Modiphius has created a “planetary romance tabletop roleplaying game” based on Edgar Rice Burroughs’s John Carter of Mars, and has successfully funded the project on Kickstarter.

“This is something that’s been a passion of mine for many years and I’ve been waiting to ensure it’s very advanced in development to go live,” said Chris Birch, Modiphius co-founder, as the project launched. “We’ve created it under license and with the cooperation of the estate of Edgar Rice Burroughs, author of the original Barsoom novels. We’ve also had the guidance of Scott Tracy Griffin, one of the leading scholars of his works, to ensure utmost authenticity. ”

John Carter of Mars allows players to become various adventurers and heroes as they travel, battle and romance their way across the wondrous and dangerous world known to its natives as Barsoom. Players can take on the roles of John Carter, the princess Dejah Thoris or the fearsome Thark warrior Tars Tarkas, or create their own new heroes from a wide variety of options.

Birch says the core book is already fully written, and currently in layout, with a proposed shipment date in the summer, prior to a retail release at the end of the year. The project is still live on Kickstarter, where a Heroes of Barsoom miniatures set costs £25, the printed core book is £60, and a starter kit at £100 brings those together, along with a slipcase for the box and a set of helium dice.