits it. And if you’re new to worldbuilding, don’t worry: we’ll help you turn that seed of an idea into a fully-fledged reality. From a lone city to an entire multiverse, we’ve got your back. Visit the Worldbuilding Hub and dive in – your next great adventure setting awaits.

Coming in 2026: Introducing PSION, Our Own RPG System

Expanding into all these systems is thrilling, but I’m equally excited to share a sneak peek at something home-grown we have in the works. As part of the Arcverse’s evolution, our team has been developing an original in-house tabletop RPG system – codenamed PSION – slated for release in 2026. This is a passion project that has been quietly brewing behind the scenes, and with the site relaunch it’s time to pull back the curtain just a little.

Introducing PSION: A New Multiversal RPG System

We’re thrilled to unveil PSION, a bold new RPG system that lets you explore infinite universes shaped by your imagination. PSION isn’t just another game—it’s a toolkit for adventuring across realities, where every decision, every dice roll, and every heartbeat spawns new worlds.

At its core, PSION is a multiverse-building RPG designed to empower players and Game Masters alike. Using our signature MultiVerse engine, PSION offers a flexible, streamlined ruleset that emphasizes storytelling, creativity, and deep customization. Whether you want to hack the system to create unique classes, abilities, and magic—or simply dive into one of our fully realized starter universes—you’ll find endless possibilities.

What sets PSION apart? It’s built on the concept of Verses: entire realities shaped by primal forces known as the Psions. These eight cosmic powers influence everything in the game world—from fate and memory to chaos and light. Each adventure is tinged with their unpredictable energies, adding a thrilling layer of mystery and risk to every session.

PSION champions collaborative world-building. With easy-to-use guidelines, GMs and players can craft their own Verses from scratch—creating not just characters, but entire worlds connected to a larger multiverse. Prefer to jump right in? We’ve included three ready-made Verses that showcase the system’s range—from shadowy noir realms to high-fantasy epics.

Over the coming months, we’ll share design diaries, playtest reports, and sneak peeks as PSION continues to evolve. We invite you to be part of this journey—testing, creating, and helping shape a system built for dreamers and builders alike.

Welcome to PSION: your gateway to infinite worlds.

What’s Next: New Features, Community & How You Can Participate

The expansion and relaunch of Enter the Arcverse isn’t just about new content – it’s about a new vision of how our site and community will grow together. So, what can you expect in the coming weeks and months, and how can you get involved?

First, you’ve probably noticed the website has gotten a bit of a facelift. We’re still restructuring our navigation and categories to make room for all the new genres and systems. Feel free to poke around the new menus: you’ll find sections not only for World Building and D&D, but also coming soon there will be dedicated hubs for Games & Systems (where content is sorted by game, from Pathfinder to Vampire) and Genres (where you can browse articles by genre/theme). We want the Arcverse site to be easy to explore whether you’re here for a specific game or just looking for general inspiration.

In terms of content schedule, we’re ramping up to cover a lot of ground. You can look forward to:

• Regular 5E Content: Don’t think we forgot our roots. We’ll maintain a steady flow of D&D 5th Edition material (adventures, rule discussions, etc.) so 5E fans always have something new. For example, coming soon is a free Dwarf Stronghold mini-campaign and a deep dive on playing undead characters in 5E.

• New System Spotlights: Every month, we’ll shine a spotlight on one non-D&D RPG system. These spotlights will include a beginner’s guide to that system, an interview or Q&A with an experienced Game Master of that game, and an original adventure hook or scenario you can use. Our goal is to give you a taste of the system and resources to get started if you decide to try it. (Pathfinder fans, you’re up first!)

• Cross-Genre GM Guides: We’re preparing a series of articles focused on GM techniques across different genres. Running a horror one-shot and need to dial up the fear? We got you. Switching from a fantasy campaign to a modern setting and unsure how to adapt your style? We’ll cover that too. By sharing GM tips that apply broadly – with examples in various genres – we aim to help you become a more versatile storyteller.

• Community Spotlights: The Arcverse community is amazingly creative, and we want to highlight that. We’ll be featuring community contributions such as fan-made worlds, homebrew rules, and artist showcases. If you have a cool worldbuilding project or a custom adventure you’re proud of, you might get a shout-out on the blog! This is our way of saying thank you and also inspiring others with grassroots creativity.

• Worldbuilding Challenges: To keep those creative juices flowing, we’ll host periodic worldbuilding challenges (just for fun, and maybe with some prizes down the line!). Think prompts like “create a culture in one paragraph” or “invent a holiday for an RPG world”. These will be opportunities for you to flex your imagination and share with fellow Arcverse readers.

  
  

Now, about community participation – Enter the Arcverse has always been a two-way street. Going forward, we want to hear from you even more. Here are a few ways you can join in and help shape the Arcverse:

• Join the Discussion: Each blog post has a comments section – don’t be shy! Share your thoughts, your experiences, and your own tips. Our team reads every comment, and we often learn from you or get new ideas based on your perspectives. Healthy, constructive discussion is the lifeblood of an RPG community.

• Give Feedback & Suggestions: If there’s a topic you want us to cover, or a feature you’d love to see on the site, let us know. We’re relaunching for you, and that means your feedback is invaluable. We’re especially keen on hearing what systems or genres you’d like to see more of. Did we miss an indie gem? Are you craving more content for a particular game? Tell us!

• Subscribe and Follow: To stay connected, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter. This way you’ll get updates on new articles, downloadable content, and special announcements (like PSION playtest opportunities) straight to your inbox. We’ll also be more active on social media – you can follow Enter the Arcverse on Twitter (X), Facebook, and Instagram for micro-updates, behind-the-scenes peeks, and the occasional meme. By following us, you’ll also help spread the word to other gamers who might enjoy what we’re building here.

• Community Events: As our audience grows across different games, we’re considering hosting virtual events – things like Q&A livestreams, one-shot game nights on our Discord (yes, an official Arcverse Discord is in the works!), and collaborative worldbuilding jams. Stay tuned for announcements on this front. The goal is to create more spaces where we can all interact in real-time, learn from each other, and have fun playing the games we love.

Finally, I want to end on a personal note. This expansion of Enter the Arcverse represents a new chapter – not just for the site and brand, but for me as a creator, and hopefully for you as a reader and fellow gamer. It’s a leap of faith, driven by the belief that our hobby is bigger than any one ruleset or company. It’s about the stories we tell and the worlds we build together. I’m both excited and a little nervous to take this leap, but I’m more confident knowing I’m taking it with this incredible community alongside me.

Thank you for being part of the Arcverse so far, and I hope you’ll continue with us on this journey beyond 5E into infinite new worlds. There’s never been a better time to be a tabletop RPG fan – the creativity in the community is at an all-time high, and we plan to contribute to it in every way we can. So, whether you’re here for D&D or looking for something new, whether you’re a veteran worldbuilder or a newbie rolling your first dice, I invite you to stick around and see what’s coming.

Enter the Arcverse – and Create Legends With Us

The doors to the Arcverse are open wider than ever. Step through, bring your imagination, and let’s forge the future of RPGs together. Discover worlds. Tell stories. Create legends. Welcome to the next era of Enter the Arcverse – I’m thrilled to have you here, and I can’t wait to see what we’ll build. Stay connected, stay creative, and as always, happy adventuring!