Onyx Path Publishing
Onyx Path Publishing is a private, bootstrapped tabletop roleplaying game publisher founded in 2012, serving TTRPG players, virtual tabletop users, and educators/therapists with proprietary game systems (Storypath Ultra), licensed IP (World of Darkness, Exalted), and original titles distributed globally through crowdfunding, DriveThruRPG, and multiple VTT platforms.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersMemphis, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Onyx Path Publishing does
Onyx Path Publishing is a private tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) publisher founded in 2012 and headquartered in Pennsylvania, operating with 1-10 employees. The company was established by former White Wolf Publishing staff, including Creative Director Rich Thomas, and holds a core licensing partnership with Paradox Interactive for World of Darkness, Exalted, and Chronicles of Darkness properties. Its product portfolio spans multiple game lines built on its proprietary Storypath and Storypath Ultra systems, including Curseborne (original urban-horror IP), Scion (contemporary mythology, with a TV series in development), Trinity Continuum (superhero/sci-fi across multiple timelines), Exalted (mythic fantasy), Scarred Lands (post-Divine War fantasy), Realms of Pugmire (uplifted animals), They Came From...! (B-movie parody games), and Earthbane Cycle (connected fantasy worlds), plus the therapeutic/educational Branch Riders title developed with the Bodhana Group.
The company's business model is built on crowdfunding-led product launches (Kickstarter, BackerKit, Indiegogo) and multi-channel distribution including DriveThruRPG for PDFs and print-on-demand, Studio 2 Publishing for traditional retail, Roll20/Foundry VTT/Fantasy Grounds/Demiplane for virtual tabletop play, Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble Nook for digital fiction, and RedBubble for merchandise. Community engagement is a core operational pillar, with active presence on Discord, Reddit, Facebook, Twitch, YouTube, the Onyx Pathcast podcast, and dedicated community content platforms (Storypath Nexus, Slarecian Vault, Canis Minor) that offer revenue sharing for community creators. The company serves TTRPG players seeking immersive fantasy, horror, and contemporary mythological settings, as well as virtual tabletop users and an emerging segment of educators and therapists using Branch Riders. The firm is bootstrapped with no venture capital or private equity backing, and 2026 marks its 15th year in operation with an active release cadence across core and new product lines.
Onyx Path Publishing firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Onyx Path Publishing
- Legal name
- Onyx Path Publishing
- Website
- https://theonyxpath.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Onyx Path Publishing is a private, bootstrapped tabletop roleplaying game publisher founded in 2012, serving TTRPG players, virtual tabletop users, and educators/therapists with proprietary game systems (Storypath Ultra), licensed IP (World of Darkness, Exalted), and original titles distributed globally through crowdfunding, DriveThruRPG, and multiple VTT platforms.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Onyx Path Publishing industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Tabletop Roleplaying Games
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (513130)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Self-Publishing & Author Platforms (BPAMAJAF)
Keywords
Where Onyx Path Publishing is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Memphis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Onyx Path Publishing business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- PDF and Print-on-Demand Sales: Digital PDF sales and print-on-demand products sold through DriveThruRPG and direct channels
- Crowdfunding Campaigns: Revenue from Kickstarter, BackerKit, and Indiegogo campaigns for new product launches
- Traditional Retail Distribution: Physical books distributed through Studio 2 Publishing to game stores and bookstores; digital fiction through Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble Nook
- Virtual Tabletop Platforms: Sales through Roll20, Foundry VTT, and Demiplane for digital gameplay
- Community Content Programs: Revenue sharing from community-created content sold through Storypath Nexus, Slarecian Vault, and Canis Minor platforms
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Digital PDF products |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Print-on-Demand products |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Crowdfunding backer rewards |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels11 records
Marketing channels10 records
Onyx Path Publishing product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Onyx Path Publishing is a tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) publisher that develops, produces, and sells physical books, PDF supplements, print-on-demand products, and audio drama across multiple original and licensed RPG game worlds (Curseborne, Scion, Exalted, Trinity Continuum, Scarred Lands, Earthbane Cycle, They Came From...!, Branch Riders, Realms of Pugmire). Distribution covers digital marketplaces, crowdfunding, traditional retail, and virtual tabletop platforms, with the Storypath Ultra system serving as the company's proprietary mechanic across several lines.
Product overview
Onyx Path Publishing is a tabletop RPG publisher offering multiple interconnected game lines and a proprietary system. Their portfolio centers on Storypath Ultra (used for Curseborne, Earthbane Cycle, and Trinity Continuum) and Storypath (used for Scion 2nd Edition), alongside licensed properties. Core game lines include Curseborne (urban horror original IP), Scion (modern mythology), Trinity Continuum (superhero/sci-fi across multiple historical timelines), Exalted (mythic fantasy), They Came From...! (B-movie parody games), Earthbane Cycle (underground fantasy with connected worlds), Scarred Lands (post-Divine War fantasy), Realms of Pugmire (uplifted animals rebuilding civilization), and Branch Riders (dimensional travel with therapeutic applications). Products are distributed as physical books, PDFs, and print-on-demand through DriveThruRPG, with digital integrations for Demiplane/Scion Nexus, Roll20, Foundry VTT, and Fantasy Grounds.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Storypath Ultra: In-house RPG system used across multiple game lines including Curseborne, Earthbane Cycle, Scion, and Trinity Continuum
- Earthbane Cycle
- Tasty Bits
- Tales of the Æon Society
- Slarecian Vault
- Canis Minor
Products and services
- Curseborne Urban-horror tabletop RPG where players are Accursed individuals living in a world of curses, balancing bad-luck afflictions with magical curse-manipulation abilities. Onyx Path's original IP.
- Earthbane Cycle Collection of fantasy RPGs from Onyx Path using the in-house Storypath Ultra system, including The World Below (underground dungeon-delving), At the Gates (fantasy environments), and Monster Kingdoms (kingdom ruled by monsters).
- Scion (2nd Edition) Contemporary tabletop RPG of modern myth and epic heroism where players are children of ancient gods who fight against Titans. Published under license from Paradox Interactive. Won the ENnies Game of the Year award (first edition, 2007).
- Trinity Continuum Superhero and sci-fi RPG featuring Talents, Psiads, and Novas who arise in times of need, set across multiple timelines including Aegis (~1200 BCE), Aether (1895), Adventure! (1934), Aberrant (2028), Anima (2084), and Æon (2123), plus tangent timeline Steam Wars.
- They Came From...! Series of tabletop RPGs where players are actors trapped in terrible B-movies, covering genres including ancient-world fantasy, 1950s sci-fi horror, 1960s super spies, and 1970s gothic horror.
- Exalted (Third Edition) High-fantasy RPG set in a mythic age where heroes called Exalted are granted power by gods, featuring Solar, Dragon-Blooded, Lunar, Sidereal, Abyssal, Exigent, and forthcoming Alchemical and Infernal Exalted types.
- Scarred Lands Post-Divine-War fantasy RPG setting set in the world of Scarn, originally by Sword & Sorcery Studios and revived by Onyx Path Publishing for 5e OGL and Pathfinder.
- Realms of Pugmire Fantasy setting in the ancient future where uplifted dogs and Monarchies of Mau cats try to rebuild society in humanity's absence, published in partnership with Pugsteady.
- Branch Riders (Core Rulebook) Tabletop RPG where players travel between eight realms separated to contain a malevolent force called the Blight, designed in partnership with the Bodhana Group for therapeutic and educational play using the Bodhana Method.
- Storypath Ultra (System) Onyx Path Publishing's in-house tabletop RPG system, evolution of the original Storypath, used for Curseborne, Earthbane Cycle, Scion 2nd Edition, and Trinity Continuum games.
- Scion Nexus on Demiplane Official digital companion for Scion 2nd Edition on Demiplane, bringing digital books, searchable rules, guided character tools, and story guide-ready references together for online campaigns.
- Tales of the Æon Society! Audio drama following Max Mercer and the Æon Society heroes as they investigate strange phenomena and protect the innocent, set in the Trinity Continuum universe.
Companies that use Onyx Path Publishing
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Onyx Path Publishing technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature3 records
Onyx Path Publishing partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- PugsteadycorePartnership with Eddy Webb's Pugsteady for Realms of Pugmire, a setting in the ancient future where uplifted dogs and cats rebuild society in humanity's absence.
- Bodhana GroupcorePartnership with Bodhana Group, a nonprofit organization advocating tabletop gaming as therapeutic and clinical practice, for Branch Riders RPG designed for educational and therapeutic use with the Bodhana Method.
- Caliber ComicsminorPartnership with Caliber Comics for Legendlore, the RPG adaptation of the comic series featuring people from Earth drawn into a realm of fantasy.
- Rose BaileyminorPartnership with Rose Bailey for Cavaliers of Mars, a fantasy heartbreaker of swashbuckling adventure set in Renaissance period on a dying Mars.
- DriveThruRPGcorePrimary digital distribution partner for PDFs and print-on-demand products, including affiliate program.
- BackerKitcoreCrowdfunding and post-campaign fulfillment platform for product launches.
- KickstartercorePrimary crowdfunding platform for new product launches.
- IndiegogominorAdditional crowdfunding platform for select campaigns.
- Studio 2 PublishingcoreDistribution partner for traditionally printed books to game stores through usual distributors and direct ordering.
- Indie Press RevolutionminorDistribution partner for independent press products.
- DemiplanecoreTechnology partnership for Scion Nexus, the official digital companion platform for Scion 2nd Edition featuring digital books, searchable rules, and character tools.
- Aegis StudiosminorPartner studio producing Scarred Lands Creature Profiles and other supplementary content.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Onyx Path Publishing competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Free League Publishing: Swedish TTRPG publisher of Tales from the Loop, Mutant: Year Zero, Vaesen, and Alien RPG. Directly comparable as an independent publisher producing multiple game lines with strong art and design, distributed globally through hobby retail and crowdfunding.
- Magpie Games: Independent TTRPG publisher of Urban Shadows, Avatar Legends, and Masks. Directly comparable as an independent publisher producing narrative-driven original IPs with strong community engagement and Kickstarter launches.
- Pinnacle Entertainment Group: Independent TTRPG publisher of Deadlands and the Savage Worlds system. Directly comparable as a long-running independent publisher with multi-genre game lines and similar convention/crowdfunding marketing approach.
- Modiphius Entertainment: UK-based TTRPG publisher of Achtung! Cthulhu, Star Trek Adventures, and Dune. Directly comparable as an independent publisher leveraging licensed and original IPs with strong digital/physical distribution and tabletop miniature integrations.
- Paizo: Independent tabletop RPG publisher best known for Pathfinder and Starfinder. Directly comparable as a crowdfunded, rules-system-anchored publisher serving the same hobbyist TTRPG market with similar physical/digital distribution and convention presence.
- Chaosium: Long-standing TTRPG publisher behind Call of Cthulhu, RuneQuest, and the BRP system. Directly comparable as an independent publisher of classic horror and fantasy RPG lines with deep hobbyist roots and similar distribution channels.
- Evil Hat Productions: Independent TTRPG publisher behind the Fate system and titles like Thirsty Sword Lesbians and Blades in the Dark distribution. Directly comparable as a system-anchored independent publisher with strong community engagement and creator-friendly licensing.
- Green Ronin Publishing: Independent TTRPG publisher of Mutants & Masterminds, Dragon Age, and the AGE system. Directly comparable as a long-running independent publisher with multiple system-anchored game lines serving the same hobbyist audience.
- Cubicle 7: UK-based TTRPG publisher of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, Age of Sigmar: Soulbound, and Doctor Who. Directly comparable as an independent publisher producing both licensed and original TTRPG IPs with similar multi-channel distribution.
Broad incumbents
- Wizards of the Coast: Hasbro-owned publisher of Dungeons & Dragons, the dominant incumbent in the TTRPG market. Comparable as a TTRPG publisher serving the same customer base, but operates at vastly greater scale, with substantially larger marketing budgets, retail presence, and active film/TV projects that shape the overall hobby.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Onyx Path Publishing social profiles
Digital presenceOnyx Path Publishing financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Onyx Path Publishing leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Onyx Path Publishing funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Onyx Path Publishing 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 Onyx Path Publishing
What does Onyx Path Publishing do?
Onyx Path Publishing is a tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) publisher that develops, produces, and sells physical books, PDF supplements, print-on-demand products, and audio drama across multiple original and licensed RPG game worlds (Curseborne, Scion, Exalted, Trinity Continuum, Scarred Lands, Earthbane Cycle, They Came From...!, Branch Riders, Realms of Pugmire). Distribution covers digital marketplaces, crowdfunding, traditional retail, and virtual tabletop platforms, with the Storypath Ultra system serving as the company's proprietary mechanic across several lines.
Is Onyx Path Publishing a public or private company?
Onyx Path Publishing is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Onyx Path Publishing founded?
Onyx Path Publishing was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Onyx Path Publishing based?
Onyx Path Publishing is headquartered in Memphis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Onyx Path Publishing make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. PDF and Print-on-Demand Sales are the primary driver. The others are crowdfunding Campaigns, traditional Retail Distribution, virtual Tabletop Platforms and community Content Programs.
Who are Onyx Path Publishing's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Free League Publishing, Magpie Games, Pinnacle Entertainment Group, Modiphius Entertainment, Paizo, Chaosium, Evil Hat Productions, Green Ronin Publishing and Cubicle 7. Wizards of the Coast is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Onyx Path Publishing have an API?
No public API is recorded for Onyx Path Publishing.
What industry is Onyx Path Publishing in?
Onyx Path Publishing's product category is Tabletop Roleplaying Games. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMAJAF, Self-Publishing & Author Platforms. Its NAICS code is 513130 and its SIC code is 2731.