Critical Role Announces Publishing Company

The first game will be a board/card game called Uk’otoa. This will be followed by role playing game products including Syndicult, “an original modern magic roleplaying game designed by Matthew Mercer in which mob families jealously guard secrets and battle it out for power on the city streets.”

Announcing Darrington Press, Our Game Publishing Company | Critical Role

critrole.com

I’ve long wondered whether there might one day be the official Critical Role role playing game, and whether CR's massive influence could make a dent in WotC, the traditional 800lb gorilla.

 

[Khelon Testudo]

All I can say is WotC is lucky - and I bet Paizo are dismayed - that Mercer switched to 5e when he started streaming. The home game was Pathfinder, but the group decided it was too complex to suit streaming. Imagine a world where they stuck with Pathfinder!

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

All I can say is WotC is lucky - and I bet Paizo are dismayed - that Mercer switched to 5e when he started streaming. The home game was Pathfinder, but the group decided it was too complex to suit streaming. Imagine a world where they stuck with Pathfinder!

Not only that, but one of Paizo's own deities was "borrowed" and used in a WotC Critical Role book (EGtW). Sure, she had a name change, but "a rose by any other name."

 

[Virgo]

This. Mercer respects D&D personally and professionally, since it brought his family together and helped inspire so many people. He will certainly publish other things, but the D&D name is sacred to him.

Now, if he keeps gaining steam then Hasbro might give him D&D. That's a future possibility.

It'll be a sad day if that happens.

Not everyone is a fan of CR/Mercer.

 

[MNblockhead]

Heh. Critical Role, and now Darrington Press, is not a "vanity" project for the CR crew. It is a creative endeavor alongside their acting careers. Most actors do not make a lot of money, even relatively successful ones like the CR folks. None of these people are "Big Hollywood", they aren't struggling as much as they did when they first got started in Tinseltown, but they still need to keep the hustle going. The success of Critical Role has been a much needed boost in their careers, and may have possibly eclipsed their voice acting work in revenue and importance.

I meant compared to the CR animated series. That’s where they are going to be making real money and it their big break. If it does well enough to get another season, their could be merchandise deals to be had and they would not want to burn bridges with Hasbro. D&D has been good for them and will continue to be. I don’t see them rocking that boat.

 

[Wrathamon]

Why would hasbro want to get rid of D&D it is up 20% and they are developing several streaming shows for netflix, etc? This talk of hasbro not wanting to deal with D&D is not current reality.

 

[MichaelSomething]

I think we're missing the big picture here...

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

We are in the age of the multimedia franchises. This means if an IP works then you will be different products: media productions, comics, books, toys, shirts, videogames.

To be a rival for D&D is too hard. All publishers can create their own setting, but to design the "crunch", about spells, magic items, feats, subclasses, PC races, etc is a different matter. Only Paizo has could to create its own alternative crunch, with new base classes. The rest of retroclones aren't too famous.

I have said Darrington Press may publish new games with its game system, but this can't aim for being the new Paizo. Other thing would be to publish its own version of Unearthed Arcana, a list of optional rules. Or they can work as 3PP to create its own Starfinder sourcebooks, or other d20 titles but not medieval fantasy.

 

[Catulle]

It’s usually all over the RPG news sites and communities. They all get discussed at length right here in giant 1000-post threads where several people get banned and then the thread gets closed.

And yet keep coming back

 

[Catulle]

Not only that, but one of Paizo's own deities was "borrowed" and used in a WotC Critical Role book (EGtW). Sure, she had a name change, but "a rose by any other name."

Considering what Paizo "borrowed" from D&D, I imagine they'll cope, somehow.

 

[Virgo]

"I think we're missing the big picture here..."


I fully expect CR sex toys by Valentine's Day.