Chaosium's upcoming board game Call of Cthulhu: Old Ones Origins has hit its crowdfunding goal just 19 minutes after launching on Gamefound on September 28. The campaign will remain open until October 14, giving backers more time to secure a copy of the competitive strategy game. Based on Forbidden Stars, the new release comes from designer Samuel W. Bailey, one of the original designers behind the 2015 strategy game. It brings players into the Cthulhu Mythos, where ancient cosmic beings battle for dominance long before humanity enters the picture.
Standard and Deluxe Editions available
Backers can choose between two editions of Old Ones Origins. The Standard Edition costs $94 and includes 88 unit standees, while the $157 Deluxe Edition replaces those standees with 88 detailed miniatures. Both versions include four large avatar miniatures and 24 building miniatures. Every pledge also comes with Chaotic Conjunctions, a Gamefound-exclusive expansion featuring event cards for conflicts fought in Nexus areas of the map. There's an additional reward for early supporters, too. Backers who followed the campaign before launch and pledged after it went live are eligible for a free, exclusive Conflict Marker miniature. Chaosium first announced the reward during Gamefound Summer Feast 2026 in July. The campaign is scheduled to deliver copies in January 2028, although crowdfunding delivery dates can change during development and production.
Wage war as ancient cosmic powers
Old Ones Origins supports two to four players aged 14 and over, with each player controlling an asymmetric faction devoted to one of four iconic Mythos entities: Cthulhu, Hastur, Yog-Sothoth or Shub-Gorath. The setting takes players back to the dawn of time, when these powerful beings fought for supremacy. Each faction offers its own approach to the conflict, putting strategic planning and competition at the heart of the experience. Designer Samuel W. Bailey explained that he wanted to explore the Mythos during a period when its ancient beings were at the height of their power. He also expressed his enthusiasm for letting players wage war as eldritch gods. Gameplay revolves around tactical decisions and carefully timed actions. Each round begins with players secretly placing influence tokens on the map before revealing and resolving their actions one at a time. To win, players must break their opponents' seals and collect victory points. With asymmetric factions and competing objectives, players will need to adapt their strategies as the battle unfolds.
More reveals planned before the campaign ends
Chaosium has confirmed that daily reveals and stretch goals will feature throughout the crowdfunding campaign, giving backers further opportunities to see what's planned for the game. The publisher is best known for its Call of Cthulhu tabletop role-playing game, which brings the works of H. P. Lovecraft into investigative horror adventures. Old Ones Origins takes that familiar universe in a different direction, focusing on competitive strategic warfare rather than traditional role-playing. With its campaign funded so quickly, the project has made an immediate impression on Gamefound. Potential backers have until October 14 to join the campaign before the funding window closes, with delivery currently expected in January 2028.
