Monte Cook Games
Monte Cook Games is a Seattle-based tabletop roleplaying game publisher founded in 2012, selling original and licensed RPGs (Numenera, The Magnus Archives, Old Gods of Appalachia, Neon Rain) built on its proprietary Cypher System via direct e-commerce, Kickstarter, and convention sales.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersSeattle, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Monte Cook Games does
Monte Cook Games, LLC is a privately held tabletop roleplaying game publisher founded in 2012 by veteran designer Monte Cook and headquartered in Seattle, Washington. The company designs, publishes, and distributes original and licensed RPGs built primarily on its proprietary Cypher System — a narrative-focused, multi-genre game engine featuring descriptive character construction (type, descriptor, focus), a 1-to-10 difficulty scale, player-driven dice rolling, single-use cyphers, GM Intrusion, and Effort-based task resolution. The product catalog includes the science-fantasy Numenera, the multiverse-traveling The Strange, the surreal-fantasy Invisible Sun, the family-friendly No Thank You Evil!, the cosmic-horror Old Gods of Appalachia RPG and The Magnus Archives RPG (both licensed from podcasts), plus recent entries in cyberpunk (Neon Rain), weird west (High Noon at Midnight, Gunslinger Knights), and other genres. Core rulebooks are sold at $55.99-$69.99 in print and $22.99 in PDF, with supplements, accessories (decks, playmats, dice, prop sets), and digital companion tools (Datasphere Deck Tool, Thoughtform Discord bot) rounding out the offering.
The business operates a direct-to-consumer model with three primary distribution channels: the company's own e-commerce storefront at montecookgames.com/store, Kickstarter pre-sales fulfilled through BackerKit (with late-pledge options after campaign conclusion), and direct sales at US and UK gaming conventions including Gen Con, Gamehole Con, UK Games Expo, and Dragonmeet. Customer segments are hobbyists — primarily tabletop RPG players and Game Masters seeking versatile multi-genre systems, genre-agnostic GMs, and families with young children — with pricing kept accessible through print/PDF bundle discounts and seasonal sales. MCG supplements its paid offerings with ecosystem programs including the volunteer MCG Asset Team of GMs, the Cypher System Open License for fan creators, the Cypher System Creator tool, and Cypher Play OP for community-organized play. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and the company appears to be founder-controlled with no reported institutional investment.
Monte Cook Games firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Monte Cook Games
- Legal name
- Monte Cook Games, LLC
- Website
- https://montecookgames.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Monte Cook Games is a Seattle-based tabletop roleplaying game publisher founded in 2012, selling original and licensed RPGs (Numenera, The Magnus Archives, Old Gods of Appalachia, Neon Rain) built on its proprietary Cypher System via direct e-commerce, Kickstarter, and convention sales.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Monte Cook Games industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Tabletop Roleplaying Game Publishing
- NAICS
- Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912)
- SIC
- Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945), Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hobby Games & Miniatures Retail (Tabletop RPGs, Wargaming) (CRALAFAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Miniature Gaming Accessories (Dice, Mats, Tokens, Measuring Tools) (CRALAKAL)
Keywords
Where Monte Cook Games is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seattle
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Monte Cook Games business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations
Revenue model
- Physical Books and Products: Sale of printed tabletop RPG products including core rulebooks, supplements, adventures, and accessories (dice, cards, playmats). Physical products are sold at higher price points than digital versions.
- Digital PDF Products: Sale of digital PDF versions of all products at lower price points than physical versions. PDFs can be purchased standalone or bundled with physical copies at discounted rates.
- Crowdfunding Campaigns: Major product launches conducted through Kickstarter with BackerKit fulfillment. Campaigns offer exclusive items, limited editions, and early-bird pricing. Late pledges remain available after campaign conclusion.
- Gaming Accessories: Sale of physical accessories including custom playing card decks (Midnight Deck), prop sets, playmats, file folders, and campaign journals themed to MCG products.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Core Rulebooks - Print Edition |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Core Rulebooks - PDF Edition |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Bundle (Print + PDF) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Supplements - Hardcover |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Supplements - PDF |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Accessories - Physical |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Zine-Format Supplements |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Player's Guides |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Monte Cook Games product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Monte Cook Games publishes tabletop roleplaying game (RPG) systems and settings built around the proprietary Cypher System engine. The company sells physical hardcover rulebooks, softcover supplements, adventure modules, and gaming accessories (card decks, playmats, prop sets), alongside digital PDF versions, direct-to-consumer through its own storefront and Kickstarter campaigns.
Product overview
Monte Cook Games is a tabletop roleplaying game publisher offering multiple distinct RPG systems and licensed properties. The company operates the Cypher System as its core game engine—a flexible, narrative-focused rules system powering multiple games including Numenera (science-fantasy in a far-future Ninth World), The Strange (travel to pocket dimensions), and licensed titles like Old Gods of Appalachia RPG (cosmic horror based on the podcast) and The Magnus Archives Roleplaying Game (Victorian horror). Additional proprietary games include Invisible Sun (surreal fantasy), No Thank You Evil! (family-friendly RPG for kids), Gunslinger Knights (weird west), and Neon Rain (cyberpunk). The company also publishes genre-focused supplements (Godforsaken for fantasy, Stay Alive! for horror), physical accessories (card decks, playmats, prop sets), and digital tools like the Datasphere Deck Tool for character management. Products are available in print and PDF formats through the company store.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Gunslinger Knights: A supplement for the Mother of Storms setting featuring gun-wielding, motorbike-riding knights of the wasteland.
- Old Gods of Appalachia
- The Magnus Archives
- Midnight Deck
- Neon Rain
Products and services
- Cypher System Rulebook Foundational tabletop RPG engine and 448-page rulebook powering multiple Monte Cook Games campaigns across any genre, with intuitive character creation, fast-paced gameplay, and GM-friendly design.
- Numenera Science-fantasy tabletop RPG set in the Ninth World a billion years in the future; players explore and master numenera—items and places of power left by ancient civilizations.
- The Strange Science-fantasy tabletop RPG in which players travel to recursions—pocket dimensions with their own laws of reality connected to Earth via a dark energy network called the Strange.
- No Thank You, Evil! Family-friendly tabletop RPG designed for children as young as 5 and their families, with imagination-based creative play, age-tiered rules, and character companions.
- Invisible Sun Tabletop RPG of surreal fantasy where players are vislae wielding fabulous powers in the Actuality and Satyrine, a city under the Indigo Sun. A game of secrets and magic.
- Old Gods of Appalachia Roleplaying Game Cypher System-powered cosmic horror RPG based on the award-winning Old Gods of Appalachia fiction podcast, set in an alternate 1920s–30s Appalachia with atmospheric, intimate horror.
- The Magnus Archives Roleplaying Game Licensed tabletop RPG based on The Magnus Archives horror fiction podcast, where players investigate statements from the archives as the Magnus Institute deals with esoteric phenomena.
- Gunslinger Knights Tabletop RPG of gun-wielding, motorbike-riding knights protecting the world of Sancara from otherworldly horrors emerging from fundament storms.
- Neon Rain Cyberpunk tabletop RPG for the Cypher System, exploring gritty streets and slick technology with complete rules for netrunning and matrix exploration.
- High Noon at Midnight Weird west tabletop RPG exploring dusty dimensions where fortunes are decided one cursed bullet at a time.
- Tidal Blades Streamlined, elegant, narrative-oriented tabletop RPG with mechanics designed to stay out of the way of the story.
- Godforsaken Fantasy genre book for the Cypher System.
- Stay Alive! Horror genre book for the Cypher System.
- Midnight Deck Deluxe 54-card poker deck featuring in-world imagery from the High Noon at Midnight weird west setting.
- Datasphere Deck Tool Online tool for building, saving, and managing cyphers as cards for Monte Cook Games' roleplaying games.
Quantifiable outcome
- Numenera won 7 ENnie Awards including Gold Product of the Year and Origins Award Best Roleplaying Game
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Monte Cook Games
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Monte Cook Games technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
Monte Cook Games partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Monte Cook Games competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- R. Talsorian Games: R. Talsorian publishes Cyberpunk RED, The Witcher RPG, and other genre-focused tabletop RPGs. Highly comparable to MCG's strategy of genre-specific settings built on a core system, with similar premium pricing, physical+PDF offerings, and convention-driven community engagement.
- Modiphius Entertainment: Modiphius publishes licensed tabletop RPGs (Achtung! Cthulhu, Star Trek Adventures, Dune, John Carter of Mars) and is highly comparable to MCG's licensed-IP strategy with The Magnus Archives and Old Gods of Appalachia. Both target the same hobbyist consumer base through direct e-commerce and convention sales.
- Paizo Inc. Paizo publishes Pathfinder and Starfinder tabletop RPGs, the largest direct competitor to MCG in the non-D&D tabletop RPG space. Both companies operate direct-to-consumer storefronts, sell physical and PDF products, run convention presence, and rely on indie/fan-driven community engagement to compete with Wizards of the Coast.
- Goodman Games: Goodman Games publishes Dungeon Crawl Classics and the Original Adventures Reincarnated line, with a comparable mix of original RPG systems, retro-clone content, and premium physical products sold direct-to-consumer and at conventions. Both companies operate as independent publishers targeting experienced hobbyists.
- Free League Publishing: Free League is a Swedish tabletop RPG publisher known for award-winning games (Tales from the Loop, Alien, Blade Runner, Vaesen, Mörk Borg) with strong art production and licensed IP adaptations. Highly comparable to MCG in genre-agnostic design philosophy, premium physical production values, and crowdfunding-driven launches.
- Pinnacle Entertainment Group: Pinnacle publishes the Savage Worlds tabletop RPG system, a comparable multi-genre engine supporting multiple settings and licensed adaptations. Both companies operate genre-agnostic systems with active third-party creator communities and direct-to-consumer storefronts.
- Chaosium Inc. Chaosium publishes Call of Cthulhu and other tabletop RPGs, with comparable direct-to-consumer sales, convention presence, and a focus on genre-specific systems with dedicated enthusiast communities. Both companies also license established media properties (e.g., Magnus Archives, Stranger Things) for tabletop adaptation.
- Evil Hat Productions: Evil Hat publishes the Fate System and licensed RPGs (Thanos Rising, Bubblegumshoe), operating as a comparable independent publisher with a strong narrative-focused engine philosophy and direct-to-consumer retail. Both companies emphasize narrative-first design and fan-friendly open licensing.
- Green Ronin Publishing: Green Ronin publishes Mutants & Masterminds, Fantasy AGE, Dragon Age, and other tabletop RPGs. Comparable to MCG as an independent publisher with multiple game lines, licensed media adaptations, and direct-to-consumer sales supplemented by crowdfunding.
Broad incumbents
- Wizards of the Coast: Wizards of the Coast (a Hasbro subsidiary) owns Dungeons & Dragons, the dominant tabletop RPG. While D&D is the primary incumbent against which MCG competes for share-of-wallet, Wizards also operates as a broad incumbent in the wider tabletop gaming space with far greater capital, distribution, and licensed media partnerships.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Monte Cook Games social profiles
Digital presenceMonte Cook Games financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Monte Cook Games leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Monte Cook Games funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Monte Cook Games 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 Monte Cook Games
What does Monte Cook Games do?
Monte Cook Games publishes tabletop roleplaying game (RPG) systems and settings built around the proprietary Cypher System engine. The company sells physical hardcover rulebooks, softcover supplements, adventure modules, and gaming accessories (card decks, playmats, prop sets), alongside digital PDF versions, direct-to-consumer through its own storefront and Kickstarter campaigns.
Is Monte Cook Games a public or private company?
Monte Cook Games is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Monte Cook Games founded?
Monte Cook Games was founded in 2012.
Where is Monte Cook Games based?
Monte Cook Games is headquartered in Seattle, United States, in the North America region.
How does Monte Cook Games make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Physical Books and Products are the primary driver. The others are digital PDF Products, crowdfunding Campaigns and gaming Accessories.
Who are Monte Cook Games's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are R. Talsorian Games, Modiphius Entertainment, Paizo Inc., Goodman Games, Free League Publishing, Pinnacle Entertainment Group, Chaosium Inc., Evil Hat Productions and Green Ronin Publishing. Wizards of the Coast is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Monte Cook Games have an API?
No public API is recorded for Monte Cook Games.
What industry is Monte Cook Games in?
Monte Cook Games's product category is Tabletop Roleplaying Game Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALAFAH, Hobby Games & Miniatures Retail (Tabletop RPGs, Wargaming), with a secondary code of CRALAKAL, Miniature Gaming Accessories (Dice, Mats, Tokens, Measuring Tools). Its NAICS code is 45912 and its SIC code is 5945.