Before the launch of last year’s Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector, creator Gareth Damian Martin stated they were finished with new Citizen Sleeper video games. Instead, Martin pledged to expand the franchise through tabletop gaming. This approach aligns well with Martin’s roots, as much of the inspiration for both Citizen Sleeper and Citizen Sleeper 2 drew from TTRPGs such as Blades in the Dark. They swiftly fulfilled that commitment by releasing Spindlejack, a complimentary solo game set on one of the stations featured in CS2, just a few months later. As a fan of the series, I assumed this might be all the new Citizen Sleeper content Martin had in store for the foreseeable future, but today they’ve announced they’re developing an entirely new tabletop game titled Citizen Sleeper: Helion Rising.
“Helion Rising is a TTRPG about surviving in the ruins of interplanetary capitalism, resisting corporate power, and building a future, cycle by cycle, together,” Martin writes of their new project. “You play as a member of a crew, along with your friends, as you try to make ends meet in a solar system built from the remains of a corporate collapse. You’ll take on challenging contracts, try to navigate a path between hostile and friendly factions, and live a life among the stars, full of meaningful struggles, small victories, and moments of human connection.”
In short, it sounds like Helion Rising will attempt to make the world of Citizen Sleeper something you can share with your friends. If you’ve not played the video games, I strongly recommend you do. They tell really compelling stories about finding community and meaningful connections in what might seem like hopeless situations. If you want to see yourself, both games are currently discounted the most they’ve ever been on Steam and other storefronts.
In either case, Martin has promised to share more information about the project later this year. They’re also teasing other Citizen Sleeper spinoffs, though exactly what those might be, they haven’t said yet. Last but not least, Martin says on June 7 they’ll show off the new video game they’ve been working since the release of CS2, describing it as “a totally new project in a new world that I have been working on for years.” I can’t wait.