Brandon Sanderson Would Love to Bring the Cytoverse to Tabletop, but Urges Patience

Brandon Sanderson has not ruled out taking his Skyward universe to the tabletop. In fact, the author says he would be excited to do it. But while the prospect of a board game or role-playing adaptation set in the Cytoverse is clearly on his mind, he is also stressing that fans should not read that enthusiasm as a sign that a new game announcement is imminent.

Sanderson has become increasingly active in tabletop gaming through projects based on the Cosmere, his best-known shared fictional universe. That experience has naturally raised questions about whether other Sanderson settings could receive similar treatment. The Cytoverse, which includes the young-adult science-fiction series that began with Skyward, is one of the clearest candidates. It has space combat, alien worlds, distinct factions, unusual powers, and an expanding cast of characters: all ingredients that could suit several kinds of tabletop game.

When asked whether he had considered tabletop adaptations for Skyward and the broader Cytoverse, Sanderson said he would love to pursue the idea and confirmed that it has been discussed. At the same time, he explained that he wants to avoid placing too many demands on his audience. His approach, he indicated, is to be deliberate about collaborations and focus on projects that have the strongest chance of feeling genuinely exciting rather than simply releasing more Sanderson-branded products for their own sake.

That distinction is important. The answer leaves the door open for a Cytoverse game, but it also sets expectations: there are no stated plans for one in the near future.

For useful background on this topic, read AMC's Street Fighter Popcorn Bucket Lets Fans Wear Guile's Signature Hair.

A growing tabletop presence for the Cosmere

Sanderson's caution comes at a time when the Cosmere is receiving substantial tabletop attention. He has been working with Brotherwise Games on standalone board games as well as the larger Cosmere role-playing game. Those efforts have made the Cosmere the center of his current gaming ambitions, which makes practical sense given the setting's enormous scope and its especially dedicated readership.

The Cosmere spans multiple novel series, planets, magic systems, and eras. It is built around connections that reward long-term fans, making it a natural fit for a role-playing line capable of supporting varied adventures. A campaign can explore a single city, continent, or world while still belonging to a much larger mythological framework. Board games, meanwhile, can isolate particular conflicts, characters, or locations without requiring players to know the whole literary continuity.

There is more Cosmere material on the way. The Cosmere RPG is scheduled to receive its Mistborn expansion in November. A large-scale War for Roshar strategy game is also in development. These are meaningful projects, both in terms of the work involved and the amount of attention they may ask from tabletop players. Sanderson's comments suggest he recognizes that a fan who has backed, bought, or learned one major game may not be prepared to immediately jump into another one.

For another perspective on this story, read Brandon Sanderson Would Love a Cytoverse Tabletop Game, but Says Fans Shouldn't Expect One Soon.

That is a sensible concern in the modern tabletop space. Board games and tabletop RPGs are not passive collectibles. A campaign game may ask for repeated sessions, preparation, a regular group, and a significant rules investment. Strategy games can require similarly committed players. Even smaller standalone games compete for time and shelf space. Releasing a steady stream of adaptations could appeal to completists, but it could also make it harder for any individual release to receive the attention it deserves.

Why the Cytoverse could work as a game setting

Even without a project in active public development, it is easy to see why Sanderson and his collaborators have talked about the Cytoverse. Skyward is structured around an underdog pilot story, but the setting broadens considerably as it progresses. It incorporates dangerous flight missions, military training, exploration, advanced technology, alien civilizations, political conflict, and threats that stretch beyond a single planet.

Those components could point toward very different tabletop formats. A tactical board game could focus on squadrons, positioning, objectives, and high-pressure aerial or space engagements. A cooperative game could put players in the role of pilots attempting to survive escalating missions together. A narrative game could emphasize discoveries across the wider universe. A role-playing game could give groups original crews, ships, and missions instead of requiring them to retell the books' central storyline.

The setting also carries a useful contrast with the Cosmere. While the Cosmere often leans into epic fantasy, magic, and deep historical worldbuilding, the Cytoverse presents a science-fiction identity built around flight, alien contact, and interstellar stakes. A tabletop adaptation could therefore appeal to readers who enjoy Sanderson's storytelling but want a substantially different genre and gameplay atmosphere.

Still, potential is not the same as a product plan. Selecting the right format would matter. A game that relies too heavily on novel-specific plot developments could be difficult for newcomers to approach. One that moves too far away from the series' core appeal might disappoint readers looking for the tension and wonder associated with Skyward. Being selective now gives Sanderson and any prospective tabletop partner time to determine what kind of game would be worth making.

New Cytoverse developments may expand the audience

The Cytoverse is also continuing to grow outside of gaming. Blightfall marks the first official book expansion into the universe, extending the setting beyond the original core series. That expansion matters because it signals that the Cytoverse is not being treated solely as a completed run of novels. It is becoming a larger setting with room for further stories.

A Skyward television series is also in the works. There is no reason to assume that a tabletop game is attached to that project, and Sanderson has not announced one. However, a successful screen adaptation could make the setting more familiar to people who have not read the books. That broader awareness could eventually make a game collaboration more attractive.

For now, however, the television series remains a long-term prospect. Sanderson's Mistborn movie illustrates just how much time major adaptations can take. That film is targeting 2031 or later, despite being further along than the planned Skyward series. The comparison is a reminder that adaptation announcements and finished releases are separated by years of development, production, and distribution decisions.

As a result, fans should be careful not to treat the television project as a timetable for Cytoverse tabletop news. A show finding a streaming audience could create additional opportunities down the line, but there are too many unknowns to call any follow-up inevitable. For the moment, it is best viewed as one part of the setting's larger future rather than evidence of a particular board game or RPG.

Sanderson's restraint may be good news for fans

There is a temptation to interpret "not yet" as disappointing, especially when a fictional universe seems so obviously suited to a game. But Sanderson's reasoning offers a more encouraging perspective. He is not dismissing the Cytoverse or suggesting it lacks tabletop potential. He is saying that new adaptations need to earn their place among the many books, games, and entertainment options already competing for fans' attention.

That mindset could ultimately serve a future Cytoverse game well. Rather than arriving quickly to capitalize on a recognizable name, it could be developed when there is a clear creative reason for it to exist and a format that fits the universe. It could also arrive at a point when the ongoing Cosmere game line is not fighting for exactly the same audience bandwidth.

In the shorter term, tabletop-minded Sanderson readers have plenty to follow. The coming Mistborn material for the Cosmere RPG and the developing War for Roshar strategy game show that his gaming output remains active. Readers more interested in the Cytoverse can look toward Blightfall and the early development of the television adaptation.

For now, the clearest takeaway is simple: Sanderson likes the idea of a Cytoverse tabletop adaptation, and conversations have happened. But he wants to make decisions carefully, not flood fans with projects. That means Skyward may someday take flight on the tabletop, just not on a publicly defined schedule.