New D&D Video Game Announced

Sacrosanct said:

Sure, but this isn't an MMO, and it would be weird to release a game that used old mechanics. You'd want it to support the new mechanics and have that more seamless link.

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It is a first person action game. it probably should not use many, if any, actual D&D mechanics -- given those are built for turn based group tactics.

Sacrosanct said:

Sure, but this isn't an MMO, and it would be weird to release a game that used old mechanics. You'd want it to support the new mechanics and have that more seamless link.

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Baldur's Gate II used AD&D 2e rules, despite coming out in 2000 and, AFAIK, it was very well received.

Christian Hoffer said:

New video game developer

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This phrase about an AAA game should cause the siren from Ironside (aka the siren from Kill Bill, but I'm old!) to go off extremely loudly in one's head I would suggest. And not in a good way.


The odds of this game being completed and released are... low. I'd say maybe 2 in 5? That's generous though.

New developer, starting from scratch, difficult game type to do well (story-based action RPG, which I think it's safe to say this is based on the description and who they hired to be in charge), and most importantly, aren't backed by a major experienced videogame publisher or a huge amount of independent money, but rather a somewhat twitchy and cancellation-prone tabletop game company.

These are better odds than a CRPG would have though, to be fair.

Lidgar said:

WotC has Evolved and is Playing to Win! Truly inspiring marketspeak I must say!

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Truly incredible stuff from WotC here. Just wow.

Sacrosanct said:

Sure, but this isn't an MMO, and it would be weird to release a game that used old mechanics. You'd want it to support the new mechanics and have that more seamless link.

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Not the point. D&D Online was released towards the end of 3rd Edition, and yet did just fine. Continues to do just fine, actually.

Neverwinter is still going strong based on the 4E rules.

If this new game uses the 2024 rules just before "6th Edition" launches . . . it'll be fine. Even if it's not an MMO and simply a CRPG.

Ruin Explorer said:

This phrase about an AAA game should cause the siren from Ironside (aka the siren from Kill Bill, but I'm old!) to go off extremely loudly in one's head I would suggest. And not in a good way.

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"New Developer" doesn't mean "never made a game". It means they formed a new studio to do this. it happens all the time. The OP states that the developer was a director on the new Star Wars games plus God of War 3.

Dire Bare said:

Not the point. D&D Online was released towards the end of 3rd Edition, and yet did just fine. Continues to do just fine, actually.

Neverwinter is still going strong based on the 4E rules.

If this new game uses the 2024 rules just before "6th Edition" launches . . . it'll be fine. Even if it's not an MMO and simply a CRPG.

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I agree.

The actual edition of D&D used isn't a huge deal, it's the claim that the rules are specifically based on a specific TTRPG that tends to compel people. The overwhelming majority of people who played the Pathfinder games certainly never played PF1E for example. I would expect the same is true re: BG1/2 and other Infinity Engine games and AD&D 2E, and I know it's true re: BG3 and 5E.

But it's not a CRPG nor an MMORPG, it's a single-player action game, and playing off the fact that the lead designer has experience with single-player action games. I'm sure it'll have "RPG elements", but I doubt they'll particularly closely mirror in anything but using some cool names and so on.

Reynard said:

"New Developer" doesn't mean "never made a game". It means they formed a new studio to do this.

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I am well aware.

That's the problem. New studios rarely succeed.

Reynard said:

It means they formed a new studio to do this. it happens all the time.

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Yeah, and the majority of studios who are formed specifically to try get into the AAA games industry directly, without building up with high-end indie or AA games just absolutely crash and burn.

Reynard said:

The OP states that the developer was a director on the new Star Wars games plus God of War 3.

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Yes, dude, with love, even my ADHD isn't quite that bad! I did read that!

It doesn't change the odds of failure. People who long successful AAA careers go on to absolutely fail with entirely-new studios like this all the time. Most often they spin their wheels for 3-5 years, then get shut down. Hey at least everyone got a salary for that time in most cases! Ken Levine has practically made a career out of this! Who knows if Judas will even come out - none of his other games post-BioShock Infinite did, and it's been 11 years and it still doesn't have a release date!

And inversely, people with little or no AAA experience succeed about as often as those with the big AAA careers - just look at the much-lauded, incredibly well-reviewed Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - a small-for-AAA team of devs, lead by someone whose greatest previous achievement was being kinda-mid-level in a single Ubisoft game put out a 91% RPG (which in today's money is more like 94-95% was 15 years ago) on a fairly tiny budget.

I'm not saying he'll definitely fail - but the odds are poor.

Ruin Explorer said:

I am well aware.

That's the problem. New studios rarely succeed.


Yeah, and the majority of studios who are formed specifically to try get into the AAA games industry directly, without building up with high-end indie or AA games just absolutely crash and burn.


Yes, dude, with love, even my ADHD isn't quite that bad! I did read that!

It doesn't change the odds of failure. People who long successful AAA careers go on to absolutely fail with entirely-new studios like this all the time. Most often they spin their wheels for 3-5 years, then get shut down. Hey at least everyone got a salary for that time in most cases! Ken Levine has practically made a career out of this! Who knows if Judas will even come out - none of his other games post-BioShock Infinite did, and it's been 11 years and it still doesn't have a release date!

And inversely, people with little or no AAA experience succeed about as often as those with the big AAA careers - just look at the much-lauded, incredibly well-reviewed Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - a small-for-AAA team of devs, lead by someone whose greatest previous achievement was being kinda-mid-level in a single Ubisoft game put out a 91% RPG (which in today's money is more like 94-95% was 15 years ago) on a fairly tiny budget.

I'm not saying he'll definitely fail - but the odds are poor.

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I would be curious to see some numbers.

Reynard said:

Out in (probably) 20230 or so.

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So that's like after the Muad'dib takes over the planet Arrakis and becomes the Emperor.

Ruin Explorer said:

This phrase about an AAA game should cause the siren from Ironside (aka the siren from Kill Bill, but I'm old!) to go off extremely loudly in one's head I would suggest. And not in a good way.


The odds of this game being completed and released are... low. I'd say maybe 2 in 5? That's generous though.

New developer, starting from scratch, difficult game type to do well (story-based action RPG, which I think it's safe to say this is based on the description and who they hired to be in charge), and most importantly, aren't backed by a major experienced videogame publisher or a huge amount of independent money, but rather a somewhat twitchy and cancellation-prone tabletop game company.

These are better odds than a CRPG would have though, to be fair.


Truly incredible stuff from WotC here. Just wow.

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Actually I would have more faith in a CRPG then an ARPG, CRPG is at least compatible with D&D rules. Even a RTwP could work, but a ARPG? Wrong setting and system for that.