The World’s First Steampunk RPG Returns With Space 1889: After

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One of the very first steampunk tabletop role playing games ever created is back, with indie publisher Strange Owl Games recently announcing a new version of the iconic Space 1889 RPG. The upcoming project, entitled Space 1889: After, marks a major return to a world of Victorian retro sci-fi, in which Her Majesty’s interstellar navy dominates the spaceways, ancient Martian civilizations struggle under colonial rule and the uncharted frontiers of the cosmos await.

Notably, Strange Owl had previously published Space 1889: After back in 2023, following a successful Kickstarter, with the game compatible with both D&D 5E and a new ruleset known as the Empyrean system. This new 2026 version, however, will feature an reprinted core rulebook, as well as a new adventure anthology.

The campaign will be hitting crowdfunding in early July, but you can sign up now for notifications on BackerKit. Below, we stoke our ether engines and blast into all the details.

What is the original Space: 1889 RPG about?

The original Space: 1889 is a tabletop RPG inspired by the works of authors like Jules Verne and Edgar Rice Burroughs, while also introducing a number of modern steampunk aesthetics. The game is set in an alternate Victorian era in which space is not a lifeless vacuum, but rather a “luminiferous ether” that can be navigated by sailing ships outfitted with technology created by Thomas Edison. It’s a solar system where European colonial empires clash over Martian lift-wood, airships battle over crimson deserts and the depths of space are explored using steam, brass and slide rules.

In the real world, the original Space: 1889 was created in 1983 by designer Frank Chadwick (who would also go on to develop the popular Twilight 2000 RPG). Chadwick originally conceived of it as a wargame, which he had submitted to the “Feedback” column in the popular tabletop publication Ares Magazine. He later expanded the idea into a TTRPG which was picked up and published Game Designers’ Workshop (GDW) in 1989. Due to poor sales, however, Space: 1889 was cancelled a year later, although it had developed a loyal fanbase and even spawned a 1990 computer game.

The license would remain largely untouched until 2010, at which time the Pinnacle Entertainment Group published a Savage Worlds edition of the game called Space 1889: Red Sands.  In 2014, German publisher Uhrwerk Verlag picked up the license and released a new version of Space: 1889 built using the Ubiquity game engine.

The rights would eventually end up with publisher Ulisses Spiele who worked with Strange Owl Games on the 2022 Kickstarter that resulted in the D&D 5E version.

What is the Space 1889: After BackerKit about?

The upcoming BackerKit consists of two books:

• Space 1889: After Core Rulebook: This is essentially a reprint of the book that was launched in 2023 via Kickstarter. It is compatible with D&D 5E (but not specifically updated for D&D 5.5E). Both a standard and collector’s edition will be available to backers.
• A new Adventure Anthology: This is a brand new product that features four adventures for D&D 5E (with the possibility that other adventures may be unlocked as stretch goals).

The BackerKit will also include a variety of accessories and add-ons, including pins and a short story. (We’ll update this page with a complete list once it’s been confirmed).

Who is Strange Owl Games?

Strange Owl Games is a TTRPG design studio founded in 2022. In addition to publishing Space 1889: After (under license from Ulisses Spiele), they are also known for publishing the game Amboria, a setting created by poet and scholar Richard Rohlin, which was successfully funded on Kickstarter in 2023.

The company has also published the Dragon Kings RPG setting, which was created by legendary D&D game designer Timothy Brown (who co-created the Dark Sun setting and worked on a number of major TSR products).

Why we’re excited about Space 1889: After

• The return of a steampunk legend: Space: 1889 is the grandfather of steampunk gaming, but is often overlooked within the sub-genre. Seeing this classic setting once again back in the spotlight feels like a major win for the hobby.
• 5E compatibility: Bringing the game into the D&D 5E ruleset is a smart move on the part of Strange Owl Games in terms of introducing Space: 1889 to a much wider audience.
• The art and design: The art and overall print quality looks amazing, and as longtime steampunk nerds, we’re definitely interested in adding this bad boy to our collection.

Final Thoughts

Space 1889: After feels like a triumphant return for a seminal TTRPG that often hasn’t generated the kind of attention it deserves. It remains to be seen if this latest crowdfunder will result in an entirely new generation of fans jumping on board and venturing into the ether.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on this story and will update this page with new info when the campaign launches in early July. In the meantime, you can sign up now for notifications on BackerKit.