Era IV: 2003: Fantasy, Space, and Armageddon’s Many Flavors

Humanoids Inc (formerly West End Games) is bought out by Eric J. Gibson, creating Purgatory Publishing. Hawthorn Hobgoblynn Press becomes EOS Press. Blacksburg Tactical Research Center published the End All Be All, or (EABA) game system reaching back to the previous CORPS and TimeLords game systems, and other game systems such as GURPS,. Also in this year, Hex Entertainment launched the second edition of the QAGS (Quick Ass Game System). Hero System, and Call of Cthulhu as influences. Human Head Studios begins publishing RPGs.

EABAlarp - a live action role-playing version of the EABA rules by BTRC.

Fate by Evil Hat Productions. Based on the FUDGE system but using the SRD as a d20 game. The is an almost entirely customizable system allowing the least possible obstruction for players to avoid dice rolls and focus on free form game play.
QUAGS 2 by Hex Games.
HG Game Engine by PH Games.
Unisystem 2 is a game system produced by Eden Studios Inc.
Tri-Stat dX rpg system is introduced as part of the Guardians of Order RPG.

Orpheus is published as part of the Storyteller System

Marvel Universe Roleplaying Game by Marvel Comics uses a resource-management system inspired by collectible card games; in this case, red stones initially part of a character’s ‘energy reserve’.
BESM d20 (Big Eyes Small Mouth) is published by Guardians of Order.
Cartoon Action Hour by  Z-Man Games. All cartoons from the 1980’s! Live it all over again!
Diana: Warrior Princess by Heliograph. Contemporary magical swords and sorcery game set against the Pricess Di / Prince Charles marriage.
Angel RPG by Eden Studios.
My Life with Master by Half Meme Press. A narrative game system where the PCs are minions to a master and must determine how to overthrow him / her.

Victoriana by Heresy Gaming. Victorian steam punk game with heavy commentary against Victorian era social values.

Two-Fisted Tales by Politically incorrect Games. Enter the world of 30’s and 40’s pulp fiction heroes or heroines.
OGL CyberNet by Mongoose Pub. Grim and gritty OGL cyberpunk.
OGL Horror by Mongoose Pub. Horror in the OGL realm.

Ythrek a low tech / fantasy Renaissance world setting by BTRC.

The Dark Eye / Het Oog des Meesters by FanPro is the fantasy game set in the world of Aventuria that is based on the 4e of “Das Schwarze Auge”.
Midnight by Fantasy Flight Games is released under the OGL. In this evil-dominated world of Eredane, the dark god Izrador has won domination. The standard races are downtrodden and the greenskins (Orcs) rule the day.
Warcraft: the RPG by Sword & Sorcery (White Wolf).
Monte Cook’s Arcanan Unearthed by  Sword & Sorcery / Malhavoc Press. It is a Player’s Handbook variant that focuses on themes of new character classes and ritual concepts.
The Lord of the Rings RPG by Decipher.
HarnMaster by Columbia Games.
HarnMaster 1.5 by Kelestia Productions. This is a PDF version of HarnMaster that was independently released in 1998. This is the ‘author’s cut’ of HarnMaster that clarifies and adds to the initial format.
Fantasy Hero by Hero Games. Second edition.
HeroQuest by Issaries. Although an overview of the magic world Glorantha, this is ultimately a generic RPG for any genre.
Darwin’s World by RPGObjects. Part of the d20 Modern and is an omnibus 1^st and 2^nd editions.
Warmachine by Privateer Press. A wargame using figures from the Iron Kingdoms RPG.
Conan: The Roleplaying Game translated into French and Spanish by the Spanish publishing house Edge Entertainment.

Prime Directive by Task Force Games.

Jovian Chronicles by Dream Pod 9. The d20 Modern version of the 23^rd century sci fi giant robot space anime.
Ex Machina is also published, set in the cyberpunk / post-cyber era.
Stargate SG-1 RPG by AEG.
Terra Primate by Eden Studios.
TimeLords time travel setting by BTRC.
SpaceTime science fiction / cyberpunk by BTRC.
Colonies science fiction setting by BTRC

Macho Women with Guns by Mongoose Pub. Re-enter the cliché-riddled-post-apocalyptic world of the Machoverse!

Gamma World by Sword & Sorcery. The d20 version of the game world.
Paranoia XP by Mongoose Publishing.
Rifts Chaos Earth RPG is published by Palladium Books, serving as a game pre-history to the Rifts RPG world.
Armageddon: The End Times by Eden Studios.
Armageddon: 2089 by Mongoose Pub.
kill puppies for satan by Lumpley Games. Really?
Fates Worse than Death by Vajra Enterprises. 2080 A.D. in ‘the city’ where anarchy and outcasts are wrapped in a tapestry of evil and horror. Learn to save yourself.
All Flesh Must Be Eaten by Eden Studios. Hardcover book of the 2000 zombie survival horror game.
Age of Ruin - post-apocalypse setting in its second edition by Cutting Edge Games.

Munchkin Master’s Guide by SJG. Based upon the d20 (3e) system.

GURPS 3: Age of Napoleon
GURPS 3: Blue Planet
GURPS 3: Covert Ops
GURPS 3: Faerie
GURPS 3: Planet of Adventure
GURPS 3: Rogues
GURPS 3: Shapeshifters
GURPS 3: SWAT
GURPS 3: Weird War II
GURPS 3.5: Lite

WARCRAFT III: Reign of Chaos / Frozen Throne hits the shelves. The cost of developing a competitive commercial MMORPG title often exceeded $10 million by 2003.^[42] These projects require multiple disciplines within game design and development such as 3D modeling, 2D art, animation, user interfaces, client/server engineering, database architecture, and network infrastructure. Online RPG games offer game altering choices: Deus Ex: Invisible War and Tales of Symphonia.