D&D General Chris Perkins and Jeremy Crawford Join Darrington Press

Chris Perkins and Jeremy Crawford have a new home, joining Critical Role’s Darrington Press. The LA Times was the first to report on the news of the pair joining Darrington in undisclosed roles. [UPDATE: Per Darrington Press, Perkins is Creative Director and Crawford is Game Director, matching their roles at Wizards.] According to the article, Perkins and Crawford were approached by Critical Role shortly after news broke that the pair were departing Wizards of the Coast.

I was committed to staying with Wizards until after D&D’s 50th anniversary, which gave me lots of time to work on succession planning and exit strategies,” Perkins told the LA Times. “What brought me out of retirement was the chance to work with Jeremy and the brilliant folks at Critical Role on things that have a lasting, positive impact on the world.”

“Chris and I talked about his retirement plan for years, so his approaching departure was long on my mind. When we sent the new D&D rule books to the printer last year, I felt it was time to explore a new chapter for myself,” Crawford added. “I love the game and its team, but 18 years is a long time. I was ready for a new adventure. The chapter that we’ve now opened feels like coming home — resuming work with Chris and returning to Southern California.”

Darrington Press just launched Daggerheart, a fantasy TTRPG that’s more narrative focused than D&D, but also has significant rules-crunch. Many have described Daggerheart as a rival to D&D, a comparison that will likely be made even more now that Darrington has snatched away two of D&D’s primary architects for the last 10+ years.

 

[Yaarel]

I perceive Crawford and Perkins as important influences for ensuring D&D traditions represent the diversity of D&D players. I worry about what future 5e content will look like without them working in WotC. I hope to continue to see images and stories about gays and transgenders, various ethnicities, and others, alongside majority groups.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Jeremy Crawford was a designer on Blue Rose for Green Ronin Publishing, but so too were Steve Kenson, Dawn Elliot, and John Snead.

Yeah, I know?

On a fundamental level, Blue Rose isn't that far removed from 3e D&D in its design and how it plays. It's still a d20 game that uses 3.0 D&D skill, feats, levels, etc.

It’s a game with a completely different aesthetic, goals, and thematic assumptions, it using the d20 skills and such is irrelevant to the point.

Edit: maybe I misread the tone/purpose of your comment. If so I apologize. It’s early and I lack coffee, so my perceptions may be skewed toward grump.

 

[Umbran]

Signing the two biggest names in modern D&D would strongly suggest they appreciate the game and want to be associated with it.

With respect, the point is that the biggest names in D&D are not Perkins and Crawford, or even in the game design and writing space. The actually best known names associated with the game today are on Critical Role.

Don't get me wrong - I like Perkins' and Crawford's work. I enjoy their game. But the idea that name recognition is a major reason to hire them fails to recognize that Darrington Press is already based on the largest media machine in RPGs.

 

[Scribe]

I mean it seems painfully obvious to me. These guys where the heads at a time when 5e went from a shocking success, to the monolith it is today.

These guys were there for that growth pattern, one which I'm sure Daggerheart would love to follow.

It doesnt have to be more complicated than that.

 

[overgeeked]

I mean it seems painfully obvious to me. These guys where the heads at a time when 5e went from a shocking success, to the monolith it is today.

These guys were there for that growth pattern, one which I'm sure Daggerheart would love to follow.

It doesnt have to be more complicated than that.

Absolutely. But it’s worth noting that CR itself followed that exact same pattern so they are already intimately familiar with it.

 

[Yaarel]

I mean it seems painfully obvious to me. These guys where the heads at a time when 5e went from a shocking success, to the monolith it is today.

These guys were there for that growth pattern, one which I'm sure Daggerheart would love to follow.

It doesnt have to be more complicated than that.

The presence of Crawford and Perkins likewise communicates serious credibility of Darrington Press as an RPG business.

 

[Scribe]

Absolutely. But it’s worth noting that CR itself followed that exact same pattern so they are already intimately familiar with it.

Right, but now they want to have that stable growth, and I assume, CP and JC have some experience in maintaining that kind of presence.

Daggerheart the game is already successful, the Critical Role brand is already huge, and with a certain demographic likely more important than D&D.

So why do these guys get hired? To me, its the business side.

 

[overgeeked]

Right, but now they want to have that stable growth, and I assume, CP and JC have some experience in maintaining that kind of presence.

Daggerheart the game is already successful, the Critical Role brand is already huge, and with a certain demographic likely more important than D&D.

So why do these guys get hired? To me, its the business side.

100%. They just added 30+ years of design and publishing experience to DP. A publisher that’s what 5 years old? It’s a huge win. And big names in D&D design. Likely why Matt’s looking like the cat who ate the canary.

 

[Worrgrendel]

Controversial, but I think Mulligan is only okay live. You can see him ripping rules off the system in real time, and it suffers for it.

Really? I don’t see any other live streams selling out Madison Square Garden. If that’s suffering, I’ll gladly suffer that. Everyone is having fun. Isn’t that what is important? The whole Dimension 20 team is just passionate about putting out an entertaining product. The whole Dropout platform is what television entertainment should be.

 

[overgeeked]

Really? I don’t see any other live streams selling out Madison Square Garden. If that’s suffering, I’ll gladly suffer that. Everyone is having fun. Isn’t that what is important? The whole Dimension 20 team is just passionate about putting out an entertaining product. The whole Dropout platform is what television entertainment should be.

Yep. He was trained at Upright Citizens Brigade and was a teacher there for years. Dude knows improv. It’s one of the core referee skills. And he’s wildly entertaining.