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I was a fan of the Heavy Gear RPG series and followed it from 1st edition to 3rd edition. Dream Pod 9 pretty much ceased production of new books and focused on the skirmish system and miniatures line. There was mention of Steve Jackson Games producing a 4th edition but according to the Steve Jackson Games 2011 Stakeholders Report nothing ever happened and DP9 asked for the rights back. What is the current status of the game? Is a 4th edition even planned currently?

Maximillian
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  • There's been no activity on the Heavy Gear RPG for some time. They opened up a forum for people who had bought in to playtest, but there's been no activity since around October '18. – Maximillian Feb 23 '19 at 00:04

2 Answers2

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In an interview at Robot Viking, Robert Dubois stated:

Work has started on the new Heavy Gear RPG edition and it should be released in late 2011. The ruleset will have the second edition rules as the starting point and will be compatible with Heavy Gear Blitz when it’s released.

They have a lot of good information in that review; if you're interested in Dream Pod 9, it's a good read.

Chuck Dee
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In March 2014, Dream Pod 9 published a press release indicating Arkrite Press would be releasing RPG-related materials:

Dream Pod 9 has been focused on the development of Heavy Gear Blitz, a dedicated tabletop miniatures wargame, and currently has a new edition in development. Heavy Gear has always had a strong roleplaying component that we and the fans have always wanted to bring it back with the attention to detail that it deserves. Arkrite Press LLC has the vision and experience to bring back the roleplaying game in a way that it deserves. Greg Perkins and Jason Dickerson of Arkrite Press LLC have been key members of Dream Pod 9’s creative team and development, and both of them have a passion for the setting and the drive to give the roleplaying game the time and effort it deserves.

Nothing seems to have come of it. The Heavy Gear Universe link on their page leads to a 404. If there is any information or work being done, it's hidden behind a paywall: the only item in the Arkrite store is some sort of pay-to-playtest program.

Dream Pod 9 is clearly focused on their miniatures line, rather than the RPG line. In November 2014, they successfully funded a Heavy Gear Blitz War for Terra Nova Miniatures Starter Set. They provide regular updates, but have not shipped any product as of April 2016.

SevenSidedDie
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T.J.L.
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  • There's a restricted form being used by people who bought into the playtest group option. There's a beta draft of the basic rules, but progress has been very slow. – Maximillian May 11 '16 at 15:00