Critical Role Critical Role Suspends Broadcasts

With the ongoing global health crisis, Critical Role has announced that all live broadcasts will be suspended for the foreseeable future, starting today.

Here's the announcement:

"Like many of you, we have been monitoring the progressing situation around COVID-19 and have made the difficult decision to temporarily stop all live broadcasts, effective Tuesday, March 17th, 2020. Please note that our next episode of All Work No Play will air live on Twitch today at 4pm Pacific and the finale will air on Tuesday, March 31st at 7pm Pacific.

The health, safety, and well-being of our company and employees is the highest priority for us and we asked our staff to begin working from home to practice social distancing last week.

Our hearts go out to everyone affected by COVID-19. If you are interested in helping, many state governments have set up special funds to help those in your local community or check out covid19responsefund.org.

Going forward, we’ll keep our social media accounts and website updated with the latest news.

Stay healthy, friends. We’ll be back soon.

Critical Role"

 

[Count_Zero]

I was wondering if they were going to either postpone streaming or move online (which Friends at the Table does)

 

[Prakriti]

I was wondering if they were going to either postpone streaming or move online (which Friends at the Table does)

Maybe they'll consider going online if the pandemic goes on long enough, but you lose something playing online. Video doesn't perfectly replicate the in-person atmosphere, and I think CR fans would notice (and dislike) the difference.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Maybe they'll consider going online if the pandemic goes on long enough, but you lose something playing online. Video doesn't perfectly replicate the in-person atmosphere, and I think CR fans would notice (and dislike) the difference.

Are they going to dislike it more than not having any Critical Role at all for weeks or months?

Many of us are now doing a lot of work via videoconferencing. I suspect CR has the ability to make that work well, even if it is inevitably different -- everything is going to be different for a while.

 

[Prakriti]

Are they going to dislike it more than not having any Critical Role at all for weeks or months?

That is the question. But I expect Matt and the gang will try a one-shot or two before they start experimenting with CR. If the one-shots go well (and are received positively), then maybe they'll try CR-by-teleconference.

 

[Gammadoodler]

If there's a group that could make the transition from in-person to online game smoothly, it'd be hard to pick a better candidate than a group of professional voice actors in L.A., sponsored by an online D&D tool, that have the resources of a production team.

Not to say that they should, just that I'm not sure who could do it better.

 

[Count_Zero]

That is the question. But I expect they'll try a one-shot or two before they start experimenting with CR. If the one-shots go well (and are received positively), then maybe they'll try CR-by-teleconference.

There's probably going to be a degree of stream prep as well - finding the right platform and that sort of thing (with cost possibly not being an issue - if word gets out that Critical Role is looking to at least temporarily move online, Matt will probably find his inbox flooded with sponsorship offers by pretty much everyone).

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I suspect the more casual groups will jump into videoconferencing pretty fast. There won't be a big drop in quality for many of them.

Now I'm worried about Not Another D&D Podcast and Nerd Poker, both of which play around a table.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

This is a very serious matter. It is like a Russian Roulette, most of times only a fright, maybe a couple of days in the bed, but some people are going to die, because they are too weak or vulnerable.

I am Spanish, and here until the summer we may be worse than Italy. My city where I live is relatively safe, but there was a next in the next town, enough close to go by walk.

And I feel a great rage because I think somebody is responsible. Can you believe it? In Madrid, March 8th was allowed a public demostration for the women rights, when some voices warned it could cause contagions, and this happened.

 

[Gammadoodler]

Also insofar as the likes of roll20, fantasygrounds, and the like aren't running at reduced capacity themselves, this would be a prime opportunity for them to get their platforms featured on maybe the biggest stage in D&D.

If I were the boss for one of these platforms, and could manage it safely with my team, I'd be rolling out a red carpet, offering premium support with all the bells and whistles to help keep the show going online.