History of Traveller (role-playing game) in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: April 5, 2026

Traveller is a science fiction role-playing game created by Marc Miller, with contributions from Frank Chadwick, John Harshman, and Loren Wiseman, and first published in 1977. It uses six-sided dice to resolve random elements. The game has been adapted to various systems like GURPS and d20. The Traveller universe has also been featured in novels and video games.

1977: Original Version Design and Publication

In 1977, GDW designed and published the original version of Traveller, which included a box set of three black digest-sized books that were later compiled into a single volume rulebook known as Classic Traveller.

1977: First Publication by Game Designers' Workshop

In 1977, Traveller, a science fiction role-playing game, was first published by Game Designers' Workshop, designed by Marc Miller with contributions from Frank Chadwick, John Harshman, and Loren Wiseman. The game uses six-sided dice for random elements and has been adapted into novels and video games.

1977: Publication of the Original Version

In 1977, the original version of Traveller, known as Classic Traveller, was published by Game Designers' Workshop (GDW), marking the beginning of the game's evolution through various editions with different settings, timelines, and mechanics.

May 1978: White Dwarf Review

In May 1978, Don Turnbull in White Dwarf (Issue #6) gave a strong recommendation for Traveller, praising its presentation, detail, treatment, and inventiveness.

September 1978: Dragon Magazine Review

In September 1978, Tony Watson in Dragon (Issue 18) complimented Traveller's high production value and focus on gameplay over experience points, strongly recommending it as a unique and excellent SF game.

March 1980: Ares Inaugural Edition Review

In March 1980, David Ritchie in the inaugural edition of Ares gave Traveller an above-average rating of 8 out of 9, praising its consistent rules and potential popularity compared to Dungeons & Dragons.

June 1980: The Space Gamer Review

In June 1980, Forrest Johnson in The Space Gamer (Issue No. 28) gave a good review of Traveller, recommending it as the best game of its type for sophisticated science fiction gamers.

November 1980: Ares Review

In November 1980, Eric Goldberg in Ares (Issue #5) called Traveller a most impressive achievement from a design standpoint, considering it the finest commercially available role-playing game, while criticizing its lack of imaginary vision of future technology.

1980: Review in The Complete Book of Wargames

In 1980, Jon Freeman in The Complete Book of Wargames commented that Traveller is the only serious attempt at a comprehensive set of science fiction role-playing rules, requiring familiarity with other RPGs and science fiction literature, giving it an Overall Evaluation of "Good".

November 1981: White Dwarf Review of Deluxe Traveller Edition

In November 1981, Andy Slack reviewed the Deluxe Traveller Edition in White Dwarf, noting improved layout and rectified typos but rating it lower for experienced players already owning the original booklets, and higher for new players.

1981: Eurisko wins championship

In 1981, Douglas Lenat's Eurisko heuristic learning program, applied to Traveller's Trillion Credit Squadron, won a championship by exploiting corner-case features and building unusual fleets.

1981: FASA publishes The Imperial Data Recovery System

In 1981, FASA published The Imperial Data Recovery System, a computer program designed as a play aid to streamline bookkeeping and assist with various game aspects of Traveller. However, it received a negative review from John M. Morrison in The Space Gamer No. 50.

1982: Eurisko wins championship again

In 1982, Douglas Lenat's Eurisko heuristic learning program, applied to Traveller's Trillion Credit Squadron, won the championship again, leading to the sponsor discontinuing sponsorship if Lenat participated the following year.

1983: Start of "The Travellers" comic strip

In 1983, the gaming magazine White Dwarf began running "The Travellers," a comic strip by Mark Harrison that spoofed Traveller and other space opera settings.

1986: End of "The Travellers" comic strip

In 1986, White Dwarf stopped running the comic strip "The Travellers", which had been running since 1983.

October 1988: Games International Review of MegaTraveller

In October 1988, Jake Thornton in Games International gave MegaTraveller an above-average rating, praising its grand, star-spanning scale, despite some typos and omissions.

1990: Review in The Complete Guide to Role-Playing Games

In 1990, Rick Swan in The Complete Guide to Role-Playing Games called Traveller the standard for science fiction RPGs, praising its brilliant design and revolutionary concepts, giving it a top rating.

1993: Pyramid Review of Traveller: The New Era

In 1993, Chris W. McCubbin reviewed Traveller: The New Era for Pyramid #2, concluding that despite some issues, he was glad it was still around and hoped it would continue to endure.

1996: Ranking in Arcane Magazine Reader Poll

In 1996, Traveller (including MegaTraveller and Traveller: The New Era) was ranked 3rd in a reader poll by Arcane magazine to determine the 50 most popular roleplaying games of all time, praised for its Imperium campaign background and versatility.

1996: Induction into Origins Hall of Fame

In 1996, Traveller was inducted into the Origins Hall of Fame, recognizing its significant contributions to the role-playing game hobby.

August 1997: Dragon Review of Fourth Edition

In August 1997, Rick Swan reviewed the fourth edition of Traveller in Dragon (Issue 238), calling it a masterful effort and the best science-fiction RPG he'd ever played, despite criticisms of anachronistic weapons and slow character growth, giving it a top rating.

1998: Publication of GURPS Traveller

In 1998, Loren K. Wiseman designed and published GURPS Traveller, which uses the third edition of the GURPS system and is set in an alternate timeline where no Rebellion occurred and Virus was never released.

2000: Setting of Traveller: The New Era

In 2000, Traveller: The New Era was set in the collapsed Third Imperium's former territory and introduced Virus, a silicon-chip life form, using GDW's house system from Twilight: 2000, 2nd Ed.

2002: Publication of the d20 System version

In 2002, QuickLink Interactive (QLI) published a version of Traveller using the d20 System, set during the Solomani Rim War around Imperial year 990, about a century before the original game, focusing on the Gateway Domain region of the Imperium.

2004: Release of the 4th edition of GURPS

In 2004, the 4th edition of GURPS was released. In 2006, Steve Jackson Games released GURPS Traveller: Interstellar Wars (GTIW) for the 4th edition of GURPS, setting the timeline back to 2170, during Earth's early presence in space after the Third Interstellar War.

2006: Release of GURPS Traveller: Interstellar Wars

In 2006, Steve Jackson Games released GURPS Traveller: Interstellar Wars (GTIW) for the 4th edition of GURPS, setting the timeline back to 2170, during Earth's early presence in space after the Third Interstellar War.

2006: Port to Hero System

In 2006, a port of the Traveller setting to the Hero System was produced under license by Comstar Games.

2008: Publication by Mongoose Publishing

In 2008, Mongoose Publishing published a version of Traveller in a traditional format and as an open gaming SRD, allowing other games to be built around it.

2012: Mongoose Publishing releases 2300 AD sourcebook

In 2012, Mongoose Publishing released a sourcebook for the 2300 AD setting, adapting it to their version of the Traveller rules.

2013: Publication of New Rules Set

In 2013, Mark Miller, the original game designer, published a new set of rules for Traveller, reworking and integrating concepts from earlier rulesets.

2013: Traveller Rated #2 by Black Gate

In 2013, Scott Taylor for Black Gate rated Traveller as #2 in the top ten role-playing games of all time, highlighting its enduring appeal through ten editions and six gaming companies, despite its unassuming appearance.

2016: Second Edition Publication

In 2016, a second edition of Mongoose Traveller was published, featuring a full-color production style while closely basing the rule set on the original Traveller rules.

2019: Creation of the Xboat fanzine

In 2019, the Traveller fanzine Xboat was created and printed for Kickstarter fans.

2019: Publication of Updated Version v5.10

In 2019, the current updated version, v5.10, of Traveller was printed as three distinct books: Characters and Combat, Starships, and Worlds and Adventures, introducing Uncertain checks.

2022: Update of Second Edition

In 2022, an update to the second edition of Mongoose Traveller was released. The second edition was published in 2016, featuring a full-color production style while closely basing the rule set on the original Traveller rules.

2023: Publication of "Monsters, Aliens, and Holes in the Ground"

In 2023, RPG historian Stu Horvath's book "Monsters, Aliens, and Holes in the Ground" highlights Traveller's significance as a distinct and influential sci-fi RPG, noting its impact on subsequent games involving complex technology.