On Heliosail's Release Date

As we begin 2025, the reality of how much work still needs to be done is really settling in for me. It is my goal to release Heliosail's first edition this year, and I'm going to work very hard to try to reach that goal. I do have a release date in mind, but I am not sharing that specific date at this time, in case plans have to change.

In order to meet my goal of releasing the first edition this year, I need to change some of my goals for what will be included in the release. The original plan was to have the core rulebook, the lore book, and one pre-written adventure included with the release. If I want to release it this year, that will not be possible.

Instead, my new goal is to have the rule book and a free adventure released, and to release the lore book later on, hopefully sometime in 2026. In order to compensate for the fact that the lore book will be releasing with the rest of the game, I plan on making its content available for free here on Patreon as it is finished.

After Release

After the initial release, I will put all of my effort into the lore book (the "Atlas of the Sol System") and try to have a release of that, hopefully on the 1st anniversary.

When all of that is finished, this Patreon will shift to making paid content for the game. I will definitely make digital content, such as adventures and optional supplements. I would also love to partner with crafters to make physical products, such as 3d8 dice sets and turn tokens. I have a ton of ideas!

Expansions and Later Editions

I do have fuzzy, far-off ideas in my mind for expansions to the game, including new ancestries and a new campaign setting. None of these are set in stone just yet, but may become long term later projects. I also fully anticipate making a second edition, based on feedback from seeing how people play and tweak the first edition.

And of course... Art.

Many thanks to the immensely talented and wonderful Maria Klippert for her incredible work on Heliosail's cover, which is the image for this post. She poured through the lore, designed dozens of characters, and really stepped up to the plate to create a cover work that captures Heliosail's world and aesthetic. The right hand side (with the ships) is the front cover, with the left side as the back.

I will be hiring her to create a cover for the Atlas as well, and very much look forward to sharing that when the time comes. Maria's work can be found on tumblr, instagram, and other places under the handle mkingamess.