Sponsored.  Kingmaker: The Royal Relaunch – the legendary classic, in an all-new enhanced edition.  Welcome to the dominions of the 15th Century Kings of England.  The iconic tabletop strategy game, created by the late Andrew McNeill, has been completely redesigned and upgraded by Gibsons Games, releasing across North America on May 15, 2023.

Kingmaker simulates the Wars of the Roses, the period of sporadic Civil War in England between 1450 and 1490.  The game begins in the year 1453, with the birth of a son to Lancastrian King Henry VI and Queen Margaret of Anjou, shattering the hopes of Richard, Duke of York, and his sons for a peaceful succession to the throne.  Ruled by the weak and mentally ill Henry VI, demoralized by defeat in the Hundred Years War, and emboldened by the ambitions of the Duke of York, the noble families of England employed large private armies in attempts to gain control of the crown.

Kingmaker’s gameplay is based on the premise that the powerful noble families of the 15th century used the Lancastrian and Yorkist princes as pawns in a greater game of gaining control of power and the crown, with players controlling a faction of nobles, representing the leaders of 24 major English and Welsh families of the period, in their quest to eliminate all rival royal claims to the throne.

First published in 1974, Kingmaker has become a beloved classic with a large and dedicated following.  After many thousands (even tens or hundreds of thousands) of plays over the decades, the rules, the map, the components, and the flow of the game came under minute examination by fans across the globe.  Its passionate advocates and supporters came up with countless house rules and solutions to some shortcomings of the original game.  After years of player feedback and calls from fans to re-publish, Gibsons spent several years, working with Kingmaker expert Alan Paul, from Surprise Stare Games, to develop and redesign this new version, taking into account the invaluable insight from the larger player community.

Kingmaker: The Royal Re-Launch now comprises four games in one.  The original, classic Kingmaker, for 2-6 players is a competition in which the only path to victory is through control of the last crowned royal prince.  Kingmaker II, developed by Alan Paull, for 2-5 players is for those who prefer a shorter game with a greater variety of win conditions, including alliances and prestige.  The Extended classic Kingmaker provides extra crown and event cards as well as additional optional rules for Parliament and battles to enhance the gameplay experience.  Finally, the Solo Challenge is for solitaire play, designed by Steve Froud, an expert Kingmaker player.

Every component of the game has been given the royal treatment, redesigned for a brighter, punchier, higher quality game that will stand the test of time. Kingmaker: The Royal Relaunch, features new artwork from the incredibly talented artist (and Kingmaker fan), Mat Edwards.  The game box was designed by creative design studio Greybox, celebrating the original design with a similar typeface and colorway.

Kingmaker: The Royal Re-Launch was released on Kickstarter in September 2022, and the campaign was fully funded within 20 hours.  Kingmaker is available for preorder now, across North America, exclusively from Lion Rampant Imports.