Dark Souls: The Board Game maker picks up Age of Empires III and Kingdoms of Amalur dev’s Rivet Wars

Steamforged Games, publisher of tabletop games based on Dark Souls, Resident Evil and Monster Hunter World, has acquired a board game created by video game artist Ted Terranova.

Terranova is an artist and developer with credits on notable video games including fantasy RPG Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, real-time strategy game Rise of Nations and the Definitive Edition remaster of classic RTS Age of Empires III. He also worked on the digital adaptation of board game classic Catan.

Terranova’s Rivet Wars was first released in 2014, and takes place in a setting inspired by World War I and featuring dieselpunk creations such as walking tanks.

The units are represented by stylised miniatures that players move across a gridded board, rolling dice to attack and contending with any environmental hazards, such as wire. The figures utilise a ‘plug’ system that allows pilots and weapons of vehicles to be swapped, representing different loadouts and abilities.

Each turn, players deploy units to the board - which starts the game empty - by spending resources collected by capturing points and bunkers, using their soldiers, vehicles and unique heroes to secure the objectives required for victory. Said to be heavily influenced by Terranova’s work on RTS video games, the board game features a grid-based combat system that allows units to be arranged to create defensive formations within each square.

Since its original release of the Eastern Front core box and expansions such as the aerial combat Battle of Brighton, Rivet Wars has gone out of print. Announcing its acquisition of the “cult classic” IP, Steamforged Games indicated the future return of the game - as well as the possibility of new additions to the universe.

“We have huge plans for where we can take the original concept,” said Steamforged’s founder and chief creative officer Mat Hart. “We want to develop the game in an exciting and unique direction, that original fans will love, but will also capture the imagination of new fans alike.”

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Calling Steamforged’s purchase of the game a “new future” for Rivet Wars, Terranova added: “Rivet Wars was always a passion project, so it gives me huge satisfaction to know it’s in safe hands. I can’t wait to see where they take the game next.”

No further details were given on Steamforged’s plans for the Rivet Wars series or expected release dates.