Zine Quest 2026 on Kickstarter: Over 100 Live Indie RPG Zines to Discover
- Nick Sampson
- 38 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Nick Sampson | February 10th 2026
What is Zine Quest 2026?
Each February, tabletop roleplaying fans turn their attention to one of Kickstarter’s most beloved traditions: Zine Quest. What began as a spotlight on small-format, DIY roleplaying publications has grown into a vibrant seasonal movement celebrating independent creators, experimental design, and the enduring magic of the printed zine.
Zine Quest is an annual Kickstarter initiative that highlights tabletop RPG zines. This year for Zine Quest 2026 there is a great lineup. These projects are typically shorter works, saddle-stitched booklets, digest-sized manuals, or compact supplements that focus on bold ideas rather than massive page counts. Many are passion projects from independent designers. Others come from small publishers testing new systems, settings, or mechanics. The common thread is creativity, accessibility, and a love for tabletop storytelling.
Readers can explore all of the live Zine Quest projects by visiting Kickstarter’s discovery page and browsing the Zine Quest tag under live projects. Sorting by “Newest” or “Most Funded” reveals just how active the event has become. At the time of writing, there are over 130 zine projects live for Zine Quest, with many already fully funded. That means backers have stepped up in force, ensuring these projects will be printed and delivered. With such a wide range of genres, systems, and tones, there truly is something for everyone.
Below is a look at several currently live Zine Quest campaigns.
Barkane: the RPG you play with your Dog!
Barkane offers a charming and highly original premise. This journaling RPG transforms your real life dog into a wizardly hero. Walks become adventures. Everyday observations become story prompts. Designed to be beginner friendly and heartfelt, Barkane blends pet ownership with light roleplaying in a way that feels personal and whimsical. It is a celebration of companionship wrapped in a magical framework.
Big Robots, Big Feelings RPG
Big Robots, Big Feelings leans into emotional storytelling through the lens of giant machines. While mechs are often associated with explosive combat and high stakes warfare, this zine focuses on character, relationships, and the emotional lives of pilots and their towering constructs. It promises a character driven experience that balances spectacle with vulnerability.
Punderworld
Punderworld embraces wordplay and humor as a central design philosophy. This project appears to combine fantasy adventure with a heavy dose of puns and playful tone. For groups that enjoy lighter sessions, comedic twists, and imaginative scenarios, Punderworld aims to deliver laughter alongside traditional tabletop exploration.
The League of Dark Few: A DCC and Shadowdark Zine Series
Designed for fans of Dungeon Crawl Classics and Shadowdark, The League of Dark Few expands on old school inspired play. This zine series offers adventures and material compatible with those systems, focusing on dangerous quests, grim atmospheres, and high stakes dungeon delving. It appeals strongly to players who appreciate lethal challenges and classic fantasy sensibilities.
Way of the Shotgun Expanded Prologue
Way of the Shotgun delivers a punchy, action focused experience. The expanded prologue suggests a deepening of an existing concept, likely building on intense themes and cinematic storytelling. Projects like this often cater to players who enjoy gritty tone, stylized conflict, and focused mechanical identity.
‘Wich Witches
‘Wich Witches plays with language and identity in its very title. The project appears to center on witches, likely blending magic, narrative exploration, and thematic storytelling. Witch themed RPGs frequently explore community, power, and personal transformation, and this zine looks poised to contribute its own take on those traditions.
Spirit Swap: A Slice of Life TTRPG
Spirit Swap moves away from dungeon crawling and into everyday emotional storytelling. As a slice of life TTRPG, it likely emphasizes relationships, identity, and personal growth. Games in this space often encourage collaborative storytelling and gentle pacing, offering an alternative to combat heavy systems.
Feathers and Messages
Feathers and Messages suggests a more poetic or introspective tone. Whether centered on communication, travel, or symbolic storytelling, the title evokes imagery of letters carried across distances and stories shared between distant places. Zines like this often excel at mood and atmosphere.
Magika Nostalgika: Catalog of Magic Items
Magika Nostalgika appears to be a system neutral or broadly compatible catalog of magical items. Item collections are a staple of fantasy roleplaying, but a zine format allows for focused creativity. Unique artifacts, flavorful descriptions, and imaginative lore can add depth to any campaign world.
GOBZ
GOBZ likely centers on goblins, one of fantasy’s most flexible and entertaining creatures. Whether comedic, chaotic, or cunning, goblin themed games often highlight scrappy underdogs and inventive problem solving. This project promises personality and energy in a compact format.
Zombie Reign: The Dark Archives Volume I
Zombie Reign taps into the enduring appeal of undead survival horror. As the first volume in a series, it suggests an ongoing exploration of grim settings and desperate struggles. Fans of post apocalyptic storytelling and high tension scenarios will find familiar territory here.
Astral Threads: An Esoteric Magic TTRPG
Astral Threads focuses on esoteric magic and likely leans into mystical systems, arcane symbolism, and layered metaphysics. Indie magic systems often experiment with resource management, ritual casting, and thematic depth, offering something distinct from mainstream fantasy spellcasting.
What this means for the RPG Industry
Together, these projects showcase just a fraction of what Zine Quest has to offer this year. With more than 130 live zine campaigns and many already fully funded, the breadth of creativity on display is remarkable. From heartfelt journaling games to old school dungeon crawls, from emotional mech dramas to zombie survival horror, the range reflects the diversity of the tabletop community itself.
Small indie RPGs and zine RPGs matter because they push boundaries. They give designers room to experiment without the financial pressure of large scale publishing. They amplify voices that might otherwise go unheard. They allow players to discover new mechanics, new genres, and new perspectives in compact, affordable formats. Many of today’s most influential game ideas began as small independent releases.
Zine Quest is not just a promotional event. It is a celebration of the grassroots spirit that has always powered tabletop roleplaying. For backers, it is an opportunity to support creators directly and to help bring imaginative projects to life. For designers, it is a chance to share passion projects with a global audience. And for the hobby as a whole, it is a reminder that innovation often begins with a stapled booklet, a bold idea, and a community willing to believe in it. Check ZineQuest out now. Visit - https://www.kickstarter.com/zinequest