Evil Hat Productions
Evil Hat Productions is an independent tabletop RPG publisher offering narrative-driven game systems (Fate, Forged in the Dark, Powered by the Apocalypse), card games, and dice accessories to hobbyist players, game masters, and game retailers across North America, Europe, and Australia via direct e-commerce, digital marketplaces, and physical distributors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersSilver Spring, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Evil Hat Productions does
Evil Hat Productions Inc. is an independent tabletop roleplaying game (RPG) publisher founded in 2005 and headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland. The company publishes narrative-driven RPG systems, with its portfolio anchored on three core engines: the openly licensed Fate Core System (including Fate Accelerated and Fate Condensed), the Forged in the Dark system (Blades in the Dark, Band of Blades, Scum and Villainy, Girl by Moonlight), and Powered by the Apocalypse (Monster of the Week, Thirsty Sword Lesbians, Apocalypse Keys). Beyond core RPGs, the catalog spans ~100+ products including licensed IPs (Dresden Files RPG and cooperative card game, Atomic Robo RPG), nonfiction resources (Designers & Dragons history series, Improv for Gamers), card and board games (Channel A, Greedy Dragons, Kaiju Incorporated), and a proprietary Fate Dice accessory line.
The company monetizes through one-time perpetual licenses on physical books ($15-$45) and digital PDFs, accessories ($6-$18), print+PDF bundles, and licensing royalties from third-party publishers using the Fate system. Distribution is omnichannel: direct e-commerce via evilhat.com, digital marketplaces (Roll20, DriveThruRPG, Itch.io), and physical distributors (ACD, GTS Distribution, Asmodee UK, BNW, Lion Rampant, Let's Play Games) across the US, Canada, UK, Europe, and Australia. GTM is community-led, leveraging per-game Discord servers, Reddit communities (r/bladesinthedark, r/monsteroftheweek, r/FATErpg), Facebook groups, YouTube actual play content, and a monthly newsletter.
A small team of six (five part-time) operates the business, which is privately held with no disclosed institutional funding or parent company. The company has accumulated multiple ENnie Award wins and nominations across its product lines. A strategic move beyond tabletop publishing was announced via co-production of the animated series 'Kevin' with Titmouse and Amazon MGM Studios.
Evil Hat Productions firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Evil Hat Productions
- Legal name
- Evil Hat Productions Inc.
- Website
- https://evilhat.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Evil Hat Productions is an independent tabletop RPG publisher offering narrative-driven game systems (Fate, Forged in the Dark, Powered by the Apocalypse), card games, and dice accessories to hobbyist players, game masters, and game retailers across North America, Europe, and Australia via direct e-commerce, digital marketplaces, and physical distributors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Evil Hat Productions industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Tabletop Roleplaying Games
- NAICS
- Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (33993), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (7115)
- SIC
- Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hobby Games & Miniatures Retail (Tabletop RPGs, Wargaming) (CRALAFAH)
Keywords
Where Evil Hat Productions is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Silver Spring
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Evil Hat Productions business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Physical RPG Books: Sale of hardcover and softcover roleplaying game books through direct retail and distributor channels. Products include core rulebooks ($15-$45), supplements ($5-$40), and expansion materials.
- Digital PDF Products: Sale of digital PDF versions of all products through evilhat.com, DriveThruRPG, and Roll20 marketplace. Includes instant download upon purchase.
- Card and Board Games: Sale of physical card games and board games including Dresden Files Cooperative Card Game and expansions, Channel A, and Greedy Dragons.
- Dice and Accessories: Sale of proprietary Fate Dice in various designs ($6-$18), Fate bookmarks, and Deck of Fate card products.
- Licensing Royalties: Licensing of Fate system to third-party publishers and licensing of intellectual properties like Dresden Files and Atomic Robo for compatible products.
- Print+PDF Bundles: Combined physical book and digital PDF bundles offering both formats at a bundled price point.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | RPG Core Books |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | RPG Supplements |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Card and Board Games |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Dice and Accessories |
| Hybrid | Pay-as-you-go | Print+PDF Bundles |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels9 records
Marketing channels6 records
Evil Hat Productions product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Evil Hat Productions is an independent tabletop roleplaying game publisher that designs, publishes, and distributes core RPG rulebooks, supplements, and game lines built on the Fate, Forged in the Dark, Powered by the Apocalypse, GUMSHOE, and Paragon systems, alongside cooperative card games (Dresden Files Cooperative Card Game, Greedy Dragons, Kaiju Incorporated), a party game (Channel A), a proprietary Fate Dice accessories line, and nonfiction RPG industry history titles such as the Designers & Dragons series.
Product overview
Evil Hat Productions is a tabletop roleplaying game publisher specializing in narrative-focused RPGs. The company's product portfolio centers on several core game systems: Fate (including Fate Core System, Fate Accelerated Edition, and Fate Condensed), Forged in the Dark (Blades in the Dark, Scum and Villainy, Band of Blades, Girl by Moonlight), and Powered by the Apocalypse (Monster of the Week, Thirsty Sword Lesbians, Apocalypse Keys). Beyond core RPGs, Evil Hat publishes card and board games (Dresden Files Cooperative Card Game, Channel A, Greedy Dragons, Kaiju Incorporated), dice accessories (Fate Dice line), and nonfiction gaming resources (Designers & Dragons history series, Improv for Gamers). The company also maintains digital distribution partnerships with Roll20, Itch.io, and DriveThruRPG.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Fate Core: The core Fate roleplaying system published by Evil Hat
- Forged in the Dark
- Powered by the Apocalypse
- Monster of the Week
- Dresden Files
- Atomic Robo
- Fate Dice
Products and services
- Fate Core System The foundational Fate roleplaying game system published by Evil Hat, providing flexible character creation, narrative-driven mechanics, and a toolkit approach for creating custom games. Targeted at tabletop RPG players and game masters.
- Fate Accelerated Edition A streamlined version of the Fate Core system designed for quick pickup-and-play sessions with simplified rules. Targeted at tabletop RPG players seeking faster onboarding.
- Fate Condensed A tight, refined two-page-later Fate rules reference providing the essential mechanics in condensed form. Targeted at players and game masters who want a quick-reference rulebook.
- Blades in the Dark A Forged in the Dark tabletop RPG about a crew of daring scoundrels seeking their fortunes on the haunted streets of an industrial-fantasy city. Targeted at narrative-driven tabletop RPG players.
- Monster of the Week A Powered by the Apocalypse RPG where players take on the role of monster hunters investigating supernatural mysteries across various settings. Targeted at players who enjoy horror-mystery tabletop gaming.
- Thirsty Sword Lesbians A Powered by the Apocalypse RPG focused on dramatic swashbuckling adventure with LGBTQ+ themes and relationships at the forefront. Targeted at players seeking inclusive, romance-driven narrative play.
- Scum and Villainy A Forged in the Dark RPG about a crew of smugglers, pirates, and criminals navigating the galaxy on the fringes of society. Targeted at players who enjoy space-opera heist play.
- Band of Blades A Forged in the Dark RPG set in a dark fantasy world where players are members of a military unit on a desperate mission. Targeted at military-style dark fantasy campaign play.
- Girl by Moonlight A Forged in the Dark RPG about magical girls who fight monsters while navigating identity, belonging, and transformation. Targeted at players drawn to magical-girl genre storytelling.
- Apocalypse Keys A Powered by the Apocalypse RPG where players take on the role of occult investigators uncovering the secrets of the apocalypse. Targeted at players who enjoy high-stakes supernatural drama.
- Stewpot A Fate-based RPG set in a fantasy tavern where patrons share tales and adventure hooks emerge from the stewpot of stories. Targeted at game masters seeking flexible narrative framing.
- AGON A Paragon system RPG of mythic heroes competing in ancient Greek athletic games. Targeted at players who enjoy mythic Greek-epic roleplay.
- Deathmatch Island A Paragon system RPG where players compete in deadly games on a mysterious island. Targeted at players seeking PvP-style competitive roleplay.
- Umdaar: Rebel Broadcast Edition A Fate Condensed-based RPG of ancient technology and strange weapons set in a post-apocalyptic fantasy world. Targeted at pulp-sword-and-sorcery players.
- Atomic Robo RPG A Fate Core-based RPG of two-fisted science adventure based on the Atomic Robo comics, featuring action scientists battling conspiracies. Targeted at fans of the licensed comic IP and pulp-science play.
- Bubblegumshoe A GUMSHOE system RPG where players solve mysteries as high schoolers in a modern American small town. Targeted at players who enjoy teen-investigation narrative gaming.
- Dresden Files Accelerated A streamlined version of the Dresden Files RPG using Fate Accelerated, based on Jim Butcher's urban fantasy novels. Targeted at fans of the Dresden Files IP.
- Dresden Files Cooperative Card Game A cooperative card game based on Jim Butcher's Dresden Files novels where players take on the role of Harry Dresden and allies facing supernatural threats. Targeted at fans of the Dresden Files IP and cooperative card-game players.
- Channel A: Alpha Genesis Edition A party game where players create improvised television shows together. Targeted at party-game and improv enthusiasts.
- Greedy Dragons A card game about dragons hoarding treasures and the greedy adventurers who want them. Targeted at casual card-game players.
- Kaiju Incorporated: The Card Game A card game of monster profits where players run kaiju companies and compete for market dominance. Targeted at casual and family card-game players.
- Fate Dice A line of premium Fudge dice in various themes and color combinations (including iridescent, pearlized, and translucent options), designed for use with Fate and Fudge RPG systems. Targeted at tabletop RPG players.
- Deck of Fate A deck of cards that can stand in for dice in Fate or Fudge RPGs, containing multiple card types for character generation and gameplay. Targeted at tabletop RPG players.
- Improv for Gamers (Second Edition) A guide to improvisational techniques for tabletop gaming, helping game masters and players enhance their storytelling and roleplaying skills. Targeted at game masters and players.
- Designers & Dragons
- Monster of the Week: Codex of Worlds An expansion for Monster of the Week providing additional settings and world-building resources for monster hunters. Targeted at Monster of the Week game masters.
- Monster of the Week: Tome of Mysteries A hardcover supplement for Monster of the Week containing additional mysteries and investigation resources. Targeted at Monster of the Week game masters.
- Monster of the Week: Slayer's Survival Kit A supplemental toolkit for Monster of the Week providing additional play resources and expanded monster-hunting mechanics. Targeted at Monster of the Week players and game masters.
- Monster of the Week: Mystic Marginalia A supplement for Monster of the Week featuring additional mysteries, settings, and content for monster-hunting adventures. Targeted at Monster of the Week players and game masters.
- Blades in the Dark: Deep Cuts A 128-page expansion for Blades in the Dark containing lore, setting material, and alternative mechanics developed by John Harper. Targeted at Blades in the Dark players and game masters.
- Fate Accessibility Toolkit A toolkit providing resources and guidelines to make Fate RPGs more accessible to players with disabilities. Targeted at game masters running Fate games for diverse player groups.
- Advanced Lovers & Lesbians An advanced supplement for Thirsty Sword Lesbians providing additional rules and options for romantic and dramatic roleplay. Targeted at Thirsty Sword Lesbians players and game masters.
- Blades 68 A 448-page hardcover RPG supplement for Blades in the Dark in the Forged in the Dark system. Targeted at Blades in the Dark players and game masters seeking expanded lore, settings, and mechanics.
- Designers & Dragons Origins: 4-Volume Deluxe Set
Quantifiable outcome
- 100+ RPG products published across multiple systems
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Evil Hat Productions
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Evil Hat Productions technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature4 records
Evil Hat Productions partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- TitmouseflagshipCo-producer of animated series 'Kevin' with Aubrey Plaza and Joe Wengert, along with Amazon MGM Studios. Evil Hat Productions credited as production company for the adult animated comedy series.
- Amazon MGM StudioscoreCo-producer of animated series 'Kevin' with Titmouse and Evil Hat Productions, releasing on Prime Video.
- Roll20coreDigital marketplace partner for VTT character sheets, art packs, and modules. Products available for play on Roll20 platform.
- DriveThruRPGcorePrimary digital distribution partner for PDF products and print-on-demand services.
- Itch.iominorIndie digital distribution platform for Evil Hat products.
- ACD (American Chocolate Direct)coreUS distributor for Evil Hat tabletop products to retail stores.
- GTS DistributioncoreUS distributor specializing in games and hobby products.
- Lion RampantcoreCanadian distributor for Evil Hat products.
- Asmodee UK (Esdevium)coreMajor UK distributor for Evil Hat tabletop products.
- BNW DistributionminorEuropean distributor serving the Benelux region and beyond.
- Let's Play Games (LPG)minorAustralian distributor for Evil Hat products.
- Jim ButcherflagshipLicensing partner for Dresden Files intellectual property used in RPG products and cooperative card game.
- Brian Clevinger and Scott WegenerflagshipLicensing partners for Atomic Robo comics/IP used in the Atomic Robo RPG line.
- Indie Press RevolutionminorIndependent publisher distributor for indie RPG products.
- Universal DistributioncoreNorth American distributor with presence in both US and Canada markets.
- John Harper (Forged in the Dark)flagshipLicensing agreement to publish Forged in the Dark system and publish Blades in the Dark, Band of Blades, and Scum and Villainy.
- Magpie Games (Powered by the Apocalypse)flagshipLicensing agreement to publish Powered by the Apocalypse system games including Monster of the Week, Thirsty Sword Lesbians, and Apocalypse Keys.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Evil Hat Productions competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Evil Hat Productions social profiles
Digital presenceEvil Hat Productions compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Evil Hat Productions financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Evil Hat Productions leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Evil Hat Productions funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Evil Hat Productions M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Evil Hat Productions
What does Evil Hat Productions do?
Evil Hat Productions is an independent tabletop roleplaying game publisher that designs, publishes, and distributes core RPG rulebooks, supplements, and game lines built on the Fate, Forged in the Dark, Powered by the Apocalypse, GUMSHOE, and Paragon systems, alongside cooperative card games (Dresden Files Cooperative Card Game, Greedy Dragons, Kaiju Incorporated), a party game (Channel A), a proprietary Fate Dice accessories line, and nonfiction RPG industry history titles such as the Designers & Dragons series.
Is Evil Hat Productions a public or private company?
Evil Hat Productions is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Evil Hat Productions founded?
Evil Hat Productions was founded in 2005. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Evil Hat Productions based?
Evil Hat Productions is headquartered in Silver Spring, United States, in the North America region.
How does Evil Hat Productions make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Physical RPG Books are the primary driver. The others are digital PDF Products, card and Board Games, dice and Accessories, licensing Royalties and print+PDF Bundles.
Does Evil Hat Productions have an API?
No public API is recorded for Evil Hat Productions.
What industry is Evil Hat Productions in?
Evil Hat Productions's product category is Tabletop Roleplaying Games. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALAFAH, Hobby Games & Miniatures Retail (Tabletop RPGs, Wargaming). Its NAICS code is 33993 and its SIC code is 3944.