Wolfenstein Heads to the Tabletop as a New RPG

The long‑running Wolfenstein video game series is finally trading controllers for character sheets. A full tabletop roleplaying game based on the modern entries of the franchise is in development, promising over‑the‑top pulp action, resistance heroics, and more Nazis than you can shake a handful of dice at. Built on Modiphius Entertainment’s 2d20 rules engine and headed to crowdfunding, this adaptation aims to turn the chaotic, explosive spirit of The New Order and The New Colossus into a cooperative, story‑driven experience around the table.

This article breaks down what’s known so far, what the 2d20 system can bring to an action‑heavy setting, and how the designers are translating Wolfenstein’s guns‑blazing gameplay into a roleplaying framework that still has room for stealth, sabotage, and grim satire.

From Digital Firefights to Dice Rolls

While Wolfenstein began life as an early first‑person shooter series, it’s the recent reboots – particularly Wolfenstein: The New Order and The New Colossus – that laid the groundwork for a compelling tabletop sandbox. These games blend an exaggerated, almost grindhouse tone with surprisingly grounded character drama, exploring a world where the Nazi regime won World War II and now dominates the globe with occult research and retro‑futuristic technology.

A tabletop RPG built on this version of the setting has a rich mix of ingredients to work with:

• Alternate history: Our timeline diverged when the regime achieved decisive victory, reshaping global politics and culture.
• Retro‑futurism: Heavy armored mechs, laser weapons, and advanced robotics sit side‑by‑side with mid‑20th‑century aesthetics.
• Occult horror: Secret experiments, strange artifacts, and pseudo‑scientific horrors give GMs plenty of narrative hooks.
• Resistance drama: Ordinary people become capable saboteurs, freedom fighters, and unlikely heroes.

Tabletop roleplaying thrives on exactly this sort of high‑contrast worldbuilding: familiar enough to be instantly readable, different enough to surprise players as a campaign unfolds.

The Studio Behind the Wolfenstein RPG

The game is being developed by Modiphius Entertainment, a UK‑based publisher known in the tabletop space for licensed RPGs and miniatures games. Modiphius has already adapted several prominent entertainment properties into tabletop formats, including:

• Fallout: The Roleplaying Game and Fallout: Wasteland Warfare (with Bethesda)
• Star Trek Adventures (under license from CBS/Paramount)
• Conan: Adventures in an Age Undreamed Of

The company’s work with Star Trek Adventures is particularly relevant because it shows their ability to adapt a well‑established, decades‑old IP into a narrative‑focused tabletop framework while preserving tone and lore.¹ Their collaboration with Bethesda on the Fallout tabletop line further demonstrates experience with video game adaptations and licensed settings.²

The Wolfenstein project continues this trajectory, pairing a recognizable digital franchise with a flexible in‑house rules chassis.

Core Engine: The 2d20 Rules System

Modiphius is once again leaning on its proprietary 2d20 System as the mechanical backbone for the Wolfenstein RPG. This rules engine has powered multiple prior games – including Star Trek Adventures, Fallout, and Conan – and is known for blending streamlined resolution with cinematic flourishes.

How 2d20 Works in Broad Strokes

Although each implementation of 2d20 is tuned to its setting, they share a common core structure:³

• Players usually roll two twenty‑sided dice (hence 2d20) whenever they attempt something risky.
• You compare each die against a target number derived from an attribute plus a skill.
• Each die that rolls equal to or under the target number counts as a success.
• Tasks require one or more successes; extra successes generate a shared resource (often called Momentum) that can be spent for bonuses.

This design encourages groups to think tactically about when to save or spend their accumulated advantages, modeling escalating tension and heroic surges. It’s a natural fit for the spike‑of‑chaos action that fans expect from a Wolfenstein campaign.

Tuning 2d20 for Pulp Action

Because each licensed game built on 2d20 emphasizes different play styles – investigation, exploration, brute combat, etc. – the Wolfenstein RPG will almost certainly tweak the formula toward:

• Fast, lethal firefights where cover, positioning, and equipment matter.
• High‑risk gambits that reward players for bold, cinematic actions (explosive assaults, daring infiltration, last‑stand moments).
• Team synergy so that squads of resistance fighters feel distinct yet interdependent.
• Escalating stakes via mechanics that reflect mounting danger, reinforcements, and the regime’s oppressive reach.

In prior 2d20 games, designers have introduced custom subsystems for everything from starship combat to settlement building. For Wolfenstein, we can reasonably expect rule modules that emphasize stealth missions, sabotage, and chaotic battles fueled by experimental technology.

Setting Focus: Modern Wolfenstein’s Alt‑History

The tabletop adaptation is based primarily on the more recent entries in the franchise rather than the early 1990s shooters. That means the tone leans closer to grim yet pulpy narrative shooter than pure arcade corridor crawl.

By placing the spotlight on original characters, the RPG opens space for stories that run parallel to B.J.’s war, rather than endlessly retreading his campaigns. Groups can portray sabotage teams blowing up experimental labs in occupied Europe, underground agitators stirring rebellion in North America, or clandestine operations in previously unexplored regions of this alt‑history Earth.

Design Challenges: Putting Wolfenstein at the Table

Adapting a frenetic first‑person shooter into a tabletop format poses unique challenges. Designers must translate elements that rely heavily on reflexes and visual spectacle into turn‑based, descriptive play while preserving the franchise’s core identity.

Balancing Gunplay and Story

Continuous firefights in a video game can be exhilarating, but dozens of rounds of minute‑by‑minute combat quickly bog down a tabletop session. Modern RPG design tends to emphasize meaningful encounters rather than constant attrition. Expect the Wolfenstein RPG to:

• Reserve detailed combat rules for pivotal set‑pieces.
• Abstract minor skirmishes into faster resolution systems.
• Encourage creative solutions (sabotage, deception, social engineering) instead of shoot‑outs as the default answer.

This follows broader industry trends where tabletop games are increasingly framed as collaborative storytelling tools rather than pure tactical simulations.⁴

Handling Tone: Brutality, Satire, and Resistance

Wolfenstein is unapologetically violent and deals directly with fascism, atrocities, and resistance. At the same time, its presentation is deliberately exaggerated, often veering into dark comedy and surreal imagery. A tabletop game must give groups tools to calibrate this mix responsibly.

Modern TRPGs frequently include guidance on table safety, consent, and handling disturbing topics. The World Health Organization notes that media and games dealing with violence or trauma benefit from mindful framing and discussion, particularly when they intersect with real‑world histories and symbols.⁵ Ideally, the Wolfenstein RPG will encourage players and GMs to discuss boundaries, lines, and veils before campaigns begin.

Crowdfunding and Release Plans

Modiphius has announced that the game will be crowdfunded, with a campaign planned for Q3/Fall 2026 via Gamefound, a platform dedicated to board game and tabletop campaigns.¹

Crowdfunding allows the publisher to:

• Gauge community interest and adjust print runs accordingly.
• Offer expanded content (extra missions, setting books, miniatures) as stretch goals.
• Engage directly with fans for feedback during development.

Gamefound has increasingly become a hub for tabletop projects, specializing in features like pledge tracking and post‑campaign support tailored to board game logistics.⁶ For a high‑profile IP like Wolfenstein, this route makes it easier to present multiple physical and digital bundles, from basic rulebooks to deluxe editions.

What Players Can Expect to Do in a Campaign

Although full details are still under wraps, we can outline the kinds of play that make sense for a Wolfenstein tabletop experience.

Character Roles in the Resistance

Rather than everyone playing identical gun‑toting soldiers, campaigns are likely to encourage distinct roles within a resistance cell, such as:

• Infiltrator: Stealth expert, lockpicker, close‑quarters specialist.
• Demolitions or Saboteur: Focused on explosives, traps, and infrastructure sabotage.
• Face or Agitator: Skilled in deception, persuasion, and rallying local support.
• Tech or Engineer: Expert in hacking, retro‑futuristic gadgets, and captured enemy tech.
• Medic or Support: Keeps the team alive, manages morale, and handles logistics.

This variety supports mission structures that involve more than simply storming the front door, creating moments where each character’s strengths matter.

Types of Missions

A typical campaign might rotate through different mission types, such as:

• Sabotage operations: Destroy facilities, supply lines, or experimental labs.
• Extraction or rescue: Free prisoners, defectors, or scientists from secure locations.
• Information‑gathering: Interrogate captured officers, steal plans, or eavesdrop on key meetings.
• High‑risk strikes: Take down high‑ranking officials or prototypes, accepting major fallout.

Because 2d20 supports structured encounters and narrative downtime alike, groups can alternate between operational planning, on‑the‑ground infiltration, and the emotional fallout of victory and loss.

Adapting Wolfenstein’s Signature Chaos

One of the central design questions is how to bring the games’ wild, sometimes absurd energy to a slower medium without losing impact.

Over‑the‑Top Heroics

The videogames are famous for sequences that push plausibility: brazen assaults on impossible targets, last‑second escapes, and characters surviving wounds that would doom ordinary soldiers. Tabletop mechanics can encourage this flavor by:

• Allowing players to spend accumulated resources (like Momentum or similar pools) on dramatic stunts.
• Including optional “hail‑mary” moves where success comes at a steep cost or risk.
• Linking character backgrounds to special narrative permissions, such as calling in underground allies or improvised weapon caches.

These tools give groups permission to go big and lean into the franchise’s mix of grit and pulp.

Weird Science and Occult Threats

Advanced technology and occult experiments are key pillars of Wolfenstein’s alternate history. In tabletop terms, this suggests rule modules for:

• Experimental gear: High‑powered weapons or devices that offer strong benefits but also malfunctions or side effects.
• Mutated or engineered enemies: Special adversaries with unique abilities that force players to rethink tactics.
• Artifacts and anomalies: Story hooks that blur the line between science, mysticism, and horror.

Handled carefully, this keeps campaigns from becoming purely military simulations and adds a layer of mystery and discovery.

Why Video Game Adaptations Matter for Tabletop

The announcement of a Wolfenstein RPG fits into a broader trend of digital‑to‑analog adaptations. Industry reports show that tabletop games – board games and RPGs alike – have seen robust growth over the last decade, driven in part by licensed titles that bring established fandoms to the table.⁴ For publishers, pairing a known IP with an accessible ruleset lowers the barrier to entry for newcomers.

For players, these adaptations offer a different way to inhabit favorite worlds. Rather than replaying scripted missions, they collaborate on new stories, explore unseen corners of the setting, and pose questions the original games never addressed. In the case of Wolfenstein, the tabletop format gives space to examine how occupation affects everyday people, how resistance movements form, and how far characters are willing to go in the fight against an overwhelming regime.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will players have to play as B.J. Blazkowicz?

Based on Modiphius’ approach with other licensed RPGs, the focus will almost certainly be on original characters rather than forcing everyone to play the series’ main hero. Groups are expected to create their own resistance fighters operating in the same world and era as B.J.’s campaigns.

Do I need to know the video games to play?

No. Well‑designed licensed RPGs typically include a setting primer that teaches newcomers everything they need to know. Familiarity with Wolfenstein will help you catch references and tone, but it shouldn’t be required to enjoy the game.

What kind of dice and materials will I need?

The 2d20 System uses twenty‑sided dice as its core, plus smaller dice or custom symbols for damage and special effects in some editions. The crowdfunding campaign is likely to offer branded dice and accessories, but any standard polyhedral set should suffice alongside the rulebook and character sheets.

How crunchy will the rules be?

Previous 2d20 games range from moderately detailed to fairly cinematic. For a fast‑paced action property like Wolfenstein, it’s reasonable to expect relatively streamlined core combat with optional layers of complexity for groups that enjoy tactical depth. Exact complexity won’t be clear until Modiphius releases previews or a quickstart.

Is this game suitable for younger players?

Given the franchise’s themes – including extreme violence and real‑world fascist imagery – the tabletop adaptation will almost certainly be aimed at adults. Groups should check age guidance and content notes once the full product information is available, and discuss comfort levels before play.

Looking Ahead

With a Fall 2026 crowdfunding campaign on the horizon, there’s still much to learn about the Wolfenstein tabletop RPG: character options, specific subsystems, published adventures, and how deeply it will explore regions and perspectives that the games only hinted at. What is already clear is that Modiphius intends to leverage its 2d20 engine and prior licensed‑IP experience to deliver a game that captures the spirit of the franchise while expanding its narrative possibilities.

For fans of the video games, this is a chance to stop watching B.J. blaze the trail and instead lead their own insurgent stories. For tabletop players with no prior attachment to the IP, it offers a rich alt‑history playground where resistance, horror, and pulpy action collide. Either way, when the campaign launches, the call will be the same: grab your dice, gather your cell, and plan your next strike against a regime that should never have won.