RPG Designer Disappears, Leaving Fans in Limbo!
It’s a tale straight out of a mystery novel: an award-winning RPG designer vanishes just as anticipation builds for the release of their crowdfunded game. Welcome to the perplexing world of Grimwild, a tabletop RPG that has left its backers in a state of confusion and concern. What’s the scoop? Buckle up, because this isn’t your typical crowdfunding saga.
As of August 25, 2025, the project seems to be stuck in limbo, with the fulfillment of physical copies on hold indefinitely. The last update from the game’s production team revealed a shocking twist: no one has been able to contact J.D. Maxwell, the mastermind behind Grimwild, for weeks. This absence has sparked worry among the 590 backers who initially pledged $40,000 on BackerKit in 2024, followed by an additional $47,000 for a hardcover version supported by 597 backers.
What exactly happened? Well, Grimwild promised a revolutionary “cinematic narrative rules system,” focusing on dramatic storytelling rather than complicated mechanics. After a few updates, the physical editions were supposed to be shipped out in July 2025, but as the summer days slipped by, backers found themselves waiting—and waiting—with no sign of their much-anticipated rulebooks.
In an update shared on the game’s community Discord server last month, a moderator addressed the growing concerns. “As many of you have noticed, Max has been absent for nearly two months,” the message read. Initially, the team thought Maxwell simply needed a break after the exhausting campaign launch and the personal changes he was experiencing. However, as the weeks turned into months, the worry began to set in.
Maxwell’s colleagues, Per Janke and Luke Saunders, have been working tirelessly to locate him. They recognize the confusion and anxiety this situation has caused within the community. Janke expressed, “We’re trying to make any effort to figure out the situation around J.D. Maxwell and the current state of the crowdfunding campaign.” Despite their efforts, they have hit a brick wall; they can’t initiate physical deliveries or communicate through the BackerKit page due to Maxwell being the sole legal entity of Oddity Press, the publishing company behind Grimwild.
Adding to the intrigue, Maxwell and the game’s PDF version recently won an award at the Ennies, showcasing that the game itself is complete and ready for players. Fans have enjoyed playing the downloadable version for months, but the physical copies remain stuck due to the lack of communication from Maxwell. The website for Oddity Press is also down, showing an “expired” error, further fueling the mystery surrounding the game’s future.
“We understand how confusing, frustrating, and even worrying this situation is,” Saunders stated. The team has submitted a detailed report to the BackerKit Trust & Safety Team in hopes that they might be able to assist, given their greater legal capacity and resources. Until then, the community is left to speculate and reach out to any potential contacts who might know Maxwell’s whereabouts.
Could this story have a happy ending? Only time will tell. For now, the backers of Grimwild are left in suspense, hoping for a resolution that will allow them to finally receive their physical copies. They are encouraged to reach out to the game’s Discord moderators if they have any leads on how to get in touch with Maxwell.
As we move into the fall of 2025, one thing is clear: the journey of Grimwild has become as dramatic as the narratives it seeks to create. Will the mysteries unfold, and will J.D. Maxwell reemerge to bring closure to his dedicated supporters? The clock is ticking, and the gaming community is watching closely.
Stay tuned for updates on this unfolding story. In the world of tabletop RPGs, anything can happen—especially when it involves a missing designer and a highly-anticipated game!
