Mantic Games is bringing Shirow Masamune’s cyberpunk classic to the tabletop with an officially licensed Ghost in the Shell roleplaying game. Scheduled for release in summer 2026, the new game will place players in the world of Public Security Section 9, with custom agents, cybernetic upgrades, hacking, lethal firefights, and investigations shaped by the original manga’s distinctive blend of action and philosophy.
The project is being developed by Mantic Games under license from Kodansha Ltd., the publisher of the original manga. Rather than adapting one of the franchise’s anime continuities, the game is built around Masamune’s source material, with the rulebook featuring artwork from the manga and profiles for recognizable Section 9 characters.
Here’s what we know so far: players will create trainee agents joining Section 9, then take part in missions involving cybercrime, political intrigue, espionage, and the increasingly blurred boundary between human minds and mechanical bodies.
A bespoke system for Section 9 operatives
The Ghost in the Shell: Tabletop Roleplaying Game will use a bespoke roleplaying system designed specifically for this setting. Mantic says the rules are intended to support fast-moving, narrative-focused play while still making room for the franchise’s more thoughtful themes surrounding identity, technology, consciousness, and power.
Character creation is expected to be a major part of the experience. Players will design their own trainee agents rather than simply stepping into the roles of Major Motoko Kusanagi, Batou, Togusa, or other established characters. The campaign page describes characters built around strengths, flaws, skills, cybernetics, equipment, and personal conflicts instead of rigid classes.
The game’s “synthesis” system is also intended to add extra depth to each character. The exact mechanics have not been fully detailed, but Mantic has previewed rules involving character conflict, cybernetic development, mission preparation, and the psychological pressures of operating in a society where the line between a person and their artificial body is never entirely clear.
Hacking, weaponry, and high-risk missions
Combat is set to be fast and highly lethal, which feels appropriate for a franchise where a single burst of gunfire—or a compromised cyberbrain—can end an operation. The announced rules cover a broad arsenal of weapons, gear, technology, and cybernetic enhancements, alongside systems for hacking and digital warfare.
Mantic’s previews have also highlighted mission planning. Agents can prepare their loadouts with weapons, drones, signal jammers, cyber tools, and stealth equipment before heading into the field. That should give groups plenty of room to approach a situation through investigation, infiltration, tactical combat, or some combination of all three.
The first named scenario is “Lost Patriot.” Mantic has described it as the game’s opening mission, with later campaign material expected to take players deeper into the world of Section 9. The publisher has also promised character profiles for famous figures from the manga, giving Game Masters established personalities and lore to work with during their own stories.
BackerKit campaign adds miniatures and digital access
The project has moved beyond its initial announcement and is currently being presented through a BackerKit campaign. In addition to the roleplaying game itself, Mantic has revealed a Section 9 Miniature Collection featuring six iconic figures: Major Motoko Kusanagi, Batou, Aramaki, Saito, Togusa, and a Fuchikoma.
The campaign’s tabletop bundles include a hardback rulebook, a Game Master screen, custom dice, and character sheets, while higher tiers add the miniature collection and a limited-edition art print. Shirow Masamune has also created new artwork for the campaign, giving collectors an extra reason to keep an eye on the project beyond the core RPG.
One particularly useful detail for players is the digital rulebook plan. Backers are scheduled to receive the PDF after completing the pledge manager, allowing groups to begin reading and playing before the physical rewards arrive. The current campaign timeline lists physical fulfilment for 2027, with manufacturing and regional shipping planned after the crowdfunding and pledge-manager stages.
Pricing and final retail contents for the wider release have not been confirmed in the original announcement. The BackerKit campaign provides more information about pledge bundles and add-ons, but fans waiting for a standard retail edition will still want to watch for Mantic’s final release details.
For longtime Ghost in the Shell fans, the bigger surprise is how directly this project is engaging with the manga’s ideas rather than treating the property as a straightforward action license. With Alessio Cavatore and Zak Barouh leading the design and Mantic preparing additional designer diaries, actual-play material, and rulebook previews, the next stage will be seeing whether the finished mechanics can make cybernetic identity and networked warfare as interesting at the table as they are on the page.
Sources
manticgames.com
backerkit.com
kodansha.us
