In a major news for the tabletop universe of role-playing games, Critical Role has officially confirmed that former Dungeons and Dragons directors Jeremy Crawford and Chris Perkins have onboarded at Darrington Press, the firm’s in-house game publishing division. The strategic hires put two of the most respected players in the genre in one place, heralding an era of design innovation and depth for Critical Role’s growing universe.Dungeons & Dragons
Both Perkins and Crawford come with some impressive credentials attached, having played a key role in developing the Fifth Edition of Dungeons and Dragons, a time that pretty much everyone is in agreement was one of the greatest to date in the classic game’s history. Collectively, their game development, world development, and fan interaction experience makes them highly valuable to Darrington Press. The release confirms that their task will be to develop new game ideas, along with expansion and growth of current Critical Role items.
The excitement on either end is real. Perkins and Crawford openly declared that they enjoy using their wide experience towards helping with Critical Role’s story-based content, aligning their creative vision with the company’s emphasis on storytelling experiences. The acquisition indicates a strategic move on the part of Critical Role to complement its in-house development capabilities and advance its interest in the gaming industry.
Though details of their early pieces are kept secret, there are rumors directed naturally towards what the future holds for Daggerheart, the just-released tabletop RPG system by Critical Role. Having the experienced designers gives validity to a deliberate push to have Daggerheart and other books by Darrington Press not only appealing but meticulously crafted, drawing on decades of expertise in the industry. This is a watershed moment for Critical Role, one in which there is more focus on game publishing that may well redefine what creators can look forward to in tabletop content.
