Dictionary.com defines ‘pulp fiction’ as;
fiction dealing with lurid or sensational subjects, often printed on rough, low-quality paper manufactured from wood pulp.
For this look at DriveThruRPG’s best sellers of 2018, we’re using a different definition. To make this list an RPG has to be in the top ten sellers (Jan 1st to Dec 11th) of all the games the publishers have added the ‘pulp’ genre tag too. This means we’ve games that are solidly in the pulp genre, systems which could but don’t have to be used for pulp RPGs and even games you might not consider pulp at all.
Best selling pulp RPGs
- Genesys Core Rulebook, by Fantasy Flight Games.
- Exalted 3rd Edition, by Onyx Path Publishing.
- Conan: Adventures in an Age Undreamed Of core book, by Modiphius.
- Torg Eternity – Core Rules, by Ulisses Spiele.
- 7th Sea Core Rulebook (Second Edition), by John Wick Presents.
- The Forbidden Caverns of Archaia, by Greg Gillespie.
- Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea (Second Edition), by North Wind Adventures.
- The Things We Leave Behind, by Stygian Fox.
- The Savage World of Flash Gordon, by Pinnacle Entertainment.
- Everywhen, by Filigree Forge.
Genesys is the best selling pulp RPG of the year
Genesys from Fantasy Flight Games has done it again. This multi-genre system has already claimed the top spot for superheroes and the modern genre. There’s certainly an overlap of all three.
The ideas Fantasy Flight Games suggest for Genesys Modern Day certainly include themes suited to pulp fiction adventures. Here’s what the publisher suggests;
Modern day settings are a catch-all that encompasses several sub settings including, but not limited to, modern horror, spy thrillers, detective stories, and military adventures. These settings are home to countless action movies, video games, spy novels, and a host of police procedurals and hard-boiled detective stories. In modern settings, hard men and women battle against crooked bureaucrats, vicious killers, terror cells, and the mob as a departure from elves, zombies, and aliens.
How much should you pay for a best selling pulp fiction RPG?
The average price for a pulp fiction RPG in DriveThruRPG’s top ten is $24.89. The chart below shows how much variance there, though, with Everywhen from Filigree Forge starting at only $10 and The Savage World of Flash Gordon sneaking up to nearly $40.
Creative Commons credit: The Emerald Marauder by DW Miller.
