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| CELEBRATING 35 YEARS OF RIFTS® – ONE GAME SYSTEM – EVERY GENRE – COUNTLESS WORLDS – ENDLESS ADVENTURE |
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| | Save Money – Weekly Update – Palladium Books® – November 13, 2025 |
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| Money is tight and times are uncertain. Let Palladium help.
A single Surprise Package is typically 4-5 books for only $62 (plus shipping). And if you request it, I – Kevin Siembieda – and other available Palladium staff will sign each book! These days one core rule book can cost you that much. Present your Wish List and Comments just right and you could get enough books to give as gifts to three or four gamer pals. Or look like a tycoon by presenting one whole Surprise Package with $105+ worth of game books or other gamer goodies. (We won’t tell anyone you got it on the cheap).
Remember, role-playing games are an effective way to decompress and escape your real world troubles for a while. Best of all, you enjoy these fun-filled heroic adventures with friends, which means game sessions filled with wonder, laughter and silliness. So treat yourself to at least one Surprise Package so you can run games all winter with the gift that keeps on giving. Note: We encourage you to order now before the Christmas rush that begins with Black Friday, especially if your purchase is a gift. |
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| | | Here is more about Surprise Packages followed by News Briefs you’ll want to read.
Palladium’s Christmas Surprise Packages – Big savings, small price, autographs and fun
This is truly the best deal in gaming. You are guaranteed $105+ worth of books and products for only $62 (plus shipping) – but a typical Surprise Package is more like $110+ worth of gaming goodies. As always, if you would like me (Kevin) and available Palladium staff to sign all your books, we are happy to do so. For many people it’s the only way to get signed books or a Kevin Siembieda Dragon Head sketch. Order early and often. Christmas is only SIX weeks away – but is really more like 4 or 5 weeks when you factor in the time to pull, pack and ship your order. USPS says no guaranteed delivery in time for Christmas after December 17th. |
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| What is a Christmas Surprise Package? |
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| A smile and a hug that comes in a box filled with signed game books from available Palladium staff and freelancers. It is a way for you to get physical books (and autographs if you want them) at PDF prices! $105+ worth of Palladium products for only $62 (plus shipping)! That can nab you 4-6 books, and these days one core rule book can cost you that or more.
Christmas 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 Wishlist and may surprise you with stuff you are not expecting. Extra items may include other RPGs, sourcebooks, issues of the Rifter®, miniatures, prints, art books, poker deck, notepad, greeting cards, T-shirts, and other items. Some books may be slightly damaged (scuffs, scratches, dings, a bent or crunched corner, etc.) so we can send you more.
No other RPG company on the planet has an offer like this. Truly the best deal in gaming to get unique and special holiday gifts for the gamers in your life, or for yourself.
Christmas Surprise Packages are not just for Christmas. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or the Winter Solstice, or you are looking for that special gift for a birthday, anniversary, graduation, or any special occasion that falls between now and the end of the year, a Surprise Package may be the ideal way to go. You get a ton of stuff on the cheap, you can get a bunch of autographs (if you want ‘em), and you look like you spent a fortune.
This is a great way to try that game setting you’ve wondered about – After the Bomb®, Beyond the Supernatural, Chaos Earth®, Dead Reign®, Heroes Unlimited, Ninjas & Superspies, Palladium Fantasy, Nightbane®, Rifts®, RECON, Splicers®, Systems Failure, etc. — or to get something for your favorite Game Master. Or perhaps, to get your player group to consider a new game or setting.
Your “Wishlist” is vital – the Palladium Surprise Packages are designed to simulate the joy and surprise of the Christmas Season of Giving. To do this, you submit a list of 12-15 Palladium products (or more) FOR EACH Surprise Package you order. This list of 12-15 items for EACH Grab Bag is critical, because you will not know which items we will select to send you. That makes it just like a Christmas gift because it’s a surprise. Plus, Surrogate Santa, Kevin, who personally hand-picks every item for every Grab Bag, may toss in something extra like a limited edition print, notepad, negative, an issue of The Rifter®, or something else he thinks you’ll enjoy.
Autographed books. For those of you who want them (which are most people), available members of the Palladium staff, and any freelancers we can lasso at the time, are happy to autograph each and every book in your Surprise Package. This is the only way many fans across the country and overseas can ever get signed books.
Send us your brief comments. There is a special form and format to fill out for Christmas Surprise Packages, including a place where you can offer your brief comments, suggestions, greetings and salutations.
First-timers are always nervous until they see the great value in their first Surprise Package. A typical Grab Bag has $105+ worth of product and often more. Yes, more, for only $62 plus shipping. Many people order 2-3. Some order 4-6, and some maniacs order even more! It makes sense, because it is a great way to fill holes in your own collection, treat yourself, get autographs, try new games and settings, rebuild your collection, replace worn out books, and get your gaming pals gifts. Only from PalladiumBooks. Note: Search online for Palladium Surprise Package unboxing videos to get an idea of what you can expect to receive. I know the Glitterbois and Legion of Myth, among others, have such videos.
To those of you outside the USA, the X-Mas Surprise Package is a way to get books and circumvent the damn high cost of shipping from the United States, since you are getting $110 (often more) worth of product and only paying $62 plus shipping. Shipping via Priority Mail International (required for packages weighing more than four pounds) to most locations in Europe, Canada, and many other countries is around $70-$90 US dollars. HOWEVER, because the cost of the product is so low, that’s the equivalent of paying retail for the products and only $20-$40 for shipping. A very good deal. Plus you get autographs if you want them! X-Mas Surprise Packages are the way to go for those of you outside the USA. Please take advantage of it to get all those products you’ve wished you could get except the shipping was too prohibitive. We feel your pain. Game on!
Please spread the word. The Christmas Surprise Package is only publicized by word of mouth, on Palladium’s website, and social media, so please tell everyone you know. Buy one for every gamer you know. They make astonishing gifts for every occasion. Only from PalladiumBooks.com – happy holidays. |
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| | | | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness RPG rewards begin to ship to Kickstarter Backers next week!
Yes, you read that correctly, the long-awaited TMNT & Other Strangeness Redux Edition books, dice, G.M. Screen and other Kickstarter rewards will start to ship to our much appreciated backers NEXT WEEK – woohoo! Each book and Kickstarter reward is high quality and gorgeous. The books are a must for any TMNT fan.
If you are a backer in the USA, watch for an email from crowdfunding@shippingpilot.co. You may have received it earlier this week, so check your spam folder.
If your address and information is correct, there is nothing for you to do except sit back and wait for your rewards to arrive.
If you need to update or correct your address, follow the instructions in the Shipping Pilot email immediately to ensure your rewards are delivered to you!
If you’re in the USA and you haven’t received an email from Shipping Pilot yet, log into BackerKit and make sure we have your correct shipping information and you don’t have an outstanding balance for shipping or add-ons.
If you still need to pay for shipping, do so in BackerKit quickly, so you are one of the very first people on the planet to receive your TMNT Kickstarter rewards. Think of it as an early Christmas present. |
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| | Turtle Tracks interview with Kevin Siembieda & Sean Roberson – available now
The interview with me (Kevin) and Sean talking about the Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness RPG, past and present, is now available for your enjoyment. Perfect timing too because the Kickstarter Backer rewards start shipping next week! Tune in and enjoy. |
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| | Legion of Myth – live chat with Kevin Siembieda & Jeremy Colantonio – Sunday November 16, 2025
This week’s topic is all about creating and running mutants and monsters in your games. I love creature creation and have created something in excess of 1,000 mutants, monsters, demons, and alien beings so I know a thing or two about the topic. Please join the fun and silliness. |
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| | | Glitterbois Special Event with Kevin Siembieda coming end of November or Early December
Yep we’re busy planning and plotting a number of fun things. More details to follow. |
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| NEW! Palladium YouTube videos on gaming
If you haven’t seen any yet, what are you waiting for? Check them out. If you love Palladium’s games you’ll enjoy these intimate chats and behind the scene insights about your favorite Palladium RPGs, role-playing, running games, and more with Kevin Siembieda and host J-M DeFoggi. Also meet Palladium artists and writers like Ramon K. Perez, Matthew Balent, Sean Roberson, and others. The newest episode explores books about Rifts Europe: Triax & the New German Republic, England, and a bit about Rifts Africa. Other episodes let you meet Palladium artists and writers like Ramon K. Perez, Matthew Balent, Sean Roberson, and others.
Coming: Interviews with Sophie Campbell, John Zeleznik, Freddie E. Williams II, Carl Gleba, and more. |
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| | | Join me at PAGE – Philadelphia Area Game Expo – January 15-17, 2026
I’m not often on the East Coast so please come and see me at PAGE this January. Not just me, but Matthew Balent, J-M DeFoggi, and a host of other old school game creators like Ed Stark, Jeff Dee, and many others. I have heard nothing but good things about this rapidly growing convention. I will have a table in the Exhibitor’s Hall and I’ll bring a small selection of books, old and new, and maybe some artwork and negatives to sell. As always I’m happy to sign books and chat with you about Palladium, RPGs, publishing, etc.
I will be hosting the following events: Lord DeSilca (Fantasy) Charity Game Event (Thursday or Friday night) History of Palladium Books panel talk. And I’ll be part of other panel talks about gaming. Please join the fun.
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| | BACK in STOCK – 15 titles available now
Deluxe Revised RECON RPG, Nightbane: Shadows of Light sourcebook, Rifts Pantheons of the Megaverse, Rifts Mindwerks, Rifts Underseas, Rifts Triax 2, Rifts Sovietski, and more are back in stock in time for Christmas. An additional 12 titles should be arriving any day now.
Coming in December: – Rifts Ultimate Edition SOFTCOVER – 376 pages – some color – Cat. No. 800-SE – $39.99 retail. – Rifts Ultimate Edition Hardcover – 376 pages – some color – Cat. No. 800HC – $49.99 retail.
Coming in 2026: – Fantasy: Island at the Edge of the World (2nd Edition rules and remastered) – Fantasy: Yin-Sloth Expeditions – Rifts Bestiary Volume 2 – Rifts Chaos Earth: First Responders And more! It’s too soon to get into everything we anticipate or when. |
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| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness December Extravaganza |
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| After we ship to our 8,000+ Kickstarter Backers in November, the mainstream products will be made available to retailers everywhere and available directly from PalladiumBooks.com – and in time for Christmas. Each book is the perfect gift for fans of the TMNT, Eastman and Laird, and comic book collectors, as well as gamers and people who love great artwork. So beautiful, the books are showpieces suitable for display. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness Redux Edition RPG – 272 pages – lush full color – hardcover book – Cat. No. 502HC – $59.99 retail. 60+ illustrations and an original 8 page comic strip by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird made exclusively for the RPG! Additional art by Kevin Long, Freddie E. Williams II, Ciro Nieli, Sophie Campbell, Jim Lawson, Eric Talbot, Mirage Studio artists and others (18 pages of color tribute art in all) created special for this RPG. Plus concept art, 80+ mutant animals, 19 epic RPG adventures, and more. This core rule book and dice is all you need to start playing. TMNT Transdimensional Adventures sourcebook – 256 pages – lush full color – hardcover book – Cat. No. 508HC – $59.99 retail. 50+ illustrations and two 10 page comic strips by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, and 30+ illustrations by Jim Lawson all made exclusively for the sourcebook, as well as 15 pages of new color tribute art by comic book and gaming artists like Fero Pe, Freddie E. Williams II, Vincenzo Federici, David Petersen, Delgado, and others. Includes mutant dinosaurs, time travel rules, space travel, vehicle combat and creation rules, 12 adventures, and more. TMNT & Other Strangeness G.M. Screen – 4 panels – plastic sleeves – Cat. No. 512 – $24.99 retail. Mutagen Green Dice – Liquid-filled looks like they are filled with sizzling ooze every time you roll them. Dice come in a plastic test tube with the TCRI logo – Cat. No. 510 – $59.99 retail. Black White & Red Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness RPG Redux – 272 pages – Cat. No. 504BWR – $59.99 retail. Same big RPG book with a different color profile that harkens back to the original black and white comics. It looks amazing. Black White & Red Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Transdimensional Adventures Redux – 256 pages – Cat. No. 509BWR – $59.99 retail. The same fantastic sourcebook painted in grays and reds that harkens back to the original black and white comics. It looks incredible.
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| | 300+ RPG products on DriveThru – a dozen unique world settings – one game system – endless possibilities. No other game company offers game worlds for so many different genres. Best of all, learn to play one Palladium RPG and you can play them all, because each uses the same basic core rules and combat. There are differences, but the fundamentals are the same. This also means you can bring characters, villains, monsters, powers, magic, weapons, gear, and adventure ideas from one setting into another or mash them together!
In addition to PDF titles for entire game lines like Rifts®, Palladium Fantasy™, Heroes Unlimited™, Ninjas & Superspies™, After the Bomb®, Beyond the Supernatural™, Dead Reign® (zombies), Nightbane® (Urban Fantasy), Rifts Chaos Earth®, Systems Failure™, Splicers®, RECON®, The Rifter® #1-85, and others, there are Game Master and player aids, character generators, paper minis, map packs, and FREE Previews of books like Creature Feature™, Dead Reign, Coalition Manhunters, Titan Robotics™, Rifts Bestiary Volume One, World Books, Dimension Books, and more to give you a glimpse of what’s in the book. Enjoy endless adventures across the Megaverse®.
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| | | Palladium Collectibles – at Kevin’s Online Toy & Collectibles eBay Store |
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| Palladium collectibles as well as action figures and other items from Kevin Siembieda’s personal collection are on sale!
One-of-a-kind Palladium Books negatives are always very popular items at the Palladium Open House, Gen Con, and conventions, and are catching on as rare collectibles, unique in and of themselves. Last year at Granite State Comic Con Kevin Eastman had TMNT negatives from the first comic book on display.
Before digital printing, pages of a book were laid out by hand on a board, and each page was photographed. These are the photographic negatives being sold as individual works of art and collectibles. When matted or framed on a white background they look like dynamic wood cut prints. And they are on sale right now! |
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| | | | Lining up new releases
I think I’m equal parts excited and exhausted. The entire Palladium team has been working long hours and weekends to make sure the shipping of both TMNT & Other Strangeness and Christmas Surprise Packages goes smoothly.
Meanwhile, we are working on several book releases for the first half of 2026 as well as other things coming in the new year plus day to day duties. It may seem quiet and like no books are being produced, but that is a false illusion. A lot is getting done.
For example:
Mike Majestic just turned in two illustrations of a couple of new monsters for Rifts Bestiary Volume 2 earlier this week. Mike also turned in six pieces of new artwork for Yin-Sloth Expeditions (Fantasy) including the City of Dragons and the Sea Giant’s city.
Steven Cummings is wrapping up the artwork for Rifts Chaos Earth: First Responders. This top comic book talent is doing all of the art for this book. It looks great.
Among a zillion other things, Jeremy Colantonio has been working on the final updates and tweaks for Island at the Edge of the World (Fantasy, 2nd edition rules), AND I had Jeremy Colwell add grayscale tones to most of the artwork to enhance the line art and make it pop and feel new. This will be another remastered edition with new typesetting, layout, updated stats, clarifications, and other tweaks and improvements.
Art doesn’t get magically done. We need to say more to the artist than draw me a dragon. It typically takes weeks, often months, to get the artwork done, especially when one or two artists are doing all or most of the artwork for it. It also requires art direction, written descriptions, reference materials, and conversations with me and/or Sean, followed by approval of the pencils and inks, changes along the way, and final approval before the art is done. All of which adds to the time it takes for us to write the books when we’re also the authors and art directors, but the end results are stunning. By the way, all of these books are looking awesome and the writing is coming along.
These are just some of the things we have in motion. I can’t yet reveal the rest but you’ll be pleased. Very pleased.
For the immediate time being, the release and shipping of the hotly anticipated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness is our top priority, but many other exciting books and projects are in motion.
We are working hard, so keep the faith and those imaginations burning bright. Oh, and order yourself and any special gamer in your life a Surprise Package before the Christmas rush. They are fantastic, a huge savings, and fun.
– Kevin Siembieda, Publisher, Game Designer, Writer, Friend |
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| Surprise Package comments from fans like you |
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| 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) |
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| | | L.B. in Kyle, Texas, writes: Thank you for still keeping this [Surprise Package] alive! You are appreciated.
[L.B., you are very welcome. We love making our fellow gamers smile and feel like a child on Christmas morning. – Kevin]
M.L. in Manistee, Michigan, writes (in part): Love your stuff! Haven’t played since the 90s but jumping back in. Had a cat named Prosek.
[Welcome back to Rifts®, M.L. – a cat named Prosek, how cool is that? I hope you enjoy your return to the Palladium Megaverse. Might I suggest Dead Reign RPG and/or TMNT & Other Strangeness, both have clear, straightforward combat and unique characters. I think you’d enjoy them both. – Kevin]
R.D. in Seattle, Washington, writes: My first package this year was delightful, so I’m ordering another. Thanks for your work putting these together.
[Our pleasure, R.D., we hope you enjoy the second one just as much. – Kevin]
J.L. in Passaic, New Jersey, writes: I enjoy the games and rebuilding my collection after I lost all my books. Just wish you’d put out the long promised books before you start doing new ones. First Responders and the magic book for Beyond the Supernatural being examples.
[Hey J.L., you’re smart to use the Surprise Package deal to rebuild your collection. We agree with you about releasing long awaited books, which is why Sean is working on First Responders and Rifts Bestiary Vol. 2, both for 2026 releases, and I’m working on expanded Yin-Sloth Expeditions (see Closing Thoughts). Meanwhile, Island at the Edge of the World (Fantasy, 2nd edition rules) is in production too. Furthermore, we hope to release the Beyond Arcanum and Tome Grotesque BTS sourcebooks Fall 2026. As for new titles, sorry, sometimes we have to run with inspiration when it strikes. Most of the time, it’s usually books written by a freelancer that we jump in to polish up for release. By the way, we see Redux editions like TMNT & Other Strangeness as bringing back fan-favorite books that people want. – Kevin]
K.B. in Winnipeg, Canada, writes (in part): Robotech® is the first TTRPG I ever played and will always hold a special place in my heart. That OG Keith Parkinson cover was why I bought [Rifts] and then I loved the kitchen sink approach to the world … You guys do an awesome job. Thanks for making games that got me into RPGs and led to so many fun times with friends growing up and as an adult.
[K.B., it’s our honor and joy to make games that people love. Keep your wonderful imagination burning bright. – Kevin]
A.C. in Essex Junction, Vermont, writes: Even though I don’t get to use the books to play that often, I love the artwork and storytelling. Thank you for 30+ years of fun and creativity.
[We are always thrilled to hear this, A.C., enjoy. Thank you for your many years of support. – Kevin]
C.R. in Castroville, Texas, writes: Favorites: Phase World®, I’m really eating it up and can’t wait for more. Dead Reign® and Heroes Unlimited make for a phenomenal mixed world a la Peter Cline’s ExHeroes series. Hoping everyone is having an excellent holiday season. Time for filling in my Palladium shelves.
[I love it C.R., what an imagination. Keep at it and game on. – Kevin] |
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