Arkenforge

Arkenforge Tabletop is a virtual tabletop and map builder made for in-person play, where animated maps are shown on a screen at the table. The page says plainly that it is not built for online play. It runs on Windows and macOS and lists 8 GB RAM, a dedicated GPU and 10 GB of storage as requirements.

The business model is one-time bundles in US dollars with no subscription, from the Standalone Toolkit at US$17.50 to the Ultimate Bundle at US$125, and a 30-day trial is offered without a credit card. Content themes cover Fantasy, Cyberpunk, Space, Post-Apocalyptic and Wild West. The page states that no generative AI is used in its art or code. It names a 2026 company copyright but no street address or country.

• Player display with fog of war. A plug-and-play player display shows the map on a TV or projector with fog of war. The game master controls what players see, so reveals can be timed during a session.
• Animated map building. Maps are built from animated assets rather than static images. The Standalone Toolkit includes 169 animated assets, and the Ultimate Bundle adds 693 more, so the scenes can include moving water, fire and similar effects.
• Unlimited content import. Users can bring in their own material. Accepted imports are JPG, PNG and WEBP images up to 16k pixels, GIF, MP4, M4V and WEBM animation, and MP3, OGG and WAV audio.
• Offline use. After the first login the software works offline, which helps at game stores, conventions or homes without reliable internet. The page does not say how often a login must be repeated.
• Touch-screen miniature tracking. On a touch screen the software can track physical miniatures, linking the figures on the table to positions on the map. The page does not list which screens or hardware are compatible.
• Hex and isometric grids. Hex and isometric grids with snap-to-grid are named features. Grid choice matters for tactical games, and the page does not describe grid size limits or custom grid options.
• Export and external content. Maps can be exported to online virtual tabletops or printed. The page also mentions importing content from Patreon and DriveThruRPG, though it gives no details on how that import works.

• Game masters running tables in person. A game master with a TV or projector at the table can show animated maps and fog of war to players, using any screen that appears as an extended display over HDMI or a display cable.
• Creators who sell or share maps. Someone who builds scenes can export them to online virtual tabletops or print them, so one scene serves both an online group and a live session.
• Players of non-fantasy systems. The themes include Cyberpunk, Space, Post-Apocalyptic and Wild West, which suits groups playing games outside traditional fantasy settings.

Download Arkenforge for Windows or macOS and check the stated requirements first: 8 GB RAM, a dedicated GPU and 10 GB of storage. A free 30-day trial is offered and the page states no credit card is required. After the first login the software can be used offline.

Connect a TV or projector that appears as an extended display, over HDMI or a display cable, and the page says screens from 10 to 300 inches have been used. Then build or import a map and open the player display with fog of war. Tutorials are on the Arkenforge YouTube channel, and support goes through contact forms and tickets.

Arkenforge builds animated maps for a screen laid flat or mounted at a real table, and the vendor says it is not built for online play.

Bundles are sold once, from US$17.50 to US$125, after a 30-day trial. The requirements are steeper than most rivals: 8 GB RAM, a dedicated GPU and Windows or macOS, and no country is named on the page.

The fantasy map makers list places Arkenforge 5 of 11: it follows Fractal Mapper and comes before DungeonFog. From place 4 the established names follow in their ranked order; we publish no numeric score.

The vendor states no country of establishment, so Arkenforge is left out of the regional count for this list.

Charging model: Four one-time bundles with prices published in US dollars; a 30-day trial needs no card.

Arkenforge sells one-time bundles in US dollars with no subscription. The Standalone Toolkit costs US$17.50, Fantasy Starter US$24, Fantasy Major Bundle US$40 and Ultimate Bundle US$125, each shown with a stated recommended price. The Standalone Toolkit includes 140 objects, 29 textures, 7 lines or walls, 169 animated assets, 23 modular assets and 46 character tokens. The Ultimate Bundle adds 12,344 objects, 553 textures, 704 lines or walls, 693 animated assets, 1,849 modular assets and 326 character tokens, and includes all Arkenforge content released to date. A free 30-day trial is offered without a credit card. The page does not say whether prices include tax.

We took this from arkenforge.com, the vendor’s own site, when we reviewed Best Fantasy Map Makers in 2026; that review is dated 13 November 2026.

Arkenforge treats the map as something shown on a screen at the table: a player display with fog of war, animated scenes, hex and isometric grids, and touch tracking of physical miniatures.

Imports cover images up to 16k pixels, animation and audio, and the vendor says it uses no generative AI.

Its weakness is the content model, since the toolkit bundles differ by object counts, so a fuller library means the dearer bundle, and no country is stated.

The page we read does not describe a privacy policy, encryption, certifications or where account data is kept. The software works offline after the first login, so map files can stay on the user's own computer, though the page does not state where they are saved.

Imported content stays under the user's control in the sense that the user chooses what to import. The page states that Arkenforge does not use generative AI in its art or code. A company copyright for 2026 is named, but no street address or country appears on the page we read.

Integrations the vendor names (9):

• Windows
• macOS
• Online virtual tabletops
• Patreon
• DriveThruRPG
• HDMI displays
• Touch screens
• YouTube tutorials
• Print export

Shared tags and a similar price model decide who is listed here; where none match, the neighbours in the ranking fill in.

• Wonderdraft (#1 of 11): Desktop painter for continents, coastlines and labels, bought once and kept. Best for: Hobby worldbuilders who want one purchase, offline painting and no commercial licence fee.
• Azgaar Fantasy Map Generator (#2 of 11): Not for: buyers who need a named vendor, support terms or a contract. Open-source generator that builds whole worlds in a browser tab.
• Fractal Mapper (#4 of 11): Windows mapping tool with fractal coastlines, hex grids and scripting.
• DungeonFog (#6 of 11): Vector battle-map editor with fog of war and a large asset library. Best for: Game masters running battle maps with fog of war and export to Foundry VTT.
• Dungeondraft (#9 of 11): Best for: Referees wanting lit, tiled encounter maps with sale rights and no recurring fee.

Read from the vendor’s own pages on 12 November 2026.

• arkenforge.com: In-person focus, Windows and macOS, 8 GB RAM, dedicated GPU, 10 GB storage
• arkenforge.com: Bundle prices US$17.50, US$24, US$40 and US$125, and contents of the Standalone Toolkit and Ultimate Bundle
• arkenforge.com: Free 30-day trial, offline use, import formats, display sizes and exports
• arkenforge.com: No generative AI, tutorials, support, 2026 copyright and no address or country

The same four questions are asked of every fantasy map makers product: time to value, real cost, the way out and the intended buyer. Here that gives Arkenforge the #5 position in a list of 11. Read the editorial process for the method and where paid visibility fits in.