Microscope RPG Launches New Second Edition on Kickstarter

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First launched in 2011, the Microscope RPG has since become one of the most unique and celebrated indie tabletop games of all time. Created by designer Ben Robbins of Lame Mage Productions, it’s billed as a collaborative, GM-less “fractal” TTRPG designed for both solo and group play. Rather than taking on the role of individual characters, however, players create an entire world from the ground up and then map out its historical birth, apex and eventual destruction.

Now, 15 years after it first debuted, the award-winning game is entering its own Period of expansion with a new Microscope 2nd Edition. This update is both a perfect jumping on point for new players as well as revising a number of rule issues that have been identified among the community. The new edition will first launch as a crowdfunder which runs from now until October 29th, 2026 on Kickstarter.

Below, we zoom in on all the details.

What is the original Microscope RPG?

Microscope is an indie tabletop RPG created by Ben Robbins under his imprint Lame Mage Productions. In the game, players create a fictional historical timeline, then zoom in to role-play specific events on that timeline. Unlike most TTRPGs there is no Game Master and all players have equal control. Play can consist of a single session or multiple sessions that explore different historical events.

Players start by developing a Big Picture concept for their world (for example, “the rise and fall of a powerful empire of necromancers”) and then add Bookends which mark the start and end of the timeline (for example, the start might be the first necromancer to be named king and the end is the destruction of the entire empire by the god of death). Players then add a Palette which indicates elements that they want to include and others which should be banned, which all players must agree to (for example, players might agree to include vampires, but not have any dragons).

The game’s history is divided into three tiers: Periods (large blocks of time representing centuries or even entire epochs), Events (a major historical milestone inside a Period) or Scenes (individual moments where characters act out a specific question or dramatic beat). Players take turns and can choose any of these tiers at any point on the timeline. Color-coded index cards are used to indicate whether these are Light (a positive or uplifting moment) or “Dark” (a catastrophe or disaster). There are also Legacies, which are common themes that carry over across the timeline.

One player, for example, might describe the 200-year Period in which the Necromancer Empire waged war against a rival nation, while another might zoom into an Event detailing the vampire rebellion, while a third provides a Scene chronicling the final moments of the last Emperor. The idea is for players to build off of one another’s ideas, zooming in, out and across the timeline.

Notably, the Microscope RPG won the Most Innovative New Product award at the 2011 Gaming Genius Awards and was nominated as a Finalist for RPG Game of the Year at the 2011 Golden Geek Awards. In 2015 creator Ben Robbins also released follow-up entitled Microscope Explorer which introduced a number of new optional mechanics and won Best Supplement at the 2016 Indie RPG Awards.

What’s changing in Microscope Second Edition?

The second edition of the game essentially builds off the original, with the core rules remaining largely unchanged. There are, however, a few notable updates:

• Refined Presentation: The book will be expanded from 80 pages to roughly 100–120 pages, offering cleaner explanations, streamlined guidance and an updated layout (although it will retain its black and white, image-free design).
• Rules adjustments: Microscope 2E will draw on over a decade of community feedback, fan hacks and errata. For example, Scenes will be more explicitly detailed with clearer objectives.

Who is Microscope creator Ben Robbins?

Ben Robbins is an award-winning TTRPG designer who publishes games under the Lame Mage Productions imprint and is best known as the creator of the Microscope RPG and for developing the very first West Marches campaign for D&D.

He has also published a variety of other indie tabletop RPGs, including Kingdom (a game focused on community building, ideals and how groups change over time), Follow (a collaborative game about quests and fellowship) and Rules of Law (a game about exploring justice).

Notably, he also founded Story Games Seattle (an open public meetup for game designers and players that ran for eight years).

What are the backer options for the Microscope 2E Kickstarter?

In keeping with the minimalist aesthetic of the game, the primary focus of the crowdfunder is really on the rulebook rather than offering extra accessories or add-ons. Primary options are:

• Microscope PDF ($15 USD): Secures the final digital PDF, plus early access materials.
• Microscope Book and PDF ($30 USD): The physical softcover book along with the PDF.
• Gimme Two ($60 USD): Two copies of the physical book and PDF.
• We Love Teachers ($75 USD): A bundle specifically for educators, offering five discounted books.
• History Maker ($150 USD): Five copies of the book and PDF to scatter creative power among your gaming group.

Final thoughts

Microscope has spent over a decade as both a well-loved TTRPG and a way to generate a homebrew campaign setting for pretty much any system you can think of. Because of that, seeing Ben Robbins releasing a new edition feels like a major win for narrative RPGs.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on the project in the weeks ahead. In the meantime, you can back the campaign from now until October 29 on Kickstarter.