A new website suggests that the classic board gameHeroQuestmay be staging a comeback. A countdown timer teases a major announcement on Monday, Sept. 21st, although little is known about the upcoming revival.
HeroQuestwas a popular tabletop role-playing game in the late 1980s and 1990s. The game provided everything players needed to role-play through a dungeon-crawling adventure. Relatively simple gameplay allowed the game to be accessible to those just getting started with tabletop role-playing. In a unique twist, the player who acted as “dungeon master” (known as Zargon in the American version ofHeroQuest) served as a villain in the game’s narrative.
RELATED:10 Board Games Worth The High Price Tag
The countdown site shows the tagline “The Quest Is Calling” and a countdown timer ending on Monday, September 21st at 9 AM Pacific time. The site retains the classicHeroQuestlogo, suggesting that the revival will adhere to many of the stylistic elements of the original. Moreover, a recenttrademark application for the nameHeroQuest Legaciespoints to the new product as focusing on the franchise’s legacy in some way. Finally, the website shows the logo of the Hasbro-owned Avalon Hill, which releases tabletop games. This suggests that the product will be partially or fully a physical release, rather than online.
That said, there is always a possibility that theHeroQuestrevival may include a video game. Given the social distancing rules many still observe, this may be the easiest way forHeroQuestenthusiasts to return to the game. There aremany excellent online version of tabletop games, so it’s entirely possible HeroQuest will join their ranks. In its heyday,HeroQuesteven saw two video game releases, so the franchise is no stranger to virtual adaptations.
Of course, whenHeroQuestreturns, it will face some steep competition. It enters a market filled with board games based on popular video game franchises, likethe newly announcedBorderlands-inspired game.Additionally, one ofHeroQuest’s biggest selling points was the streamlined character creation and battle systems, which were easy for players to implement. Many role-playing board games released sinceHeroQuesthave focused on being easy to set up and run, removing some of the novelty from theHeroQuestsystem.
Still, many will likely be excited to return to an old classic. The franchise was active for close to ten years in its heyday, so it surely accrued a large number of fans during that time. Even during the pandemic, board game enthusiasts are finding ways to get by, such asrecruiting Alexa devices to serve as fellow players. Plus, the game will surely feature some kinds of modern enhancements, appealing to both veteran players and new players.
