In the early 2010s, The Hunger Games captivated a generation, and in its wake came another dystopian tale set in the stars. Red Rising, a six-book saga by author Pierce Brown, traded the death-match arena for Mars, where a rigid, color-coded class system dictates daily life on the Red Planet. “Golds” are the most elite nenbers of Mars society, and they rule over the other colored classes, including the lowest class, “Reds.” Much like Katniss Everdeen became the face of a revolution in The Hunger Games, Darrow, a lowborn “Red” miner, becomes the face of Red Rising’s revolution.
Fast-forward to 2021, when Jamey Stegmaier of Stonemaier Games created and published a tabletop adaptation of Red Rising, bringing the Mars saga back into the spotlight. The board game was heavily based on the first three books in the series and was praised for its faithfulness to the source material. It allowed players to take command of rival houses and manage their cards to rise through the ranks of the dystopian society. Now, on the horizon for 2027, a digital adaptation of that board game is on the way.
Red Rising game on the way in 2027
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Gameplay from Emerald City Games’ digital adaptation of Red Rising, due out in 2027. Image: Emerald City Games -
Gameplay from Emerald City Games’ digital adaptation of Red Rising, due out in 2027. Image: Emerald City Games
A new digital adaptation of the critically acclaimed Red Rising board game is currently being developed by Canadian studio Emerald City Games. Much like Stegmaier stayed true to the source material when designing his board game, the developers at Emerald City are also making sure that their digital adaptation stays true to the original game.
In a statement on the studio’s website, Emerald City Games wrote: “Red Rising is the official digital adaptation of the critically acclaimed board game, based on Pierce Brown’s bestselling sci-fi saga for 1 to 6 players. Players will step into the color caste system, forming their own House of unique followers, and fighting for dominance. The digital version faithfully recreates the original tabletop rules while adding stunning new visuals and convenience.”
The digital game will function similarly to the original board game, in which players take command of followers from rival houses (including a mix of “Gold” and “Red” characters) through a deck of cards. As a digital game, it adds new features — most notably a challenging AI mode for solo play — while supporting multiplayer for up to six players across platforms. The digital adaptation promises a “faithful recreation” of the original board game’s rules and all 112 unique cards. Emerald City Games will bring those cards to life in a whole new way through dynamic effects and animations, as well as custom voice lines.
Emerald City Games described its project as “Red Rising as you’ve never experienced it before,” and for longtime fans of the series, this is definitely one to keep an eye on. The game is due out in 2027, though no further date details are available. A playable demo is available to download on Steam for those who want an early sneak peek.