Wizards of the Coast launches official Dungeons & Dragons Actual Play show

Wizards of the Coast is getting back into the Actual Play game. Today, Wizards announced via Variety that they are launching a new Actual Play show called Dungeon Masters, starring Jasmine Bhullar as the Dungeon Master along with players Mayanna Berrin, Christian Navarro, Neil Newbon and Devora Wilde. Wilde and Newbon are veterans of Baldur's Gate 3, a smash hit for the Dungeons & Dragons IP. However, both actors will be playing new characters and not their Baldur's Gate 3 characters.

Of note is that the show will feature "official, unreleased D&D content" which will be put up for sale on D&D Beyond following every episode. The first arc takes place in Ravenloft and will feature content from Ravenloft: The Horrors Within. New episodes will be released weekly on YouTube, starting on April 22nd.

Wizards of the Coast previously produced several official D&D Actual Play series, including Dice, Camera, Action and Force Grey. Dice, Camera, Action was their flagship D&D program for years until it unceremoniously ended due to a scandal involving two of its players.

 

[Clint_L]

My initial thoughts:

1. I love actual plays, so I am looking forward to this.

2. I also love some horror in my games.

3. Cast is excellent.

4. I have that zombie clot miniature! Just used it recently, and it's a fun one to plunk down on the table!

5. I like the idea of a "monster of the week". I like it a lot.

 

[Mournblade94]

You are focusing on the wrong aspect. No one cares where you have to buy it from if you own the thing after purchase. The problem with Beyond is that you DO NOT own it.

Its the way the world's going and it sucks. Disney is said to be eliminating its entire physical media department according to reliable sources like the Wrap.

I have all the Marvel Movies up to Doctor Strange 2 on Blu Ray. After that it became more effort if not impossible to buy.

I think losing the physical media browsing experience is a serious loss for comics and games. Bookstore browsing, Best Buy et al physical media browsing, hell even Movie Theatre wait lines are gone. Places for fans to all meet. Online virtual spaced just cant compare to the physical fan third spaces that barely exist anymore. Ive met lifetime friends through those.

 

[Mournblade94]

As much as watching 5 people I've never heard of play D&D sounds... oh wait that doesn't sound fun at all.

I've watched actual plays but I only watched them for "DM Tips". Then I realized its barely Dming at all.

I definitely avoid showing my daughter actual plays. Shes developing her own game identity really well and fortunately none of the kids in her group seem interested. I don't want her to start thinking scripted roles by actors are the way to play.

I sent her and my wife to see D20 Tavern when it was on Broadway and she was selected to go on stage. I didn't go see it because it didn't seem like D&D at all. But I did think my daughter should experience it. D20 Tavern though is just a play.

 

[Mournblade94]

Because I don't watch strangers play D&D on the internet?

Lol. I know of the BG3 Voice Actors but I have no idea who the other people are. I know some Critical Role people from when I was trying to parse out if it was really a game. Its mostly a Performing Art.

 

[Mournblade94]

Please do. I can't wait to get them free off Scribd an hour after they're released.

And get advertisements every 3 seconds? Scribd and Any flip have led to alot of book purchases by me because the interface is annoying.

 

[liteberer]

Allow me to be pedantic for a second.... DND Beyond isn't just a phone app. It's got a desktop where the digital books are not janky at all and despite the DRM bs, I really like the digital version of DND books. Many of them are much cleaner and easier to read than some of the books that have terrible layouts and stuff like that. I don't really even fundamentally disagree with what you're saying, but at the same time I understand that there is something for everyone. Maybe you dont like DND Beyond, maybe you dont like digital books... that is totally fine but the game exists for more people than just you.

I think you missed my messages where I said, I'm happy for people that love DNDB. I just don't understand why they are attacking me for saying that I don't like it and I'm not going to use it. On that part, you and I are on the same page.

 

[liteberer]

Every production is trying to sell something.. that is how they stay afloat... something like Critical Role is no exception. That's how this economy works.

I said this is my opinion and what I would like. More of a throughline with some stakes. I also said that I would still watch, either way. I am not naive to capitalism.

Edit: I took out needlessly combative information.

 

[Mournblade94]

53 year old gets jimmies rustled over someone's conflicting opinion.

Just stick to defending DDB lol

Its the internet.

 

[Mournblade94]

The origins are fairly well known.

The World's First Actual Play

The origin of Role-playing games are pretty well known but I still read every book about it when they're written or seek out every documentary. Ive learned new things each time.

 

[saviirkad]

Emily Freidman also covers things like this.

Emily Friedman is a fantastic resource, highly recommend