Free League Publishing Explained

Fria Ligan (Free League)
Industry:	Role-playing game and Book publisher
Foundation:	2011
Location:	Stockholm, Sweden
Num Employees:	20

Free League Publishing (Swedish: Fria Ligan) is a game studio and publisher based in Stockholm, Sweden, formed in 2011. The company designs and publishes tabletop role-playing games, board games, and books based on licensed properties and independent works. Their games include , Vaesen, and Mörk Borg.^{[1] [2]}

History

After the Swedish publisher Järnringen folded in 2011, Järnringen got in touch with some role-playing game enthusiasts to ask if they wanted to take over development of the role-playing game Svavelvinter, which led to the formation of Free League Publishing.^[3]

The publisher has had a series of successful crowdfunding campaigns.^[4] Between 2015 and 2022, their Kickstarter campaigns brought in 100 million SEK (10 million USD).

Major releases

Games

• ^[5] (Gold ENNIE for Best Game 2020^[6])
• based on the film and its spinoffs.^{[7] [8]} (It won Gold ENNIE for Best Cartography and Organization & Design 2023^[9])
• The One Ring Roleplaying Game second edition^[10] (Gold ENNIE for Best Art, Interior 2022) set in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth setting. It was created by War of the Ring designer Francesco Nepitello and The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying, the game's 5th Edition OGL sister line.^[11]
• a sandbox post-apocalyptic survival game set in an alternate history in which the Soviet Union never collapsed and the Cold War between the two superpowers went hot.^[12]
• Vaesen, a Nordic horror roleplaying game^[13] based on the works by Johan Egerkrans (Gold ENNIE for Best Art, Interior 2021^[14] and its supplement Mythic Britain and Ireland Gold ENNIE for Best Art, Interior and Best Setting 2023^[15])
• Mörk Borg a stylized grimdark fantasy RPG^[16] (Silver ENNIE for Best Game 2020^[17] )
• Tales from the Loop, a TTRPG set in an alternative 1980s and based on the work of visual artist Simon Stålenhag. A sequel, Things from the Flood, takes place in the 1990s.
• The Electric State, a TTRPG set in an alternative California of the 1990s and also based on the work of visual artist Simon Stålenhag.
• Forbidden Lands, a sandbox fantasy survival RPG^[18] (winner of four ENNIE Awards 2019^[19])
• Mutant: Year Zero a post-apocalyptic RPG.^[20] (Silver ENNIE for Best Rules 2015^[21])
• Coriolis – The Third Horizon a space-set RPG. (ENNIE Judge's Spotlight Award 2017^[22])
• Symbaroum, a gritty fantasy RPG.^{[23] [24]}
• Drakar och Demoner, an RPG released in updated form as Dragonbane in English.
• The Walking Dead Universe Roleplaying Game, based on AMC's The Walking Dead television series.
• Crusader Kings, a board game based on the Crusader Kings strategy computer game.

Other awards

In addition to winning ENNIE Awards for multiple games, Free League Publishing won the Publisher of the Year award in 2020, 2021, 2023, and 2024.

Other publications

Free League has also published the art books Tales from the Loop, Things from the Flood, and The Electric State by Simon Stålenhag, as well as the illustrated edition of the Lovecraft story The Call of Cthulhu by French artist François Baranger.

External links

• Official website (English)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Hall . Charlie . 2024-08-29 . As other TTRPG pubs keep self-sabotaging, Free League is running away with it . 2024-09-25 . Polygon . en-US.
2. News: Björk . Carl . 26 September 2022 . Rusning till rollspel efter crowdfunding . . 31 . Swedish.
3. Book: Krauklis . Anna-Karin . Finna dolda ting . Linder Krauklis . Daniel . . 2015 . 9789170378737 . 239 . sv.
4. News: Karsten . Emanuel . De har knäckt koden: Så lyckas du med crowdfunding idag . 3 March 2024 . Breakit . 7 November 2018 . sv.
5. Web site: Jansen-Parkes . Richard . 2019-12-10 . Alien: The Roleplaying Game review - a terrific blast of sci-fi horror that stands apart from the movie . 2023-09-16 . Dicebreaker . en.
6. Web site: 2020-07-11 . 2020 Nominees and Judges Spotlight Winners ENNIE Awards . 2023-09-16 . ennie-awards.com.
7. Web site: Nelson . Samantha . 2022-12-13 . Blade Runner TTRPG nails Ridley Scott's vision, adds pitch-perfect investigative mechanics . 2024-09-25 . Polygon . en-US.
8. Web site: Meehan . Alex . 2024-05-20 . New Blade Runner RPG expansion asks how far you'd go for the Replicant Rebellion . 2024-09-25 . Dicebreaker . en.
9. Web site: 2023 Nominees and Winners – ENNIE Awards . 2023-09-16 . en-US.
10. Web site: Codega . Linda . 2022-02-07 . The One Ring tabletop RPG is a cozy take on The Lord of the Rings . 2023-09-16 . Polygon . en-US.
11. Web site: Wieland . Rob . Lord Of The Rings Roleplaying Returns To Fifth Edition D&D . 2023-09-16 . Forbes . en.
12. Web site: 2021-11-16 . Twilight 2000 - War Never Changes Review . 2023-09-16 . No Dice Unrolled .
13. Web site: Paltridge . Peter . 2020-07-10 . Free League Announces Their New RPG, Vaesen - popgeeks.com . 2023-09-16 . en-US.
14. Web site: 2021 Nominees and Winners – ENNIE Awards . 2023-09-16 . en-US.
15. Web site: 2023 Nominees and Winners – ENNIE Awards . 2023-09-16 . en-US.
16. Web site: Katie Wickens . 2023-09-04 . Mork Borg review: "This game will consume you" . 2023-09-16 . gamesradar . en.
17. Web site: 2020 Nominees and Winners – ENNIE Awards . 2023-09-16 . en-US.
18. Web site: Wieland . Rob . Forbidden Lands Offers Old-School Gaming With Modern Sensibilities . 2023-09-16 . Forbes . en.
19. Web site: 2019 Nominees and Winners – ENNIE Awards . 2023-09-16 . en-US.
20. Web site: Hall . Charlie . 2024-06-04 . Mutant Year Zero: Zone Wars has a rock-solid set of rules from Necromunda co-creator Andy Chambers, plus loads of character . 2024-09-25 . Polygon . en-US.
21. Web site: 2015 Nominees and Winners – ENNIE Awards . 2023-09-16 . en-US.
22. Web site: 2017 Nominees and Winners – ENNIE Awards . 2023-09-16 . en-US.
23. Web site: Furino . Giaco . 2019-05-16 . Symbaroum Tabletop RPG Review - First Impressions From A Fractured World . 2023-09-16 . TechRaptor . en.
24. Web site: Wieland . Rob . The Woods Of Symbaroum Are Lovely, Dark And Deep . 2023-09-16 . Forbes . en.