Apocalypse World vs Red Markets
Compare Apocalypse World and Red Markets side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Apocalypse World | Red Markets | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Post-Apocalyptic | Horror, Post-Apocalyptic |
| Play Style | Narrative, Rules-Light, Collaborative, Improvisation, Low-Prep, Drama, Theater of the Mind, Roleplay-Heavy, Playbook-Driven | Horror, Gritty, Resource Management, Roleplay-Heavy, Character-Driven |
| Core Mechanic | Roll 2d6 + stat. 6−: MC makes a hard move, 7–9: succeed with cost or complication, 10+: full success. Playbook moves trigger from the fiction. The MC follows Agendas and Principles instead of plotting. | Roll 2d10: one black (skill), one red (threat). Black higher than red means success; doubles are critical results. Characters track economic resources via Bounty (currency), gear with limited charges and upkeep costs, and a negotiation system using a Sway Tracker. Humanity erodes through Trauma, Stress, and Detachment tracks. |
| Dice | 2d6 | 2d10 |
| Complexity | Low | Medium |
| Accessibility | Medium | High |
| Runnability | High | Low |
| License | CC BY 4.0 (Powered by the Apocalypse) | Proprietary |
| Cost | $$ | $$ |
| Publisher | lumpley games | Hebanon Games |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 |
| Best For | Groups who want raw, character-driven post-apocalyptic drama where the fiction leads and the MC never plans ahead. | Groups who want a zombie RPG that's really about economic survival: negotiating contracts, managing resources, and deciding what you're willing to sacrifice to keep your dependents alive. |
| Highlights | Genre-defining design that launched the entire PbtA movement, playbooks with built-in dramatic hooks, MC framework provides detailed GM guidance, highly hackable | Economic focus makes every job feel high-stakes, negotiation mechanics add tension before combat even starts, humanity/trauma system creates character arcs, zombie threat serves a story about capitalism and survival |
| Considerations | Can feel directionless without strong character flags, 2nd edition layout is dense and hard to reference, move trigger ambiguity requires frequent MC judgment calls, harm mechanics can cascade quickly | Heavy bookkeeping with multiple resource tracks, relentlessly bleak tone, steep learning curve for the Profit system, limited availability of the full rulebook |