In Paranoia the jokes are blatent, party infighting is the norm, death means they warm up the next clone and the Computer most definitely is NOT your friend!

The game was first produced by West End Games in 1984. Set in the dystopic futuristic Alpha Complex, controlled by the Computer, characters are Troubleshooters sent out to eliminate mutants, Commies and other traitors (while concealing their own mutant and traitorous tendencies, of course). A Second Edition came out in 1987, offering more streamlined rules and elements of metaplot running through the adventures. In 1995 the Fifth Edition was launched, no doubt the Computer deleted any attempts at a 3rd or 4th Edition as these were never published!

In 2004, Mongoose Publishing produced Paranoia XP, having licenced the concept from the original designers who'd purchased the rights from West End Games. In 2005 the 'XP' was quietly removed at the request of Microsoft, presumably on the grounds that the Computer had got an upgrade from Windows XP!

In 2017 Mongoose released a new version of Paranoia, the Red Clearance Edition.

Setting Page last updated: 20 May 2017