The Thing: Norwegian Outpost

About this expansion

The Thing: Norwegian Outpost is an expansion for 4–8 players, with games lasting about 90 minutes, that recreates the events at Thule Station where the horror began. New characters, a new board, and new materials bring the setting of the 2011 film to the tabletop.

The Thing hides its identity beneath a convincing appearance of humanity, creating a game of uncertainty and escalating distrust. The expansion introduces new ways for players to investigate one another while adding several possible paths to victory or defeat.

• Teeth and fillings: The alien cannot assimilate or duplicate metal, making dental fillings evidence that a character is definitely human—but their absence does not prove someone is the Thing.
• Flashlight tests: Flashlights replace the wire-and-flamethrower test, allowing players to inspect other characters’ teeth.
• The dog’s escape: If the dog reaches Outpost 31, a future game of the 1982 version can include a pack leader dog that behaves differently throughout play.
• The UFO: This new location offers the Thing a potential escape route and becomes the site of the final confrontation with any remaining humans.

Survival can also become a solitary affair. Players may voluntarily sabotage vehicles even when they are human, adding another layer of suspicion as everyone considers whether cooperation is worth the risk.

Not every new possibility must occur in every game. The dog’s escape, the UFO, and the shifting loyalties of the crew all depend on player behavior, making The Thing: Norwegian Outpost a tense return to the station where the nightmare started.