WotC Chris Perkins announces Retirement from Dungeons and Dragons

Over on Twitter and Bluesky, Chris Perkins has announced his retirement from Dungeons and Dragons.

Chris Perkins started officially working for Wizards of the Coast in 1997 as an Editor for Dungeon Magazine. Since then, he has functioned as the Editor in Chief of D&D Periodicals, A Senior Producer, and eventually landing as the Senior Story Editor over D&D 5e and Game Architect on D&D 5e 2024.

He also is known for acting as one of the Dungeons Masters for Acquisitions, Incorporated.

Personally, I'll miss the guy's work.

https://bsky.app/profile/chrisperkinsdnd.bsky.social%2Fpost%2F3llyvdjkphk2p

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

That’s weird. Didn’t he just get a promotion?

I suspect that a lot of what he did is being subsumed by the "Senior Narrative Worldbuilding Designer for Dungeons & Dragons" role that that they were hiring for a while back.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Didn’t he just recently become Creative Director or the equivalent?

Last October, so only a few months ago WotC - D&D's Christopher Perkins Promoted to Creative Director

 

[wicked cool]

Good for him. Only 57 so I wonder what’s next

 

[Distracted DM]

Wonder if he's done with TTRPGs or just done with WotC?

 

[Reynard]

I don't love every decision Perkins has made for the game, but I have never doubted that he was designing out of love rather than any crass motivations.

 

[Maenalis]

My version:
I don't love every product Mr. Perkins has made, but I have never doubted that he was designing out of love rather than any crass motivations.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Every time I hear someone complain about how WotC and the designers don't care about older players, I point to Jeremey and Chris (both players since the AD&D days). Now I guess I only have Jeremy...

 

[LaTia J]

Back in my creator days, I was meant to be his DM for D&D Celebration after it moved online due to COVID, but I had a death in the family a week before. I tried to power through and run the game anyway but they talked me out of it and it went on with another DM. (It was the right decision and I don't say that to suggest they were callous about it in any way.)

Not only did the table as a whole send me a lovely gift, but he sent a separate email offering condolences that I still have saved.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

I always considered Chris Perkins, Mike Mearls, and Jeremy Crawford to be the “Big Three” of the 5e D&D design team. Of the three, Crawford will be the last one left on the team.

Obviously there are others that had big roles in the development of 5e. James Wyatt is working on D&D again, right?

But it feels like we’re coming to the end of an era.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Last October, so only a few months ago WotC - D&D's Christopher Perkins Promoted to Creative Director

Yeah and as @Nikosandros pointed out to me, I predicted it wouldn't last long because the role was basically superfluous, but 5 months is a lot shorter than even I expected. I suspect it's quite likely the role will vanish with him leaving.

Now the question is how much longer will Crawford be with D&D? I would be surprised if he was five years from now but maybe we should be thinking much shorter-term! His role will actually require replacement though.