Dynamite Entertainment has spent over two decades turning Army of Darkness into a full-blown comics multiverse, pairing Ash Williams with everyone from Xena to Vampirella, the Re-Animator, KISS, and yes-even Archie. Now they’re teaming up with Lynnvander Studios to bring Ash’s Deadite-smashing antics to the tabletop. The new Army of Darkness board game is live for preorder on BackerKit and is expected to start shipping in February 2026.
If you somehow missed Sam and Ivan Raimi’s gloriously unhinged 1992 film, the premise is pure pulp energy: Ash gets tossed back to medieval times, forced into a castle feud, and sent to retrieve the Necronomicon while armed with nothing but his chainsaw, boomstick, and absolute refusal to take the situation seriously. It’s the perfect setup for a chaotic cooperative board game – and Dynamite and Lynnvander seem to be leaning all the way in.
How the Game Works
The Army of Darkness board game is a cooperative tower-defense experience for 1–4 players (or 5 with the expansion). Players take control of Ash and his allies as they defend Lord Arthur’s castle from waves of Deadites. The twist? Every round starts with a real-time planning phase, where players quickly program their actions before the onslaught begins.
Once planning ends, actions resolve in turn – moving characters around the castle, firing artillery, activating room abilities, and desperately trying to keep the undead from overrunning the walls. Survive long enough, and Evil Ash himself shows up for the final showdown. Beat him before the Necronomicon gets stolen, and your team wins the day. Let the Deadites grab the book, and it’s game over.
It’s shaping up to be a lively blend of timed cooperation, predictable chaos, and just enough slapstick energy to keep things on-brand for the film.
What’s in the Box
The base game includes:
- 40 character standees
- 95 cards
- 47 tokens
- 6 custom dice
- 4 playable character boards
The expansion bumps things up to 44 miniatures and adds a fifth playable character, plus extra content for players who want even more Deadite trouble.
Should You Care?
If you enjoy real-time co-op games, movie-themed chaos, or anything where Ash gets to yell at skeletons, this feels like an easy curiosity pick. Dynamite’s long history with the license also means the team knows exactly what fans expect from an Army of Darkness adaptation.
The game is currently available to secure via BackerKit, with February 2026 as the target shipping window. And if you want to see it in action, an early playthrough video is already out there showing how the castle defence unfolds.
Hail to the tabletop king, baby.
