The innovative art collective Meow Wolf, celebrated for its mind-bending immersive exhibitions, is poised to launch a groundbreaking tabletop role-playing game that promises to transport players into its fantastical multiverse. This venture signifies a natural progression for the company, extending its unique artistic vision beyond physical spaces and into the boundless realm of imaginative play. The upcoming game, developed in partnership with a distinguished publisher known for its unconventional and engaging titles, aims to redefine the boundaries of traditional RPGs, echoing Meow Wolf's commitment to pushing creative frontiers.
Meow Wolf's New Frontier: The Multiverse of Tavers Unfolds
In a significant announcement, Meow Wolf, the visionary art company synonymous with surreal, interactive installations, is venturing into the world of tabletop role-playing games. Their new creation, “Tavers: The Meow Wolf Roleplaying Game,” is set to debut on Kickstarter in the early months of the coming year. This ambitious project is a collaborative effort with Exalted Funeral, an esteemed publisher celebrated for its inventive and award-winning TTRPGs. The game is designed to allow participants to journey through the expansive and eccentric multiverse that forms the backdrop of Meow Wolf’s celebrated physical locations.
Luke Dorman, Meow Wolf's senior creative director of visual development, articulated the synergy between RPGs and their artistic mission. He emphasized that role-playing games have always served as a conduit for self-expression and a gateway to exploring imaginative realms. This new game, he noted, brilliantly bridges the gap between their tangible exhibits and daily life, extending the reach of Meow Wolf's fantastical worlds to a global audience. For the first time, players will not only visit these worlds but also actively shape and inhabit them, moving beyond the passive experience of merely stepping into an exhibition.
The genesis of Meow Wolf, as chronicled in the 2018 documentary “Meow Wolf: Origin Story,” reveals a collective of outsider artists from Santa Fe, New Mexico. Their initial aim was to circumvent the constraints of traditional art galleries, forging their own path in the art world. A pivotal moment arrived when George R.R. Martin, the renowned author, lent his financial backing to an ambitious Santa Fe installation. This support catalyzed Meow Wolf’s first permanent exhibit, propelling the collective into wider recognition. Today, Meow Wolf proudly boasts five permanent installations, with additional projects underway in the vibrant cultural hubs of New York and Los Angeles, continuously expanding its footprint of immersive artistry.
Meow Wolf's interactive art museums are renowned for inviting visitors into labyrinthine spaces where they can discover hidden portals, traverse peculiar dimensions, and unravel fragments of narratives at their own pace, all while marveling at the dazzling psychedelic artistry. In a similar vein, “Tavers” will empower players to conjure their own portals, facilitating travel to diverse worlds, alternate realities, and distinct states of being. The ultimate quest for players will be to uncover five enigmatic mysteries embedded within these realms. The game’s setting draws heavily from Meow Wolf’s existing installations, but its narrative framework will be expanded through a collaborative storytelling method, reminiscent of the "exquisite corpse" technique, fostering a truly unique and evolving gameplay experience.
Player characters, aptly named "tavers" for their innate ability to tear open rifts in reality, will encounter an array of extraordinary beings within the game. This includes immortal cybernetic hamsters, rebellious underground rat-punks, and even sentient pizza slices. The game's mechanics are ingeniously designed to blur the boundaries between the game world and reality. Notably, memories shared by players outside the game can be transmuted into valuable in-game currency, adding a layer of meta-interaction that challenges conventional gaming norms.
Matt Kelley, the owner of Exalted Funeral, shared insights into the collaboration, stating that Meow Wolf specifically sought a publisher daring enough to disrupt the status quo and apply their genre-defying approach to the realm of RPGs. He reflected on the peculiar yet fitting choice, acknowledging that Exalted Funeral possesses the right kind of "crazy" to undertake such an innovative project. The Kickstarter page for “Tavers: The Meow Wolf Roleplaying Game” is slated to launch in November, laying the groundwork for the crowdfunding campaign that will commence in February.
The emergence of “Tavers” is more than just a new game; it’s a testament to the evolving landscape of interactive entertainment. It underscores how artistic expression can transcend mediums, transforming static installations into dynamic, player-driven narratives. This endeavor highlights the increasing demand for experiences that not only entertain but also invite active participation and creative collaboration, blurring the lines between observer and creator. As art continues to converge with technology and storytelling, projects like “Tavers” illuminate a future where imagination knows no bounds, offering audiences unprecedented ways to connect with and contribute to fantastical worlds.