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Critical Role's plans to make a videogame have become an 'active pursuit', says CEO Travis Willingham, after almost 10 years of growing a D&D campaign into a full-on franchise (www.pcgamer.com)

submitted 3 weeks ago by inclementimmigrant@lemmy.world to c/games@lemmy.world

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[-] Voroxpete@sh.itjust.works 49 points 3 weeks ago

It feels like this has disaster written all over it.

Sorry if I'm harshing anyone's vibe, but I can't escape the feeling that a group of people whose main involvement in the games industry is as voice talent are basically saying "How hard could it be?" and not understanding that the answer is "Very."

Ideally they would team up with an experienced studio to build something off of their creative ideas. But if they try to do this whole thing themselves, it has the makings of a Wha Happen? episode all over it.

Maybe it'll work. They pulled off Vox Machina, so who knows. I'd certainly like to be wrong. But I can't help but feel like we'll all be talking about the fallout from this in five years, when eager backers are still waiting for the game they were promised.

[-] ampersandrew@lemmy.world 9 points 3 weeks ago

What backers? Did they say it was kickstarted anywhere? I think they've got their own funding sources at this point.

[-] Voroxpete@sh.itjust.works 8 points 3 weeks ago

Hey, if they're actually securing funding for this instead of pushing the cost off onto eager fans, good for them. At least they're doing one thing right. Unfortunately that only increases the potential for this to turn into a trash fire that sinks their whole company.

Hopefully it doesn't come to that.

[-] ampersandrew@lemmy.world 9 points 3 weeks ago

The potential for this project to sink their whole company would come from them being extremely reckless with the ample cash flow they've got right now, which this interview says they're not, and hopefully they mean it. I don't get the sense they're trying to build an Immortals of Aveum or a Callisto Protocol.

[-] Manifish_Destiny@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago

Marisha generally knows how to run a business, unless they reach far beyond their grasp, they'll be fine.

[-] kyle@lemm.ee 17 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

I'm interested but not especially optimistic. Depends on who is actually making the game, I believe they know tabletop games well, but that doesn't necessarily translate to a CRPG.

Random aside, the article says Marisha Ray voiced Jaina Proudmoore, but it was really Laura Bailey.

[-] ampersandrew@lemmy.world 15 points 3 weeks ago

Critical Role could always licence another official D&D game with Hasbro...but my Insight check's telling me that they might try and spin up something out of Daggerheart.

Eh, I hope not. I'm not really liking what I see in Daggerheart's hope/fear system and how it interferes with initiative, especially. Plus it reminds me of that subplot from Donnie Darko.

It's already a game that uses cards, after all, and I can very easily see its systems making for a solid turn-based tactics game. Or maybe they're not gonna start small, and just barrel full steam ahead into an ambitious CRPG

I'll bet you can make a small CRPG for the cost of what their merch store brings in in a year, akin to the Kickstarter era from a decade ago, and that's if they want to be cautious with their spending. Given the layoffs of the past two years, they've likely had their pick of any talent they wanted to hire to realize whatever it is they're building.

[-] jonathan@lemmy.zip 10 points 3 weeks ago

Larian told Hasbro to fuck off for a BG3 DLC and/or sequel, so there's definitely an opening for someone to pick up that torch. That said, I also think they'll go with their own system and brand.

[-] ampersandrew@lemmy.world 5 points 3 weeks ago

Larian told Hasbro to fuck off for a BG3 DLC and/or sequel

That's definitely not how I've ever seen it framed.

I think Critical Role has an incentive to use their own system, but it's not one that I'm excited about.

[-] Maalus@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago

That's exactly how they framed it. They cited reasons as worker burnout and Hasbro / the game system. They wanted to be done with BG3. Studios don't really announce that the second they finish the game.

[-] ampersandrew@lemmy.world 0 points 3 weeks ago

It wasn't the second they finished the game. It was after working on DLC for months, which was after a 6 year development cycle. That's not the same as telling Hasbro to fuck off. That's having the luxury of a war chest that means they can afford to do the less lucrative thing and make whatever is going to keep their talent happiest.

[-] iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works 5 points 3 weeks ago

I liked what I played of Daggerheart, and its hope/fear. I just don't think it would translate well into s video game. They're very different mediums and I don't think it's crunchy enough to play well as a video game.

Ironically, I think a Critical Role game doesn't need to really be based on any ttrpg. Could just be an action rpg.

[-] Blaiz0r@lemmy.ml 1 points 3 weeks ago

I'm holding out for a Mörk Borg game

[-] KingThrillgore@lemmy.ml 11 points 3 weeks ago

I'm worried they aren't skilled enough to do it, they just want that sweet BG3 money.

[-] Maalus@lemmy.world 6 points 3 weeks ago

They literally have been connected to video games development their entire career. They are voice actors. They do that shit all the time.

[-] subignition@fedia.io 6 points 3 weeks ago

After Larian is done with ~~The Witcher 4~~ whatever their next project(s) are, they should pair up. Infinite money glitch

edit: dumb

[-] ampersandrew@lemmy.world 12 points 3 weeks ago

Did you mean CD Projekt Red?

[-] subignition@fedia.io 2 points 3 weeks ago

Got a little mixed up there, I recalled hearing that Larian already had plans for their next game after BG3 but my brain incorrectly autofilled Witcher as what that game was - that's not even the right developer. Silly brain.

[-] catloaf@lemm.ee 3 points 3 weeks ago

A great D&D video game just came out recently, and will be the biggest player for a while. How do they plan to outshine BG3?

[-] Valencia@sh.itjust.works 6 points 3 weeks ago

Do they need to outshine bg3? Releasing a crpg based on their characters and world I'm sure would do well enough with their audience. I'm imagining just pillars of eternity 2 with a critical role skin.