Fantasy Grounds was first released in 2004 by SmiteWorks, originally based in
Espoo, Finland. In 2009, the company was purchased by Doug Davison, after which it purchased licenses for content for several
tabletop role-playing game systems. In April 2015, SmiteWorks acquired a license with
Wizards of the Coast for official
Dungeons & Dragons game content and began releasing products for the game's 5th edition on Fantasy Grounds; the same month, Fantasy Grounds became available to purchase through the
Steam digital distribution platform. In December 2016, SmiteWorks obtained a license from
Paizo Publishing for content from their
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, which was released on Fantasy Grounds starting in May 2017. Bradford then announced that he would join SmiteWorks as their new Chief Development Officer. In November 2025, it was announced that Smiteworks would make the Fantasy Grounds software free for all users without a need for a license. "“By removing the license barrier, we’re making Fantasy Grounds more accessible to the global tabletop gaming community,” said Doug Davison, President of SmiteWorks. “Whether you’re a veteran GM or a first-time player, we want everyone to experience how powerful and immersive virtual tabletop gaming can be – with zero upfront cost.” == Features ==