Fantasy author Brandon Sanderson breaks another Kickstarter record with Cosmere RPG

Brandon Sanderson has conquered the world of fantasy fiction, making a name for himself as one of the most prolific and popular authors of his generation.

Many may know Sanderson as the author who rose to prominence in 2007 when he was selected to finish the epic "Wheel of Time" fantasy series following author Robert Jordan's death. But in the years since, Sanderson has built a legion of loyal fans of his own through his signature series, "Mistborn" and "The Stormlight Archive."

The works have proved so popular among Sanderson acolytes, that apparently reading them isn't enough – fans are so eager to inhabit those worlds for themselves, that they've pledged millions of dollars to make it happen.

Sanderson recently teamed up with Brotherwise Games to create a role-playing game based on the shared universe of "Mistborn," "Stormlight" and many of his other books that he's dubbed the "Cosmere." And in a record-setting crowdfunding effort, the Dungeons & Dragons-style tabletop game has raised more than $14.6 million on Kickstarter.

Move over, Tolkien: Brandon Sanderson is rapidly becoming the face of modern fantasy

"We are now the number one Kickstarter RPG of all time," Sanderson recently said on TikTok in an address to his fans. "You guys are awesome."

Here's what to know about Sanderson and the role-playing tabletop game based on his fantasy books:

What to know about fantasy author Brandon Sanderson

Sanderson, 48, has written dozens of books spanning the fantasy, science fiction and even young adult genres.

But he is perhaps most well-known for his "Mistborn" and "Stormlight Archive" series.

By his own admission, "Mistborn" is the series that put him on the map even more-so than his debut 2005 novel "Elantris." The story of magical metal-wielding Allomancers plotting to overthrow an empire, "Mistborn" is one of Sanderson's recommended starting points for new readers.

Sanderson's current project, however, is far more ambitious. "The Stormlight Archive" is a planned series of 10 books, only four of which have so far been published – all spanning more than 1,000 pages. The fifth installment, "Wind and Truth," is due out in December.

Among many book content creators on TikTok, the series is considered to be one of the best works of modern fantasy.

What is the Cosmere?

Most of Sanderson's works – including "Mistborn" and "The Stormlight Archive" – are set in a fictional universe known as the Cosmere.

Think of it like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where all the heroes can cross paths with one another between their own movies.

Cosmere RPG sets record

A savvy marketer, Sanderson has turned to Kickstarter before to fund his projects.

In 2022, he was able to raise more than $41.7 million for four secret books, all of which were planned as stand-alone novels through his publishing company, Dragonsteel Entertainment.

At the time, the campaign became the biggest project in Kickstarter history by pledge volume and was more than double the previous record holder. It also set a record for both the most money raised in the first 24 hours ($15.4 million) as well as the most funding and backers for the same time period.

Now, his tabletop RPG is setting another Kickstarter record. This time, the campaign raised the most amount of any games project in the platform's history, Kickstarter confirmed.

The amount that the Cosmere Role Playing Game raised far surpasses the previous record of $9.3 million that the "Avatar: The Last Airbender" board game raised.

"We're thrilled to see the incredible enthusiasm and support from the community for Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere Roleplaying Game," Maggie Clayton, Kickstarter head of games, said in a statement to USA TODAY. "At Kickstarter, we believe in empowering creators like Brandon and the Brotherwise Games team to connect with their audiences in meaningful ways."

What is the Cosmere RPG and how is it played?

The Cosmere Role Playing Game will allow players to step into the worlds featured in Sanderson's books set in that fantasy universe.

Players will be able to take on the roles of a Knight Radiant from "Stormlight," or a Mistborn warrior.

The style of the game, which includes the possibilities of engaging in various quests and battles, should be familiar to anyone who's played Dungeons & Dragons. But every release in the Cosmere RPG will also include illustrated guides packed with lore about Sanderson's books, which should even appeal to fans not necessarily interested in playing a tabletop game.

When will the tabletop RPG be available?

The Cosmere Role Playing Game Kickstarter ended Thursday.

But it won't be until September 2025 that the Stormlight Archives Role Playing Game is expected to be released. Then, the Mistborn Role Playing Game is anticipated for 2026.

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected]

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere RPG breaks another Kickstarter record