Kobold Press

What Kobold Press does

Kobold Press (legal entity Open Design LLC) is a privately held tabletop roleplaying game publisher founded by Wolfgang Baur in Kirkland, Washington, operating since approximately 2007. The company produces a portfolio of original and third-party-licensed RPG content targeting game masters and players of D&D 5th Edition, Pathfinder, and its own proprietary system. Core products include Tales of the Valiant—an OGL-compliant 5E-compatible RPG system released in 2024 under the Black Flag/ORC open license—the Midgard original campaign setting, monster compendiums (Tome of Beasts, Monster Vault, Creature Codex Revised with 400+ creatures), the Deep Magic sourcebook series, Campaign Builder toolkits (Castles & Crowns, Pirates & Plunder), and the RiverBank RPG system.

The business operates a hybrid B2C model combining owned e-commerce (koboldpress.com store), digital marketplace distribution (D&D Beyond, DriveThruRPG), crowdfunding (Kickstarter), and direct convention sales at Gen Con, where it runs more game events than nearly any other publisher and tripled event count from 2023. Supporting digital infrastructure includes the Labyrinth World Archive, Encounter Builder, Midgard interactive map, and VTT integrations (e.g., Shard). Distribution is global via digital channels and concentrated in North America physically.

The company is bootstrapped and founder-owned, with no disclosed external institutional investment. It generates revenue primarily through one-time book and PDF sales across multiple platforms, supplemented by Kickstarter campaigns and convention sales. In July 2026, Kobold Press was named a Wizards of the Coast Annual Setting Support partner, formally elevating it from third-party publisher to an endorsed official D&D partner alongside Ghostfire Gaming and Visionary Productions.

Name

Kobold Press

Legal name

Open Design LLC

Website

https://koboldpress.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kobold Press is a privately held tabletop RPG publisher founded in 2007 serving D&D 5E, Pathfinder, and Tales of the Valiant players and game masters through original settings, monster compendiums, sourcebooks, and its proprietary RPG system distributed via owned e-commerce, D&D Beyond, DriveThruRPG, Kickstarter, and Gen Con.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tabletop RPG Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYCRALAFAH

Hobby Games & Miniatures Retail (Tabletop RPGs, Wargaming)

Consumer Products & Retail/Specialty Retail (Hobby, Books, Office, Pet, Toys)/Toy Stores & Games Retail

Keywords

• Tabletop roleplaying games
• RPG sourcebooks
• Monster compendiums
• Campaign settings
• Fantasy adventures

Headquarters

HQ city

Kirkland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Physical Book Sales: Sale of hardcover and paperback RPG books including sourcebooks, monster compendiums, adventures, and campaign settings through their e-commerce store and retail distribution.
2. Digital Product Sales: PDF downloads of all products sold through their store, D&D Beyond, and DriveThruRPG.
3. Kickstarter Campaigns: Crowdfunding campaigns for major releases with pledge tiers offering various product combinations and exclusive content.
4. Subscription Newsletter: Kobold Courier newsletter with weekly updates, though the primary subscription appears to be free with promotional content.
5. Convention Sales: Direct sales at conventions like Gen Con, including convention-exclusive products and signings.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Kobold Press is a tabletop RPG publishing house that designs, publishes, and sells fantasy roleplaying game systems, sourcebooks, monster compendiums, adventure modules, and campaign settings. Their flagship product is Tales of the Valiant (ToV), a 5E-compatible RPG system released under the Black Flag open license, complemented by the Midgard campaign setting and an extensive catalog of supplementary content for D&D 5E, ToV, and Pathfinder.

Product overview

Kobold Press is an established tabletop RPG publisher offering a portfolio of products across multiple game systems. The core offerings include Tales of the Valiant (ToV), their flagship 5E-compatible RPG system developed as Project Black Flag; the Midgard campaign setting available for multiple systems; Black Flag Roleplaying under ORC license; and RiverBank RPG. Supporting products include the Monster Vault and Creature Codex Revised monster compendiums (400+ creatures), Deep Magic sourcebook series, and Campaign Builder toolkits (Castles & Crowns, Pirates & Plunder). Digital tools include the Labyrinth World Archive, Midgard Map, Encounter Builder, and various monster/adventure search tools. The company publishes primarily for 5E D&D, Tales of the Valiant, and Pathfinder, with 142 Pathfinder RPG titles created over an 8-year run. Products are distributed through the Kobold Store, DriveThruRPG, and major retailers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tales of the Valiant: An independent fantasy tabletop RPG system compatible with D&D 5th Edition, released in 2024.
• Midgard
• Black Flag

Products and services

• Tales of the Valiant (ToV) Kobold Press's flagship tabletop roleplaying game system; a 5E-compatible RPG with improved ranger, fabled items, item pricing, weapon maneuvers, and luck mechanics; compatible with D&D 5E and 2024 D&D.
• Midgard Campaign Setting Kobold Press's original fantasy campaign setting; a rich world with distinct regions, deities, and lore available for multiple RPG systems including 5E, Pathfinder, and Tales of the Valiant.
• Black Flag Roleplaying The open gaming license foundation of Tales of the Valiant; released under ORC (Open RPG Creative) license and Creative Commons; enables third-party publishers to create compatible content.
• RiverBank RPG A standalone fantasy RPG system developed by Kobold Press; part of the portfolio of game systems supported by the publisher.
• Creature Codex Revised Revised edition monster compendium featuring 400+ monsters for D&D 5.5e/5E, including umbral vampires, demon lords, and original horrors; compatible with Monster Vault and Monster Manual.
• Tome of Beasts Monster collection for 5E and Pathfinder; part of the Kobold bestiary line with hundreds of original creatures; multiple volumes published.
• Deep Magic Sourcebook Series Magic sourcebook series including Shadow Magic, Battle Magic, Chaos Magic, Illumination Magic, and Ley Lines; expands spell options and magical systems for 5E.
• Campaign Builder: Castles & Crowns Extensive toolkit for ToV and 5E gamers covering subclasses, magic, and monsters for ruling or overthrowing realms; includes map folio with cartography for palaces, vineyards, castles, and manor houses.
• Northlands Worldbook Setting supplement for Tales of the Valiant featuring the land of ice and snow; includes content for players seeking a Norse-inspired campaign with gods pulling the strings of mortal heroes.
• Campaign Builder: Pirates & Plunder Complete seafaring campaign toolkit for 5E D&D and Tales of the Valiant; enables running campaigns and adventures at sea with a pirates theme.
• Book of Ebon Tides / Tales from the Shadows Shadow Plane sourcebook with 14 adventures; available on D&D Beyond; follow-up to Tome of Beasts 1 on the digital marketplace.
• Dungeons Deep Adventure Collection 176-page adventure collection featuring monsters found in both Monster Vault and Monster Manual; compatible with both systems; appeals to broader audience than single-ruleset adventures.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wizards of the CoastcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 July 2026Kobold Press is part of Wizards of the Coast's Annual Setting Support partnership program, providing annual official TTRPG support for D&D's iconic campaign settings alongside Ghostfire Gaming and Visionary Productions. This represents a significant endorsement of Kobold Press as an official third-party D&D partner.
• Blizzard EntertainmentminorOthersIndirect partnership through Wizards of the Coast - Kobold Press benefits from the broader D&D Universes Beyond initiative that includes World of Warcraft collaboration, though this is managed through WotC.
• Steamforged GamesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSteamforged is producing a Tales of the Valiant Starter Set, expanding distribution of Kobold Press's proprietary RPG system through a licensed manufacturing partner.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Goodman Games: Independent tabletop RPG publisher known for Dungeon Crawl Classics and third-party D&D content; competes head-to-head with Kobold Press in the third-party D&D supplement and adventure module category.
• Paizo: Publisher of Pathfinder and Starfinder tabletop RPGs, the closest direct peer: an independent publisher of core RPG systems, campaign settings, and adventure paths sold through similar channels (own store, conventions, DriveThruRPG).
• Mongoose Publishing: UK-based publisher of Traveller and other tabletop RPGs and miniatures games; comparable as an independent publisher producing both original systems and licensed supplements, with convention-led distribution.
• Free League Publishing: Swedish publisher of tabletop RPGs (Mörk Borg, Vaesen, The One Ring 2E); comparable as an independent RPG publisher building owned systems with strong art direction and digital tool support.
• Chaosium: Publisher of Call of Cthulhu, RuneQuest, and other tabletop RPGs; comparable as a long-running independent RPG house with proprietary systems, a community of freelance designers, and multi-channel distribution.
• MCDM Productions: Matt Colville's tabletop RPG company building an original fantasy RPG (Draw Steel) and D&D-adjacent content; comparable as a creator-led independent publisher transitioning from third-party 5E supplements to an owned RPG system.
• Green Ronin Publishing: Independent publisher of tabletop RPGs including Mutants & Masterminds and Fantasy AGE; comparable as a third-party D&D-adjacent publisher producing settings, adventures, and original systems for the same hobby audience.
• Darrington Press: Publishing arm of Critical Role producing original tabletop RPGs (Daggerheart) and D&D-compatible content; comparable as a creator-led publisher leveraging a large community audience to sell RPG systems, settings, and adventures.
• Ghostfire Gaming: Independent tabletop RPG publisher named alongside Kobold Press in WotC's Annual Setting Support program; directly comparable as a third-party D&D content creator now producing official setting support for Wizards of the Coast.

Broad incumbents

• Wizards of the Coast: Owner of Dungeons & Dragons and Kobold Press's largest commercial partner; operates broadly across tabletop RPGs, miniatures games, and digital play (D&D Beyond) and sets the licensing environment Kobold Press operates within.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCuAm5TIP3MOgz2-6vUs7hrA
• Instagraminstagram.com/koboldpress
• Xx.com/koboldpress
• Facebookfacebook.com/koboldpress
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/koboldpress

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kobold Press