Mythworks
Mythworks is an indie tabletop roleplaying game and comic book publisher selling original narrative-driven game systems and comics through direct-to-consumer e-commerce, crowdfunding, and international retail distribution to RPG enthusiasts and comic collectors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersArcadia, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Mythworks does
Mythworks (formerly Mythopoeia) is a privately held, founder-owned independent publisher of tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) and comic books, founded in 2014 by Vincenzo Ferriero and Ray Chou and headquartered in Arcadia, California. The company develops original narrative-driven game systems built on two engines: a proprietary d6 dicepool framework called the Wild Words Engine (used in The Wildsea and PiCO) and customized implementations of the licensed Forged in the Dark system (used in CBR+PNK and Slugblaster). Its catalog spans core rulebooks, supplements, scenarios, zines, comic series (Skies of Fire, Glow, Sansha & Blanco), merchandise, and digital PDFs, with 60+ active SKUs.
The company monetizes through a hybrid model: direct-to-consumer sales via a Shopify storefront (myth.works), marketplace distribution (DriveThruRPG, Amazon, Global Comix, Direct2D), regional wholesale partnerships in 10+ countries (RPG Bookshelf in Australia, Adventure Dice in Canada, Grumpy Bear Stuff in Italy, and six US regional distributors), crowdfunding campaigns on Kickstarter and Gamefound with BackerKit preorder fulfillment, and a recurring Patreon membership that grants access to the "Myth Vault" digital library plus exclusive content. Product pricing ranges from free quickstart rules and first-issue samples to premium collector editions priced at $84.99. Primary customer segments are tabletop RPG enthusiasts seeking narrative-first systems, independent comic collectors, and crowdfunding backers; the company also functions as a publishing partner for external designers through its Mythworks Presents imprint.
The Wildsea won the 2023 Ennie Award for Best Rulebook and Slugblaster was nominated for a 2024 Ennie Award, establishing third-party creative validation. The company is bootstrapped with no disclosed institutional investment and operates across community-led, product-led, and event-driven go-to-market motions including active Discord engagement, conventions (GAMA Expo, Gamehole Con), and multi-channel content marketing. No AI/ML capabilities are evidenced.
Mythworks firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Mythworks
- Legal name
- Mythworks
- Website
- https://myth.works
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Mythworks is an indie tabletop roleplaying game and comic book publisher selling original narrative-driven game systems and comics through direct-to-consumer e-commerce, crowdfunding, and international retail distribution to RPG enthusiasts and comic collectors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Mythworks industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Tabletop Roleplaying Game and Indie Comic Publishing
- NAICS
- Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912)
- SIC
- Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hobby Games & Miniatures Retail (Tabletop RPGs, Wargaming) (CRALAFAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Role-Playing Games (RPGs) & Sourcebooks Retail (CRALALAE), Miniature Gaming Accessories (Dice, Mats, Tokens, Measuring Tools) (CRALAKAL)
Keywords
Where Mythworks is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Arcadia
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Mythworks business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Physical Product Sales: Sale of hardcover and softcover tabletop roleplaying game books, comic books, and merchandise through their e-commerce platform. Products include core rulebooks, supplements, scenarios, and apparel/accessories.
- Digital Product Sales: DRM-free digital PDF sales of all products, including core rules, supplements, and comic issues. Also available through third-party platforms like DriveThruRPG.
- Patreon Membership: Monthly subscription program offering access to the Myth Vault (full digital library), Myth-Monthly mini-magazine, Mythcast content series, exclusive patron-only gifts and discounts, and behind-the-scenes project updates.
- Crowdfunding Campaigns: Major product launches conducted through Kickstarter and Gamefound crowdfunding platforms, with BackerKit for preorder fulfillment of expansion products like Slugblaster: Slime, Warp, Solder.
- Third-Party Distribution: Sales through marketplace partners including DriveThruRPG, Amazon, Global Comix, and Direct2D for comics.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | TTRPG Core Rulebooks |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | TTRPG Box Sets / Premium Editions |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Comic Books and Collections |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Zines and Mini-Games |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Merchandise |
| Subscription | Monthly | Patreon Membership |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels10 records
Mythworks product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Mythworks publishes and sells original tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) and indie comic books through its direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront and third-party marketplaces. Core offerings include original TTRPG properties such as The Wildsea, Slugblaster, CBR+PNK, PiCO, Crescent, Exile, and The Last Caravan, alongside comic series including Skies of Fire, Glow, and Sansha & Blanco, with associated accessories, GM screens, dice, and digital PDF bundles.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- The Wildsea: Core Rules Award-winning post-fall fantasy tabletop roleplaying game set in a rampant ocean of verdant green, featuring a unique d6 dicepool system and fiction-first narrative gameplay for 2-6 players.
- The Wildsea: Storm & Root Expansion adding airships and submersibles with 300+ pages of vertical adventures including expanded construction rules, new character options, and hazards in storm-torn skies and root-choked depths.
- The Wildsea: Digital Deluxe Comprehensive digital collection including core rules, Storm & Root expansion, multiple scenarios, soundtrack, and printable character sheets.
- The Wildsea: Folio Screen GM screen for The Wildsea with quick reference rules and game aids.
- The Wildsea: Ship Gardens Supplement Supplement featuring gardens on ships, expanding the core gameplay with new options for wildsailor crews.
- The Wildsea: One-Armed Scissor Scenario Standalone scenario for The Wildsea, playable as part of an ongoing campaign or independently.
- The Wildsea: Red Right Hand Scenario Scenario expansion for The Wildsea with new threats and story content.
- The Wildsea: Tigers on the Wire Scenario Scenario exploring whispers that can twist minds and shape the world when spoken aloud, featuring six new locations and ship upgrades.
- The Wildsea: Chthonic Acrylic Dice Themed dice set for The Wildsea tabletop roleplaying game.
- The Wildsea: Free Rules Kit Free downloadable rules including character sheets, ship sheets, and quick reference materials for The Wildsea.
- Slugblaster: Core Rules Interdimensional punk TTRPG about teenagehood, rebellion, and portal-hopping sci-fi misadventure where players are teenage hoverboarders exploring strange worlds.
- Slugblaster: Game of the Year Edition Collector's edition featuring expanded solo rules, two play surfaces, dice, enamel pin, original soundtrack, stickers, maps, and GM Screen built into the box.
- Slugblaster: Slime, Warp, Solder Expansion with three zines featuring new worlds, rival crews, and rules for slime and space.
- PiCO: Core Rules Whimsical bug-driven TTRPG for 2-6 players set in a post-human world where bugs flourish after humanity vanished, using the Wild Words Engine.
- PiCODEX All-weird expansion adding three new playable character types: frogs, shrooms, and crabs with their own perspectives and abilities.
- PiCO: Weaver's Screen GM screen for PiCO with quick reference materials.
- CBR+PNK: Augmented Cyberpunk tabletop RPG running on Forged in the Dark system, designed for one-shot sessions where players are RUNNERS on their last run.
- The Last Caravan: Core Rules Cars and aliens tabletop RPG for 2-6 players about a midwinter road trip after an alien invasion.
- The Neapolitan Trilogy Zine collection containing three unique TTRPGs: The Love Balloon (romantic 70s comedy), Pro Patria Mori (WWI survival), and Time Force (time-travel sci-fi).
- Crescent: Core Rules Feelings-delving tabletop roleplaying game about brave children and wild imagination, second edition.
- Exile: Core Rules Fairy tale tabletop roleplaying game about teenage outcasts, published alongside Crescent 2E.
- Crescent - Exile: Bundle Bundle packaging of Crescent 2E and Exile core rulebooks sold together.
- Time Force Standalone time-travel sci-fi TTRPG zine, part of The Neapolitan Trilogy collection.
- Skies of Fire: Books Collected hardcover editions of the Skies of Fire comic book series featuring dieselpunk storytelling.
- Skies of Fire: Digital Issues Digital single issues of the Skies of Fire comic book series, including free first issues.
- Skies of Fire: Single Issues Physical single issues of the Skies of Fire comic book series.
- Mythworks Patreon Membership Monthly subscription program offering access to the Myth Vault (full digital library), Myth-Monthly mini-magazine, Mythcast content series, exclusive patron-only gifts and discounts, and behind-the-scenes project updates.
Quantifiable outcome
- The Wildsea won the 2023 Ennie Award
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Mythworks
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Mythworks technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Mythworks partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered regional, minor and core.
- RPG BookshelfregionalAustralian distribution partner bringing Mythworks products to retailers and consumers in Australia
- Adventure DiceregionalCanadian distribution partner for Mythworks TTRPG and comic products
- Grumpy Bear StuffregionalItalian distribution partner serving the European market
- IPR (International Publishers Relations)regionalUS regional distributor for Mythworks products
- QMDregionalUS regional distributor for Mythworks products
- Southern HobbyregionalUS regional distributor serving hobby game stores
- DeernicornminorUS regional distributor partner
- BridgeminorUS regional distribution partner
- GAMAcoreGame Manufacturers Association partnership for industry exposure and trade show participation including GAMA Expo
- DriveThruRPGcoreDigital distribution platform for TTRPG products, making digital PDFs available to global audience
- AmazonregionalMarketplace distribution for physical and digital products including The Wildsea titles
- Global ComixregionalDigital comics distribution platform for comic series including Skies of Fire and Glow
- Direct2D (D2D)minorComics distribution platform for physical comic products
- StartPlaying.GamesminorPartnership for connecting players with game masters to play Slugblaster online, offering referral credits for new players
- KickstartercoreCrowdfunding platform for major product launches and campaign funding
- GamefoundcoreCrowdfunding platform for TTRPG products including The Wildsea: Tigers on the Wire campaign
- BackerKitcorePreorder and fulfillment platform for crowdfunding campaigns including Slugblaster: Slime, Warp, Solder
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Mythworks competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Monte Cook Games: Indie TTRPG publisher of Numenera, Ptolus, and Cypher System. Comparable founder-led small publisher with direct-to-consumer e-commerce, Kickstarter launches, and Ennie-recognized products.
- Free League Publishing: Swedish indie TTRPG publisher behind Mörk Borg, Tales From the Loop, and Alien RPG. Comparable for bold visual design, narrative-first mechanics, and strong crowdfunding / convention presence, though at a larger scale than Mythworks.
- Magpie Games: Indie TTRPG publisher of narrative-driven games including Avatar Legends and Urban Shadows. Directly comparable to Mythworks by scale, indie positioning, Ennie Award nominations, and direct-to-consumer e-commerce model with Kickstarter launches.
- Rowan, Rook and Decard: UK-based indie TTRPG publisher behind award-winning titles Spire, Heart, and Ten Thousand. Closely comparable as a small indie press focused on narrative-first games with strong visual design and Kickstarter-driven launches.
- Evil Hat Productions: Creator of the Forged in the Dark system, which Mythworks licenses for CBR+PNK and Slugblaster. Comparable indie TTRPG publisher of Blades in the Dark with strong direct-to-consumer and digital (DriveThruRPG) distribution.
- Hit Point Press: Indie TTRPG publisher of Kids on Bikes, Avatar Legends, and Lancer. Similar scale, indie positioning, Kickstarter-driven launches, and narrative-focused catalog as Mythworks.
Broad incumbents
- Image Comics: Independent comic book publisher home to creator-owned titles. Comparable to Mythworks' comic publishing business (Skies of Fire, Glow, Sansha & Blanco) at materially larger scale and broader retail reach.
- Paizo: Established publisher of Pathfinder and Starfinder, with major convention presence (Gen Con) and broad TTRPG distribution. Comparable as a tabletop publisher serving overlapping hobby retail and digital marketplaces, though at materially larger scale than Mythworks.
Emerging players
- Bully Pulpit Games: Small indie publisher behind Fiasco and other narrative-driven RPGs. Comparable in scale, indie ethos, and community-led distribution as a peer for Mythworks' smaller titles.
- Schwalb Entertainment: Indie TTRPG publisher of Shadow of the Demon Lord and Shadow of the Weird Wizard. Comparable as a small, founder-led indie press focused on dark fantasy / narrative-driven systems.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Mythworks social profiles
Digital presenceMythworks financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Mythworks leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Mythworks funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Mythworks 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 Mythworks
What does Mythworks do?
Mythworks publishes and sells original tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) and indie comic books through its direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront and third-party marketplaces. Core offerings include original TTRPG properties such as The Wildsea, Slugblaster, CBR+PNK, PiCO, Crescent, Exile, and The Last Caravan, alongside comic series including Skies of Fire, Glow, and Sansha & Blanco, with associated accessories, GM screens, dice, and digital PDF bundles.
Is Mythworks a public or private company?
Mythworks is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Mythworks founded?
Mythworks was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Mythworks based?
Mythworks is headquartered in Arcadia, United States, in the North America region.
How does Mythworks make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Physical Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are digital Product Sales, patreon Membership, crowdfunding Campaigns and third-Party Distribution.
Who are Mythworks's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Monte Cook Games, Free League Publishing, Magpie Games, Rowan, Rook and Decard, Evil Hat Productions and Hit Point Press. Broad incumbents are Image Comics and Paizo. Emerging players are Bully Pulpit Games and Schwalb Entertainment.
Does Mythworks have an API?
No public API is recorded for Mythworks.
What industry is Mythworks in?
Mythworks's product category is Tabletop Roleplaying Game and Indie Comic Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALAFAH, Hobby Games & Miniatures Retail (Tabletop RPGs, Wargaming), with a secondary code of CRALALAE, Role-Playing Games (RPGs) & Sourcebooks Retail. Its NAICS code is 45912 and its SIC code is 5945.