2025: The Copper Compendium Roundup
What happened in 2025? Quite a lot, as it turns out.
YEAR ROUNDUP
Daniel Copper
3/30/202614 min read
I did one of these for 2024, so let's keep the trend going (even if we're already at the end of March).
I did... a lot in 2025. By the numbers, my number of publications this year is down, but pretty much everything else is up. The short version:
Published 6 games/supplements
Helped launch or contributed in 6 community projects
Sold physical games at 2 conventions and attended 1
Created a new YouTube channel and interviewed 7 different designers about their games
Took part in 3 TTRPG jams
Participated in 3 charity events
Continued or started work on 4 yet-to-be-released games
Designed 3 as-yet-unreleased fonts
Played 9 different TTRPG systems
Read 27 (possibly more) TTRPGs
So yes, a lot happened in 2025. I think, rather than breaking it down month-by-month, chronologically, like I did last time, it'll make more sense to break it down by major events and categories. So, to start off, we'll begin with...
Chimera Hearts
I've been meaning to make a proper blog post about Chimera Hearts since... well, April 2025, when it first launched. Maybe this will be the incentive I need to actually write that post.
When I said that almost everything else was up this year, I can firmly point to Chimera Hearts as the driver of that. Chimera Hearts is, to quote the website I built for the initiative:
"a volunteer network of tabletop roleplaying designers, artists, journalists, organizers, and hobbyists who work together towards a series of common goals, all related to the health & longevity of TTRPGs as a medium, a hobby, and an industry."
I think I'm going to end up quoting the website significantly in this section, so let's continue the trend:
"Chimera Hearts began as a chain of responses to a Tumblr post by Rowan Sender, inspired by one from Jack Blair in January 2025, leading to Sabrina Hawthorne asking for volunteers for the beginnings of the project. After some productive discussion and a few months of preparation, we launched the initiative in April 2025."
As one of those who stepped up during the initial discussion, I joined a Discord group chat in February 2025 along with the other founding members to discuss methods and core goals. There was a bunch of good discussion in that initial group, but we wanted to expand it. I began setting up a dedicated discord server.
That server launched in April 2025, and included clear areas we wanted to tackle: Cognitive Frontload, Insular Communities, Mainstream-Indie Divide, and Supply and Demand. Most of these had been discussed in those original posts, but now we expanded on each and put forward some potential questions to answer when approaching them. I won't go into too much detail here (that's what the website is for) but suffice to say we weren't the only ones interested in tackling those issues within the industry/hobby. That space now, as of March 2026, includes over 300 people.
Since the launch of the project we've had members put forward 9 projects, of which I put forward 2. Let's discuss them, then do a quick-fire summary of the other projects I've been involved in.
Five Minutes, Not 5e
I never made an official blog post about Five Minutes, Not 5e (5mn5e) here, but I launched the project back in June 2025. The idea was simple - a core reason people feel other games are unapproachable is because they don't have easy access to core information about that game to inform a decision. I thought about what criteria I use to decide if a game would be of interest to me, and wrote some questions to get those details:
What genre is the game, and what are some relevant cultural touchstones?
How many players is it for, and how long does it last?
What do you need to play and how quickly can you learn?
What might a typical session involve?
How have you made it accessible to beginners and people with specific needs?
In addition to these core questions, I also decided to have a second section of the interview where I would ask questions about aspects of the game not neatly covered in the core 5, called Beyond Five Minutes.
I made a logo, set up a YouTube channel to host it, and put up a Google Form for designer applications to be interviewed. I did not quite expect the size of response I got. To date, over 30 designers have submitted their interest, and I've managed to interview 7. Five of those interviews were released in 2025:
I have genuinely loved interviewing every designer I've had on the... show? Podcast? I'm still not sure what to call it. The main thing holding it back is that I am but one person and have only so much time, motivation and focus to do audio editing.
I recorded interviews with 2 other designers during 2025, only one of which has been released so far: APOCALYSE FRAME with Binary Star (Binary Star Games). The other should release some time in the coming month, motivation willing.
The TTRPG Tree
Calling the TTRPG Tree a 2025 project feels like I'm pushing that definition somewhat - I launched the project in the waning days of December. There had been discussion among Chimera Hearts members pretty much since the initiative's inception about the lack of a good index of games - the few we came across were either vastly incomplete, or had critical issues. The primary existing digital storefronts for TTRPGs have filter systems (DriveThruRPG) or a frankly terrible search, categorisation, and filter system (itch.io).
There are currently 3 projects within Chimera Hearts focused on this particular issue. The TTRPG Tree is the latest, following the Solo TTRPG Index (semi-shelved as a result of the revival of the Tiny Table Index via the Solo RPG List) and the New Games Index (which aimed to do a similar thing).
Where the TTRPG Tree differs from the previous projects is that it is fully editable by anyone, focused on inspirations of games, as cited by the games themselves. This allows an interlinking web of games and other media to form organically, which will only become more cross-linked as more games are added.
So far we have 48 games on the wiki, and I've been trying to add more whenever I have a bit of spare time. I'd encourage others to get involved if they have copies of games not currently included!
Other projects
I've also been involved in a handful of other projects within Chimera Hearts, led by other members of the community. Of these, the one I've been most active in is Audiobooks For Accessibility, led by the wonderful Luka Brave (Psychhound Games, who was also the first interviewee on 5mn5e!). The aim of the project is to encourage the creation of audiobook versions of TTRPGs, to allow easier access, both for those short on time to read, and those for whom it is a more accessible approach than the traditional rulebook.
I created a guide (based on my experience creating 5mn5e videos, as it happens) for how to go about recording an audiobook using Audacity (or a mirror program). Luka keeps a list of games with audiobook versions on his website, so be sure to check it out!
The other 2 projects I've contributed to I've contributed far less, but it's worth shouting them out here regardless. First off we have TTRPG Threadstarters, a Tumblr blog designed to encourage crossover between TTRPG players and more typical roleplayers. The blog is run by Sasha Reneau but is open to game suggestions from others, so I suggested a couple of games that fit the format.
The last hasn't got far off the ground yet. Chimera Culture aims to create articles in the widely popular list format to introduce games to those who are likely to be interested in them. Suggestions for collections of games so far include: games to play angsty teens, games of wizard academia, and games of the wild west. Personally, I've expressed interest in compiling games for fans of CONTROL, Alien, Bloodborne and Stranger Things. Hopefully once I have the time and motivation I can write up some of those lists.
Publications, charity bundles and jams
I published less games and supplements in 2025 than 2024, but that doesn't mean I didn't publish much. This year saw my games in 3 charity bundles (Solo But Not Alone 5, Bundle for Ukrainian Hospitals, and No ICE in California) and 4 new games (mostly) created for game jams (200-Word RPG Jam, One-Page RPG Jam, Imaginary Cards Jam and 36-word RPG Jam). Let's run through the games and supplements, in order of creation.
(In)Visible
This game was created for the 36-word RPG Jam and is, without a doubt, a lyric game. It fits on a bookmark, with one side containing the full game, significantly longer than 36 words, and the other containing the heavily redacted version that meets the jam criteria. It was a very strange game to make, and both variants are both playable and vastly different to each other.
When I released the game there was some debate in the comments as to whether it even counted as a game, which sounds to me like it was successful in its design.
A Call to Compete
A Call to Compete is a very unique game, falling much closer to a board game than any game I've made previously. It was designed to answer a simple question: how could you make a tabletop game that emulates the feeling of 1-vs-1 fighting games?
I designed the majority of it in January (and the tail end of 2024) and released it in February, deciding, for the first time ever, to release a game that wasn't 100% complete. I love the concept, but need feedback and, frankly, more funds to make it happen. So I decided to try out itchfunding, releasing it on itch for a reduced price in a playable state in order to gather funds to bring it to the standard I'd like it to be.
The currently released version contains 2 fighters, the core rules, and 2 stages on which to fight. The game includes a combo system, unique and powerful moves for each fighter, finishers, and an in-depth blocking and dodging system. In this coming year I'd like to add some more of the planned fighters to the game, and maybe work on expanding the rules to allow for more fight variations.
King of Mirrors
While this was created for the Imaginary Cards Jam, I wouldn't call it a game, or a supplement. It's... a mote of potential, I suppose. I've been working on a game for a while now that is currently titled Card Clash (or, as mentioned on the page, Playback, see below). It's designed to be a competitive cards game (CCG) that uses standard playing cards with different back colours, allowing for an open and level game that requires far less monetary investment than traditional CCGs do in order to play.
Suffice to say it's slow going on the design front, but this card was designed to be included as an additional option for those wanting to go beyond the base game. The game doesn't exist in a playable form, but the card was a lot of fun to make.
Reporter
I highly encourage designers to make supplements for games they love, so in March I decided to hold myself to that. I've loved the core concept of [BXLLET> since I first read it, and it was a major inspiration for The Curse Lingers when I made that back in June 2024.
I particularly loved how evocative each class within the game was, so I finally got around to making one myself. The Reporter is a liar, a teller of tales, and the only one who will remember you when you're gone.
3 Shining Motes
While I made 3 games for the 2024 jam, this year I only made one game for the One-Page RPG Jam. I suspect it's the best game I've made to date. It was a bastard to fit on one page, even though I used both sides.
The lights are going out. Darkness blankets most of the world. The flames that still burn are more precious than ever. You play out the events in 3 of the last settlements still holding out, seeing what they cling to for hope and how they find joy despite the situation.
They might even outlast the darkness.
The Blight of Wrenbrook Barrow
I really struggled in this year's 200-Word RPG Jam. I've participated in it for the past 3 years and it's been a very interesting challenge every time - 200 words is a very difficult limitation to get across an entire game in, especially with how I tend to design.
The Blight of Wrenbrook Barrow is a completely new type of game for me - its gameplay is entirely procedural and open to player interpretation. It's also multiplayer (specifically 2 players) which is rare for my games. I tend towards solo games, primarily because playtesting is very difficult to achieve otherwise.
In The Blight you and a friend enter the Barrow and must navigate its threats using a hand of playing cards, comparing values and keeping track of the suits in your hand. The base (200 word) version of the game includes just one level and its boss, but the expanded version includes two more, with a final terrifying foe to culminate the experience.
Game design
We've just run through the games I published in 2025. How about those I didn't?
As a game designer, I start many more games than I finish. Some die quickly, some I tinker with for years before they either succumb or are released. This year had a combination of both in the background of the releases.
Waning Echoes
Waning Echoes is one of those games that I keep scratching at. It's been years since the initial concept - a game without direct communication, where no player has the full picture - occurred to me as an option for a local charity event.
In it, players take on the roles of members of the crew of the S.F. Cardinal, a space freighter recently rocked by disaster. The debris of the ship floats around a handful of escape pods, containing what members of the crew escaped the initial cataclysm. The escape pods have limited power, though, and not everyone is telling the truth about their intentions, or what they know about the crash...
I feel like I've made meaningful progress towards the game's completion in 2025, but it still feels a long way off. Oh well. I've been working on it for 2 years now, and the oxygen in the escape pods isn't depleted yet. Maybe 2026 will be the year of radio static, thumps on the hull and blinking red warning lights. Or maybe it won't.
Six Shooter
Six Shooter is somehow older than Waning Echoes, and that's impressive, frankly. The concept was the third game idea I ever pursued and I've not caught up to it yet.
I've reworked things about the eldritch ocean, as well as some of the core mechanics this year, but it's been mostly small steps.
Card Clash/Playback
The last of the strong ideas, and the odd one out. Card Clash isn't a TTRPG, it's a card game. The idea is to create a truly open competitive card game (CCG), deck building and all, without the attached price tag.
The game uses playing cards with different back colours to create a deck, with each value, suit, and back colour dictating what the card is capable of. As someone less familiar with CCGs, coming up with abilities and trying to balance them has been a challenge, but I've been enjoying it.
Journey's End
I watched Frieren twice this year. I love it. It is without a doubt one of my favourite anime, and it only makes sense that I'd want to make a game inspired by it. Simultaneously, I've been wanting to create a letter-writing and artefact creation game, so this was my attempt at that.
I haven't given up on the idea, but I never got very far. Hopefully I'll come back to this at some point.
Duality System
I'll be honest, I barely remember this one. I'm pretty sure the idea was a push and pull between 2 opposing stats in the form of ideas (think dark/light or creation/destruction). Later on I got very very excited by Tactical Breach Wizards and wanted to point this idea in a tactical direction akin to that game.
Suffice to say this game barely exists.
Sales
I've been at this a while now, so how lucrative is it? It isn't, to be blunt. I do it because I enjoy it, not because I'm raking in money. Much as I'd love to make a living designing games, it's not on the cards any time soon.
There are 3 sources of income of note: conventions, itch.io and DriveThruRPG. Let's summarise those.
Conventions
I sold games (through UK TIN) at 2 UK conventions, UK Games Expo (UKGE) and Dragonmeet. I also attended UKGE, which I'll get to in a bit.
Between the 2, I sold 17 copies of my games: 2 at Dragonmeet (1 copy of 3 Shining Motes and 1 copy of Summit) and 15 copies of Summit at UKGE. Altogether, I made £63.13 across the 2 conventions.
itch.io
I have a decent back catalogue on itch.io now, and the ability to choose what percentage itch gets is a very nice feature. Even so, with itch's discoverability, it's a bit of a trade off.
Across all my games and supplements, I made £118.26 in 2025, with itch's cut removed. Higher than I expected, but not even close to sustainable as a career. It's worth baring in mind that over that same time my games and supplements were downloaded 5440 times, and that several of these games are pay-what-you-want or have been in charity bundles. That monetary total is from 35 payments.
DriveThruRPG
DriveThruRPG is a very different site to itch. While you certainly can post weird games on DriveThru, you're far less likely to find an audience for them there. Considering how weird a lot of my games are, it's not exactly a surprise that I made less there than on itch. That, and the fact that they take a 35% cut of all payments.
Across 257 "purchases" (only 22 of which included payment, 8.6%), I made just £24.80 on the site last year. I would expect this coming year to be higher, simply due to a recent publication I released over there, The Corporate Catalogue.
So overall that means I earned £206.19 last year from TTRPGs. I'll buy that mansion soon.
Reading and playing
I've taken it upon myself to try and read the many, many TTRPGs I own, and, if I can, play those I like. I've been much more successful at the former than the latter. During 2025 I read 27 TTRPGs. How many systems did I play (my own included)? 8.
Here's the full list of games I read last year, in alphabetical order. If any particularly catch your fancy, please support the designer! I may talk about some of these at a future time.
Abbadon: The Thirteen Seals by Andy Lever (Lost Haven Games)
APOCALYPSE FRAME by Binary Star (Binary Star Games)
Blades in the Dark by John Harper
Bound by Kaden Ramstack
Breaking Infinity by David Johnston (Baffle Box Games)
Broke Wizards by Sabrina Hawthorne
Cerebos: the Crystal City by Zach Welhouse (Penguin King Games)
Chiron's Doom by Nick Bate
Dead Letter Society by Rori Montford (Montford Tales)
Dialect by Kathryn Hymes and Hakan Seyalıoğlu
Draw Steel from MCDM Productions
Exclusion Zone Botanist by Exeunt Press
GUTGUN by Grace Gittel Lewis (Incaseofgrace)
Icarus by Spencer Starke (Hunters Entertainment)
Mothership from Tuesday Knight Games
Orbital Blues by Sam Sleney, Zachary Cox, and Josh Clark (SoulMuppet Publishing)
PSYCHODUNGEON by Kayla Dice (Ratwave Game House)
Slayers by Spencer Campbell (Gila RPGs)
Slugblaster by Mikey Hamm
Tales from the Spectral Sea by Sam Armstrong (Armstrong Games)
Tales of the Valiant from Kobold Press
The Wretched by Chris Bissette
To Honour and Obey by Laurie O'Connel
Whispers in the Walls 2e from Pandion Games
WILD (Wake Initiated Lucid Dreaming) by David F. Chapman (we evolve publishing)
Wreck This Deck by Becky Annison
Zephyr: An Anarchist Game of Fleeting Identities from Araukana Media
And the systems I played? Well, as ever, my most played system of the year remains D&D 5e. One day I'll convince my friends to fully abandon it; it's unlikely to be soon though. Alphabetically, I played:
3 Shining Motes by Daniel Copper (The Copper Compendium)
D&D 5e from Wizards of the Coast
GUTGUN by Grace Gittel Lewis (Incaseofgrace)
i'm sorry did you say street magic by Caro Asercion
MÖRK BORG by Pelle Nilsson
Ten Candles by Stephen Dewey (Cavalry Games)
The Boulder by Daniel Copper (The Copper Compendium)
Vaesen from Free League Publishing
VOID 1680AM by Ken Lowery
UK Games Expo (UKGE)
As with the past 2 years, I returned to UK Games Expo in 2025. While in previous years I attended for a single day, this year I stayed the full weekend. I picked up 13 games, which I've read all of in the year since (bolded in that list, see above). I also attended a few talks while there, and particularly enjoyed Malcom Craig's talk on post-apocalyptic games.
As mentioned earlier, one of my games was sold on the UK TIN stall, but I also made the official map for Stamp Quest for the second year running. The TIN meetup on the Saturday night was, as ever, wonderful, and I'm looking forward to the next one. Here's hoping I can make it to UKGE this year, too.
Miscellaneous activities
I've done other stuff that feels less deserving of its own section. I made 3 cypher fonts and attended UK TIN meetups. I reformatted a bunch of my itch.io pages. I had great discussions about game design with both other designers and hobbyist friends.
I joined Paper Cult Club, a TTRPG-focused forum. I learned more about good graphic design. I planned and ran sessions for my friends. I made a list of every TTRPG store in the UK. I joined in in the annual TTRPG Trick or Treat event over on Tumblr.
I got to play, write, and discuss TTRPGs. Here's to more of that.