As announced last year, 2026 marks a very exciting year for Old-School Essentials! We're simplifying the core product line to make the game easier for new players to jump in, and are producing an updated printing of the core books, featuring tons of new art and examples of play. Here's the estimated timeline of releases.

Ongoing

New Online Rules Reference

Much of the revised text of the OSE 2026 Update is already available in the online rules reference! This website presents a free-to-use, basic version of Old-School Essentials, consisting of the complete game rules and a reduced selection of classes, options, equipment, spells, monsters, and magic items.

The rules reference is still work-in-progress, so is not yet content-complete and may contain minor errors.

Compatibility: The online rules reference is 100% compatible with the B/X D&D rules and consists solely of material present in that version of the game.

July 2026

OSE 2026 Books Start Printing

As of this writing, we're currently preparing the OSE core books files to send to the printer. They should start printing some time in July.

Core Book PDFs Released

Once printing is under way, we'll release the book PDFs at DriveThruRPG and Exalted Funeral. Anyone who's previously bought the Player's / Referee's Tomes from those storefronts will receive the updated PDFs free of charge.

Backers of the Demonic Grimoire crowdfunding campaign will also receive the PDFs around this time, once the pledge manager surveys are sent out.

New PDF: Notes on the 2026 Update

Accompanying the updated core book PDFs, we'll also publish a short reference document on the differences between the OSE 2026 Update and previous OSE core books. This will summarize the most significant changes for people with prior versions of OSE to use in their games, if desired:

• New optional rules (3 pages). Advanced Hit Dice, Age and Lifespan, Attacking When Blinded, Fighter Combat Dominance, Hovering at Death's Door, Increasing Back-Stab Damage, Magic Armour Size, Magic Swords and Daggers Shedding Light, No Alignment Languages, Training, Weapon Restrictions For Small Characters, XP For Magic Items.
  
• Rules additions (1/2 page). Combat Aptitude, Poison Antidotes, Spell Caster Specialist.
• Rules clarifications (1/2 page). Air Elemental, Green Slime, Stun.
• Rules changes (1 page). Attacking From Behind, Multiple Classes, Secondary Skills, Slow Weapons, Waterborne Adventuring, Wilderness Adventuring.
• Tweaks to AD&D-inspired classes (1 page). Assassin, Barbarian, Knight, Ranger.

Miscellaneous PDFs Updated

We'll also update the following reference PDFs at this time: Third-Party License, Archaeological Notes on the Rules, Rules Options Checklist.

Late 2026

Core Book Retail Release

The Player's Book and Referee's Book are slated for release in November, when they'll be available from Exalted Funeral and other retailers.

Foundry VTT Update

The OSE game system and content modules will also be updated to match the 2026 Update core books. The free PDFs included with the Foundry VTT OSE Premium Game will also be updated at this time.

Early 2027

Basic Game 2026 Update

While the Classic Fantasy version of OSE will no longer be published as the main core product, it will stick around as the OSE Basic Game: a pure-B/X version of OSE, based on the revised 2026 Update text. The Basic Game will be available in two forms:

• Print on demand. Available from DriveThruRPG.
• PDF. Anyone who's previously bought the Classic Fantasy Rules Tome from DriveThruRPG or Exalted Funeral will receive the updated PDF free of charge.

Other Products?

We have lots more exciting stuff in the works for OSE. We'll have updates on those coming soon!