The most influential Japanese TTRPG is getting an official English translation. Mugen Gaming has announced they will be localizing Sword World RPG, a TTRPG so popular that it culturally eclipses Dungeons & Dragons.
The Sword World RPG English Localization
According to a report by Wargamer, Mugen Gaming has announced a partnership with Sword World RPG’s original publisher, Group SNE, to localize the TTRPG to English-speaking territories around the world.
To this end, Mugen Gaming will be launching a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter sometime in 2026. The campaign will be to localize the Sword World 2.5 Core Rulebook. In addition, Mugen plans to support the game long-term, providing localizations of expansions, supplements, and prewritten adventures.
The cultural space Sword World RPG has in Japan cannot be understated. It started when Ryo Mizuno and his friends played a translated version of the Dungeons & Dragons red box. This resulted in the “replay” write-ups, essentially the earliest form of Actual Play, that would become the blockbuster fantasy novel and anime series, Record of Lodoss War.
With a passion for the hobby ignited, Mizuno and his friends founded Group SNE to pursue official TTRPG publishing projects. This led to Sword World RPG, an enduring franchise still going strong after 35 years and over 10 million in sales. It is notable for using a simplified 2d6 system, cinematic battles, an open multiclass system, and adventures designed to make each session feel like an episodic anime arc.
The English localization of Sword World RPG is a natural extension of the growing popularity of TTRPGs as a hobby. While we’ve seen more niche experiences arrive overseas like Picaresque Roman, Household, and select entries from Bouken’s catalog, Sword World finding a new audience may handily coincide with rising competition for D&D’s market share such as Darrington Press’ Daggerheart and MCDM’s Draw Steel.
