Rat Queens Game Returns Through New Talespinner Games BackerKit Campaign
The Rat Queens are getting another shot at the tabletop spotlight.
Talespinner Games is bringing the long-awaited Rat Queens game back to fans through an upcoming BackerKit crowdfunding campaign, giving longtime readers and new players a fresh chance to enter the chaotic, hilarious, monster-smashing world of Palisade.
The new campaign reunites bestselling Rat Queens co-creators Kurtis Wiebe and Roc Upchurch for a reimagined version of the game based on the Image Comics and Shadowline fantasy-action series. The pre-launch page is live now, and the full campaign is scheduled to launch on Tuesday, August 4, 2026.
For longtime fans, this is a major moment. For new readers, this is the perfect excuse to discover one of Image Comics’ wildest fantasy comics before the game arrives.
For more publisher updates, visit Image Comics. For more weekly comic coverage, check out our Comic Book News section and our New Comics archive.
Rat Queens Returns as a Board Game
Rat Queens has always felt like a comic begging to become a game.
The series follows a band of hard-drinking, hard-fighting fantasy adventurers who bring attitude, chaos, friendship, and a lot of violence to every job they take. With its mix of sword-and-sorcery action, bawdy humor, party dynamics, magic, monsters, and explosive personality clashes, Rat Queens naturally fits the tabletop world.
Now, Talespinner Games is bringing that energy to a cooperative action brawler built around the four core Queens:
Betty
Hannah
Violet
Dee
Players choose one of the Queens and team up to save Palisade from total destruction. Each Queen has her own asymmetric playstyle, giving every character a different role, rhythm, and way to smash through enemies.
That is exactly what a Rat Queens game should be.
It is not just about fighting monsters.
It is about fighting monsters with your chaotic best friends.
Talespinner Games Looks to Do Right by Fans
One of the biggest parts of this announcement is the commitment to fans who backed the original game campaign.
The previous crowdfunded version of the Rat Queens game, launched through another company in 2021, was hit with delays and left many loyal backers without the finished game they had hoped for. With this new campaign, Talespinner Games plans to give all backers from the original campaign a free copy.
That is a meaningful move.
It shows that Kurtis Wiebe and Talespinner Games are not simply relaunching the project. They are trying to honor the fans who supported the idea from the start.
Wiebe summed up the lesson clearly: he learned not to let what he creates get too far from his hands or heart.
That message fits Rat Queens perfectly. This is a franchise built on friendship, loyalty, messy mistakes, and fighting your way back from disaster.
A Reimagined Game with a Strong Design Foundation
The new Rat Queens game is built from a base design by award-winning game designers Sen-Foong Lim and Erica Bouyouris.
That foundation has now been reworked with a new creative direction from Kurtis Wiebe and Roc Upchurch, bringing the game closer to the tone and spirit of the comic.
The new version features original art and characters exclusive to the game, along with the bawdy humor, fantasy action, and sharp personality that made the comic stand out.
That should matter to fans.
A good licensed board game cannot just place familiar characters on cards and call it a day. It needs to feel like the world it is adapting. It needs the attitude, the pacing, the chaos, and the personality of the source material.
Based on this announcement, that is exactly what Talespinner Games is aiming for.
How the Rat Queens Game Plays
The new Rat Queens game is described as a bawdy, villain-killing, action brawler co-op.
Players choose one of the four Queens and work together to save Palisade from destruction. Each character brings her own unique abilities and playstyle, allowing players to power up their Queen as the game progresses.
The core gameplay centers on teamwork, combat, loot, and survival.
Players will take on hordes of evil villains while building strength and momentum through the game’s Friendship System. This system allows players to leave Queen Tokens on the board for other Queens, directly improving their skills and helping unlock special abilities.
That is a smart mechanic because friendship is at the heart of Rat Queens.
These characters argue, fight, drink, joke, insult each other, protect each other, and still show up when it counts. Turning that relationship energy into a gameplay system feels like the right move.
In short:
Work together.
Massacre evil.
Collect loot.
Power up your Queen.
Stop the big bad before Palisade gets erased from history.
That sounds like the Rat Queens experience.
Why Comic Fans Should Be Excited
Comic fans should be excited because this is not just another board game adaptation.
This is the original creative team returning to help shape the game into what fans always wanted. Kurtis Wiebe and Roc Upchurch helped create the world, tone, characters, and attitude that made Rat Queens a breakout fantasy comic. Their involvement gives this reimagined game a stronger connection to the source material.
The comic has always had the ingredients of a great game:
A party of distinct heroes.
Different character classes and personalities.
A fantasy city worth saving.
Enemies worth wrecking.
Loot.
Mayhem.
Magic.
Bad decisions.
Friendship.
A lot of sass.
That is exactly why this BackerKit campaign should be on the radar for comic readers, fantasy fans, tabletop players, and collectors who love creator-owned comics.
Why New Fans Should Discover Rat Queens
New fans should not feel like they missed the boat.
The game campaign is actually a great reason to start reading Rat Queens now.
The series is easy to pitch: four fantasy adventurers with big personalities take on monsters, villains, trouble, magic, and their own terrible choices while trying to keep their team together.
It is sword-and-sorcery with attitude.
It is fantasy action with jokes.
It is a party-based adventure full of chaos, friendship, and sharp character dynamics.
For readers who enjoy Dungeons & Dragons, fantasy comedy, action-heavy creator-owned comics, tabletop games, or team books with messy heroes, Rat Queens is worth picking up.
Rat Queens Collected Editions
Readers who want to catch up before the game campaign launches have several collected editions available through local comic shops, independent bookstores, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Indigo, Waterstones, and digital platforms.
Rat Queens Omnibus Hardcover
ISBN: 9781534324855
Lunar Code: 1023IM283
Rat Queens, Book One Deluxe Hardcover
ISBN: 9781632154927
Lunar Code: 0715IM170
Rat Queens, Book Two Deluxe Hardcover
ISBN: 9781534310254
Lunar Code: 0918IM218
Rat Queens, Book Three Deluxe Hardcover
ISBN: 9781534320451
Rat Queens, Vol. 1 Trade Paperback
ISBN: 9781607069454
Lunar Code: 0623IM942
Rat Queens, Vol. 2 Trade Paperback
ISBN: 9781632150400
Lunar Code: 0623IM943
Rat Queens, Vol. 3 Trade Paperback
ISBN: 9781632157355
Lunar Code: 0623IM944
Rat Queens, Vol. 4 Trade Paperback
ISBN: 9781632158994
Lunar Code: 0623IM945
Rat Queens, Vol. 5 Trade Paperback
ISBN: 9781534306776
Lunar Code: 0623IM946
Rat Queens, Vol. 6 Trade Paperback
ISBN: 9781534310698
Lunar Code: 0623IM947
Rat Queens, Vol. 7 Trade Paperback
ISBN: 9781534314665
Lunar Code: 0623IM948
Rat Queens, Vol. 8 Trade Paperback
ISBN: 9781534316720
Lunar Code: 0623IM949
Rat Queens is also available digitally through platforms including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play.
Why Collectors Should Watch the Campaign
The new Rat Queens game campaign has several collector angles worth watching.
First, it reunites the original co-creators for a game adaptation of a fan-favorite Image Comics series.
Second, it includes original art and characters exclusive to the game.
Third, it arrives after years of fan demand and frustration surrounding the earlier unfulfilled campaign.
Fourth, it gives the franchise new life across comics and tabletop gaming.
For collectors who follow Image Comics, Shadowline, creator-owned fantasy, tabletop adaptations, or franchise expansions, this BackerKit campaign could become a key Rat Queens moment.
The fact that original backers are being recognized also gives the campaign an emotional hook beyond the product itself.
This is not just about launching a game.
It is about repairing trust and delivering something fans have waited years to play.
Final Thoughts: Rat Queens Is Ready to Roll Initiative Again
The return of the Rat Queens game feels like a strong comeback moment for the franchise.
With Kurtis Wiebe and Roc Upchurch reunited, Talespinner Games taking control of the project, and a new BackerKit campaign on the way, fans finally have a reason to get excited again.
The game sounds like exactly what readers would want from Rat Queens: a cooperative fantasy brawler full of friendship, loot, villain-killing, unique character abilities, and chaotic party energy.
For longtime fans, this is the game they have been waiting for.
For new readers, this is the perfect time to discover the comic.
For tabletop players, this could be a fantasy-action co-op worth backing.
The Rat Queens game campaign launches on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, through BackerKit.
Until then, grab the collected editions, meet the Queens, and get ready to save Palisade the loud way.
For more comic reviews, previews, collector updates, and gaming news, visit Comic Book Addicts.
Join the Conversation
Are you excited for the new Rat Queens game from Talespinner Games?
Which Queen are you choosing first: Betty, Hannah, Violet, or Dee?
Drop your thoughts in the comments and let us know if this BackerKit campaign has you ready to revisit Rat Queens.
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