Dead of Winter designer turning comic series Wayward into a board game

The co-designer of Dead of Winter and Dinosaur Island is adapting comic book series Wayward for the tabletop.

Jonathan Gilmour’s Wayward: The Board Game takes place in the world of mythical monsters and supernatural goings-on created by comic writer Jim Zub and artist Steven Cummings, whose Buffy the Vampire Slayer-ish tale ran across 30 issues from 2014 until its finale earlier this year.

The co-op game will be set in Tokyo, the home of comic-book heroine Rori Lane. It’s not been confirmed how tied to the plot of the comics the game will be, with players taking on the role of supernaturally-gifted teenagers that must fight to stop the ominous Weave from unravelling. In their way are the yokai, spiritual beings trying to stop them.

Wayward: The Board Game will be scenario-based, featuring five individual scenarios with unique rule variants and objectives. Gameplay will centre on managing the threats posed by the yokai as players’ characters grow in power and ability.

IDW Games, which previous adapted pop culture series including Batman, Sonic, The Legend of Korra, Dragon Ball Z and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, will be publishing the game, following a Kickstarter next February. Inside the box will be miniatures sculpted by Super Dungeon Explore studio Ninja Division. It’s not been announced whether the game will be released in shops following the crowdfunding campaign.