Happy Holidays from Palladium Books® – December 24, 2025

MERRY CHRISTMAS – TMNT SHIPPING – ONE GAME SYSTEM – EVERY GENRE – COUNTLESS WORLDS – ENDLESS MUTANTS AND ADVENTURE

BY KEVIN SIEMBIEDA

Happy Holidays from Palladium Books^® – December 24, 2025

My Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas, a blessed Kwanzaa, a belated Happy Hanukkah, and a day of peace and joy whether you celebrate something different or nothing at all. The holidays are upon us. We hope you enjoy a special day of cheer and joy that you can hold in your heart every day into the New Year. Dare to believe in our commonality and that goodness outweighs the bad.

It has become a Palladium Books tradition to keep the Christmas Weekly Update short and focused on holiday joy. That means minimal business talk and an extra big dose of Fan Comments taken from the Christmas Surprise Package orders at the end of this Update.

The big news is, as I often do, I am extending the Surprise Package deal into the New Year (more about that and why, below). So without further ado, enjoy.

Surprise Package Deal – Extended into the New Year

Is this a Christmas miracle? A mistake? Utter lunacy?

None of the above. (Well, maybe that last one.) It has become tradition that I extend the Christmas Surprise Package Offer through the end of December and into the New Year! Yes, this means you can still snag one or two if you act quickly. This very special offer now ends January 14, 2026, and will NOT be extended further. Oh, and you can ship via the less expensive method of Media Mail again because you do not need it for a holiday deadline.

A Surprise Package is a nice way to start the New Year and is a great gift for birthdays, anniversaries, graduation, and any gift-giving occasion. Or start the New Year with a stack of RPGs or sourcebooks you have been meaning to try or that you need to fill holes in your collection, or replace battered well-loved books.

We extend the Surprise Package offer for those of you who have been so busy spending your time and money on your family and friends, that you have not had the opportunity or funds to treat yourself to a well-deserved Christmas Surprise Package. We know this happens and don’t want you to miss out.

We also extend it for those of you who cannot get enough of Palladium’s games and want to start the New Year off with a setting or source material to launch a new campaign. It’s also for those of you who can use a Surprise Package as the perfect gift for a birthday, anniversary, or special occasion coming up in January or February (Valentine’s Day?), so take advantage of this sale to get gifts for the special gamer(s) in your life.

The extension is also for you Johnny Come-Latelies who were meaning to get one, but how time flies during the holidays. It’s also a way for those of you struggling through financial issues to carry some gaming fun into the New Year to stay busy and distracted through the winter months. So please, spread the word about the extended Surprise Package sale period, and travel the Megaverse® from the warmth and safety of your home.

What is a Christmas Surprise Package?

Besides being the best deal in gaming – $105+ worth of goodies (often more) for $62 (plus shipping) – it’s a smile and a hug that comes in a box filled with signed game books from available Palladium staff and freelancers at PDF prices. That can nab you four or more items when these days one core rule book can cost you that alone.

These Surprise Packages are our way of saying thank you for your support and showing you our love and appreciation. It’s a surprise because you never know exactly what you’re going to get or who will sign your books, because we pick from your Wish List and may surprise you with stuff you are not expecting. Extra items may include other RPGs, sourcebooks, issues of the Rifter®, novels, miniatures, prints, art books, greeting cards, T-shirts, negatives, and other items. Some books may be slightly damaged (scuffs, scratches, dings, a crunched corner, etc.) so we can send you more. But time is running out. We can only extend the holiday season for so long. Get one while you still can. Ends January 14, 2026.

Reminder: PDF Sale – 25% off – in Palladium Books online store

Makes for an excellent reference resource. The game settings listed below are on sale now thru January 2, 2026. Happy new year!

• All Rifts PDF titles – 25% off

• All Heroes Unlimited PDF titles – 25% off

• All After the Bomb PDF titles – 25% off

• And Ninjas & Superspies and Mystic China PDFs are on sale – 25% off

• Sale ends January 2, 2026.

TMNT & Other Strangeness RPG Redux products available now from Palladium Books

Everyone loves the TMNT & Other Strangeness RPG Redux books products. So what are you waiting for, order yours today! Note: Because of the holiday season, you are not likely to get your TMNT items or any order until after the new year.

Kickstarter Backers: The vast majority of US and Canadian orders have shipped. We know there are a few hundred who are being shipped this week and next, which means you may not receive your books and Kickstarter rewards until after January first. Our third party shipper is suffering through a manpower shortage and are shipping as quickly as they can. UK and EU Backers should ship soon.

The TMNT & Other Strangeness RPG Redux products are currently available at Palladium Books online store.

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness RPG Redux

• TMNT Transdimensional Adventures Sourcebook Redux

• TMNT & Other Strangeness G.M. Screen

• Mutagen Green Liquid-Filled Dice

• Black, White, & Red Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness RPG

• Black, White, & Red TMNT Transdimensional Adventures Sourcebook

See details below or click on the links to go directly to each item.

The items should be arriving at distributors in a week or so and finding their way into stores after Christmas – most reaching store shelves early or mid-January. They are designed to appeal to gamers, comic book collectors, and TMNT fans of every variety.

Podcast and YouTube fun!

The Palladium Books YouTube Channel continually posts new, timeless interviews and chats every two weeks, and with the holiday season we’ve been posting bonus episodes! Gamers and industry professionals are loving these informal and fun chats, so try a few, and please spread the word.

Recent holiday episodes include:

• TMNT Redux Review

• Christmas Surprise Packages

• Kevin’s Convention adventures (Gen Con, etc.)

• PAGE – Philadelphia Area Game Expo, January 2026 – Kevin Siembieda is a guest, Matthew Balent, J-M DeFoggi, and others are also attending. This sounds like a great Old School RPG convention that is already attracting thousands of gamers. Join the fun, January 15-18, 2026.

• NEW! Interview with Sophie Campbell comic book artist and writer (TMNT, Supergirl).

• COMING Christmas Day – Interview with Sean Owen Roberson who offers behind the scenes insight about the making of the TMNT & Other Strangeness Redux Editions, hidden gems in the books, and running a Kickstarter.

• COMING on New Year’s Day – Interview with fan-fave Palladium writer Carl Gleba (Three Galaxies, Secrets of Atlanteans, Hades, Dyval, and much more).

For more online fun over the holidays listen to:

– The Glitterbois / Breakfast Puppies – Kevin Siembieda and the guys create characters and play in a Palladium Fantasy game. I, Kevin, am one of the 4 players (I rolled up a Goblin Cobbler Thief named Weasel Pete). It is both fun and informative. We used first edition rules.

– Ever wonder what Palladium’s game design philosophy is? Find out by watching or listening to the Legion of Myth marathon discussion with Sean Owen Roberson and Kevin Siembieda. It is fun, informative, and has applications for creating tabletop campaigns. TMNT is the primary example of discussion.

– Turtle Tracks Podcast – Brian VanHooker’s interview with Kevin Siembieda and Sean Owen Roberson about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles RPG past and present.

Philly & East Coast Residents – please visit me – Kevin Siembieda – at PAGE: Philadelphia Area Gaming Expo – January 15-18, 2026

There’s still time to make plans to attend PAGE and enjoy its many notable role-playing game guests including a number of Palladium Books personalities: me (Kevin Siembieda), Matthew Balent (Palladium Weapon Series, Valley of the Pharaohs), J-M DeFoggi, Thomas Roache (Red Duke Games), and many others. I’ll have a booth and am bringing a selection of TMNT, After the Bomb, Rifts, select other titles, and some out-of-print books – maybe even some original artwork and choice negatives from 40+ years of RPG publishing.

Amboria RPG – A J-M DeFoggi Backerkit Crowdfunder you might want to support

Like many of you, J-M enjoys designing RPGs and sourcebooks. He worked on the World’s Largest Dungeon and was the sole-designer/writer of the Jackals RPG and two Jackals sourcebooks published by Osprey Games. So he ain’t no amateur. Many of you know J-M from the dozens of YouTube chats and interviews on Palladium’s YouTube channel and elsewhere.

Take a look at the Amboria Kickstarter – based on the world building of Richard Rohlin

• Amboria: Roleplaying in the World Under Starlight is a tabletop RPG of high adventure and culture-building set in The World Under Starlight, an original fantasy setting two decades in the making.

• The game draws on the liturgy, lore, romance, and history of eastern Europe and the Black Sea, presenting a rich tapestry of legends and folklore for players to explore.

• Players portray Adventurers—courageous figures on the kingdom’s frontier who journey into darkness, battle monsters, and uncover long-buried secrets as they struggle to build communities that can withstand the coming night.

• Amboria’s rules assume a long-form campaign spanning multiple in-game seasons and years. As Adventurers grow in power, their ties to their community deepen—and so too do the threats arising from within and without.

• Over time, player characters are challenged to become more than mere Adventurers: to put down roots, create art, patronize shrines, enrich the present with the treasures of the past, and protect the weak and vulnerable.

• “Richard’s Amboria is a genuinely unique setting, one of culture, lore, and language so well-conceived and integrated that it brings to mind Tolkien’s approach to world creation. I’ve never read anything quite like it, an immediately immersive breath of fresh air.” – Tim Brown (Dark Suns)

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Merry Christmas

It’s Christmas tomorrow, Kwanzaa the next day, and general good cheer and tidings into the new year. All of us at Palladium Books wish you nothing but joy and happiness. Enjoy good eats, giftgiving and the friends and family you’ll be spending time with, but also call, text, or email a holiday message to everyone you care about. Even a text that says Merry Christmas or happy holidays or thinking of you means the world to people.

My sweet, beautiful Kathy Simmons knew how much I loved her. I told her so all the time. When she passed away without warning, I was comforted knowing there was nothing left unsaid between us. She knew how important and appreciated she was by me. I have nothing but fond memories of our life together and few regrets, yet my heart breaks a little every day, I miss her so.

Please, tell the people who mean something to you how much you care. Let them know they matter and are important. It will be the simplest and most meaningful gift you give to anyone. And all it costs is a little bit of your time.

Everyone here at Palladium has put our fans and customers first with the shipping of Surprise Packages and all orders since Thanksgiving. That’s more demanding and time consuming than you might imagine. Good ol’ Caleb, Alex, me and other helpers have even been coming in on the weekends to pull, pack and ship orders. Every Monday a tear rolls down the cheek of our USPS worker when she sees the number of packages she has to squeeze into her truck. That means, personally, I still have at least a dozen friends whose Christmas gifts need to be wrapped, boxed, and shipped. I’ll be letting them know when I text and call them tonight and tomorrow. I know they’ll understand and I know they’ll love the gifts when they get them in January. Thankfully, people enjoy getting gifts anytime.

My love and appreciation to them and to all of you who make our work and lives rewarding.

– Kevin Siembieda, Publisher, Game Designer, Writer, Friend

Surprise Package comments from fans like you

Every year we like to post a selection of the comments we get from Surprise Package customers. It’s a nice acknowledgement and thank you to them (you know who you are) and you enjoy reading them. I read each and every comment that comes in the Surprise Packages, and they always brighten my day. We all appreciate your kind words, suggestions, and insights. In fact, the idea to do hardcover editions of core rule books came from fan comments in the Grab Bags. We get a lot so we can only offer a sampling of these comments in the Weekly Updates.

Our heartfelt thanks to all of you who have stuck with Palladium through thick and thin and now these new chaotic times. Please use our games to find escape from your day to day grind and worries. Use them to bring a little joy, laughter, and adventure to the holiday season and beyond.

Your comments and support mean the world to all of us. Thank you for making us smile and feel valued. As always, I have tried to write a short response [in brackets] to each comment. Happy holidays.

– Kevin Siembieda (and the Palladium Crew)

D.M. in New Richmond, Wisconsin, writes: Much love and a Merry Christmas to the whole team. Thank you for decades of fun and memories.

[It’s all about the fond memories, isn’t it D.M.? That’s part of the beauty and magic of RPGs. Merry Christmas and happy New Year to you and yours. – Kevin]

J.B. in Erlanger, Kentucky, writes: Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and blessings for the new year to Santa Kev and all the awesome Palladium elves. The Surprise Package is one of our favorite traditions and always a favorite gift. Thanks for keeping our imaginations burning bright!

[The pleasure is all ours, J.B. May the new year bring us all nothing but good health, joy, and good fortune. Game on! – Kevin]

A.F. in Union Grove, Alabama, writes: This Surprise Package is for my wife. She loves all your stuff.

[Hi A.F., don’t worry, we made the Surprise Package extra special, she’ll love it. – Kevin]

D.M. in Louisville, Kentucky, writes: This is a surprise for my husband who has been playing your system since the first Mechanoid Invasion digest books and Palladium Fantasy came out. We are impressed by the scope and relative ease of the game system. And he is promising to run a Heroes Unlimited game.

[That’s cool, D.M., I made sure to make the Surprise Package extra special. I’m always delighted to see how many gamers have played our games for decades and generations. It’s awesome. Merry Christmas and may the New Year be filled with prosperity, good health and wonder. – Kevin]

D.M.V. in Fort Collins, Colorado, writes (in part): Guys, I think it’s insane you are still doing this. Keep being iconoclasts. I actually have the TMNT & Other Strangeness copies from when Mirage Studio sold theirs – authenticated! I sat out the Kickstarter, but I just might get the reprint too.

[We appreciate the kind words, D.M.V. And trust me, you want the two Redux editions. Both books are much more than “reprints.” They are in amazing full color for the first time ever and have a ton of bonus material such as new tribute art by comic book and gaming legends, other new art, written remembrances, history, concept art, rules clarifications, new layout, and more. They are a dream and gamers have been going crazy over them. Available now. – Kevin]

M.M. in Spanish Fork, Utah, writes: Love you guys. Don’t ever change.

[Hi M.M., we love you too. Change is growth and you want to continue to learn and grow your entire life. Change is also inevitable whether we want it or not, we must adapt and try new things. All that said, we try to change and grow for the better, with the idea of getting smarter and wiser. Rest assured, we plan on keeping the Palladium legacy of always putting our customers, fun, and quality first. I hope that wasn’t too philosophical. – Kevin]

B.W. in Winnipeg, Canada, writes: I want to say to everyone from Kevin down with Palladium, you are all doing a great job and I am a fan for life. Have a Merry Christmas.

[Merry Christmas to you and yours, B.W. We appreciate your kind words. You are correct, Sean and I are blessed with a great team who care about each other, the products, and our precious customers/fans/friends. Each one is dedicated and works hard to do things right. – Kevin]

K.L. in Plymouth, Indiana, writes: I love your products! Merry Christmas.

[Thanks, K.L. Merry Christmas to you from all of us. – Kevin]

B.M. in Merritt, Canada, writes (in part): Keep things coming guys. Love the products and worlds, but would really like to see more focus on non-Coalition sources … In any case folks, keep up the good work and I look forward to seeing more from you in the future.

[The Coalition is a major force in North America – good and bad – but there are plenty of books that don’t focus on them at all. Likewise, a number of the upcoming titles are CS free, like Rifts® Antarctica, Bestiary 2, Rifts First Responders, and others I can’t yet reveal. – Kevin]

G.D. in Punta Gorda, Florida, writes (in part): Not sure if you actually read these Surprise Package comments, but I wanted to say … You guys put a lot of love into your books. I watch a lot of Palladium Books series on YouTube and I am excited to see what you guys have in store for the future. I wish you guys the best of luck … I enjoy reading the books, looking through the art and watching YouTube content about the various settings and game systems you guys have to offer. Here’s to, hopefully, many more prosperous years of Palladium Books.

[Hi G.D., first, yes, I read each and every Surprise Package and the Comments within; it’s one of my favorite parts. The staff reads most of them too. Thank you for your very kind words and warm well wishes. We hope you as well as Palladium Books enjoy many years of good health and prosperity, too. Take care and game on. – Kevin]

J.C. in St.Clair Shores, Michigan, writes (in part): My first RPG was Robotech way back in the day. As a big fan of comic books, I quickly got into TMNT and Heroes Unlimited, and all the other Palladium titles that can tie in. And what’s a more iconic RPG than Palladium Fantasy? Of course, I also got into D&D, but the original Palladium Fantasy RPG called to me a bit more, and naturally led to Rifts® … Work done by your company decades ago is still bringing a new generation into RPGs and comics. My son is now three and a half and one of my old copies of the TMNT RPG caught his eye. (Not something I was thrilled with a young child playing with, but –) So we went through all the pictures together, which then led me to break out the graphic novels for story time … now he’s obsessed with Turtle Power. I showed him the Robotech books and we’re currently tearing through that series and he’s into anything superheroes … He’s also a big fan of dice.

[I love it, J.C., sounds like you’re raising him right. lol. You’ll have to take him to the Worlds of Palladium Books exhibit at the Detroit Historical Museum downtown by the Institute of Arts. I am stunned and humbled, but there is an exhibit about Palladium Books that runs from February till September, 2026. How amazing is that? – Kevin]

J.C. in Lebanon, Indiana, writes (in part): I think I own a little of every game setting made by your company … Rifts® is hands down my favorite RPG. Necromancers, Shifters, and Techno-Wizards being my go to O.C.C.s … As always, love you all. I probably wouldn’t have the friends I do now if it weren’t for finding Rifts. The world-building you created is so amazing, you all managed to fill every inch of Rifts Earth with something wild to think about and imagine. I can’t wait for Rifts Antarctica to be finished. I hope Splicers expands a few more books and I can’t wait to see what you all create next. Thanks for so many wild nights laughing with friends and so many memories.

[Ah, the friends and laughter through nights of wild adventurers. There’s nothing better is there, J.C.? There’s still places to be filled in and you will love Rifts® Antarctica. And Sean and I have a number of new worlds to offer in the years to come. Happy holidays and game on. – Kevin]

B.C. in Walland, Tennessee, writes: Merry Christmas to you and yours. I hope you all have a very wonderful holiday season.

[Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours, B.C. I hope the Surprise Package and Cyber-Monday sales help you find presents for the gamers in your life. Ho, ho, ho. – Kevin]

V.O. in Vicksburg, Mississippi, writes: Keep the faith and keep gaming.

[Thank you V.O., we will. Have to admit, there have been some ups and downs and heart shattering losses, but we continue to create epic worlds with deep lore for your and our enjoyment. You stay frosty and keep the faith yourself. Merry Christmas and enjoy a wonderful New Year. – Kevin]

J.B. in Granbury, Texas, writes (in part): Thanks for all you guys do. Blessings and prayers during this season, especially but throughout the new year. This is a gift for my husband who saved me from D&D and showed me Rifts® …

[J.B., thank you so much for your kind words and prayers. We’ll take all the prayers and blessings we can get. Also, thank you for making me laugh; glad you’ve been rescued from D&D. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, prayers and blessings right back atcha. Ho, ho, ho. – Kevin]

R.N. in Kawkawlin, Michigan, writes: I love you guys and think you really are a shining example of how to run a game company.

[Aw shucks, R.N., thank you for the love and high praise. If you mean putting our customers first and creating quality, fun games, we couldn’t agree with you more. We make our share of mistakes, but we always try to put our best foot forward. Happy holidays. – Kevin]

B.J.W. in Winnipeg, Canada, writes: First off, I would like to wish a Happy Holidays to everyone at Palladium Books. And I would like to say thank you for allowing me to discover Palladium Fantasy 2nd Edition RPG. This system and world is everything I’ve looked for in an RPG.

[That’s fantastic B.J.W.! Enjoy and explore the possibilities. And a very, merry Christmas and wonderful new year to you and yours. – Kevin]

D.J. in Gilbert, Arizona, writes: Merry Christmas and a happy new year.

[Thank you D.J., same to you and loved ones. Please enjoy a safe and joyful holiday. Our thoughts and well-wishes are with you all. – Kevin]