We hope you’re all doing well out there on the frontier. Today’s update is a big one — the kind of announcement that doesn’t just add a new feature here or there, but opens the door to some truly exciting opportunities for the High Noon community moving forward.
This is a story that’s been quietly unfolding behind the scenes for the past few months.
Back in December, one of our amazing Ride or Die posse members and dear friend, Doug Riley — who’s been riding with us since the earliest days of High Noon, even before our very first Kickstarter in 2020 — connected us with the team behind a platform called XP Network. They were in the late beta stages of building out their site and were actively looking to bring tabletop publishers into the fold.
After some great conversations and a full tour of what the platform was capable of, I decided to jump in and give it a try. From the very beginning, I could see the potential. I could also see the gaps — the kinds of challenges independent publishers might run into while trying to adopt a platform like this.
So I shared my thoughts. Candidly. Honestly. From an indie publisher’s perspective.
What happened next honestly surprised me.
The XP Network team didn’t just say “thanks for the feedback” and move on. Instead, they set up a personal meeting with the owner and creator of the platform. What followed was one of the most refreshing and productive conversations I’ve had in this industry in a long time. We quickly discovered that we shared a lot of the same passions, frustrations, and hopes for where tabletop publishing could go — especially when it comes to supporting independent creators and building real, sustainable communities.
He didn’t just listen. He was deeply receptive to every suggestion, concern, and idea I brought to the table.
And then he made an offer that completely caught me off guard.
He asked if High Noon would become their official Indie Publisher Beta Test.
The idea was simple but powerful: I would go all-in on the platform, push it to its limits, and extract as much value from it as possible from an indie publisher perspective. In return, they would build and refine an entire account structure — features, tools, and cost models — based on that real-world testing. Not theory. Not guesswork. Actual use in the trenches.
Over the past few months, that’s exactly what we’ve been doing.
We’ve been running events through the platform, testing systems, offering feedback, and working side-by-side with the XP Network staff — a team that has gone above and beyond at every step. They’ve made themselves available at all hours, taken feedback seriously, and backed up their vision with real action. These folks aren’t just talking about building something great for the industry — they’re putting in the work, investing the time, and building a platform that indie publishers can genuinely call home as they grow.
And that’s why, today, I’m genuinely thrilled to make this announcement.
High Noon is officially partnering with XP Network.
At its core, XP Network is an all-in-one rewards and event platform designed to connect fans with the games, publishers, stores, events, and experiences they love — both online and in person. Think of it as a global fandom marketplace: a single place where fans can discover official events, sign up to attend them, earn rewards, and redeem those rewards for exclusive items, prizes, or discounts across the XP Network ecosystem.
When XP Network first reached out, the timing couldn’t have been better. I was already deep in the process of building a Brand Deputy system for High Noon — something that would allow our most dedicated players to help grow the game at conventions and retail locations, run demos, events, and tournaments, and be properly rewarded for the value they create.
What immediately sold me on XP Network was that they weren’t just aligned with this vision — they had already built it… and frankly, built it better than anything I could have done alone. XPN provides streamlined tools for tracking new players, sign-ups, and participation using a simple QR code system, paired with an XP rewards structure that benefits both players and Deputies alike. It was everything I was trying to accomplish, already battle-tested and scalable.
What this means for High Noon fans is simple:
One official place to find and follow High Noon events
A way to earn rewards just for playing High Noon
A clear path for aspiring Deputies to promote the game, run events, and earn awesome rewards for doing so
This partnership gives our community more visibility, more structure, and more ways to be rewarded for showing up and supporting the game — and this is just the beginning.
How XP Works (and How You Use It)
One of the things we love most about XP Network is how simple and flexible the XP system is.
XP can be earned in a variety of ways, including:
Attending official High Noon events and tournaments
If you’re already in the Discord, just message me your XPN username and I’ll assign the XP manually
Participating in demos, events, and organized play
But the best way to earn XP is by unlocking Achievements during High Noon games that are observed by High Noon staff or approved Deputies.
That means XP can be earned by playing High Noon:
At conventions
At official High Noon events
At retail locations with a Deputy present
Even online with us on Tabletopia (which is totally free to join and play)
Achievements are earned by accomplishing specific feats during gameplay and come with two rewards:
A unique achievement badge displayed on your XP Network profile (pure bragging rights)
XP, which can be redeemed for rewards
For example: Survive all 12 rounds in a game of High Noon, and you’ll earn the Survivor achievement — along with 250 XP.
Once earned, XP can be redeemed in the XP Network store or used toward discounts and rewards across XP Network partner platforms — including High Noon-related perks as we continue to expand what’s available.
Play the game. Unlock achievements. Earn XP. Redeem rewards. That’s it.
High Noon is now fully integrated with XP Network, which means any XP you earn is automatically visible in the top-right corner of your High Noon store account.
Here’s how it works:
1. Click the XP logo in the top right of the High Noon store
2. Log in with your XP Network account (this securely links your XPN and High Noon accounts together)
3. Add whatever items you want to your cart
4. Click the XP logo again, slide the XP slider to choose how much XP you want to use, and click “Apply Discount”
That’s it.
Your XP is instantly converted into a percentage discount on your order. And if you change your mind or cancel the order? No worries — your XP goes right back into your balance automatically.
No coupons to track. No hoops to jump through.
Just play High Noon, earn XP, and turn it into real rewards when you’re ready.
XP Network Exclusive Rewards
In addition to regular High Noon items being available through the XP Network store, we’re also introducing a new category: XP Network Exclusive rewards — items that can only be obtained by spending XP.
To kick things off, we’re launching our very first official High Noon custom miniature:
This highly detailed, resin-printed miniature reimagines the Colonel with futuristic sci-fi armor and weaponry, giving him a bold cyber-frontier look while still staying true to his Rough Rider roots. It can be used in place of the Col. Rodgers miniature from the Starter Set, adding some serious flair (and bragging rights) to your battlefield.
And here’s the key: This miniature will only be available through the XP Network store and can be redeemed for 10,000 XP. No other way to get it.
This is just the first of many XP-exclusive rewards we plan to roll out — unique items created specifically for players who are active in the High Noon community and earning XP through events, achievements, and organized play.
Introducing the New High Noon Deputy Program
With the XP Network partnership in place, it’s time to roll out something we’ve been working toward for a while: a revamped and much more meaningful High Noon Deputy Program.
Originally, our Deputy system functioned as a simple affiliate program through the High Noon webstore. Anyone could sign up, receive a unique referral link, and earn a small percentage from any sales they generated. The idea was solid on paper — reward fans for spreading the word. But in practice, we learned pretty quickly that affiliate marketing takes real, consistent effort to be effective, and most folks understandably didn’t have the time or structure to make it work. The result was a system that cost more to maintain than it delivered in meaningful growth.
What we really wanted all along was something more hands-on: a true Brand Ambassador program for the fans who are out there actively teaching the game, running events, and bringing new players into the High Nooniverse.
Thanks to XP Network, we now have the infrastructure to do exactly that.
We’re officially retiring the old affiliate model and replacing it with the High Noon Deputy Program powered by XP Network — designed specifically for our most dedicated players who are ready to represent the game out in the wild.
High Noon Deputies will help grow the community by:
Running demos and teaching new players
Hosting events and tournaments
Supporting High Noon at conventions and retail locations
Introducing new players to the game and the XP Network
And importantly, Deputies will be rewarded for that effort. Deputies earn XP for hosting approved events, plus 250 XP for every new and unique player they run through a full demo game and successfully onboard to XP Network. It’s a system that rewards real community-building in real time.
If you’ve been running games, teaching friends, or championing High Noon already, this is your chance to make it official.
Think you’ve got what it takes to wear the badge? Reach out to me on Discord and let’s start the conversation.
A Final Word to Fellow Indie Publishers
This partnership wouldn’t feel right if we treated it as something we simply use. XP Network has made it abundantly clear that they want to see High Noon succeed — and in return, we want to see XP Network succeed and, more importantly, see indie publishers succeed alongside it. A rising tide lifts all ships.
Many of you know I’ve spent the past few years thinking deeply about how our industry grows, scales, and survives. I even wrote an entire book about it — Game Changer — focused on reshaping how indie publishers approach community-building and long-term growth. Honestly, I wish I’d known about XP Network while writing it, because it would have deserved an entire chapter. That’s how strongly I believe in what they’re building.
So consider this an open invitation.
If you’re an indie publisher looking for ways to scale your organic marketing, grow your player base beyond your immediate reach, and build real-world engagement that feeds back into your brand — I strongly encourage you to take a serious look at what XP Network is doing. This isn’t just a “nice-to-have” tool. In my opinion, it’s arriving at exactly the right time and represents something that could become critical infrastructure for publishers who want to compete and win in the years ahead.
As always, my door is open. If you’re curious about what we’ve done, why we approached it the way we did, or how to get started, I’m more than happy to share what I’ve learned and help make introductions to the XP Network team when the time is right.
Let’s keep pushing forward. Let’s keep supporting one another.
