Starfinder makers are selling physical copies of the sci-fi RPG’s April Fools prank

The tabletop nerds behind both Pathfinder and Starfinder RPG are selling printed versions of their April Fools prank, which involved touting a 160-page sourcebook called The Gap that would definitively bridge the two settings and link the fantasy-flavoured Golarion with Absolom Stations far-future environs. Except, the entire thing is full of blank paper.

But now you, too, can own a glorified hardcover notebook printed with the Starfinder logo and some deep space nebula background art. “You asked, we delivered!” publisher Paizo tweeted earlier this week. “For generations, all information from the mysterious period in Starfinder history known as The Gap has been lost. And now? Well, it's still lost.”

There’s genuinely nothing printed between the pages of this book. Those that buy from the limited stock of physical copies will pay $15 for a standard-sized sourcebook bereft of any information, layout, design or artwork. You could use it for notekeeping at the table, and the price point isn’t terrible for a hardy scribbling tome, but I just want readers to be fully aware - Paizo deliberately printed absolutely nothing inside The Gap’s pages. That is the whole joke.

Marketing and media specialist Rue Dickey created a goofy, fun video alongside Starfinder senior developer Jenny Jarzabski, roping in managing creative director Thurston Hillman and chief creative officer Eric Mona - who is playing the exasperated straight man boss pretty well. The conceit behind The Gap is that information regarding the connective tissue between Starfinder and Pathfinder has been deliberately erased, silenced and wiped from memory for some ulterior reason.

Apparently, the same shadowy powers got to this book before us, as well. Perhaps there were once plenty of secrets hidden between the covers. Perhaps they’re still there and only hidden deeper because of those prying eyes. Whatever the case, Paizo has “printed extremely limited quantities” of the books for fans who love an April Fools joke taken oh so seriously. If this kind of tabletop stunt tickles your fancy, you should check out Tim Hutchings work designing intentionally frustrating RPG ephemera, such as Apollo 47 Technical Manual PDF (an RPG) and the irritating, yet poignant companion book to Thousand Year Old Vampire

Read more about The Gap and its (non)contents on Paizo’s webpage. The company doesn’t even list authors, artists or any other credits. I guess the company’s contracted printers are as close as we get to authorship. Oh, and there’s a PDF version if you prefer to scroll endlessly through a parade of blank pages.