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Free League Publishing interview: Crafting systems & the new edition of LotR

We spoke with the co-founder and CEO of Free League Publishing to discuss their latest projects.

November 16, 2022 12:30 PM

Free League Publishing is one of the bigger names when it comes to the world of TTRPGs. With a slew of original and licensed games under their belts, Free League Publishing is the creative force behind a lot of beloved tabletop experiences. We spoke with the company’s co-founder to learn more about what’s going into their latest projects.

Shacknews head of video Greg Burke sat down with Free League Publishing co-founder and CEO Thomas Härenstam to discuss the company’s latest creative endeavors. In the interview, Härenstam spoke about The One Ring, Free League’s Lord of the Rings game. It will soon receive a 5e update, bringing it in line with other modern TTRPGs. “It’s a complete rework and follow-up of the second edition of The One Ring,” Härenstam says. He goes on to say that it was important for the team to capture the Tolkein vibe when working on the game.

We also asked the CEO about making the books that serve as the aid for TTRPGs. “That’s a big process… I think Alien and Bladerunner at least took about two years.” He explained that there is a heavy brainstorming and research process early on, which includes playing a lot of games and studying other titles.

The full chat with Härenstam is an insightful look at what goes on behind the scenes at one of the most prolific companies in the TTRPG space. If you enjoyed the interview, we’ve got an entire library of similar content for you to check out on the Shacknews and GamerHubTV YouTube channels, where you should also subscribe for future content.

Donovan Erskine

News Editor

Donovan is a young journalist from Maryland, who likes to game. His oldest gaming memory is playing Pajama Sam on his mom's desktop during weekends. Pokémon Emerald, Halo 2, and the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 were some of the most influential titles in awakening his love for video games. After interning for Shacknews throughout college, Donovan graduated from Bowie State University in 2020 with a major in broadcast journalism and joined the team full-time. He is a huge Scream nerd and film fanatic that will talk with you about movies and games all day. You can follow him on twitter @Donimals_

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