Paizo Inc. has announced the development of the new Starfinder Roleplaying Game with the Starfinder Core Rulebook slated for an August 2017 release. Paizo is mostly known for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.

Set thousands of years in Pathfinder’s future, the Starfinder RPG will be a stand-alone science fantasy game evolved from the Pathfinder RPG rules in which players take on the role of a rag-tag starship crew exploring the countless mysteries of a weird universe. Starfinder’s offerings will include a new monthly Starfinder Adventure Path product line as well as accessories for players and Game Masters.

Starfinder is set in the solar system of Pathfinder’s home world of Golarion, but far in a possible future—one in which the gods have mysteriously spirited Golarion away to an unknown location, and refuse to answer questions about it. In its place, the cultures of that world have evolved and spread throughout the solar system, especially to a vast space platform called Absalom Station. Gifted access to a hyperspace dimension by an ascended AI deity, the residents of the system suddenly find themselves with the ability to travel faster than light, and the race is on to explore and colonize potentially millions of worlds. But there are horrors out there in the darkness.

The Starfinder line launches at Gen Con 2017 with the release of the 500-page Starfinder Core Rulebook, several player and Game Master accessories, and the inaugural volume of the monthly Starfinder Adventure Path line, which includes epic campaign adventures, new planets to explore, starship and player character options, as well as new monsters and aliens to battle.

Starfinder is also designed to integrate easily with the Pathfinder RPG, allowing players of either game to port over monsters, items, and adventures with a minimal conversion effort.

Starfinder was among a slew of announcements made at this year’s PaizoCon, an annual gathering of Pathfinder fans held in Seattle. Other releases coming soon to the world of Pathfinder include:

• Pathfinder RPG: Villain Codex introduces 20 villainous gangs: Brutal Slavers, Corrupt Guards, Demon Knights, Merry Outlaws, Sinister Cults, and more. Each enemy group includes full game statistics for its members, feats, spells, and magic items, and tips for incorporating them into the game, a veritable rogue’s gallery of options for busy Game Masters. 256-page hardcover, November 2016.

• Pathfinder RPG: Encounter Codex provides dozens of vastly customizable encounters giving GMs the settings, foes, and options necessary to run campaign-ready encounters for heroes of level 1 to 20—with no prep. Each encounter uses Pathfinder Flip-Mats and Pawns to create truly immersive game experiences. 256-page hardcover, Spring 2017.

• Pathfinder Adventure Path’s Ironfang Invasion is a classic fantasy campaign in which heroes explore the unknown and confront the fantastic, all to stop the monstrous hobgoblin Ironfang Legion from wiping out the good people of Nirmathas and Molthune. Players will delve into dungeons, siege well-guarded keeps, explore the wilderness, and battle some of the most iconic creatures from 40 years of roleplaying games. Ironfang Invasion releases February – July 2017.

• Curse of the Crimson Throne, one of Paizo’s most beloved Adventure Paths, receives an overhaul and full conversion to the Pathfinder RPG in September 2016. The massive 480-page hardcover—the second largest in Paizo’s history second only to the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook—contains expanded adventures including a brand-new mission written by Paizo’s creative director James Jacobs that sends the heroes into a perilous dungeon run by the infamous Gray Maidens. The AP will also feature dozens of evocative new illustrations of classic characters, as well as updated rules for monsters, magic items, character options, and more.

• The Pathfinder RPG: Core Rulebook and Bestiary will appear as softcover Pocket Editions in August 2016. The books’ smaller size and lighter weight make them perfect for convention gaming or easy browsing. Their low price ($24.99 for the Core Rulebook, $19.99 for the Bestiary) make the Pocket Editions perfect for gifts or cost-conscious customers.

In further news, Pathfinder Society, the world’s largest tabletop organized play program, announced Season 8 of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Guild, Year of the Stolen Storm, and also the new season of the Pathfinder Adventure Card Guild, Season of the Goblin. Both will kick off at Gen Con 2016. Pathfinder Society also announced the creation of Pathfinder Society Academy, a new program at introducing roleplaying games to younger players.