After D&D’s rocky year, Paizo has seized the moment. Pathfinder and Starfinder, once seen as niche favorites, are surging with new players, sharper design, and a confidence that’s putting the giants of tabletop gaming on notice.
Paizo enters 2023 in a prime position to make gains on its biggest competitor, Dungeons & Dragons. The publisher of the Pathfinder and Starfinder tabletop role-playing games came out swinging last week, committing itself to a legal battle to protect the rights of creators from the meddling of Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast. But the Redmond, Washington-based publisher also has a healthy pipeline of new products – including hardcover books and PDFs – that can help groups steer their play in entirely new directions.
Pathfinder Treasure Vault
Pathfinder Treasure Vault expands the game’s options with hundreds of new weapons, magic items, and equipment designed to enrich character builds and storytelling. The book showcases creative craftsmanship, cultural flavor, and practical gear for adventurers of all levels. Each item carries thoughtful lore, adding depth and history that make campaigns feel more grounded and engaging for players and Game Masters alike.
First up is Pathfinder Treasure Vault, which will be available starting Feb. 22. With more than 600 new items and 50 new weapons, it’s an equipment book through and through – but with a twist. For maximum readability, this guide is written from the perspective of a lowly kobold charged with maintaining the hoard of a powerful dragon.
The big draw for dedicated Pathfinder fans is the updated rules for the alchemist class. The Alchemy Unleashed chapter will offer more than 100 new alchemical items, while also folding in a bunch of errata that makes the class more powerful than ever before.
Pathfinder Rage of Elements
Pathfinder’s Rage of Elements expanded the game’s possibilities with new elemental planes, classes, and lore that deepened its cosmology and player options. The kineticist returned as a fully reimagined class, drawing direct power from elemental forces to shape the battlefield in creative ways. This book not only refreshed classic ideas but also reflected Paizo’s continued commitment to rich mechanical design and inclusive storytelling that keeps Pathfinder thriving among tabletop enthusiasts.
This summer – August, during Gen Con, at the earliest – Paizo will launch Pathfinder Rage of Elements. Set in the East Asian-themed Tian Xia region of its universe, the 224-page book will include the all-new kineticist class. Players will be able to use the power of the elements – fire, air, earth, water, metal, and wood – to do battle.
Pathfinder Adventure Paths
Pathfinder Adventure Paths continue to set the tone for Paizo’s success, offering long-form campaigns that combine storytelling depth with tactical gameplay. Each release delivers fresh challenges and settings that keep players invested for months, while supporting material expands the possibilities for character growth and creative play. In 2023, Paizo’s dedication to strong narrative design and community collaboration helped Pathfinder stand out as a reliable choice for groups seeking structured yet flexible campaigns.
Several new Pathfinder campaigns will drop this year as well. They include Gatewalkers Adventure Path, a paranormal experience for characters level 1-10, and the tarot-based Stolen Fate Adventure Path, which launches in April, that brings characters from levels 11-20. Paizo will also release Sky King’s Tomb in 2023, which will mean lots of new material for fans of all things dwarven.
Starfinder: Ports of Call
Starfinder: Ports of Call expands the sci-fi universe with new destinations, factions, and story hooks for crews seeking adventure among the stars. The book enriches the campaign setting with detailed worlds, trading hubs, and NPCs that make interstellar travel feel dynamic and alive. It also offers new rules for starship operations, downtime activities, and trade, giving players and game masters fresh tools to shape their own spacefaring stories.
Starfinder‘s Drift Crisis storyline continues to evolve with the adaptation of hyperspace highways – new and contested routes that allow for commerce and exploration across the universe. Starfinder Ports of Call gives players somewhere to go in their free time, bundling up many of the locations previously mentioned only in passing and expanding each of them out into much more vibrant and three-dimensional locations. Expect that book to be available starting in May.
Starfinder: Drift Hackers
Starfinder: Drift Hackers expands the science-fantasy setting with a focus on the Drift, the mysterious dimension that powers faster-than-light travel. This adventure path places players at the center of a cosmic crisis threatening interstellar communication and exploration. With its blend of high-stakes missions, faction intrigue, and digital warfare, Drift Hackers offers a deeper exploration of how technology and faith shape the Starfinder universe’s future.
Meanwhile, the Drift Crisis itself will come to a close in 2023. In the Starfinder Drift Hackers adventure path, players will finally get to the root of the cause that has disrupted interstellar travel. The outcomes will change the science fantasy universe forever.
Subscriptions are key
Subscriptions have become a cornerstone of Paizo’s business model, offering steady support for both Pathfinder and Starfinder. By delivering regular content updates and physical releases directly to subscribers, Paizo maintains a dependable revenue stream while keeping its player base engaged. These ongoing deliveries create a sense of continuity and trust, assuring fans that their games will keep expanding with fresh adventures and rules.
Paizo’s director of marketing, Aaron Shanks, tells AELGAMES that the biggest way that fans can support Paizo is through its unique subscription model. Subscriptions generally get materials out to players faster than brick-and-mortar retail stores, and they include free upgrades like PDFs as well as discounts on companion virtual tabletop products. More than anything, however, they help the publisher to manage its production costs by judging consumer interest in its new books before they launch.
Organized play
Paizo’s organized play programs for Pathfinder and Starfinder continued to thrive in 2023, offering structured campaigns that connect players and game masters across local stores and online tables. The Pathfinder Society and Starfinder Society provided shared storylines with consistent rules, fostering long-term character progression and community involvement. Regular events, conventions, and virtual sessions allowed participants to earn rewards, contribute to evolving narratives, and experience a sense of shared achievement within an expanding global network of players.
One of the biggest features of Paizo’s marquee brands are that they are living universes. A year in our world is the same as a year in Starfinder and Pathfinder, Shanks said, and players help to evolve the story in new directions through its global network of organized play events.
Shanks said that those interested in getting started with Pathfinder are encouraged to connect with their local Pathfinder Society groups, while fans of Starfinder will be able to hook up with the Starfinder Society. New player-focused adventures run throughout the year.
What are D&D missteps that boosted Paizo in 2023
Wizards of the Coast’s (WotC) handling of the Open Game License (OGL) in early 2023 was the primary misstep that boosted Paizo’s Pathfinder and Starfinder.
OGL 1.1 Backlash
WotC leaked plans for OGL 1.1, which would have imposed royalties on third-party creators (including those earning over $750K annually) and allowed WotC veto power over content, threatening the D&D ecosystem. This sparked outrage across the tabletop community, with creators pulling support and players seeking alternatives like Paizo’s more open systems.
Paizo’s Open Response
Paizo capitalized by launching the Open RPG Creative License (ORC), a perpetual, irrevocable alternative that protected creators without royalties or restrictions. Pathfinder 2e, already praised for its balanced mechanics and free Basic Rules, saw player migrations as groups fled D&D’s uncertainty.
Broader D&D Stumbles
Additional issues like the Keys from the Golden Vault playtest controversies and perceived corporate greed further eroded trust, driving sales and community growth to Paizo entering 2023.
How did the OGL controversy unfold in early 2023
The OGL controversy in early 2023 stemmed from Wizards of the Coast’s (WotC) leaked draft of OGL 1.1, which threatened the D&D third-party creator ecosystem.
Timeline of Events
Late December 2022 saw leaks of the draft OGL 1.1, which proposed a 25% royalty on revenues over $750K, WotC’s right to use third-party content without credit, and deauthorization of prior OGL works. Backlash exploded online, with creators like those on Reddit and YouTube decrying it as a betrayal of the original perpetual, irrevocable OGL from 2000. WotC canceled a planned January 12 announcement and issued a vague D&D Beyond tweet on January 10, fueling more outrage.
Community and Creator Response
Over 60,000 creators signed an open letter demanding the original OGL remain untouched; boycotts targeted Hasbro products. Paizo launched the ORC license as an alternative, drawing D&D fans to Pathfinder. High-profile figures like Matthew Colville announced independent rulesets.
WotC Backpedal
By January 13, WotC paused updates, admitting the draft was for feedback. In April 2023, they released OGL 1.2 (System Reference Document staying open) and a creator-friendly CC-BY license, but trust was damaged, boosting rivals like Paizo.
